Protecting Her. (Under Heavy Editing)

Chapter Four.

Chapter Four.
Lacey's POV.

I'm drumming on the table, because I'm fed up with this tension. "You got any plans tonight?" Nate asks and I shake my head. "No, why?" I ask and he smiles at me. "You should come to Josh's pre-halloween party." He says and I shake my head. "I don't do parties." I say and he sighs. "Please, for your calculus buddy, its fancy dress... you know you want to." He says and I sigh. "Jamie can come too. Alexa will be there." He says and I groan. "Please." And he pesters me for ten minutes straight. "Fine! Jamie you're coming with me tonight though." I say and she nods shyly. He hugs me and I laugh slightly. "Make sure you dress up." He says and I mock salute him. I've broken my one rule of not hanging with these but, whats the worst that could happen right. I spend the rest of lunch trying to avoid Seth's observant gaze.

*

It's time to get ready for this party. I had promised Nate I'd dress up, but I'm not sure what to be. Last minute prep sucks. Alexa and Jamie are here too as I offered to do there's. We've agreed as its a pre-halloween party, we won't go for scary or weird just yet. I do Jamie first, choosing colours that compliment her hair I use white on her face before using crushed reds and oranges to create a mask of sorts. It suits her. Moving on to Alexa, I got for a darker look, using her dark hair as my inspiration. I use blues and teal colours to create a mask on her. I'm going for something a little different this time. For me I decide to not focus on just my eyes but my whole face using glitter pigments of blues, purples, teal and greens, with some silver. I also wear a blonde wig to which I add some colour. We all wear contact lenses that match our look before finding dresses in similar colours. Smiling at one another we laugh. "We're like walking glitter balls." I say as we hear a car horn. That'll be Denver. We all get in and O smile at his effort. We make our way there and my stomach churns, something isn't right. I can already feel the bass of the music on the road, hear it vibrate through the upcoming houses. Girls parade themselves outside the house in skimpy outfits, caked in make up. I roll my eyes, getting out of the car with everyone and walking into the party. I go in search of Nate and find him easily, his almost identical to Denver. He smiles at me and I give him a hug. "Hey Sparkles!" He chuckles and I giggle. "Hey Rainbow." I say. He hands me a shot and I sigh. Here goes nothing. I down the shot, cringing slightly at the taste. I look behind me and see the rest of the gang here. Alexa and Jamie stand with me, the guys standing so we're in like a semi circle. Nate stands beside me, his arm around my back. We laugh and chat away, drinking, a lot. Josh hands more and more shots out, I don't even know what it is, but it's something strong that's for sure. Coughing I shake my head. "No more! God please no more!" I say laughing and Jace shakes his head. "Lightweight!" He says and Alexa slaps him. "Don't be mean." She warns. "I'm not a lightweight but what is this stuff? Ass? Definitely tastes like ass." I say and everyone laughs, well everyone but Seth. Alexa drags Jamie and I out of the basement and into the living room claiming that we just have to dance with her at least once. I sway my hips to the beat, attempting to loosen up. Nate, Jace and Denver join us, so we all get a dancing partner. Nate intertwines our fingers together, keeping us flush against one another as our hips sway in time. I smile and Alexa and Jamie give me knowing looks. I roll my eyes and begin to feel on edge again. And in the pit of my stomach I know that part of it is to do with the fact that I can never allow myself to actually get close to Nate, because if I do he could get hurt, or worse... die. Shaking my head I allow myself to enjoy tonight. Nate goes to get drinks and the others disappeared when we were dancing and now I'm all alone. I look for Jamie, hating the feeling I'm having now I'm alone.

