Why didn't I run?
Why did I not make my escape whilst I had the change and confessed the truth in Nathan's arms. His protective arms I wish were holding me right now. I could have told him the truth about the situation with Josh and I wouldn't be in this position.
Unfortunately that had never crossed my mind five minutes ago, five long minutes later and I'm enduring the subtle graze of Josh's hands caressing my body. His fingers trace the edge of my jeans and my breath hitches with his every move.
Despite his reassuring whispers of lies that this is what we both want, I crumble under his overruling body and let my limbs go numb as he continues to take advantage of me. Almost two years we dated. Never in that period of time did I ever think the guy I loved would one day be threatening me into doing something I once cherished. But as his eyes wonder down the length of my body, taking in my scent and mentally undressing me, I wish I never laid eyes on him in the first place.
"Paige... Hello?"
"Crap," Josh mutters under his breath, scampering over to his shirt that he had purposefully thrown to the floor whilst trying to seduce me with his toned abs I once ogled with longing eyes. Now the temptation has vanished to be replaced with disgust. Fortunately Josh hadn't had time to get as far as he'd wanted, the knock on the door saving my virginity.
"Hello? You in here?" The voice is familiarly recognisable, my heart beating thankful for the only person I was desperate to see right now.
"What do you want?" Snaps Josh with gritted teeth, the moment Nathan sets foot into my room. I turn my legs to the side of the bed and stand up.
"I was only wondering where Paige was, that's all," replies Nathan timidly, casting his eyes into the corner of the room. His feet shuffle closer together as he sways on the spot.
"Well she's here," Josh gestures towards me with a flat smile. "So now you can leave," he desperately ushers Nathan in the direction of the door. "Me and Paige have some unfinished busy to attend to. So you can get lost."
"I was just wondering if everything was alright, that's all," responds Nathan quickly, locking eyes with me, a glisten coating his brown orbs. He takes my breath with his every word, pure and real. I savour the moment of his true carrying self, knowing it will vanish anytime soon by the dominance of Josh's force for him to leave.
"Everything is fine," Josh pushes, his teeth clenched and muscles tense. "You can leave now."
However despite his persistence, Nathan plants his feet on the floor in the doorway, declining Josh's order and taking his own stand, chest strong and broad shoulders back. "Paige, is everything alright?" He directs at me, an urgent plead in his tone for me to tell the truth. He wants to be certain that I am not hurt however even with all my emotional bruises- no physical injuries- I can't find the words to admit my internal pain.
"Everything is fine Nathan," spits Josh as if his name left a bad taste on his tongue. This is the first time I have seen the two 'friends' disagree openly before. "She doesn't want you. She never has."
Lies.
My mouth falls dry as well as my arms paralysed to my side, hopeless by the daunting stare Josh penetrates into my eyes. Cold and icy, his glare sharpens and simultaneously twists my gut. My nose twitches and the temperature drops slightly.
"Paige?" Nathan prompts with soft eyes, his face fallen with a heartbreaking sadness.
"Paige, tell him everything is alright," insists Josh, stepping closer towards me and wrapping a strong arm around my waist. I notice Nathan's eyes remain on me. Josh's eyes burn into the side of my head, his states too piercing to ignore. We lock eye contact and he sends daggers at me with a knowing look, a shiver tingling the back of my neck. I gulp discretely however by my echoing swallow it was evident by Josh's heartless eyes that he had heard- meaning Nathan did too.
"I'm fine Nathan," I lie, trying to control my quivering lower lip. "Everything's alright."
His eyes leave an imprint on mine: his emotions remain in the back of my mind. I am worried, so is he. However I can't break my promise to Josh, the consequences too severe to risk.
"Ok," Nathan steps back with a limp. Josh grips onto my door and swings it close, slamming with a thud. It takes a few hesitate moments before I hear Nathan's footsteps fade down the stairs. As the distance lengthens between us, the stronger my heart aches for him.
***
Nothing more really happened since Nathan left my room. Josh demanded we took things further, but as I told him my mouth is parched, he excuses me to go to the kitchen for some water. In other words, I have escaped- for now at least.
"Paige-"
"Ahhhhhh!"
"Ahhhhhhh!" Mirrors Lacy, both of us screaming in unison for no apparent reason. "Why are we screaming?" She asks once we calm down and the room falls back to its original silence.
"Sorry, didn't realise it was you," I confess. Filling up my glass with tap water, I take a sip and swallow. I let it run down my throat, cold and refreshing.
"Who did you think I was?"
"Josh." The moment his name leaves my lips her eyes roll. "Please don't say anything," I plead with a tiresome sigh. "I know I don't know what I'm doing and I know I'm just digging myself into a hole I probably won't get out of."
"Wow, sounds pretty bad," she comments, sympathy washing over her eyes as I stare at her with flat lips and my face dropped.
