"I don't like this."

"Well, that's just too bad," Nathan said as he leaned over to press a swift kiss onto my cheek.

"Please don't do this, Nathan. You've already convinced me not to go so now you should do the same!" I pleaded as I followed Nathan around my bedroom as he gathered his belongings from yesterday since he stayed the night.

Nothing happened though guys get your minds out of the gutter. I swear, without the gutter, your minds would be homeless.

"I'm not going alone though. I have a buddy of mine from college that I stayed close with whose gonna back me up in case anything happens."

I groaned and flopped my back down onto my soft mattress, covering my face with my hands. Moments later, I felt fingers grasping at my wrists and tugging them down to uncover my face.

Nathans chiseled; ruggedly handsome face came into my view, smirking down at me with reassuring eyes.

"But nothing will happen. I promise."

I sighed and propped myself up on my elbows.

"But you don't know that. There's no knowing with Greg what kind of stunts he'll pull at a moment's notice."

Nathans eyes narrowed defiantly at me.

"And that's precisely the reason you are not going."

My head rolled back onto my shoulders, completely defeated.

On one hand, I couldn't deny the appreciation and love that I felt tumbling around in my chest at his protectiveness over me. Yet, the other side of me was feverishly upset that he was willing to put his own safety at risk just for me.

"Alex," he called out, wrapping his hands around mine and pulling me up off of the bed and right into his warm embrace, lacing his arms around my slim waist.

"There is nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe. And if that means confronting this asshole and threatening him myself to keep away from you, then it's done. I'm doing it and there's nothing you could do to stop me." His stare was intent on mine, his cool, blue eyes illuminated with truth and determination.

"There's nothing I could do?" I asked seductively as I ran my fingers up his chest, across his neck and ducked them into his thick hair, gripped and massaging his scalp with my fingers slowly.

A quiet groan hummed through Nathans lips as he welcomed the touch and let his eyes shut. I thought I was winning; that was until his own hands came up to put mine to a halt.

"As nice of a promise as that is," his voice came out deep and rasped. "This is far more important."

And that was that.

I knew there would no convincing him otherwise, not as long as Greg was still out there waiting for me, waiting for his chance to strike.

I watched gloomily as he grabbed his watch and latched it around his wrist. Then he slipped his shoes on and was ready to go.

"You'll call me the moment you get there right?" I asked of him as we walked to my bedroom door.

"Yes, mom," he teased as he pushed my bedroom door open and we strolled out into the hallway, which was beyond cluttered with cups, leftover chips, and even a random, lonesome shoe in the corner. The Living room was no better.

I smacked him playfully on the arm at his comment which caused him to chuckle in return.

Our walk to the door seemed unending and yet all too quick at the same time.

We reached the apartment's front door and both of us came to a standstill, our eyes locked onto one another's in a longing gaze.

Out of my corner vision, I saw his hand come into view just before it reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from my face and tucked in gently behind my ear.

"I'll call you as soon as I get there and I'll be giving you a play by play so keep your phone handy."

"Well, that's a given," I tried to joke to bring a lightness to our conversation but his subtle and ill attempt at a smile told me that now was not the time for jokes.

"Everything will be okay after this. He will back down. I'll make sure of it."

I so badly wished that I could believe his words but my past experiences with Greg simply wouldn't let me accept that it would be that easy.

Instead of vocalizing my cynicism I smiled up at him weakly, pressing my body into his and resting my chin against his broad chest.

"Please promise me you'll be careful."

"Alex, nothing will happen." He tried to encourage.

"Just promise me. You'll get out of there if anything goes awry or feels off, okay?"

His stare penetrated mine as that intense look that had been lingering for the past week traveled through his gaze momentarily.

"I promise."

Something in the atmosphere changed in that moment. Feelings were intensified and the air around us seemed to buzz with unspoken words. My body tensed and my heart pounded fiercely in my chest, rapidly growing in anticipation for what was to come.

