*Just a disclaimer this chapter might be a bit distressing for some, so please if it affects you in any way feel free to skip the details x
Christmas and New Years fly by in a blink of an eye and honestly, it came too fast for me to even remember what I did.
Christmas Day we went to my parent's for dinner as Em's parent's hosted lunch, same as Harry's parents, so my parents decided to do dinner so that everyone could come.
We obviously did that huge family event where all the cousins are there, and it was a decent catch up to say the least.
Daniel and I went out on a date in the days in between Christmas and New Years and to be fair, James was wrong about him, Daniel is actually a very nice person and it seems like he genuinely cares for me.
He is a bit full on sometimes but he is so much fun to be around. We've been seeing each other for around about a month now and surprisingly I haven't caught any feelings yet, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
Anyways, New Years Thomas obviously threw another one of his party's, which I obviously attended since I had no where else to go and obviously Ariana was going so I went.
Maya and Liam are still together and they're going pretty strong, which I am happy about. It gives me hope that maybe one day I will find my happiness.
Today is the 9th of January and I invited Daniel over to my house since Marcus and Em aren't going to be home. They obviously know I have been seeing Daniel as I did tell them and they're happy that I have gotten back out into the dating word.
Marcus is out at a club anyway, celebrating Josh's birthday. I did send him a happy birthday text, as normal friends would, and his response was so sweet it melted my heart.
It's hard not to envy Tippah and Josh's relationship because they're literally perfect together, but I know that'll be me soon. Maybe even with Daniel. But it's too early to tell.
I told Daniel to come around at around 7pm. It's currently 6pm, so I decide I should get ready.
It's a warm night, so I chuck on a floral dress that I bought the other day. I am so in love with the dress and how it perfectly sits on my body, it's like it was made specifically for me.
I then walk into the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror, before grabbing some mascara and coating my eyelashes with some. I quickly run the straightener through my hair, then walk downstairs and take a seat on the couch.
The next half an hour consists of me constantly checking the time and waiting for the doorbell to ring, so when it finally does, I jump up and practically run to the door.
I yank the door open to reveal Daniel standing there, smiling with a bouquet of roses which makes me smile.
"Hey." I say as he takes a step forward and places a kiss on my lips.
"Hey gorgeous." He says and I smile, moving aside so he can come in.
I close the door and walk with him through to the lounge room where we both take a seat on the couch. Daniel straight away wraps his arm around me, pulling him into my chest where I get a whiff of alcohol which causes me to look up at him.
"Have you been drinking?"
"I only had a couple before I came babe, no big deal." He says and I nod, leaning forward and pouring two glasses of wine before handing one to Daniel, and grabbing the other one for myself.
"Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?" Daniel asks and I sigh.
"Stop with this, seriously." I say with a smile, and he smiles.
"You know I'll never stop complimenting you babe."
"I know, I guess I'm still not used to it." I say and he chuckles.
"You should be, we've been seeing each other for about a month now ay?"
"I think so yeah." I say then I chuckle. "I haven't really been keeping count."
"Neither." He says and I smile.
"Have you eaten?"
"No I haven't, you?"
"Nope, but we can order some pizza?"
"Yes, that would be amazing" He says and I smile as I get up off the couch and walk over to the bench to grab the pizza menu...
James' POV:
"Ay Worps you coming?" Finn says and I shake my head.
"Nah, I'll stay in tonight, you boys have fun." I say and he nods, following the boys out the door and I sigh when silence fills the room.
Truth is I could've gone with the boys, out to a club, but I feel like I'm letting Tahlia down, even though we're nothing but friends at the moment, I still feel like she'd be disappointed with me.
I know, stupid.
I also know that right now Tahlia would have Daniel over. Fucking Daniel. Out of all guys Tahlia could've chosen, she chooses Daniel.
I warned her about him, told her to be careful, and I guess I have this uneasy feeling about tonight.
Maybe I'm being paranoid because I know what fucking Daniel is capable of, but maybe something might happen, something bad.
I brush those thoughts out of my head as I pick up my glass of water and take a sip...
Tahlia's POV:
"That pizza was so fucking good." Daniel says and I laugh.
