𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒔 | 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆

Pain | Chapter 16

THE PLEASANT NIGHT AIR WHIPPED ROSE'S FACE AS SHE RAN. She had stormed out of the house as quickly as possible and was just running.

She wanted to get away, just get away. Her heart ached.

And she couldn't explain why. She wasn't in a relationship with Billy, they hadn't promised each other anything. But he had said a lion defends its prey.... his prey? Was it not serious at all? Were the rumors that had been heard about him since he lived here true?

That Billy Hargrove was a woman magnet, that he could have as many as he liked, as often as he liked?

The Casanova with a slight aggression problem?
Rose was not a person who believed such things, she formed her own opinion. And actually she had gained a different impression of Billy in the last few days. But could one get to know a person in a few days? See his innermost? Probably she had been mistaken.

Admittedly, she had simply believed Nicole here, too. Did she want to believe her in order not to develop more feelings for him after all? Was this also a form of self-protection? And if so, from what? She couldn't just be afraid of something like that.

After Rose had been running for a few minutes, her lungs were burning and she stopped, gasping.

She leaned forward a bit and propped her hands on her knees. She felt a little better, almost as if she had shaken off some pain from running. After recovering a bit, she stood back up normally and looked around.

Whew, she happened to be running in the right direction and wasn't that far from home anymore. One just had to be lucky sometimes. The rest of the way she walked briskly, but no longer ran. Her thoughts were now drifting in all sorts of directions.
From a relationship with Billy to never seeing him again, everything was there. As if the air would flood her brain. She had to figure out what exactly she felt for this person and if she even wanted that. And of course if he wanted that. If he really had had something with Nicole, then the whole thing would have been over immediately. Rose didn't know if she would be able to trust him in a real relationship.
One thing also annoyed her: This was already the second party in a short time from which she had left unplanned and faster than wanted.

On that subject, she seemed to have no luck at the moment.

☂︎☂︎☂︎

It was still dark and Rose walked slowly through the forest. It crackled in the undergrowth. Fearfully she looked to the right, from there the noise had come. But there was nothing to be seen.

"Hello?" the called hesitantly into the forest. No answer. She walked a few steps further, when suddenly someone grabbed her shoulder from behind and pulled her around.

Rose wanted to scream out, but immediately a large hand covered her mouth. She looked into the sea-blue eyes of Billy. Why had he followed her? He looked at her admonishingly.

"Don't scream, I'm letting go now" he gave, almost whispering. She nodded slightly, barely noticeable.

"Good..." He took his hand from her mouth.

"Why are you following me?" whispered rose fearfully.

But Billy only laughed softly.

"I always follow you" he said confidently. He took a step towards her, Rose backed away but a tree blocked her way to dodge further back. She lightly bounced her back against the tree. Billy's face was way too close to her again. He was about to put his hand on her cheek when there was another crack in the woods. Billy turned around and his face contorted into a sullen look.