Ellie's POV......

I took the paper from George's hand. I looked at the name next to it a black heart.

Rolling my eyes in disgust I threw the paper on the table. "I can't even look at it." I scoffed scuffling into the kitchen.

George sighed picking the letter back up. "Ellie, I would read it if I was you. It's not safe anymore to be taking chances with him."

I ignored him as I went through the cabinets looking for the tea bags. Deep down I knew I should take the letter and read it.

But for just a moment I wanted to think that maybe if I acted like none of this was happening it would all go away.

"Ellie, are you even listening to me." George raised his voice sternly, but still with a sense of concern.

"No George, not really. I told you I wanted nothing to do with it okay?" I replied as I slammed the cabinets shut.

George stood there still holding the letter in his hands as he watched me scurry through the kitchen aggressively. A very nervous tick I had and he knew too.

I stormed through the kitchen trying to keep my hands busy and eyes away from George. I could still see him out of my peripheral vision fidgeting with a corner of the envelope.

"Ellie, you can't just ignore it like this. I know you want everything back the way it was. But life doesn't just happen that way. You can't run away from your problems and expect them to fix themselves."

George stomped over, turning me towards him and pressed the letter into my chest with a stern nod of his head and a raise of his eyebrows.

I knew he was being serious. He was done with my games. It was time for me to be serious too. I got us into this and I promised I would get us out.

I lifted my eyes to George's and nodded. I took the letter in my hands and fidgeted for a moment procrastinating as much as possible.

"I'm not leaving till you open it," George said folding his arms.

I rolled my eyes in a pouting manner as I sloppily ripped open the envelope.

George watched every move I made intently. "I don't need a babysitter y' know," I grumbled.

"Really, because you still haven't even taken the letter out." He said ripping the letter out of my hands. He pulled out the paper, then straightened it, and held it out in the air for me to take.

I bit my lip, holding my breath slightly as I took the letter from him. My heart pounded in my ears as I began to read.

Dearest Ellie, I had a wonderful time the other night. Such a shame you had to run away and leave me alone like you did the next morning. Next time why don't we make it a longer stay? Maybe this weekend....meet me at the same place. 2 'o' clock as usual. Alone, don't bring anyone with you. And if you do you'll never see your beloved Ringo again. Think twice before you make your decision. Because believe me I could have so much more fun torturing the both of you. Sending my love, Jay.

I cringed. My throat tightening up and a sickening feeling hitting my stomach hard. I felt something warm coming up the back of my throat.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," I said running to the bathroom just in time.

I got sick, my head deep in the toilet. George's hand laid firmly on my shoulder as he comforted me.

I was too busy trying to recover from the dry heaving and the horrible taste I didn't hear anything he was saying.

I finally finished and George handed me a warm rag to wipe and clean myself up.

I slid down off my knees, sitting on the bathroom floor with George sitting in front of me reading the letter.

"I wouldn't do that, look at what it did to me, I told you it was a bad idea." I laughed lightly trying to create comedic relief.

My smile faded when I saw George wasn't laughing. He had tears in his eyes and slowly his hand fell to the ground along with the letter.

"He's gonna hurt you," George said through gritted teeth.

I bit the inside of my cheek, laying a hand on George's arm. "You don't know that," I said not even convincing myself.

He scoffed heavily rolling his eyes.
"You're a horrible liar. Stop trying to keep me from worrying. It's not gonna happen." George stood up taking my hand helping me up.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't want you to worry. This is my fight." I handed him the rag, he threw it in the hamper on his way out the door.

I followed solemnly behind with my hands tucked deep in my pockets.

George stopped at the doorway leaning against the wall. His shoulders were tight, showing his muscular figure through his t-shirt.

I sighed pulling my hands out of my pockets letting them fall lazily to my sides.

"What am I supposed to do? I have to listen to what he says. You read what he said he would do." I said explaining the situation.

"What if that's just a decoy, maybe he's just saying that so you will show up. He's a monster, Ellie. Out to prey on young innocent girls like yourself."

George turned around pointing a finger in my direction. His eyes burning with flames of fury. No longer soft and sensitive.

They were hard and cold, a side of George I had become accustomed to seeing. I didn't like it.

"And to hell with it Ellie, if you think I'm gonna stand by idly and let him do that to you!" George's voice echoed through the hallway, making me jolt.

I took a moment to breathe as George turned away from me balling his hands up in fists.

"I have to do this George..." my voice trailed off a tear escaping unexpectedly.

