✰𝐌𝐈𝐀✰

bit of a TW for this chapter.

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"Josh..?" I question, not sure if the girls' arguing has made me hallucinate; or if the man i hate the most in life, but also the one i loved the most, is actually standing in front of me.

"Did you miss me?" He smirks, the smirk i always wanted to rip off his face and shove in the bin, along with his unnecessarily large ego.

"I- what are you doing here?" I stutter, still not believing my eyes.

"So I'm not allowed to be in London now?" He laughs, and I quickly add that to my list of his quality's i want to throw in the bin.

"But you live in Manchester?" I eventually say.

"Indeed i do, glad you remembered." He says smugly, earning a scoff from me. "My parents moved here, i came to visit." He eventually says. "And what about you?"

"No."

"Excuse me?" He laughs, arrogantly.

"It's none of your business." I say, mustering up enough confidence so he doesn't see how terrified i am. But unfortunately for me, after 5 years, he learned to read me well.

"Why are you scared?" He says, much too calmly for my liking. I don't answer, which for some reason he thinks is an invitation to place his hand on my cheek and starts caressing it. I flinch in response and take a few steps back, wishing i never left the comfort of my friends company.

"I-"

"Talk to me, Mia." He steps closer to me, causing me to take another step back. We continue this little dance of ours until my back is firmly pressed against the wall in a nearby alley. "Tell me, what's bothering you." Josh says, rubbing his hand across my inner thigh, and I immediately regret wearing a skirt instead of cargos.

"Josh stop, please." I plead, my head beginning to spin and the panic i had last experienced 3 years ago begins to settle in again.

"What? You used to love the feeling of my fingers abusing your tight little pus-"

"I suggest you don't finish that sentence."

Me and Josh both turn towards the voice in sync, but for totally different reasons.

I get a glimpse of ginger hair and broad muscles, and before i know it, i see Josh on the floor with a bloodied nose and closed eyes. He is still breathing, and i don't know wether to feel glad or sad about that.

He stays still for a few moments, before abruptly standing up and sprinting away, taking one last look back and scowling at the two of us.

As soon as i know for definite that I'm safe, i run into Ethan's comforting arms and sob into his chest.

"It all came back to me Eth. I thought i escaped it when i ran away, but he found me again." I manage to say in between my muffled cries.

"Shh, you are safe now, nothing is going to happen." He comforts, stroking my hair and dropping to the ground, allowing me to cradle into his lap.

"How did you find me?" I ask, after i had eventually calmed down.

"Talia called saying you had walked off and they couldn't find you. Im assuming they only called me because Cal is busy, though."

"I'm glad they called you." I say lightly, looking into his eyes and placing a soft kiss on his cheek, a few centimetres away from the corner of his mouth.

His lips curve up in response and he hugs me tighter into his chest, continuing to stroke my curls that hang messily down my back.

We stay like that for a few moments, his comforting hands caressing down the small of my back and untangling my messing curls, until he decides its time for us to get up.

"We shouldn't be sitting down in a sketchy alley, it isn't safe, especially after what just happened." Ethan says, holding his hand out to help me up.

"Yeah, your right." I say. "Thank you for making me feel safe Ethan, i really appreciate it."

"Ill always make you feel safe Mia. You can always come to me if you need anything, you know that right?" He says, leading me to where the girls are waiting patiently outside the cafe.

"Of course i do." I smile.

As we start getting closer to where the girls are located, i stop to a halt.

"Ethan, i don't wanna stay out, can you take me home?" I ask, my social battery usually doesn't last long and after my run-in with Josh, it drained even quicker.

"Of Course. I'll go tell the girls. Wait by my car." He says, placing a kiss on my forehead, letting go of my hand, and quickly running towards the girls who have finally stopped bickering.

I see them exchange a few words and then Ethan starts walking back to me. The girls wave and give me a sorry smile, before turning to continue their shopping day.

"You ready?" Ethan asks, earning a small nod from me as we get into his car and he drives us off into the direction of his apartment.

"Why are we going this way?" I question.

"You are coming back with me. Simon and JJ are out and i don't want you to be alone right now." He says, turning to face me and smiling, before placing his hand softly on my thigh, careful not the push any boundaries as i am still on edge from when Josh was touching me.

"Thank you." Is all i can say, before my eyes begin to close and i fall into a deep sleep.

--

sorry for the disturbing chapter.

and sorry i didn't update yesterday i was in hospital.
i might double update today i'll see.

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