Page 62 of Chasing Elliott
My eyebrows scrunched causing Kara to turn around to see where my focus was, and shequickly turned back to me. "Let's go say hi. We haven't seen him in a while."
Before I had the opportunity to tell her no, she had already grabbed my hand and started dragging me over to where he stood. I felt my stomach knot as we approached, memories from that phone call and our meet up playing over and over in my head; I hadn't talked to him since.
"Hey, John," Kara said as we approached. "Long time no see."
Johnathan smiled, but when his eyes fell on me his face fell slightly. I gave him a weak smile to try and ease the tension as I squeezed Kara's hand a little to try and get her to let us split.
"Not without trying," Johnathan fired back as his gaze stayed on me. Kara glanced between the two of us and I subconsciously folded my arms over my chest, wanting to disappear from this moment.
"Anyway," Kara drew out as she slowly turned her attention back to Johnathan. "How have you been?"
"Can't complain. What about you?"
I stood there silently as their conversation continued, not bothering to even try and converse with them. I don't know how long I stood there for when I noticed them both staring at me. Cocking a brow, I realized they had asked me something, but I had completely tuned them out.
"Johnathan," I started to say as I wrung my hands out in front of me. "I just want to apologize for blowing you off like I did and not following up with you. I do value yourfriendship, so I hope we can still be friends."
Kara looked at me with a confused expression as Johnathan's face loosened slightly. Hegave me a weak smile but before he had the opportunity to say anything, a large figure appeared in front of me.
"Don't you have someone else you can go hit on?" Cooper spat at Johnathan as heshielded me from him. I stood there frozen for a second, confused as to what had gotten into him before I made a move to step around him. Before I had the opportunity, Benjamin's arm wrapped around my bicep to keep me in place.
"They came to talk to me," Johnathan fired back as he took a step closer to Cooper. "Even then, she's made it pretty damn clear she doesn't want me, so why don't you back the hellup?"
"If she's made that clear, then don't talk to her again. You've stolen enough from me."
"It's not my fault she wised up and wanted a better lover," Johnathan started to say as hetook yet another step forward so they were now practically chest to chest. "Maybe this time you'll learn how to keep a girl."
What happened next seemed to transpire in a blur. Cooper had roughly punched Johnathan in the face which sent him stumbling back into one of the party goers. He stood therefor a moment before he charged Cooper, aiming for his chest which sent them both flying to the ground.
Benjamin quickly released his grip on my arm and ran over to try and break them up, but it took two other guys helping him to finally make that happen. Benjamin had Cooper in a death grip while the other two guys held Johnathan back by his arms.
"You're a piece of shit," Johnathan spat at Cooper. "Don't come after me or blame me for your relationship problems."
"It was going fine till you came along," Cooper yelled back. Kara and I glanced at each other, both confused as to what they were talking about. Benjamin started pulling Cooper toward the front door, so I grabbed Kara's hand so we could follow them out.
Stepping into the cool night air, Benjamin let him go. Cooper started pacing the yard, clearly wound up from the altercation. Looking at Benjamin, I saw him subtly shake his head no,but I didn't care.
"What was that about?" I questioned as I walked over to Cooper.
"I want you to stay away from him," Cooper quickly replied as he stopped pacing and turned to me with narrowed eyes.
"Okay, I will," I told him without hesitation. I tried putting a hand on his arm but hejerked it away from me as he started walking toward the street. "Where are you going?"
But Cooper didn't say a word as he took off in a light jog down the road. Turning to Benjamin, I slowly walked over to him with my arms folded over my chest.
"What the hell was that?"
"I don't know," Benjamin said with a sad underlying tone to his voice. "Trust me, if I did I would tell you. I've never seen him like this before."
"He'll come around," Kara spoke up as she walked over to me and put a hand on my arm. "He just needs some time to clear his head."
Nodding, I tried to erase my worry, but it felt like it had buried its way into my bones. Ionly hoped he'd come around because I needed answers and it seemed like he was the only one who could give them to me.
"Here comes the beep, you know what to do,"Cooper's voicemail greeted me after only two rings. Hanging up my phone, I threw it at the couch and collapsed onto the chair.
"He still not answering?" Kara asked as she came strolling down the hallway in her robewith her hair wrapped up in her bath towel.
Shaking my head no, I sighed loudly. "I just don't understand what got him so upset. Isaid I wouldn't talk to Jonathan anymore but what the hell warrants that kind of anger from him?"
