Petal [h.s.]

Chapter 41

Violet.

It was about an hour later that I excused myself to smoke outside. I was on my feet before Abby could ask to join me and I inhaled sharply when the fresh air hit my throat and lungs.

Ever since my talk with Jenny, I had been racking my brain for any interactions I had seen between Steph and Harry, wondering if he might still like her. I mean, she was the one who denied him. He'd be with her now if she had agreed to join him for a second meeting.

I wasn't stupid, I knew Harry had had girls in the past that were a bit more than a quick fuck to him, but it made me feel so incredibly jealous to know that it was Steph, someone I had been trying to befriend for the past few weeks. All the while both him and her knew their history. 

Harry knew I knew her, why hadn't he just told me it was her in the first place? I groaned under my breath when I felt the first raindrops on my head, moving closer to the side of the pavement to stay dry.

I was leaned against the brick wall, staying out of the drizzle as the slightly wet cigarette dangled from my lips. It was still so warm though.

"Love, can you bum me a smoke?" A guy not much older than me approached me, holding his jacket over his head as he asked me for a cigarette. I shook my head. "Sorry, this is my last one." I held up my own burning cigarette with a sympathetic smile, but huffed when the man rolled his eyes.

"You're one of those, aren't ya? Selfish bitches everywhere, man." He scoffed while shaking his head. I frowned. "Excuse me? I don't have any more, if I did, I'd happily give you one."

"Well give me the one you're having then."

I frowned deeper, looking at the cigarette between my fingers. "No, this is mine."

My eyes widened when he approached me, dropping his jacket over his shoulders now as his arm stretched out and he shoved my shoulder, causing me to bump harshly into the wall. By our proximity, I could smell the heavy stench of alcohol in his breath and I could see his bloodshot eyes.

There was a group of three other guys behind him, waiting in the rain and singing some songs. Clearly drunk too. 

He was reaching for my cigarette, basically smacking my arm until it dropped to the floor and immediately soaked due to a puddle, leaving both of us without a smoke.

"What the fuck?" I sneered, not able to hide my anger at his behaviour. His hand was still on my shoulder, pushing me into the wall as he glared at me, bringing his other arm up and I could tell he was going for my throat. 

Panic flooded my body as I blanked for a second but was quick to get back to my senses. 

I grabbed his wrist and turned myself around, ducking beneath his armpit to hold his arm against his back, his front against the wall. He cried out as I intensified my hold on him.

"You're one of those, aren't ya?" I mocked him, intensifying my grip. "Don't fucking come for women like that." I hissed before giving him a final shove and letting him go.

I thought that would be the end of it, but his eyes were spitting fire when he turned around. "Got a big mouth on you, eh?!" He yelled, charging at me again as he shook his numb arm a bit.

I held my breath as he angrily approached me and before I realized what I was doing, I formed my right hand into a fist and swung my arm back, punching him in the throat. A guttural grunt escaped his lips as he stumbled back instantly, gasping for air as he clutched his throat. 

I winced at the impact it had on my hand, especially since I instinctively used my bad arm.

"Fuck." I whimpered, shaking my hand and clutching it with my other. My skin was burning, and tingling at the same time. I hadn't used that arm properly in so long, and the muscles were tired and recovering still.