Control

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ella

I closed my eyes letting the strong bass beat settle within me and take over my body's movements. I needed to calm down as my anxiety was reaching its limit. A few times in the car ride on the way over here, I felt the first symptoms of a panic attack approach. I could barely concentrate on our conversation and each time James touched me, I felt like blacking out from fright. I was so nervous he would remember me from the coffee shop, or perhaps already had, and it would only be a matter of time before he exacted his promise of revenge.

Just a few more hours, I thought to myself, letting out a cleansing breath. I just needed to avoid him and convince Allison to drive us back to our apartment and let the guys ride home without us. I could easily get lost in the crowd and dance myself out, using the excuse of exhaustion as an early out. Although, I didn't think I would need one. Allison would let me leave right away if I asked. While I was about to pass out from anxiety because of the situation, she was about ready to punch a wall. Or James' face.

I felt a smile creep onto my face at the thought of Allison attacking James. I raised my hands above my head and continued to sway to the beat as I felt the crescendo of the song and my anxiety dissipate as I danced and listened to the music, trying hard to forget about James. A strong pair of hands gently grabbed my hips and I could feel breath on my neck as the person behind me pressed his body against mine. Feeling free and a little reckless, I did nothing to remove his hands and just relished in the intimacy. I had never been this close to a man. Ever.

His hands started gliding up and down my hips, still staying in appropriate areas. However, I started to notice his range increasing and felt his hands come increasingly closer to more intimate zones. I grabbed his hands and moved them back to my waist, promising myself if he moved them inappropriately, I would extricate myself from him and go back to dancing solo. Out of my peripheral, I saw his face bend closer to mine and felt his nose graze my earlobe and his breath fan my neck as a familiar husky voice whispered loud enough for me to hear over the music, "Miss me?"

I froze. Paralyzed with fear, I hardly registered his lips lightly connect with my neck and then feel them curve upward. I heard the smirk in his voice as he softly said, "I knew you were just playing hard to get." One of his hands wrapped around my waist as the other cupped my terrified face, turning it to look at his. "God, you're beautiful," James breathed out. He slowly leaned in, and that's when I snapped out of it.

Exerting all of my strength, I pushed his arms away from my waist and face and clumsily scampered into the sea of bodies. I swam through until I reached the deepest part of the floor and squeezed myself into the swelling mosh-pit. I was shaking with fear and confusion. I concluded that he did not recognize me from the café; the girl he called a b*tch could not also be desirable enough for him to kiss.

So he was just attracted to me as Ella? I felt a shiver run through my body. His, was attention I most certainly did not want. I could never be with a man who instilled such terror in me. He was too forward for someone as inexperienced and naïve as I. The way he felt entitled to lay his hands on me and even kiss me without having had a real conversation struck a nerve. My anxiety gave way to anger. This wasn't an emotion that was easily brought out of me, but the thought of James assuming I was simply 'playing hard to get' had me seeing red. How could he think I would be interested in him? I didn't even know him!

With newfound determination I stomped through the crowd looking for Allison. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Just as I reached the edge of the dance floor, I was yanked into a hard chest. I scowled and looked up at my assailant. Not surprising, I was looking into the now dark blue eyes of James the Arrogant. What was surprising, however, his expression also portrayed fury. Unfortunately, his face mastered the look much better than mine, and I instantly cowered in fear and looked down.