When We Met

Twenty Two

|Martin|

Cheryl pulls away abruptly, and tilts her head to look behind me.

"What's wrong?" I ask and turn around myself. The faint outline of a silhouette is visible.

"I think someone is watching us, Dylan." She sits up on the bonnet and takes the support of my shoulders. Her eye brows furrow as she tries to analyse who the viewer is.

And when she finds her answer, her face pales like an off season fruit.

"Who is it?"

And then, her expression morphs into a taste of fury and disgust. She gently pushes me aside and jumps off the bonnet, her feet taking her to the silhouette, who has now stepped forward and is clearly visible.

It's a guy.

I follow Cheryl and wrap my arm around her waist. She obliges and leans closer to me. I am the shield to her fragile self.

We stand in front of the guy, and something tells me that this isn't gonna go down well.

"Cheryl." The sound of his voice is like the night; dark and mysterious. My grip around Cheryl tightens immediately.

"Jake." To a third person, she might sound pretty confident and comfortable in her own skin. But, I know something is off. Maybe it's the way her voice falters even when she's trying to keep it stable. Maybe it's the fact that she holds on to me like a pillar and doesn't even try to loosen the grip we have on each other. Maybe it's her eyes that show an accumulation of unshed tears.

I immediately realise that the guy is her ex boyfriend. The same guy who cheated on her, ditched her for someone else. He is the reason why Cheryl has suffered so much; so much, that she doesn't believe in love anymore.

My fists ball at their own will, and I do nothing to hide my anger. Cheryl notices this and keeps her hand on my arm.

"It's okay." She says calmly and I look at her incredulously. "Trust me."

"Are you serious?"

"I am." She looks back at mister douche bag, who can't stop gaping at my proximity with his ex girlfriend.

Ha! In your face, asshole.

"What do you want, Jake?" Cheryl asks and I sense a spark of confidence.

"I wanted to talk to you." His voice is full of venom.

"Did you check your watch before stalking me like an insane psychopath?"

To be honest, I like the tone she's using.

"My watch broke. So, I don't care what the time is. I wanted to have a word with you, and so I followed you till here."

"Followed me? Are you nuts?"

"Maybe." That asshole has the audacity to smirk. I feel my blood boil and I slowly pull Cheryl back.

"Enough of it already. Let's go, Cheryl. It's getting late." I say and stare him down.

"And I wonder who might this guy be. Cheryl?" Jake asks and looks at my arm around her waist.

"Fuck off, Jake Brunner." Cheryl turns around and pulls me along with her.

"Rylie, just listen to me once. It's a request." He calls out and forces Cheryl to turn around.

Within seconds, my fist meets his pathetic face and his body tumbles down right on the road. Cheryl gasps and takes a step back.

"Get in the car. I'll be right there." I say.