His Mission

Lungs on strike.

I'm glued to the wall, unable to tear my eyes off the scene unfolding in front of me. Jared is sprawled across the floor, and Jake is standing over him with anger. Jared blinks in surprise before scowling up at Jake.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm dancing." Jared argues in a defensive tone. Jake inhales a sharp breath, and his eyes continue to darken with every passing second. "She asked you to get off her. She shouldn't have to ask twice," Jake hits back at him. Jared's dark eyes briefly flicker over to me before turning back to Jake.

"She was enjoying it. Ask her." Jared spits out in a drunken haze. My eyes grow wide at his words, and I begin shaking my head in protest. "N-no. I wasn't! I –"

I stop talking with embarrassment. Several eyes are on me, and I feel like the air is being sucked out of the room. Jake takes one look at my horrified face before knowing the truth. He reaches down to grab a fistful of Jared's shirt, and he pulls him up until his face is inches away from his.

"If you try that again, you can enjoy my fist in your face," Jake warns him through clenched teeth. Jared pauses for a moment, and he appears taken by surprise. My gaze alternates between Jake and Jared, and I don't know what my next step should be. I glance around for signs of Trish, but the faces looking back at me are alien. My hand flies to my chest, and I feel the oxygen knock straight out of my lungs.

"Why are you protecting her? She's anyone's game." Jared says in a misogynic tone that makes my stomach swirl with nausea. He follows up his comment with a snigger of amusement. If I wasn't so stunned in silence, I'd argue with him on his views on women until I was red in the face. Jake appears to be just as disgusted as I because his hand flies back before connecting with Jared's nose.

"Jake, don't!" I yell, charging toward him. Despite how disgusting Jared's comment is, I don't want to see him hurt. One of Jake's friends swoops in toward me before wrapping an arm around my waist. I'm lifted away from Jake and Jared as they both begin fighting on the floor. He pulls me into the crowd despite me trying to squeeze out of his hold.

"You don't want to get in the middle of that, sweetheart." The guy says to me while keeping his arm securely around my body. It's a sea of punches, kicks and verbal abuse. Multiple phones are held up to record the fight, and I glance around with panic and protest.

"Stop it! He's drunk, it's not worth it!" I yell at Jake. He's clearly the one winning the fight, and blood soon begins to cover the floor. I cover my eyes with one hand before placing the other over my ears. I don't want to hear Jared's cries for Jake to stop, and I don't want to keep watching Jake ploughing into his limp body. The scene reminds me of my own encounters with Trevor, and it makes bile rise to the back of my throat. Jared's pained groans can be heard through my attempt to block out sound.

I scream out for Jake to stop hurting him. "Stop it! Stop fighting!" I yell before pushing myself out of his friend's hold. Jake's head snaps up at the sound of my voice, and I recoil backward from the anger seeping from his expression. I immediately fall silent, and the colour drains from my face. His blue eyes are cold and emotionless, lacking any sign of warmth. The danger in his eyes mirror Trevor's eyes, and I feel the nausea in my stomach turn to battery acid. My heart freezes with fear, and the alcohol I've consumed through the night begins to make its way back up my throat.

"Emily," Jake calls out my name quietly, but it's too late. I've seen enough. He wipes his bloodied hand on his shirt before standing up to approach me. I furiously shake my head in protest to keep him away from me. I can't be around him when he reminds me of Trevor.

I spin around to go in search of air. I need to get away from Jake before I'm sent spiralling into a pool of darkness I can't swim out of. The noise around me drowns out into nothing, and my vision begins to blur. I push through a sea of people to find the exit. The desperation inside me begins to deepen with every passing second. I release a soft whimper when I struggle to find a sanctuary to catch my breath.