I wiped it away quickly, focusing on picking at my nails. Another nervous tick I had.

"No you don't Ellie, I'm gonna get you out of this," George said a little too confident. I tried to ignore his determination.

I felt myself becoming weaker as I tried to keep it together. My eyes burned and throat ached.

Finally, I just let myself go, I fell to my knees in defeat.

Jay as taking over everything. My perfect relationship. My life. My everything. Just like he had before.

Last time the only solution was to leave and start a new life. And believe me, I had thought about taking that road again many times.

But I couldn't do that to Ringo...again. I couldn't leave him again, on a more extreme level.

I definitely wasn't going to do that to the rest of the lads. They were the best thing to happen to me in a very long time.

I wanted to hold on to them and this place for as long as I could. Hopefully forever, just as I had planned.

It was killing me that I might have to even consider leaving this.

George sat down beside me gathering me up in his arms. I lifted myself up wrapping my arms around his neck.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist, one resting on my hip and the other holding my shoulder.

I cried into the crook of his neck, my chin shivering and hands clenched in his shirt, as I sobbed uncontrollably.

He put his hands through my hair pulling it out of my eyes. I stayed clung to him as if he was the only thing I had left.

George hushed me quietly rubbing the back of my neck. He did this as I began to slowly calm down.

My breathing pattern slowed and I wiped my eyes. George leaned over to a little table grabbing me a tissue. I took it blowing my nose.

"There you go, just breathe." George continued to brush his hands through my hair, as a technique to keep me calm.

I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath, exhaling shakily. I nodded my head telling myself I was okay.

"I'm okay, I'm okay George." I laid one of my hands on his to stop him from brushing assuringly.

"Okay." He whispered with a small smile.

Our eyes met, I studied the designs within the outer part of his pupils. Absolutely brown and beautiful.

Soon I realized our hands were still resting on one another. I gulped, feeling his soft skin on mine.

I felt his hand move, turning it over and he slowly spread my fingers apart, his palm lined with mine. My heart quickened.

I thought about Ringo...but then realized I was single. A thought that I knew was supposed to scare me. But for some reason at this moment, I was almost glad. And that scared me.

Our eyes still locked as he did the same with the other hand. He began to stand up, and without coming out of each other's gaze I stood too.

We stood face to face, our hands lifted in the air mirroring each other. I didn't quite know what to expect next. But I was intrigued, but also having a guilty feeling in my stomach.

George slowly began to shuffle in a circular motion, our hands still mirroring each other.

I followed his actions, soon we gracefully began to move in a circle. He put a hand down, neither of us touching. I put my hand down in unison with his.

Losing his gaze for only a moment, we spun around again, this next time he lowered the other hand, always keeping one hand in the air.

I watched his eyes as they traveled to my lips. A wave of butterflies swept over me.

Without realizing it we had stopped moving and were now inches away from each other.

I couldn't believe what was happening. I knew I should be stopping myself.

But I couldn't, and I didn't know why. I knew that I should. And I chastised myself again and again.

But our eyes met again, and I could feel his breath on my cheek. Then all the chastising went away.

My mind was too clouded to think, so I just stopped trying. George brought his hand up to my face, he brushed his fingers down my cheek.

I closed my eyes at his touch, his skin was so soft. With his other hand, he laced our fingers, our hands resting on his chest.

I could feel his heartbeat on the back of my hand. It was beating at an unbelievable pace. But then so was mine.

I felt George move closer our noses brushed against each other.

Suddenly it hit me and I opened my eyes shoving George into the wall.

"What is wrong with you?!" I exclaimed terrified.

George stood looking at me in shock. His eyes were wide and confused.

"W-why would you do that! Ugh, to think I almost kissed you!" I put my hands in fist pushing them against my temples.

George's expression faded from shock to disappointment and guilt.

"I'm sorry Ellie. I just...."

"You just what?!" I interrupted.

"I just don't want you getting hurt! That's what this was about, not what just happened." George pressed his back up against the wall.

"George, I have to go, whether you want me to or not, why is it so damn important to you anyway?" I said regretting it immediately.

"It's important to me because I'm worried about you Ellie because I don't want you getting hurt, because I care about you! Because...." George paused shaking his head puffing out his cheeks with rage.

"Because why George? because why!"
I yelled provoking him even more.

"Because I love you!"

Everything fell silent and I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach.

"Oh...."
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Oof....🙁🤷‍♀️ This just got real.