Slow Down

Chapter 18: 'La Meurte' Part 1

...

"That it will never come again, is what makes life so sweet."

...

01:33 am

Madison's POV

"I'm so hungry!" Lewis was practically shouting as we left the party. "Isn't that coffee shop around the corner?" Patrick added, as Lewis and Chanel gave each other a look before shouting.

"Blueberry muffin!" They both giggled as they stumbled onto each other. They were so cute. Lewis wrapped his arm around Chanel as they walked unsteadily in the direction of the small coffee shop they'd both grown to love.

Patrick laughed and eyed me up. He winked and I giggled, knowing how tipsy I was. Lewis wrapped his arms around Chanel as she squealed and he carried her to the shop. Because of how close it was, we were there in minutes. Patrick held my hand as we walked and it made me feel happy and full. I knew I couldn't get too attached. I know we aren't together and I don't have a right to be annoyed at him and Alice, but it still bothered me and I don't want to get my hopes up.

We all walked in and Chanel and Lewis ran straight to the queue. Nerds.

Well, by ran I mean fell over five times and still managed to get to the queue.

I pulled down my dress a little as I tripped over my heels, clutching the chair to keep myself up. I felt Patrick's arms wrap around my waist and pull me close to him. I felt safe. He turned me round and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face close to mine.

Chanel came back and told us we had to wait for the muffins, as they were making a new batch because of how late it was. Lewis told them he'd pay extra so they couldn't refuse. We all decided to sit on one of the tables whilst we waited. I collapsed onto one of the chairs as the others did the same. Lewis and Chanel couldn't take their eyes off each other. She sat as close to him as possible and he gently put his arm around her, kissing her cheek.

Patrick's phone ran loudly, we all groaned because of our intoxicated states making our ears weak.

He rolled his eyes as he looked at the screen and answered it, leaving the shop and standing outside. I watched him for a little bit. He looked kind of... panicked.

"Almost ready!" The woman behind the counter called, my head turned to her, and an excited Chanel jumped up with Lewis. They both walked to the counter and I looked behind me to see that Patrick was gone.

I told Lewis quickly and even in his drunken state, he told me he'd go look for him. I nodded and stayed with Chanel as he walked out. Chanel took a muffin when they were handed to her and started eating it without Lewis.

Patrick's POV

Everyone groaned and I realised it was my phone that was ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and read the screen.

Danish.

I groaned and answered it, stepping outside in case it was concerning business.

"What, Danish?"

"Patrick. They know." His voice sounded panicked and unsteady.

"What?" I questioned.

"They know." He repeated.

"Who knows?"

"They know. They know we were there."

"Who?! Danish make some sense."

I didn't get an answer from him. Instead I saw a sweaty and panicked Danish running down the road, towards me. "Patrick! They're coming! Now!"

I shook my head. What? He ran towards me. I looked behind him and squinted my eyes.

There they were. Sprinting down the road, just behind Danish. My breathing stopped. Fuck.

How did they know?

I ran with Danish straight behind the coffee shop and into the alleyway that it led to, breathing faster than I thought possible.

The guys were quick to catch up and they lunged at us. There was 4 of them, big guys. We were outnumbered, easily. One of them tried to punch me in the face but I caught his fist and twisted his arm round, before I was kicked to the floor by another guy.

I looked over to see Danish getting hit in the face multiple times. Shit.

I heard a loud "hey!" Come from the entry to the alleyway. It was Lewis. Oh fuck.

He came running towards us and started tackling one of the guys. They were shocked, so we used that moment to get up and help as much as we could. Lewis continued swinging at one of the guys as Danish kicked two to the floor. One guy came up behind me and hit me in the back, I grunted and turned around quickly to punch him in the face.

I looked up to see Madison and Chanel running down the alleyway towards us, oh fuck.

Me and lewis exchanged a look as we panicked. We couldn't let them get hurt. We wouldn't. Another of the guys punched me, straight in the jaw as another jumped on Lewis. He groaned as Danish brought one of them down by their neck and  kneed him in the chin.

Lewis grabbed one of them in headlock as I punched him the face. Danish grunted behind me as he was pushed to the floor and kicked in the face.

The girls were getting pulled back by the boys and I ran up to them, ready to get them as far away as possible. It was complete collision. I tried to grab Madison and get her away, one of the guys punched me in the back, hard. I groaned and Madison screamed, trying to free herself from his grasp. Chanel moved his arms off her an ran towards Lewis, she was dragged back by another one of the men. She dropped the bag of muffins on the floor and pushed him away.

"Get off me!" Chanel screamed as they gripped her wrist tightly, dragging her back. Danish ran over as I helped Lewis and kicked the guy holding Chanel in the shin. "Fuck!" He screamed as Danish pulled Chanel away. Danish was then dragged to the floor and hit once again. It was all too much. Too much was happening.

I grabbed one of the guys who was tackling Danish and held him up by his shirt, swinging for his jaw and knocking him out.

Luckily, neither of the girls had any physical marks on them. Lewis, Danish and I? We weren't so lucky. I didn't have time to study the damage of the others before a piercing noise filled my ears.

*BANG*

Screams. Painful, painful screams.

*BANG*