The Other Side Of Fear[1]

Chapter 37

Thank you to the readers still going at this point - I have lost A LOT since chapter one, but not all books are for everyone and not all storylines go the way people wish them to and that's okay! With the end being close, I'm happy that I stuck to telling this story and I started it out for myself in the first place and chose to share it so thanks to the guys who still choose to read💕

'Cal, you shouldn't have come here,' I spoke up nervously.

Cal didn't appear to hear me with his focus locked on Archie, a deep and dark expression that I had never seen before adorned his face as his eyes flickered wildly.

'What are we talking about?' Cal asked with an intimidating tone.

'Nothing,' I sighed. 'It really is nothing, tell him Archie.'

'I don't want to hear a word come out of his fucking mouth!' he growled.

I glanced at Archie who didn't look fearful or worried at all. He wasn't scared of Cal, he never had been, but I couldn't read his expression at all and I prayed he wasn't preparing to provoke him. He turned his eyes away from Cal and caught mine and I tried to silently communicate for him to reassure Cal that it was nothing. I knew Archie understood what my face was trying to say and he turned back to Cal before clearing his throat.

'She's right, Lakey,' he said, casually. 'You shouldn't have come here.'

My eyes squeezed shut gently as I knew that he had just pissed Cal off even more the second he spoke and Cal edged closer to us, his face turning even more twisted.

I glanced up at Archie, my eyes glaring into him as he watched Cal carefully and I knew he had purposefully said it to stir up the situation even more.

'Cal, I know how it looks,' I explained. 'But there is nothing going on here...right Archie!'

I looked to him and he continued to watch Cal, his eyebrow raising a little but no words left his mouth. He was making things worse for himself and me. He wanted Cal to lose it.

I stood, beginning to shake with fear at the thought of what Cal might do to him right here in front of hundreds of witnesses - that would be the end for him.

Cal's face softened and he breathed out, glancing around at the crowds all around us; I prayed he was weighing up the situation and talking himself out of doing something stupid. My mouth was dry, my palms were sweating; I was just waiting for one of them to do something.

'You're right,' Cal muttered with a nod. 'I shouldn't have come.'

He spun and approached my friends who were gathered in a group nearby. I watched as he gripped Tiffany's arm and pulled her close to him, saying something in her ear before stepping back. She nodded slowly and he turned to glance at me once more. His eyes shut gently and the expression on his face hurt my chest so deeply; he paced away without another word and my reactions automatically kicked in. I couldn't let him leave without explaining what had just happened. He had to know Archie was nothing to me.

I lunged forward to run after him and felt a burn around my wrist and a jolt within my elbow. I was yanked back and turned to see Archie frowning down at me, his hand gripped tightly on my wrist.

'What the fuck are you doing?' I spat.

'Don't go after him,' he said. 'He'll leave you alone now. You don't have to bother with him again; he's fucking dysfunctional and he's dangerous.'