tell me your pretty lies

chapter 33: she makes me feel safe

"why do you cry?"

-fourth of july by sufjan stevens

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I lose sight of Leighton for a moment, distracted by someone trying to start a conversation. When I look back, she's gone.

Fuck.

 A spike of worry shoots through me, and I push away from the wall, scanning the crowd.

"Hey, have you seen Leighton?" I ask Bailey, but she just shakes her head, too caught up in the music and drunk as fuck.

I weave through the crowd, my anxiety growing. 

Where could she have gone? 

The music feels louder, the lights brighter. My heart races, and I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong.

I push my way down a hallway, hoping to find her taking a break from the chaos. Instead, I see a couple making out, the girls thigh around his waist.

Disgusting mother fuckers.

I find a bedroom door closed and pray I don't see anything bad.

I open it and see people fucking.

I'm about to close the door but I hear a faint 'help.'

Fuck.

I walk in and see Leighton, frozen in fear.

And some nasty fucker on top of her.

"Get away from her," I growl.

"Hey man, she said it was okay," The guy says and I don't believe his bullshit.

I grab the guy off her and punch his nose.

There's a faint crack! and I know for a fucking fact I broke that shit.

I go over to the bed and grab Leighton.

She's trembling.

"Are you okay?" I ask her.

She shakes her head.

Fuck.

She clutches to my side as we walk down the stairs.

Bailey sobers up and see's Leighton.

"Oh my fuck. Lei are you okay?" She asks and Leighton shakes her head.

"Who?" Eli asks.

"The fucker in the room with a broken nose." I reply

Bailey runs upstairs with Eli and Luca following behind.

I bring Leighton to the car and place her in the passenger seat.

She's shaking and I feel so bad.

I drive us back to the dorms and I carry her bridal style up the stairs and we head into the door.