On The Other Side | Nick O'Malley

14 | guilty

AN: just a quick word to say that this chapter contains a scene where a (sexual) assault occurs. you can skip it if it's too much.

Evie:
You know I love you but you're an idiot

Thanks for the reminder.

I sent discreet glances at my phone on my lap, pretending to listen to all the lovely things my date had to say. So lovely that I couldn't remember a thing.

"You meet nice chicks and life goes on y'know," Tom rambled on, thanking a waiter as he served him wine for the third time.

"But you learn after many nights that girls are all the same," he pointed his fork at me with raised eyebrows, trying to prove his point.

I hummed, wondering why I always had to make the worst decisions. "Yeah, sure."

"What about you?" he asked, finally realising I could speak too as he dragged a hair through his auburn hair.

"Sorry?"

"What's your dream in life?"

Oh, he was talking about our marvellous lives.

I bit my lip in thought. "I want to travel. Meet new cultures, learn new things and... just enjoy life."

He stopped chewing and frowned. "No, I meant a real dream."

"Well, I don't really dream about working," I admitted, making him scoff and point his fork again at me.

"You're a funny little thing, you know that?"

Leaving the restaurant meant I could finally breathe again. The air was warm and the sun was vanishing somewhere in the sky, letting the orange rays illuminate the street.

I didn't know what I was hoping. Some miracle? Making Nick jealous, as if he'd guess I was here? Convince myself that Tom wasn't so bad?

It had been a huge mistake to text him back, and I knew it. But I felt so alone, accepting this date had felt like a small spark of hope. I hadn't seen Nick in a week and Julian hadn't really reached out either. There were only Evie and Mark, both excited to come to Amsterdam with me. I wasn't so sure I wanted to go anymore.

"Come to mine?" Tom asked me lowly, stepping closer to me to place his hands on my hips.

I swallowed hard and looked away, trying not to freak out.

"Maybe another time."

I didn't know why I said that, but he still backed off and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Do you even like me?"

I blinked a few times. "I do. I'm just tired," I lied.

With a sigh he got closer to me once more, staring into my eyes.

"Come on, don't be boring. You want to enjoy life, don't you?" he attempted a wink, but it just freaked me out even more.

I tried to avoid his eyes without looking weak, but that's all I must have looked like to the people across the street. Some couples were going in and out of the restaurants, laughing and chatting loudly. I thought about Nick, and how I'd rather have spent another evening with him. He wouldn't have asked me to pay for us both with the shitty excuse that he'd forgotten his wallet at home. He wouldn't have made me feel ridiculous either.

My heart fastened at the realisation that one of these people looked like Nick. I had to look twice to confirm it was him, wearing the same shirt he wore when we first met. My brain didn't seem to realise that there was a woman next to him, throwing her head back as she laughed loudly at something he said.