Crashing Down Into Flames

Chapter 9

Chapter Song: Falling- Trevor Daniels

Monday- Afternoon

-Evangeline-

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The smell of Old Spice and cigarettes emanates from August and his black leather jacket that I'm wearing, almost smothering me as his arm continues to hold around my shoulders.

I hold a tight smile towards Mr. Lockhart, fighting the urge to break August's arm for touching me again.

After counting down the seconds I'll have August in a chokehold, he finally removes his arm from my shoulders, and I take a breath when he walks over to talk with other people.

I walk towards Charlotte, not wanting to be next to Mr. Lockhart, which feels like being alone in a room full of people being next to him.

I hate the urge to stick a knife inside myself to release the pressure of butterflies from my stomach.

I wish the cold weight of my knife, August let me keep, could help reassure me that it could be a possibility that I could do. Then again, it would look out of question to stab myself in front of all these men.

Although, it would be a helpful excuse to get out of this conversation that's going to happen with a mad Charlotte.

"Where were you?!" Charlotte whispers angrily to me with a tight smile.

"I got distracted with Dale," I whisper with a tight smile, too, "He beat Ronda's donut eating record."

She gasps quietly, "No way!" She whispers. Charlotte and I press our knees to our chairs as we stand while a line of people starts to form to shake hands and leave. She leans over to whisper to me, "This isn't over. You still owe me," Before she puts on a huge smile, she does to show how friendly she is, and turns toward the men to shake their hands.

I, on the other hand, stop smiling because my cheeks hurt from smiling too much this morning, so I just make a neutral face which I hope doesn't show a resting bitch face. Those happen too often to tell.

From my side view down the line, I see the men lined up with Candy, Hunter, Mr. W, and Mr. Lockhart behind them. All while August stands outside the line with his hands in his jeans pockets, watching everything unfold.

The Winters men walk in front of us. I hold my hand out to shake several familiar men's hands before shaking Candy's hand. I have to remind myself to wash my hands afterward because who knows where her hand has been. I have a keen idea that it has something to do with Hunter and his dick.

After Candy leaves from shaking my hand, Hunter appears behind her. His golden brown hair is loosely cascaded back without an inch drooping on his forehead. The details of his sturdy square jaw with light stubble and hard-set ocean-blue eyes remind me of James Winters, his father, while his rosy lips and his confident and arrogant attitude remind me of his brother, Mr. W. He has that look to him that says he's an asshole, but it's okay because he's "hot"."

His outfit is a two-piece dark blue suit with a red tie and white shirt. It confuses me ever so often that Mr. W and Hunter are brothers when they're opposite. That is until they flirt. Behind Hunter is Mr. W.