Page 78 of Prove Me Wrong
My mouth opens wider as Scott walks back to his buddies who watch us like we’re easy prey.
“Come on, Mia. Your therapist said you need to live a little, to get back into socialising. This is your chance,” Lila mutters excitedly.
Frowning, I bite my bottom lip nervously at her. “I really don’t want to.” I whisper, feeling my heart pounding like it may just hurtle itself out of my ribs. “Please don’t make us go over there.”
Her head tilts, and I can see the pleading in her eyes, guilt blooming through my stomach as my throat works. “They’re harmless, and I’m sure they’ll only be interested in me, anyway. If they try anything with you, I can tell them to back off. How’s that?” Flicking her blonde brows my way.
Ignore the obvious dig she just made at me; my hand reaches for my elbow. Rubbing at the painful rash, I watch as the three guys talk, peering over at us and smiling too widely that my bones chatter together. I feel like a lamb, and they’re the wolves waiting to lunge at me.
“Come on.”
Before I can detest, Lila grabs my arm, making me follow her silently. I know she thinks of them asharmless, but that word never entered my mind when I first mistakenly made eye contact with Scott.
Lila drops my arm before looking up at them, pushing out her chest a little, even though it’s already voluptuous enough. “Whose team are we joining?”
Scott openly stares down at her for a beat before grinning. “Blondie, you can go with Chris and Liam.” He pauses to smile at me, and another trickle of anxiety falls down my back as I keep rubbing at my elbow. “I’ll take the brunette.”
“I don’t want to play,” I say quickly, shaking my head at them.
Lila gives me an annoyed look as Scott leers gently. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you how it’s done.”
Stepping closer, my whole body feels like it’s on fire, and not in the way that Noah makes me feel. Those are tender, heartwarming sparks. This feels like fire burning my insides, trying to swallow me into my nightmares.
“I’m okay. I just want to watch,” I mumble. “You can play with her.”
“What if I want to play with both of you?” he murmurs, tone low. I move backwards, needing to put myself at a safe enough distance.
“Don’t be shy, Mia. Come on, it’ll be fun,” Lila presses, clearly not understanding how uncomfortable I am right now.
Funis not how I’d put this.It’s anything but.
I am suddenly really missing having Noah around. Lila used to be my safe space when we lived together, but maybe that’s shifted since moving, because I'm realising that the only person I trust in this town, because of Gran, is Noah.
If he were with me, he wouldn't force me to interact with strangers, knowing it makes me uncomfortable. He wouldn't insist we go out in the first place, instead choosing to spend the night in with Jade, or doing something easy like an evening walk. With Noah, I'm not worried that he's going to put me in a situation I can't handle. He makes me feel safe, and right now, I feel anything but.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
NOAH
“Hi, Noah. Where’s Jade tonight?” a familiar voice asks as I wait for Nathan to return with more drinks.
Turning, Cori sidles up beside me, her silver bob dancing around her neck as dark eyes peer up into mine. She's wearing a tight red dress, sandals and a denim jacket. Cori is pretty, and she’s had a crush on me since high school, even though I’ve never shown her much interest. I peer down at her, giving a tight smile.
“June is watching her,” I answer shortly before swallowing the last of my drink and placing my glass down on a packed table.
“Oh, well that’s nice of her.”
“Yeah, she’s a great neighbour,” I say, not giving her much. It’s not that she isn’t sweet, I just don’t have an attraction to her and have turned her down multiple times. She just never seems to get the hint that I'm not interested in her.
Cori brings her bright pink cocktail to her red painted lips, and I advert my attention, glancing around the room. What’s taking Nathan so long?
He probably found a girl to talk with.
“You should have brought her here.” Cori continues, making me jump. I forgot she was standing next to me for a second.
Glancing down, I frown. “Jade would hate being here with a loud band. You know how she is with extreme noises.”
Her lips purse as she goes back to drinking her sickly-sweet concoction. “How’s your babysitter going?” Cori asks bitterly, not at all trying to conceal the fact that she’s still upset that I didn’t ask for her help.
