Bleeding Love

c h a p t e r 18

The next following days were normal. I began my shifts at the café and things with my friends were going great. L.A has been the best decision I ever made in my lifetime and I couldn't be ever more grateful for the friends I have made.

There's still no sign of Warren and the news has stopped talking about me. Some people would stop and ask if I'm the girl they're talking about on television. I usually fake a smile and say, "I'm sorry, no".

Now it's a Saturday afternoon and I'm waitressing on a slow day. Ally was behind the counter, doodling on her sketch pad while Jess was texting on her phone.

"It's boring today." Jess frowns, Ally nods her head in agreement.

"Any cute guys?" Ally asks, poking her head up and scanning the half empty room.

"Blondie over there, but the dude is wearing sunglasses and you can barely tell his facial features." Jess explains, pointing the man who looked oddly familiar.

He looked like Warren.

It felt like I was punched in the gut repeatedly and I hurried behind the counter. Jess looked at me as if I was crazy and Ally frowns at me. I think she doesn't know how to deal with people in these situations.

"What's wrong?" Jess asks, clearly worried while I'm sitting behind the bar.

"I-I- he looks like-" I breathe in and out, trying not to make a scene.

He's found you.

You're so dead.

He's going to beat like you like hell. He might stab you over and over again.

He's going to starve you until you beg for mercy.

My heart was beating abnormally and I felt like my lungs were being squeezed. Jess's eyes widened and she quickly got up and left behind the counter. Ally got on her knees and told me to breathe.

We were interrupted by a young man asking if anyone works here. Ally left me alone to collect myself  and popped up to help the customer.

"Oh hi. You're Nick right?" Ally asks and everything stopped.

My panic attack was paused when I heard his name. Nick was here? Did he come here to visit me? No, don't be silly. He's probably hungry or something. He probably forgot that you worked here.

I massage my temples and stand up slowly. My hair ass a tousled mess, but I didn't care. Nick usually made me feel better and I really needed that.

"Yeah that's me," Nick grins and turns towards me, "Hey Aub!"

His eyes sparkled when he spoke my name and I couldn't hold in my smile. He's the first boy I've felt giddy about since Warren.

"Hello Nicholas. Can we help you?" I tease him with his first name and he raises his eyebrows.

"Actually, I came here to order two muffins for my sister and I. She wanted some visitors and she was very hungry." He smiles and I nod my head.

Reyna was hanging on by a thread. Nick was telling me before how worse she was getting. He keeps trying to smile for her, but one day he's going to break and I'm going to hate to see this happy Nick disappear.

When my mother died, it felt like my whole world was shattered. As if the ground just disappeared and I was falling for eternity. You know what they say, they always pick the good ones first.

Ally returns to the kitchen to pack up the muffins and brings them out in a neatly decorated bag.

"If you're not busy later, maybe we can hang out? I got a couple of new movies and I don't feel like watching them by myself." Nick winks and I blush.

"Are you asking me to Netflix and Chill, Nicholas?" I bite my lip lightly and he chuckles.

"You know what? Yeah, maybe I am. See you later Aub and thanks Ally." Nick smirks and exits the shop.

I couldn't help but get all excited. A movie night with Nick sounded fantastic. Yet, being alone with him made me nervous. Is this his way of getting me alone and trapping me?

Don't be silly Aubrey! His sister told me he's a great and trustworthy guy. He wouldn't ever hurt me, he saved me from a pervert before so why would he act like one now?

You thought the same thing about Warren and look where you are now.

My conscience is right, I mistook Warren and believed he was a genuinely nice guy. That was all bullshit and here I am now. A broken piece of glass that will never be put back together.

Perhaps I should call off our movie date. I can say I'm sick or something. Won't he visit me if I say that since he's just across the hall? This is all too complicated for me.

"That's just funny." Ally looks at me, sending me a strange look.

I look around, "What's funny?"

"It's just, you were in a middle of a panic attack and all of sudden, Nick walks in and you're completely fine." Ally laughs and glares at me.

What the hell is her problem? Yes, I was freaking out, but Nick always had a way pulling me out. The sound of his name just happened to pause my mind and pull me out of my thoughts. I didn't mean to cause a scene.

"What are you trying to imply, Ally?" I narrow my eyes at her, daring her to continue.

Ally smiles sweetly and lowers her voice, "Sweet heart, don't play dumb with me. Just keep in mind no one likes an attention whore."

I. Was. Fucking. Stunned.

My jaw dropped open and formed a big "O". How dare she accuse me of being an attention seeker? She had no idea what I've gone through and seeking attention is the last thing I need right now. I try to stay low and her being my friend, I thought she'd know that.

"Excuse me?" I grit my teeth, extremely hurt and shocked by her insult.

"You heard me. I'm just trying to tell you that no one likes a boy who cries wolf. I'll see you later Aubrey, when you know how to act like a mature adult and not make a scene just to get a guy to notice you." Ally blow kisses me good bye and I growl.

What a back stabbing bitch! If only I had enough courage to slap her silly...

Jess returns shortly after and I notice the man who looked like Warren had disappeared. Jess noticed where my gaze was and explained that Ally left with him. I begin to tell her what happened between her and I, Jess was shocked to say the least.

"Maybe that was her boyfriend and he pissed her off by being here. Don't take what she said to the heart. She rarely ever acts like that." Jess smiles and gives me a tight hug.

"Yeah I guess. It just sucks, Jess. She knows nothing about my past and why my panic attacks occur. I will not allow myself to be degraded to such a name." I pick at my fingernails.

"Forget her. You are not an attention seeking whore, trust me I would not be friends with you if you were. Now, I expect every single detail about your date with Nick tonight." Jess winks and I blink.

A date? So she thinks it's like that too? Then that means it might actually be date. I can't be stuck in a room alone with Nick! Anything could happen! What if he tries to drug me and ties me up in the closet?!

"You spent the night there when you were drunk and the only contact he made with you was placing an ice pack on your swollen ass face."

I agreed with myself, I was just being paranoid.

"Of course. I'll see you later Jess." I wave good bye and began my walk to the car.

I couldn't help but notice Ally and the strange man, whose back was faced towards me, speaking to each other across the parking lot. They didn't see me so I quickly buckles in and hit the gas.

Strange, why did he look so much like Warren?

Stop being silly and forget about it. If it were him, he would have shot all three of us and let us there to rot to death.

I shake my head and begin to plan out my outfit for tonight. I need to stop focusing on the scary things and enjoy myself tonight.