Out of the Shadows ✔️ [Completed] [Book One]

Chapter 28

Warning! Mature Scene Ahead! 

The sound of my heels echoes in the quiet lobby as I practically jog to catch up with him. He marches ahead of me, violently bashing the lift call button.

"Are we going to talk about this?" I ask while we wait.

"I can't at the minute Lizzie; I'm too fucking angry." He bites his lip aggressively, making his lower lip turn white with the pressure.

I have no idea what to do or say to make this OK. I'm so confused why he's this angry with me. I'm not sure what I've done wrong.

I stand on the opposite side of the empty lift to Daniel. The confines of the lift make me feel claustrophobic. I don't want to say the wrong thing, so I look down at my hands and stay silent. I have to count my breaths to stay in control while we continue up to our floor.

He reaches his door and I panic because I have no fucking clue what to do for the best. After a couple of seconds of inner turmoil, I decide that it's best to leave him to calm down and we can talk tomorrow.

We've both had a lot to drink and I don't want something so stupid to come between us. I walk to my door in silence and put my room card in, which goes green immediately. I take a step into my room when I hear him quietly begin to speak.

"Why did you pick him over me?" He doesn't look at me when he speaks.

My eyes widen in shock. How could he even think that?

"I didn't."

"You did Lizzie, I stepped in when I saw his hands on you but you still protected him ... from me." He speaks quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

"Daniel. I don't understand how you could think that? Didn't you that see I had already rejected him?" He doesn't answer and just steps into his room and lets the door close behind him.

What the actual fuck is going on? This cannot be happening!

I'm actually dumbfounded. I must look ridiculous, pacing up and down the empty corridor getting increasingly frustrated with every second. How could he think I chose Charlie over him?

I feel the overwhelming need to tell him and show him how I feel.

I psych myself up to give this total idiot a piece of my mind. The door rattles with how hard I knock, and I continue to pace while I wait for him to open it. My heart is racing so fast I feel that it could burst out of my chest. He opens the door with a whiskey in his hand, and looks visibly upset.

"You total prick." I shout, but then think immediately, nice going Lizzie - what a great way to start. Daniel just looks at me as I march past him into his room. "How could you think that I had chosen Charlie over you? I had already fucking rejected him! I'd already shot him down and told him that I was with you now. I was handling it!" I'm shrieking uncontrollably, but trying and failing to keep the emotion out of my voice.

"Didn't look like you were handling it from where I was standing. I saw you trying to push the bastard off you Lizzie, and he wasn't fucking moving. What was I meant to do? Wait for him to kiss you?" He downs his whiskey and fills up another glass.

"He would not have kissed me Daniel, I would have made him see that it is never going to happen. But he's my friend. I don't know what came over him... but he's my friend. I didn't want you to physically hurt him on top of how I had already hurt him."

Daniel just laughs bitterly in response. "So fucking what if he got hurt! That's my point Lizzie, you chose to protect him. You chose him."