Page 16 of Forever After Never

I turn back to the bar, and he immediately pins me to the bar with one hand on either side of me. I have never felt more claustrophobic than I have in the last five seconds. Without a chance for me to react to him crowding my space, he presses himself into my back. I’m now unable to move as he removes a hand from the bar and runs it up my leg, grabbing my ass under my skirt. I flinch, and he squeezes my inner thigh, fingers dangerously close to my pussy.

I see red. As I turn to face the scrawny man, I grab his shoulders while simultaneously kneeing him as hard as I can in the balls. I’m so shaken, but fury rules my emotions more.

The guy cups his groin, crying like a baby, while I start shouting at him.

“Don’t touch me, you utter fucking creep. I hope someone snaps your fingers off!” I don’t know what he expected me to do, but it certainly wasn’t to defend myself. Pulling himself up off the ground, he drags himself away from the bar with his tail between his legs, like a cat that lost a fight.

Putting my head into my hands, I steady myself on the bar. I am shaking from the adrenaline, and the rum. I see a scuffle at the door, and after what feels like forever, the barman puts my drinks in front of me and says,

“Hey, love. Are you okay? I saw what happened with that guy. Security has thrown him out.” I am snapped back to the present, and I lie.

“Everything is fine, sorry. I was not expecting that. I have never had a problem here before.” I slam back the rum on the spot and ask for another while Alice’s beer is perched next to me on the bar.

“We’ve never seen him before,” he says in return. “And we won’t be seeing him again either!” Before the guy can bring me another rum, I’ve downed the beer, too. He hands me more drinks, and I thank him. I am about to back away from the bar when I see a familiar face.

Sawyer’s eyes are burning into me from the other side of the bar.

My god, he is actually here. He must have seen what happened then and didn’t step in to help me? Did he even see? Why am I expecting him to step in for me? I don’t know him; I shouldn’t expect anything from him. He probably enjoyed the torment on my face, especially since I didn’t call him.

He looks so angry. Before I know it, tears are spilling over my eyes. The barman moves to Sawyer’s side of the bar. They exchange some words, and Sawyer’s entire demeanour changes. Before he has the chance to react, I turn my back to the bar and disappear into the crowd to find Alice.

Alice knows immediately that something is wrong.

“Ali, I knew I was being watched. This absolute creep just pinned me to the bar and grabbed my ass under my skirt,” I force out, with a tear running down my cheek. Make no mistake, I am not upset. I amfurious. I cry when I am angry. I always have.

“Where is he? I’ll fucking kill him!” Alice rages, jumping to my defence. There is practically steam coming out of her ears. She wants to go find this guy, but security threw him out long ago. I also don’t want my best friend to start a brawl, which she would do.

“Security threw him out, Ali. Not before I kicked him in the balls, though.” I force a small smile.

“I don’t know what is worse, though. That happening, or Sawyer seeing it all happen from the other side of the bar and not helping me.” I grimace and wrinkle my forehead.

“I’ll fucking kill him, too! Follow you everywhere, then won’t even help when you’re being touched up? Asshole!” Alice rants at me.

I find myself scanning the room for Sawyer, but I can’t see him anywhere, and I don’t know why I want to see him again. I am equally as angry with him and his reaction to me as I am with the creep who laid his hands on me, even though I don’t have the right to be at all. He doesn’t owe me anything.

“Did you want us to call you a cab, sweetie? Or the cops?” one of the girls behind the bar asks.

“No, it’s okay. I’m not leaving on account of that guy,” I reply.

Alice doesn’t leave my side for the rest of the night. The encounter sours our night out, and I am left wondering whether this guy is going to be outside waiting for someone else. After three or four more drinks, we are ready to call it a night at two am. It’s a weekend, so it is still buzzing on the street outside when we step into the cool air. As soon as the breeze catches my skin, my head starts spinning. I am more drunk than I thought. We’ve been out for hours; my clothes are sticking to me. The makeup has run down my face where I was crying, and I look infinitely worse than I did before we left the house.

We are waiting outsideThe Bar @ 1408for a cab to show up. Alice stumbles around on her feet. It’s like watching a baby giraffe, unstable on its very long legs, trying to take its first steps.

Putting my phone into my clutch, I grumble about the inconvenience of not being able to get a cab, even from one of the apps. It must be a busy night, and I dread that we might have a while longer before we can get home. Trying to pass the time, Alice and I sit on the floor, and she starts dozing on my shoulder. I should probably feel vulnerable now after what happened to me this evening, but the alcohol has relaxed me, and there are enough people still around that I feel safe.

My mind is occupied with getting us home while I check apps to find available rides.

After waiting for about thirty minutes, my eyes scanning up and down the street, a car comes around the corner. It promptly parks up across the street, and an angry-looking Sawyer gets out.

“MOVE OUT OF MY WAY!” I hear him shouting at people in the street. His eyes lock with mine, and he rushes up to me, crouching in front of me. Sawyer presses his forehead to mine and cups my face in his palms.

“Who fucking did that to you? Who touched you?”

“I-I don’t know.” I sniffle again. Apparently, crying is my thing now.

Brushing my cheek with his thumb, he says, “I tried to find you, but you disappeared. I’ve been driving around out here trying to find you. I thought you’d left. Autumn, are you okay? Did he hurt you?!”

“No, I-I’m okay, I swear. I kicked him in the balls. Fucker.” Sawyer still has my face in his hands.

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