"What will you do?"
"I don't know. Beat him up maybe?" His breathe burns my neck.
"You're absurd!" I force myself away from him, over coming with a power a never thought I had. He won't lay a finger on Nathan if I can stop it.
"Pardon?"
"You couldn't take down Nathan even if you were on steroids," I scoff whilst slipping out from under the barrier of Josh's arms. He jumps to his feet with a dark shadow casting over his face, his piercing blue eyes ice cold.
With a dominating glare he approaches me with his eyes targeting mine, forcing me to back up towards the wall. "Hey princess! What did you just say?" He hisses harshly, venom dripping from his sour tongue.
"You couldn't beat up Nathan in a million years," I stare strongly. I plant my feet firmly on the ground of his bedroom floor, no longer overpowered by his threats.
"What about me, Ethan and the rest of the football team? Do you think all of us could beat that nerd up?" Josh challenges as he cracks his neck to the side with a daunting stare.
"I thought Nathan was your mate?" I ask slowly, questioning him.
"Yeah, was. I heard about that kiss of yours." My eyes enlarge. "I may be suspended, but considering my mom is still yet to find out, Ethan came round earlier and told me everything," Josh hisses down my ear. "Mr hot lips won't be much more after I'm done with him."
"We weren't even dating when w Nathan kissed-"
"Don't say his name!" Josh barks, tensing his arms. Trapped with my back pressed against the wall, there is no way of escape- the door still locked.
"I'm not being your girlfriend, so just drop it and let me go."
"No, I already told you, I want you."
"Why? Why me? What is it that is so special about me?" I shriek, desperate for an answer that I find incomparable to define.
"You have always been mine. That never changed." The glare Josh then sends me is so sharp I fear it will cut my skin, the way his eyes trail the length of my body tenses me up as if I'm going to snap. His face draws closer and his hair runs against my cheek, his lips biting into my neck. I hiss with a rigid intake of breath at the abrupt sting of pain. Trembling with the unknown fear of his deadly actions, I struggle to breathe as his lips continue to suck against my tender skin.
"J-Josh..." With a quiver in my lip, I bite down hard to restrict the urge to shake from the nasty hickey I feel forming beneath his hungry lips. His rhythm only speeds up, my neck aching for release.
"Say you'll be mine," he orders.
"Never. Never again," I whimper innocently.
"Say it," he growls, scratching down the other side of my neck. His nails create sharp lines vertically scaring my skin.
"No!" I plead for him to stop. My arms are no use as he pins them against the wall above my head.
"Either you be my girlfriend, or Nathan gets it. Even if I can't take him down physically, he has a weakness that I am prepared to temper with."
"What is that?" I stutter with a panicked gaze.
"Popularity."
This is crazy! What is going on? My brain hurts I can't take it all in. "I... I don't understand," my body is weak from the strength of trying to push him away. With my energy draining drop by drop, my fragile frame can't take much more.
"That nerd is lucky to be my friend. If you don't go out with me, I'll make his life go back to how it used to be."
No. No he can't do that! The real Nathan is in there, I've seen it, I've kissed him. It's looking up and now that the sun has peaked above the clouds, I can't let the thunder chase it away.
"So," Josh pushes his arm against the wall beside me, staring deep into my eyes. "What shall it be? Do you want to be my girlfriend?"
***
Monday morning I was debating whether missing one day of school would dramatically alter the progress of my education. After the dreaded realisation that I have a mid-term Geography exam third period, there is no way around the fact I have no choice but to go into school.
The corridors are almost deserted and the classrooms silent. Considering it is seven o clock, I am not surprised no one is around. I swing open my locker door and shield my face from any student that may pass. However I doubt it will be for a while yet as there is no trace of a soul in sight.
That was, until Nathan approached. "Hey Paige," his hands automatically magnetise towards my waist. I let him pull me into a hug, my arms uncertainly wrap around his neck as an ache rumbles around my stomach.
"Hi," I reply hesitantly.
"You ok?" He asks, pulling out of the hug. I watch with uneasy eyes as Nathan scans my face, slowly trailing his gaze down to my neck. When his eyes expand in horror, I know he has seen it. "What's this?" His fingers trace the red mark imprinted on the centre of my neck, his touch delicate and soft.
"It's not what it looks like."
Nathan doesn't say a word. He draws his hand away from my neck and let's it hang by his side. Staring at me with an impassive expression, his lips flat and eyes empty, I want to let out my emotions and cry. "Who did this?" He eventually speaks, his voice scarcely a whisper.
Just when I thought I am going to have to explain what happened with Josh, another body appears from behind. Its presence lingering and it doesn't take much guessing who it is by the way their lips glue themselves to my cheek. "Hey princess," he whispers, sending the tiny hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end- the sensation undesirable.
"Hi Josh," Nathan coughs as he steps back to give him some room to stand beside me. I let Josh pull my hand into his.
"Hey babe." I peer my eyes to the floor and shuffle my weight onto either feet.
"Nathan, hi," Josh says with a predictable smirk. My blood races faster around my body. Josh's arm wraps around my waist, making me stumble and fall into his chest, making his hug tighter. "You going to football practice later?" Josh turns back to Nathan.
"Maybe," he mutters.
"Good."
The silence remains thick, no one talking apart from the communication of wondering eyes, searching for someone to speak next.
"Hey, I'll see you later babe," Josh breaks the tension and plants a quick kiss on my forehead then turns my face towards his. A knowing shine shimmers across his pupils whilst his lips curve up into a smile.
"Bye."
Josh left down the corridor with a smug grin whilst I keep my eyes fixated on the ground, avoiding Nathan's gaze.
"You two... You two dating now?" He asks, expressionless. A waft of cold wind sweeps down the corridor as the doors keep opening to let students in. I don't want a crowd.
"Yeah," I say under my breath, hoping it is still audible enough for him to hear.
"Oh..." Is his only reply. "I better be going then." Nathan turns on his heels without a good bye, hunches up his shoulders with a bowed head, and swiftly makes an escape down the corridor and onto the next.
Watching with heavy eyes, I exhale through my mouth and focus all my attention on my shoes. I am just protecting him, I remind myself- I hope what I am doing is for the best.
A/N-
1st... Has Paige made the right decision to date Josh to protect Nathan?
2nd... Do you think Nathan is sad about her dating Josh?
3rd... What do you think will happen next with Paige, Josh and Nathan?
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