A hand grabs my waist as I walk through a lowly it hallway. "Hey babe." I cringe and turn around. "Busy." I say and he chuckles. "Never too busy for some fun right." He says winking. "In a relationship." I lie and he yanks me back roughly. "What the f-" He cuts me off grabbing my jaw roughly. "Ladies don't swear." He says and I glare. "Fuck off." I grind out as his grip tightens. I dive my knee into his groin causing him to keel over, to which I dive my elbow into his back. He straightens up and slaps me, twice not leaving me time to recover. I feel blood trickle from my lip and groan aloud. "I said I have a boyfriend... respect a girl and she might respect you back." I say and go to lunge at him again only to be pulled back. "He's not worth it." A familiar voice whispers and I watch as Seth delivers a powerful blow to the buys face, no doubt breaking his jaw. "Thank you... but I didn't need saving... I had it under control." I say and go to walk off. "Look go find Jamie and Nate and stay with them, he'll come looking for a fight now." He says sternly and I roll my eyes. "I can deal with him." I say and he sighs running a hand through his hair. "Just do it." He says and I laugh. "Nike!" Before walking off. I find Jamie, whose trying to talk to a tipsy Denver. "Finally someone who appears sober." She says and Alexa bounds towards us. "This is the longest one of the guys parties have lasted without being crashed." She says and I think back to creep guy. I didn't recognise him from school so he much go to one of the others in the area. "Or maybe I spoke too soon." She says as a loud crash sounds. We rush over to see Josh and the creep guy from earlier fighting. "Josh duck!" I shout and at the sound of my voice creep guy turns and pulls his fist back, but I'm never hit as once again Seth comes to the rescue and has him unconscious in one punch. All hell breaks loose as presumably creeps friends all lunge at Seth, who is obviously backed up by the guys. Whom I kidding, I can't just watch when this is my fault! I send a punch flying for some buff guys jaw and I hear a sickening crunch. Whoops. I spot Seth glaring at me until he sees more guys coming. I throw more punches, taking a few hits myself. I try remember my training and use that to my advantage. Time stand still when a sickening smash and familiar cry of pain resonates around the room. I faintly recognise some screams, none of which are my own. I turn to the guy who is responsible and punch him, and again, and again. I go to land another punch when hands drag me back and Seth steps in landing a final blow knocking him out. I fight my way out of Denver's grasp and kneel beside him, trying to remember what little first aid I knew. I take off my jacket and press it against the open wound on his head, muttering comforting words to the barely conscious Josh, my hands shaking slightly. Turns out the smash was Seth, Josh had been smacked in the back of the head with some object. The paramedics finally arrive and take him away, Nate rushing with him. They're like brothers afterall. I stand up looking around at the now empty house. Jamie walks over to me with some wipes and I attempt to wash some of the blood off my hands, not all mine. Alexa frantically tidies as if its the only thing stopping her freaking out. I look at a pissed off Seth and sigh. This is all my fault. I go to pick up an empty beer bottle when a shooting pain fired up my hand. I drop the bottle clutching my hand and Jamie rushes towards me. "Holy crap!" She gasps making Denver rush over my entire hand is bruised and my knuckles all split bleeding. "It's fine, just a scratch." I say and use my good hand to start cleaning up. Following Alexa's lead we split up and begin tidying. I drop another bottle as a pain shoots up my hand again and I cry out in frustration. "I'm taking you home... now." A stern voice says and I turn to see Seth with his arms crossed over his chest. "No I'm helping clear up its the least I can do." I say but once again drop another bottle, wincing in pain. "I'm sure you've done enough damage for one night." He says and I sigh. "I know this is my fault but I didn't do that to Josh." I say and he laughs humourlessly. "You're right, but he got injured protecting you. I'd stay away from him if I were you... he'd never hit a girl but he sure knows how to crush them." He says and I can't help but feel guilt swallow me up. "I'll get a cab." I say coldly. "Like that, no way. Come on." He says and I shake my head. "I'll call Jax and have him pick me up." I say and he rolls his eyes. "Stop being a stubborn ass and let me take you home before someone loses their shit at you." He says and I scoff. "You'd love that wouldn't you... everyone hating me." I say and he rolls his eyes. "Don't act like a fucking child. Come on, I'm taking you home, end of." He says and forcefully grabs my hand, which happens to be my freshly injured one. I cry out in pain, but quickly bite my lip silencing myself, not wanting to piss him off. He releases my hand and I start walking down the street in the direction of my house. "Fuck sake Lacey! Get in the god damn car before you get yourself killed." He hisses and I cross my arms over my chest. "What do you care! I've caused your best friend to be injured! How about you let me go home alone... like most guys would. Go see your best friend instead of protecting the whore that caused it!" I spit walking again, until I'm dragged into a car. "I'm taking you home, you're obviously drunk." He says and I roll my eyes, tears falling slowly as I realise the mess I've caused. Looks like Lacey could disappear as quick as she came about. He parks a little down the block and I go to get out. "I trust you can get to your house without doing something stupid." He says and in reply I slam the car door. Without even thinking about it, I walk over to the wall, well past it and with my already beaten hand suddenly push forward, feeling the impact shake my body. I slide down the garage door, staring at the empty garage and cry, not even caring about the bloody pouring from my injured hand. I run my good hand through my short hair and tug lightly in frustration, feeling my eyes grow heavy, the last thing I remember is a soft voice. "I'll take that as a no." And suddenly I'm emmursed into complete darkness.