✓ [18+] WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL

IX. Bullies Are Bitches, Straight Up

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IX. Bullies Are Bitches, Straight Up

CARTER

"Heather, are you alright?" I ask her as I wave my hand in front of her face. She snaps out of it and shakes her head to clear it from whatever thoughts were going on in there.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiles sheepishly and looks down at the ground as the guy who caught her attention, comes walking up with some overly showy blonde attached to his hip.

"Well if it isn't Heather Daniels in her usual state. Nice to see you're still staying strong with the only guy that can really handle you," he laughs and points at the bottle of Jack Daniels in her hands.

What the fuck is wrong with this guy? I glare down at him wanting to knock his lights out. I'm not a violent person but this guy is pushing it.

"Umm Hi Bryan," Heather nearly chokes on her words and grips the bottle tighter in her hands. I notice her body begin to shiver. What's wrong with her? She was completely fine until this guy walked up.

"What's that Heather? Not your usual witty self? That's probably why you're going to be spending another night alone. It's a shame you still haven't moved on. Talk about desperate," he teases her and the little bitch on his side starts laughing obnoxiously.

Either he hasn't noticed me standing here or he thinks saying these kinds of things in front of me will discourage me, but he couldn't be further from the truth. Heather has been on my mind constantly since that day at Miller's nearly a week ago.

Even on my last 48 hours off, I went back by Miller's to see if she was there but Elena told me she only volunteers there when they're short handed. When I went by her family's antique store, she wasn't there either. It just seemed like I kept missing out on running into her, until tonight.

Needless to say, if I went through that much trouble to try to talk to her, whatever bullshit this guy says, isn't going to change my mind. She's had me unknowingly wrapped around her little finger since then. I was so close to kissing her just now until he showed up. I could tell in her pleading eyes, that she wanted me to.

I find myself getting more and more annoyed with this guy and I just want him to go away. I want him to leave Heather alone and stop taking away her beautiful smile and heart fluttering laugh. God I love hearing her laugh, it's like music to my ears.

Honestly, I'm tired of this asshole invading our personal space and taking up the precious oxygen I already had a hard time inhaling thanks to my nerves over being near Heather. Noticing he won't be walking away anytime soon on his own, I decide to take matters into my own hands.

"Hi, I'm Carter. She isn't alone, she's with me. We were in the middle of something so if you could fuck off, that would be nice," I smile condescendingly at him and wrap my arm around Heather. I instantly feel her body relax and she finally begins to breathe again.

The look on his face is priceless as he's taken back by my sudden outburst. He looks between Heather and me with annoyance. His jaw locks and he shoves away from his girl and storms off.

"Wait for me Bryan," she shrieks as she chases after him. I can't help the smirk on my face.

This Bryan guy wasn't expecting to hear that. Good. I love catching people off guard. It allows them to show you their true colors.

I look down at Heather and she looks both physically and mentally exhausted. I tighten my arm around her and she looks up at me with a shy smile. I tuck my other hand under her chin and gently caress it with my thumb. Her mouth opens slightly and once again, the butterflies in my stomach go haywire.

God I want to kiss her so bad but that will have to wait until a later time. She's upset right now and the last thing she needs is someone to make out with her. No, she needs someone to talk to about what is going on.

"Are you okay?" I ask her and she avoids my gaze as she nods her head. Why is she lying? Not only to me, but herself.

"Thank you for that," she steps aside and slowly backs away, clutching onto that bottle for dear life.

I already know she's going to go home and probably finish off that bottle to drown out her sorrows. I wish she knew there's other ways to get her through whatever she's going through right now. I really wish I hadn't just started on my 24 hour shift so I could take her somewhere.

"No problem. Who was that scrawny asshole?" I attempt to joke but she doesn't laugh. Instead her brow furrows and I can feel the pain she's feeling in her heart from all the way over here.

Was that guy an ex boyfriend? A bully? Maybe both? Either way, I don't like the guy. Even if things ended badly between the two of them, he has no right to be like that, especially with Heather.

Even though my ex was a heinous bitch, I would never take the time to degrade her in front of others. That was her thing, not mine. That is something I'll never pick up. My mother taught me better than that and she would roll in her grave if I ever treated a woman like Bryan just did.

"No one, but umm, I've got to go. It was nice seeing you Carter," she smiles at me but it doesn't reach her eyes.

Before I can call after her to wait, Sanchez comes walking by her and looks at her concerned. She quickly walks off towards the registers without a backwards glance.

"Hey man, not to rush but are you almost done? Boys are placing bets on if you took her to the back and got some," he laughs. I let a smirk free and shake my head.

Guys will be guys. However, I'm not the kind of guy to kiss and tell, so I'll let them use their imagination. Wouldn't matter if I denied it or not, their minds are already made up.

I watch Heather as she pays for her drink and quickly walks out of the entrance doors. I want to chase after her and do whatever I have to do to make her feel better.

Sanchez talks my ear off while I wait in line. He's loosened up around me finally, much like everyone else at the fire house. I rest my forearms on the handle and lean over, deep in thought.

What happened to Heather to make her completely change her personality from happy and carefree to sad and nearly speechless?

I make a silent vow to myself that I'm going to find out and make it my job to bring her out of that state. I'll do whatever it takes to mend her broken heart and put that contagious smile back on her beautiful face.

God, I've got it bad. I smile to myself as I think about the possibility that I'm falling for this girl, hard. I've never been like this before but damn it feels good. Could I possibly be falling in love with her though? If my feelings for her continue and escalate more, undoubtedly it'll come to be.

Heather Daniels is like an addiction and I can't, nor do I want to quit her.