"I know." I say. "That's why I always order from this place."
"True." He says and I smile.
We had to wait about an hour for the pizza, which we didn't mind as we weren't starving at the time we ordered it. But by the time it came, we were both going insane.
The banter and flirting with Daniel is as usual, and I'm glad that the alcohol hasn't really affected him. He is a bit louder than usual, but other than that he's good.
Obviously I have what James told me in the back of my mind, but I know he is a different person, I can see it in the way he acts and how he is so kind and caring towards me, and I am grateful for it....
"So how's work going?" I ask and Daniel smiles, taking a sip of his third glass of wine for the night.
"Pretty good, just doing the us-usual pl-plumbing shit." Daniels slurs and I nod, taking the nearly empty wine glass from his hand and placing it on the table.
"Hey." Daniel half shouts half says.
"I think you've had enough babe." I say rubbing his shoulder and he sighs.
"You're lucky you're gorgeous." He slurs again and I smile.
"So you obviously enjoy your job?"
"Yeah I mean it's fucking good money."
"Yeah, could imagine." I say and he smiles.
"Enough about work get over here." He says and I smile as I lean in and our lips meet.
Daniel is quick to wrap his arms around me, one around my waist, and the other holding my face, while my arms wrap around his neck, pulling him closer to me, which was a mistake.
Next thing I know I am pinned to the couch with Daniel hovering over me, that's when I pull away from the kiss....
James' POV:
The next few hours go by pretty slowly as you would expect, spending a night alone, with no one to entertain you but the dogs.
Even the dogs can't entertain me, they're fucking sleeping.
I decided to chuck on a random spider man movie cause Zendaya obviously, she's gorgeous. And who doesn't love spider man?
Halfway through the movie I get this sudden urge to go to Tahlia's house. I don't know why, but my gut is telling me that I need to go to Tahlia's house right now. Which confuses me, but doesn't at the same time.
I don't waste any time getting up, running to grab my keys before sprinting to my car and speeding down the road to the Bontempelli residence.
Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it.
Tahlia's POV:
"Daniel." I say.
"What babe." He says placing kisses down my neck, and I sigh, trying to push me off.
"Daniel." I say firmly and he just hums in response.
"Daniel stop." I say trying to push me off, but it doesn't work. His hands keep trailing my body, going lower, and lower and lower.
"DANIEL, please stop." I beg but he still doesn't listen, instead he places a kiss on my lips.
"Shh, it's okay." He says and I feel the tears start to sting my eyes as I come to the realisation that he's not going to stop, he's going to continue, without my consent or permission.
"Please Daniel, I don't want to." I say, in barely a whisper, again no response.
Daniel's hands trail down my thighs before he pulls my underwear down and that's when I know what's going to happen next. I don't say anything, unable to bring myself to say anything. I feel helpless, alone and empty.
I'm supposed to give this away to someone I love, on my own terms, not to someone like Daniel who just wants me for that.
The tears continue to trickle down my cheeks until I hear the front door bang open and a voice yelling.
"Get the fuck off her." The voice of James yells.
Daniel stops and looks up.
"I said get the fuck off her." James says pushing him off me and standing in front of me with his back turned, facing Daniel.
"What the fuck man, she wanted it."
"I don't think she did mate." James says in an angry tone.
"She begged me."
"Stop fucking lying. She didn't." James says throwing a punch in Daniel's direction, which Daniel fails to block.
Next thing I know James has beaten the shit out of Daniel and Daniel leaves.
I sit there, frozen, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to do anything but cry.
My underwear still hangs around my ankles, so I manage to pull them up before James turns around and walks over to me, pulling me into his chest.
"Did he actually?" James asks and I shake my head.
"No." I say, looking up at him. "You saved me."
***
Well.. Daniel... uhh... not good.... what he tried to do.
I am sorry if you or someone you know has gone through something, or experienced something like Tahlia experienced. I could only imagine how hard it would be to overcome and deal with the after effects.
So if you have, please know you are so strong and I admire you ❤️
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Next update out soon!!
PS: if anyone needs to talk about anything feel free to send me a message x