The street lamps revealed an unknown guy couple of meters away from me and then another one came out too. They didn't seem like adults despite their height. More like some drunk teenagers in their seventeens which just looked muscular.

"Hello, beautiful. What a nice night it is, huh?" One of them spoke up and made me shiver. My mind went back to the pepper spray and I remembered it was once again left on my desk.

Damnit Ellie.

"Stay away from me."

"You're going to play with us, doll face."

I stepped back and they came forward. One of them grabbed me by my upper arm and yanked me towards the other one. I fell into his arms as he touched me up, somehow breaking my thin tank top strap in the process of me trying to pull away and when that attempt of me was unsuccessful, he pushed me back to his friend. With that my phone fell on the ground and the screen went black in the middle of the call with Hazel. I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I was about to freak out, because they were two and I didn't know how to fight back.

A car passed by us, but it suddenly stopped and I was thankful to whoever it was. The guys let go of me and run away to unknown direction. My legs gave up on me and I fell down on the pavement. The car was still working and I heard a door opening even if I didn't look towards it. The tears in my eyes rolled down my cheeks without a permission and I couldn't get myself to stand up.

"Come on, get up." I heard a voice above me and I hiccuped as I tried to hold back a sob. But I quickly brushed my wet cheeks with the back of my hands as I recognised who it was.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with unfriendly tone. What was the chance that he was passing by here just at the right time to see me and stop to come to my rescue?

I heard some shuffling and looked up only the slightest to discover he had bent down to my level and was studying me with his deep blue eyes. When our eyes met however, the end of his lips curled up into a half smile.

"I think you meant to thank me." He said confidently, for which earned a huff from me.

After couple of seconds he realised I had no intentions to talk, so he stood up and held out a hand for me.

"We're even now."

As he said that my gaze flickered up to him and he looked weirdly pleased with the situation.

"How?" I asked and didn't bother to use his help as I stood up by myself.

"I almost pushed you with my car today and now I saved you from those guys. So I don't owe you."

I narrowed my eyes at him and his face became more serious.

Was it all about that? So he didn't have to feel like he owed me something?

"I was going to handle it. I didn't need your saving." I picked up my bag and phone from the ground while he looked taken aback from what he heard.

"It didn't look like you were handling it well."

Then his hand touched the side of my face and I pulled back like I just got burnt. His eyes stayed there although he pulled his hand back and made me wonder what he was looking at. Oh.

I forgot.

The red mark from Emma's nails scratching me was still there. Guess it's worse than I thought.

That bitch.

He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced over to his black car. "You need a ride?"

"No."

I immediately rejected his offer and put my phone in the back pocket of my jeans without checking if it was fine. All I was thinking about was that I didn't want to be close to him any longer.

His blue eyes darkened as I said no at him and the storm in them started fuming. "Screw you." He suddenly swapped from nice guy to a jerk and got in his car and in matter of seconds he was gone.

My cheeks were hot and I was breathing faster just in matter of seconds.

Why did I feel guilty?

He's no one. I was not supposed to get in a car with people I didn't know and I didn't trust.

I pushed it off my thoughts, but then I grabbed my phone from my back pocket and tried to turn it on. The screen wasn't completely shattered and it didn't look that bad and luckily it was still working.

A message popped up and I sighed when I saw the name.

What did Nathan want now? First Antonio, trying to play a knight in shining armour and now him.

I decided to text Hazel since I had three messages from her, asking if I was okay and I responded so she wouldn't be worried about me.

I decided to ignore Nathan and started walking, but it wasn't long till my phone rang.

"What do you want, Nathan?"

"Ellie..c-come pick me up. I c-can't."

I waited for him to continue, but all I could hear was loud music.

"Nathan?"

No response. Then I heard heavy breathing. Is he about to pass out?

"I'm coming up to you, Nathan. Just text me the address."

With that I ended the call and after a minute he sent me some vague message. I understood the street which was good enough, so I called a taxi.

Nathan is my ex-boyfriend and I might be wrong to worry about him. But it's been just couple of months. He was the one to break up with me and I was still trying to get over him after three years long relationship.

He's always been a rebel and that's what attracted me to him five years ago, I guess. The stupid teenager in me crushed on a bad boy and he was somehow interested in me after I swooned over him for two years.

