Chapter 6

Eric's pov

I frowned, scratching my left ear as the hulk in human skin came holding our drinks in both hands. He had this huge frown on his face that would have intimidated a lesser man. But I was no green horn when it came to fighting, especially when it was for something I wanted. Earlier, when he had been introducing Light on the stage, I could tell he liked her more than a friend. It wasn't just a joke or a gag everyone knew about, and it made me  wonder if they had a thing going on. 

“What do you mean by a date?” He smashed our drinks on the table, spilling some of the contents on the table with the force by which he slammed the glasses. 

I glanced at the spilled drink before looking back at him, “Why are you asking? Do you have any personal relationship with her?” I rose up, tipping my head up to look him in the eye as he had an inch or two over me in height. Light stood up too.

“Joseph, what are you doing?” She asked through clenched teeth, taking in the faces of the people nearby who were watching our trio.

“Protecting you from this creep.” He spat out, his eyes still fixed on me.

“You’re the one acting like a creep. Can't you see people are watching you?”

“I don't care. This guy doesn't have good intentions. He just wants to have a nice time with you tonight and leave.” He said of my intentions like he knew what I was thinking. I scoffed at the idiot who was resorting to lies out of jealousy. 

“How immature of you to assume that of someone you know nothing about because you feel threatened someone who isn't even yours would be stolen from you.” 

He took an unexpected swing at me, hitting me squarely on my face before I could protect myself. Light yelled his name angrily before rushing to my side to protect me from the muscular freak. Two guys appeared and held his hands, preventing him from moving towards us. He tried to free himself, but the guys kept holding his hands back with gritted teeth because of his size. 

I straightened, ready to defend myself from him just in case they couldn't keep him down when something extraordinary happened. Light moved close to him and gave him two resounding slaps that caught the attention of everyone in the room. Everywhere was so silent even the sound of a pin dropping would be heard. He stopped moving, his face in utter disbelief as he stared at her.

“Stop it!” Her head was held high and her shoulders were straight. 

“But I just want to protect—”She interjected.

“I didn't ask for your protection, did I?” She yelled loudly, causing some of the strands of her red hair to whip around. The bartender lady with the winky shirt came to stand beside her. 

“Babe, calm down.” She tried to pacify Light, her worried eyes on her friend's face. 

Joseph shook the hands of the guys and moved close to her but she stepped away. Her retreat caused his face to fall, and despite myself I felt a little bit sorry for him.

“I really only wanted to protect you.” He said. “Jamie, let her know.” Winky shirt shook her head at him before looking at me. 

“Take her away.”

And that was all I needed to hear.

~

Nadia

Even after all that had happened, I didn't want to go home early that night. Jason had insisted on taking me home so I could rest since it was already past ten, but I told him I was okay and I still wanted to spend sometime with him. Reluctantly, he obliged and I began to worry that he was no longer interested and all he wanted to do was take me home so he could run. I opened my mouth to tell him he could go when he grabbed my hand and told me he had an idea of where we could go. I began to protest when he used my hand to draw me near to him, our faces just an inch apart.

“Do you want to spend some time with me?” He asked with an encouraging smile.

“No.” I replied, causing his face to fall at my answer, “Not until we treat your face so you won't have much of a bruise tomorrow.” I used my hand in his to lead him to the convenience store some blocks away. When we got there, I bought a band aid and some antiseptic to treat the wound. When I got to the part of the store I told him to wait, I found him pressing a bag of ice on the bruise. 

“I can't believe how I would explain this to my family tomorrow morning.” He said with a smile.

“You don't look worried.” I said taking the ice out of his hand so I could do my work. 

“Well, I am definitely worried because I'm supposed to be doing something very important. And if I know my father well, he would use this against me.” 

He sounded sad. It made me wonder why his father would use it against him, but I refrained from asking any question since I didn't know if he would like me asking.

“Do you usually think this much before you say things?” He scratched behind his left ear again. 

“What makes you think that?”

“Because you want to know why things are like that with my father but you didn't.” He stated. His eyes were on me as I dabbed the open wound with the cotton bud.

“I didn't want to pry.” I shrugged, tearing the wrapper of the band aid.

“If you don't pry, how then would you know someone?” He asked, curling an index under his chin as he effected a pose of someone thinking.

I slapped his arm, “I thought there were some questions you just don't ask during a date.” 

“So, you admit this is still a date?” He asked and I smiled, not giving him any response.

“Well, you're right about the question thing. But you know what I've come to realise?” Since his question was rhetoric, I didn't answer. “With the right person, no question is too soon to ask. You don't get offended or insecure when they ask you things you would rather not want them know. The only thing that would prevent that is when you're trying to hide yourself.”

His words rang true. I was trying to hide myself. I didn't know who he was but I knew I wasn't good enough and I didn't want him to stop looking at me like I held his sun and moon in the palm of my hands. Why I felt this way about someone I didn't know was baffling.

“I don't even know you. I just met you today. Why do I feel like things are spiralling and I have no control?” My head was bent down as I packed the used items so I could dispose of them. 

He held my hands to stop them, “Because you like control.” He used a hand to tip my head up so our eyes could meet. “It keeps you calm. It makes you feel normal. But at the same time, it keeps you from truly living.... And loving.” Tears pooled in my eyes as I watched him reveal who I was to myself. I felt like an onion that was being unravelled with words as sharp as a knife.

“Spend tonight with me, Light.”