Teach me to trust

25. Saving me

"I had to watch a video of you kissing another girl, that you recorded and posted online. When we were still together" I shake my head at him, twisted smile still on my face.

"I am so much more than you ever made me. The only thing you ever helped me with was to learn what never to accept from anyone ever again in my life" his face twists in anger at my words and he steps to me, so close to me I can feel his heavy breaths across my face and I can smell the alcohol.

"You will always be that pathetic little girl that ran back to me time after time" he spits at me, reaching his hand up around my jaw again, shoving me back into the wall and I feel the harsh contact on the back of my head.

"Em? Who was at the door?" I hear from inside and I want to speak out and tell Lily to stay inside and away from this man in front of me but his grip is so tight on me I can't open my mouth.

I don't see her come outside and I'm almost glad she hasn't come through the door yet as Dylan leans back towards me and sneers at me, opening his mouth again to throw more words at me.

He doesn't get the chance before a group of quick footsteps make their way to the front door and I see Marc come outside, spotting me crushed here against the wall and his face drops, sitting in an almost frightening mask of seriousness.

He strides towards me and grabs Dylan by the throat, ripping him away from me and forcing him against the wall next to me,

"What the fuck do you think you're doing" his voice is venomous as he asks him, Dylans face turning red from the tight grip and I stand here in shock as I watch this unfold, until brown eyes appear in front of my face, blonde hair sweeping down over their eyebrows and I see their mouth moving.

Keira, she's standing here in front of me and I feel my shoulders sag, her hands on me bringing my focus back and the pain in my head is much more noticeable now, making me cringe.

I nod my head at her and step away from the wall, straightening my top and moving my hair away from my face, catching the way she's glancing over my shoulder at something behind me and giving whoever it is a quick nod.

I'm about to turn my head to check when two warm hands and on my hips, leaning down and looking into my eyes. Nate's green eyes are shining with concern and his brows are furrowed as he looks at me, eyes running all over my face and landing on my jaw. I see his jaw tighten as he catches the redness of my skin and his eyes burn in anger, spinning his head around and landing his eyes on Dylan who is still firmly clutched by Marc.

He turns back to me, planting a gentle kiss on either side of my jaw and stalking over to the two men, Marc hearing him before he gets there and letting Dylan go, standing to the side to let Nate get closer to him.

I can't hear what they're saying from here, but Dylan is clearly trying to get away from Nate as he stands leaning over him, intimidating him without even touching him. He seems to finish what he says as he grips his t-shirt and throws him away from my door, landing heavily on the pavement before he stumbles to his feet and marches away to his car, slamming the door as he gets in and peeling away from the kerb.

I feel someone's gentle grip on my arm and turn my head, seeing JD stood next to me with a small smile on his face, pulling me to him and gently guiding me inside and sitting me on the couch. He takes a seat next to me as the others pile in, all sitting and looking at me with furtive glances, all clearly with the same questions sitting on their lips.

JD is the first to ask though,

"Are you alright?" and it's a murmured question as if worried that if he speaks any louder the sound will shatter me.

A small laugh rises out of me and everyone becomes bewildered, other than Keira who sits with a reassured glint in her eye and I nod my head and lean back on the couch,

"Believe it or not, I actually feel good. Slight headache" and I can see Nate's hands twitch, almost with the urge to touch me and check as I say this,

"I think saying what I said to him was exactly what I needed. It's been a long time coming" and despite not elaborating I see an understanding look pass across everyone, and nods ripple out across the room.

A throat clears, Lily lifting her head to look at me,

"I heard what you said to him, and the awful things he said to you. I'm sorry, I know it was personal I didn't mean to eavesdrop I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. It was only when you went quiet that I shouted out to you. I thought he would leave if he knew someone else was here" and she shakes her head with tears in her eyes,

"I ran in here in a panic and I told them what I heard, needed them to know how serious the situation was" and I can see she is genuinely apologetic.

I honestly don't mind that she told them, I feel glad about the fact that I don't have to tell the whole story again myself, and I tell her exactly that, smiling at her as I do to show her there are genuinely no hard feelings between the two of us.

She stands and throws herself in to hug me, squeezing me tightly. Sweet Lily, the girl I helped at the bar all those weeks ago, saving me now.