Let's see what you're up to now, Nate..

***

I assumed it will take time to find Nathan, so I let the taxi go off and I was left alone in front of a night club.

I flicked my hair to the side, so the broken strap wouldn't be visible and walked towards the guys with black suits guarding the entrance.

After walking in, I ended up making the conclusion that this club was really loud and it was crowded.

I made my way through the dancing people and suddenly I felt a pull on my arm.

I turned to face the person, ready to tell him off for touching me, but when I recognised the hazel eyes and dark blonde hair, I sighed in some kind of relief.

"Jesse."

"What are you doing here, Ellie?"

He looked somehow worried, but I couldn't quite tell why was that.

"I'm looking for a friend." I said with a shrug and he let go of me, his shoulders looking tense. Suddenly I realised there's nothing to talk about with him and we were standing in awkward silence between each other despite the blasting music.

He tried to make himself seem relaxed in front of me, but I sensed something off. "I can help you find him?"

"No, it's fine. I will go." I said with faint smile and walked backwards. He didn't seem so sincere about that help. Plus I shouldn't have gotten distracted. I've had enough of mysterious men for this night.

"Ellie? Ellie!" I heard a sound over the music that seemed like someone was calling me over. I looked around and found Nathan making his way towards me with a wide grin. I sighed in relief and studied him up and down.

He's drunk.

"Do you want..to dance?" He slurred and put his hand on my hip, but I grabbed it and pulled him aside from the dancing floor.

"Nate, I'm going to take you home."

I've seen him drunk more than I should have. Sometimes it felt like he's never sober. Guess that didn't change after we broke up.

"I like it when you're being bossy, princess."

The nickname made something in me ignite, but I did my best to calm it down.

He wasn't moving from his place and I knew that if he didn't cooperate, this wouldn't work.

"Nathan, please." His eyes focused on me the second I pleaded and he smiled down at me as his hand went up to my cheek.

Oh god.

"Ellie.." He trailed off with husky voice and the hairs on the back of my neck rose up.

No no no.

I shook my head and pulled my face back when he tried to lean in and kiss me. He didn't know what he's doing in this state.

"Let's go." I said to remind him we had to go and he lifted a finger up to interrupt me and parted his lips, but he ended up saying nothing. Instead he smiled down at me again and finally when I made another attempt to lead him out, he followed me.

He won't be easy to deal with, will he?

***

— Nathan's apartment / 2:34 am —

It was long and exhausting way out of the taxi to the lift in his building. Especially when Nathan was getting distracted every two seconds.

We got up to the tenth floor and I used his keys to unlock his apartment while he was leaning against the wall, looking like he was at the edge to throw up.

"Keep it in, Nate." I said as I hurried to open the door and lead him inside. He let go of me and stumbled his way over to the bathroom.

I looked around the apartment and memories floated in my mind. I guess spending three years with someone, thinking you were happy, when all of sudden they decided to break up with you, does nothing good.

I heard the water from the sink running and peaked inside. He was splashing water over his face, the brunette waves that had fallen in front of his forehead getting wet too.

I darted my sight away before it could be called staring and walked further into the apartment.

It has nice view, with big windows and new furniture. That apartment was the furthest Nathan let me into his life.

I knew nothing about his family after being girlfriend to him for almost three years. He was secretive about everything he was doing.

His friends? I saw a few of them. The ones he spent more time with were apparently 'not people I would want to know in person'. So in conclusion..did I really know who Nathan Coleman is?

I felt a presence in the room and I glanced over my shoulder. He was looking at me with thoughtful expression while his arms were crossed over his chest.

His hair was a hot mess and his brown eyes were gleaming from the lights in the living room. Yet they still seemed cold and distant, despite the brown being one hell of a warm colour.

"I should go." I snapped out of my trance as I realised I didn't have a reason to stay more. My kindness ended to bringing him home and that was it.

I grabbed my bag and made my way towards the door, but as I passed by him, he took a hold of my wrist and stopped me.

"Ellie.."

The way he said my name made me close my eyes and tilt my head down.

Silence.

Then his body moved. I could feel him getting closer to me and then he touched my chin with his fingers.

"Look at me, princess."