Ever Since

Bradley

Earlier...

"You really aren't even trying to stay hidden, are you?" I snap at Ben sitting in my old blacked out car, smirking like an asshole.

"I heard you got off easy" Ben says taunting me. "Really wonder how that happened"

"Just leave" I say clenching my jaw.

"No, no" Ben says smiling. "I want my date with Loren now"

"Not now! She just forgave me" I press and regret it because he feeds on this.

"Only more reason to have it then" Ben says and laughs.

I know I put myself in this situation single handily and now that it's finally here, I don't know how to process it.

"I'll give you anything you want" I snap. "Just leave her alone"

"You're not in charge here!" Ben yells losing his patience. "Here's what's going to happen. You are going to get into your fucking car and leave"

I keep glancing towards my car in the distance to make sure Loren doesn't come over here. But just like I know her, she's going to storm out any second now.

"And if she calls or texts you, which she probably will, you do not answer or I'll take her on another date which I can promise you will be your worst case scenario" Ben says smirking.

I replay what he said and instead of losing my mind and risk potentially getting in trouble, I take a page out of Lorens book and use my head. I come up with an idea that's quite a loop hole that could work if I'm careful.

I continue to pretend being angry and scared.

"Do you understand me?" He says.

"Fuck you" I say faking it and just as I'm about to ask him how are we going to Loren out of the car, a screeching alarm goes off.

When I turn around it's Loren, covering her ears.

"Get back!" I mouth at her and she bolts in the other direction, way past my car.

I get into my car and race out the driveway as Ben moves towards Loren. I drive off and make him think that he finally defeated me, but little does he know that I'm going to be watching their every move.

*

"What the fu—?!" Loren says confused the second she sees me and I quickly cover her mouth again.

I lift her and carry her to my car in the far end of the parking lot. She's trying to kick and hit me but they're coming off as soft blows from how drunk she is.

I lay her down in and take out a cigarette to calm my heart rate outside the car. This whole ordeal was so stress induced, I don't know how I managed. First, I parked outside the hotel and the second I could, I ran to the reception and asked if a couple signed in. I made up a whole story and she said no one checked in since the morning.

I was on the edge waiting until they got out of the parking lot. The moment I saw the distinct car, I raced after them until I found myself standing in the corner of the pub, with my hoodie up and a hat covering most of my face, I prayed to not get noticed by anyone which was like navigating a mine field. This place is the pub where anyone who's anyone around campus parties and I recognized a lot of the people straight away.