"It is..." The energy drains from me with every exhausted sigh I let roll off my tongue. She rubs my shoulder then let's her arm drop to her side.
"You must really love Nathan."
"Pardon?" My head shots up and my eyes widen abruptly to the mention of his name.
"Nathan," slightly giggles Lacy, amused to the fact I pay attention at the sound of his name.
"What about him?"
"You're doing all this to protect Nathan, right?"
"Yeah," I clarify with a nod. "To protect him from Josh."
"Well, you must really love him to be enduring whatever Josh is putting you through. I've heard a bit of what was happening upstairs, you are really brave."
"Thanks Lacy," my eyes fall to the floor. "But the way Nathan looked at me before was just heartbreaking," I go onto tell her. "He saw me with Josh and I think he was about to cry."
"Wait!"
"What?" My eyes dart to hers as she jumps up and down on the spot, I thought she was about to start shrieking. "Tell me!" I insist.
"Ok. So Nathan is hurt you're with Josh, but you are trying to protect him, right?"
"R-right."
"So why don't you just dump Josh and date Nathan?" Lacy lashes out for my shoulders and shakes them back and forth. My whole body wobbles as she jerks me in all directions, grinning from ear to ear.
"But if I do that," I escape her grasp. "Then Josh will-"
"Paige, stop being afraid of that jerk! If you and Nathan date, that idiot will be no match between the two of you. Nathan won't care about anything. Hell, all he cares about is you."
Blinking multiple times, my brain tries to process all the information Lacy has just thrown at me. It is as if I can hear all the cogs turning in my brain.
"But-"
"No buts," she interjects, flashing me a smile. She interlocks her fingers with mine and jumps up and down, the floor vibrating beneath her feet. "You're wanting to do the right thing, I appreciate that is hard. But come on, can't you see? To make Nathan happy, you need to dump Josh and be with the one you love."
"But doing the right thing is so hard. I never know what it is," I whine into the palms of my hands.
"Didn't I just tell you want the right thing is?"
"It's not that simple Lacy, you know that," my lungs let out all the air they have been holding.
"Why is it never that simple?"
"I don't know, maybe I need a couple of minutes to myself, to think it over." I make my way over to the kitchen door. Glancing back over to Lacy, she sends me an optimistic smile.
"Just follow your heart," she calls out. I nod my head and leave the room.
"Do the right thing..." I mutter under my breath, entering the living room with my eyes focused on the ground. "Follow my heart..." Pacing up and down the length of the room, my eyes remain closed with my mouth letting out steady breaths.
The door opens.
"Hey beautiful."
My eye lids flutter open with the roll of my eyes. A pair of arms hug around the back of my waist, my back pressed up against a hard chest. His hands hold my sides and my body feels trapped.
"Josh I-" turning around, my eyes enlarge suddenly to witness Nathan only inches away. His cologne is sweet jet has a husky mist to it, delightful to inhale as I take in the perfect image before me. "I'm sorry," I breathe, almost breath taken by how he took me by surprise.
"It's ok," his voice remains soft and delicate as he runs his fingers down my arm, causing goosebumps to surface with his magic touch.
"I thought you were-"
"Josh, yeah. Are you glad it's me?"
"Definitely," I sigh, enjoying his body wrapped around mine. His legs tangle between mine, our bodies notable to get any closer. His arms are muscular, warm around my pale skin.
Losing myself in the mystery of his eyes, my stomach flutters like a million butterflies, urging to set flight. The heat rises to my cheeks as I see his lips move yet I didn't catch what he had said.
"Pardon? Sorry could you repeat?" I ask with a shy gaze up at him. The smile he radiates only increases my heart rate, resulting with my chest rising up and down, up and down. How is it he can do this to me?
"Did you hear me that time?" Nathan chuckles, seconds after my day dream.
"N-no... Sorry I didn't... What's wrong with me?" I peer my eyes to the floor, my cheeks full on red. The embarrassment shines from my face like a red flashing light.
"Nothing's wrong with you," his voice fans against my cheek. "You're perfect." His lips puncture a kiss onto the side of my face. The whirlwind of butterflies in my tummy now a tornado as they grow fiercer with every breath he whispers into my ear. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't let anyone force you to be someone you're not."
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask, our faces nearly touching. My nose skims his as he leans in closer.
"I know you don't like Josh, it was evident things weren't alright before, it was clear by your eyes. Listen Paige, whatever he's doing, put an end to it. He isn't the one for you, you deserve better."
Them words: you deserve better. The last time I'd heard them exact words were on his text.
"So, you?" I blink. His face in front of mine: his eyes, his smile, his lips.
"What do you think? Who do you want to be with?"
It didn't take much debating...
"You."
A/N-
YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
Paige has done the 'right' thing... Do you think? Is this all over jet? Hummmm
MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!
Really wanted to get an update published whilst I was still 14 :)
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Please comment any opinions and what you want to/ think will happen next.
More coming soon... Xx