ʟᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ- ᴄ.ʜ

Vol 27: Boo, bitch

The night Lacey clutched on her brother for dear life when she saw Oliver flash a malicious smirk in his BMW, was when she realised her panic attacks never went away.

She didn't know if he did it on purpose to scare her or threaten her. He's only a 18 year old boy not a mafia boss. What's he going to threaten her with? What's he going to do! Nothing. This is not some stupid wattpad novel, Lacey thought. So what the fuck was his motive. He didn't scare her. She just got the same feelings as that night when Calum found her in the rain. She remembered the scene. It replayed over and over her mind like a broken record. The humiliation, not being able to breath. Feeling like all 16 billion eyes were on her. She felt like the same girl again. Feeling like a helpless piece of shit for everyone to see- and everyone around her thinking she is. Him and his friends, looking at her like the scum of the earth. Not knowing what to say. It was like she was in the same scene again. But she wasn't scared of him, she was scared of being humiliated by him again and the lies he can tell.

That night Luke put her to bed, as soon as he left- she woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Her head was filled humidity and her eyes were sore.And she couldn't stay in her room any longer, but she knew if she went through the front door, Luke would hear it. So she went through her window and walked to the nearest 7/11 in the dim street lights. Her cheeks nipped at the cold as a thin glaze of water set on her cheeks from the tears.

She didn't want to drink. She felt like something else. Her 14 year old self would scowl at herself when she picked up the cigarettes, but she didn't give a fuck. She knew which ones to get; the same as Calum's.

So she sat there, puffing out smoke into the air on the lone curb, in the the shadows of the neon lights. She wasn't sad. She was angry. Angry that her piece of shit ex boyfriend controlled this much of her emotions.

She looked at the sky. Wondering why the universe made her this way. In his presence she was frozen. And she wanted to scream her herself for it.

But then when someone joined her, her anger sizzled down and a little smile creeped up the corner of her mouth.

And at 4.37am he helped her back up to her window and she thanked him for sharing his beer.

And after that night Calum found her tearing up outside a 7/11 at 3am, their conversations and interactions grew more and more. Whenever they had the chance to see each other, say, when Calum came to Luke's house before going out- he'd see if she was home. He'd go up to her room and see her always napping or dancing around in her room listening to Billie. Five minute conversations turned to ten and then twenty.

Obviously it would be weird if Calum and Lacey hung out together with no involvement of Luke, right? So naturally, each time Luke told Lacey 'the boys' were coming over before he went out, Lacey's stomach ached with more and more butterflies. She didn't fucking know why. Probably because- probably because.. because.. because he's sweet. And he's nice. And he's different.

Yes, he's just really nice.

.*.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.*.*.*.**.*.*.

"Do you think this bikini top matches with this shirt?" Angie tilted her head into the long store mirror as she brought up a yellow bikini top and a plain white button up shirt to her torso. The bikini top had ruffles around the edges and a little bow in the middle which wasn't the cutest thing Lacey had seen.

Lacey twisted her lips, not wanting to give Angie an honest answer- but Angie noticed from the mirror and turned around in a huff; mouth in a frown.

"No- it's cute!" Lacey raised her eyebrows trying to not dig herself a hole as she crossed her arms and put her weight on her right leg.