The Dip and the Resurface

Part 22

Ivy

It was my co-worker Marc who had introduced me to the guy, but I don't think they knew each other that well. The guy's name was Rick and even though he was both handsome and charming, I didn't really feel the chemistry between us. Still, I continued to laugh at his jokes and let him pull me closer. Maybe mostly to show Tyler that even though he didn't want me, others still did. It was childish of me, but right now, my hatred for Tyler just grew with every thought of him and his stupid brown eyes.

At a certain point, I went to the ladies room and when I stepped out, Rick was waiting for me with a drink in his hand.

"Hey," he said with a wink, "I thought you might like a drink and go to a more secluded place?"

"Secluded place?" I gulped, "what do you have in mind?"

"There's a garden right outside," he smiled at me.

Okay, so not as secluded as his apartment.

With a relief I nodded and followed Rick outside to the small garden that Emma and I had decorated with fairy lights a few days ago. The weather was mild making the small garden crowded with people. I didn't mind. To be honest, I was just happy that Rick and I weren't on our own.

I found a small bench and Rick sat down beside me, asking me, "do you like your drink?"

I hadn't even given the drink a second thought before he asked me. I looked it over and noticed that it was red and smelled savoury. Had he seriously just gotten me a Bloody Mary; the most disgusting drink in history? To not loose face, I took a big gulp from the disgusting drink and it almost made me miss the horrible Margarita that Tyler had mixed me backstage a few months ago - that was if you could even call that a margarita. It had been Schweppes Lemon with vodka and for some reason it had been disgustingly salty. But Tyler had looked so happy when I had complimented him for it.

With a strained voice, I looked at Rick and said "it's very good! Thank you!"

"It better be! It cost me 13 quid!"

Charming, I thought to myself...

"So how's your night going?" He asked me when I didn't answer him.

"It's alright," I shrugged, "a bit weird to be honest."

"Yeah, mine too. But at least I get to spend some time with a pretty girl," he winked at me.

I didn't answer him. I just send him a half-assed smile.

"You look absolutely stunning," he said and smiled at me.

"Thanks," I just smiled back before I decided that this was taking a turn that I wasn't quite comfortable with. "Anyway," I started, "I think I'll head inside again. Thank you so much for the drink."

"Are you leaving already?" He grabbed my wrist gently, "come on. Stay out here for one more drink."

"I think I better head inside," I repeated with a smile, "but thank you for keeping me company tonight. I enjoyed it."

"Why? Do you have a boyfriend or summat?" He asked me and when I didn't answer him, he said, "Come on, I just bought you a drink!" he looked at me intently.

"Listen, if you think you bought me for the night by offering me a drink then you're wrong. Thanks for the compliments but I'm gonna go inside now."

I stood up and started walking towards the double doors when he grabbed my ass.

I turned around, "did you seriously just do that? Did you just grab my ass?" I yelled at him, "who the fuck gives you the right?"

"Easy! Take it as a compliment!" he said and took a step closer to me. In a swift motion, he wrapped his arms around me, trying to grab my behind again. I shoved him in the chest but he stood his ground, hands hanging dangerously low on my back.

I was struggling to get out of Rick's tight grip on me when he was suddenly pulled away from me. Someone had grabbed him from behind and was hauling him away from me with their arm around his throat. I saw Josh' wild eyes beside Rick's flabbergasted face as he was being pulled away from me. Suddenly, I realised that Tyler was there too, now shoving the guy in the chest a lot harder than I had done before. The guy staggered backwards and Josh did too, not able to withstand the unbalanced weight.

"Leave her the fuck alone!" Tyler was screaming at the guy while Josh' gaze was fixed upon me. His lips were thin and white. I had never seen anyone look so angry before.

The guy managed to wrestle himself free from Josh' grip and coughed a few times when his wind pipe was properly dilated again.

This time, it was Josh' turn to shove the guy, "if I ever see you here again, I'm going to break your fucking skull!" He hissed with huge eyes before Rick staggered away from the scene while muttering something that sounded like, "sickos".

"You stay the fuck away from her," Tyler yelled after his fleeing body.

I was shocked to the bone at the scene that had just unfolded before me. I couldn't move or say anything. I looked around at all the unfamiliar faces in the crowd and suddenly realised that we had the attention of every person in the small garden.

I grabbed Tyler's and Josh' hands and pulled them after me as I went through the double doors and away from everyone .