I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to say something. His eyes were brimming with unsaid emotions that he was longing to release and I was more than ready to reciprocate.

"Um, hey, Mr. McCoy."

Our gazes were ripped apart from one another's as a familiar voice echoed through the room.

Snapping my head off of Nathans chest and looking to the source of the voice, I was none too surprised to find Ben and Mia freshly awoken and still entangled in each other's hold.

Nathan cleared his voice, obviously uncomfortable with the turn of events.

"Mr. Grant," Nathans nodded his head in acknowledgment towards Ben.

Even though I knew both of them knew about Nathan and I's relationship and Nathan knew that they knew about us, it didn't make the situation any less awkward for any of us.

"I should probably get going so I can shower and change before one," Nathan mumbled so only I could hear and I nodded my head dishearteningly in agreement.

He thumb grazed tenderly across my cheek as he peered down at me with a look in his eyes that I knew reflected my own.

He wanted to kiss me goodbye and I desperately yearned for the same thing but in the presence of my friends for the first time as a couple, both of us thought it best to keep it as platonic as possible.

"I'll see you soon," I whispered, laying my head into his hand that now cradled my face.

He nodded.

"Okay you guys have to kiss already! I'm dying over here!" Mia cried out bringing a deep blush to Nathans cheeks in which I only found more adorable which prompted me to only want to mold my lips to his even more.

"No, he should get going. Your pervert eyes will have to wait till another time," I threw over my shoulder at Mia, trying to save Nathan from any further embarrassment.

He opened the door and stepped out into the humid air. Yet, just as I thought he was leaving I felt him tug me outside of my apartment and crash his lips down on mine.

I moaned into the unexpected kiss and threw my hands around his neck and pulled myself into him, his hands gripped at my waist tightly; urgently.

The kiss was brief but intense and left me dizzy and craving for more.

He left just minutes later and my worry intensified ten folds with his presence gone and off to confront Greg.

I moved lazily back into the apartment where Mia and Ben were still standing, waiting for me but had conveniently disconnected themselves from each other.

I mentally rolled my eyes at their poor attempt. Yet, before I could call them out on it, Ben spoke up.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing our Professor in your apartment, even if I'm starting to like the guy again."

"I thought it was adorable! You guys were acting as if you were never gonna to see each other again!" Mia continued to gush on but her words only sent a stiff reminder throughout my body of where he was going and the very real, however slim, possibility that her statement was.

Once again, my fucking annoying tear ducts started to well with my morbid thoughts as I tried my best to hold in my tears until I was safely in the confines of my bedroom.

"Alex? Is something wrong?"

Shit.

"No," I lied through my teeth and stealthily moved my way inch by inch towards my bedroom door.

"Then why are you crying?" Ben asked with concern etched in his tone.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are, Alex. What happened?" Mia inquired of me, her sweet tone only breaking down my barriers even more hastily.

"Did he do something to you? Alex, I swear if he hurt you, you have to tell me-"

"No! Of course not!" I quickly cut Ben's absurd accusation off.

"Well, then what happened?!"

"Greg!" I yelled out suddenly. "Greg happened."

Both faces blanched in pure shock. Mia's eyes were wide as she took a few hesitant steps towards my shaking body, my arms secured tightly around my frame, holding myself together out of fear that with one simple touch, I would shatter.

"What do you mean, Greg happened?" She asked softly as her hand sought out my own, gripping her fingers onto mine in support.

"He called last night."

"He's not allowed to do that!" Ben spat out angrily, his eyes looming with fury.

"I know," I nodded my head weakly. "He's also not supposed to try and meet with me but he tried to do that too."

"He's even more fucked up than before if he thought you would actually meet with him," Ben said as he crossed his arms over his shoulder and leaned back against the wall, his eyes glued to the floor in deep thought.

"I almost did before Nathan talked me out of it." I hated admitting that fact because I knew it would cause this exact reaction from my two friends.

"What?!"

"Are you crazy!?"

"Guys can you keep it down out here? I'm trying to sleep!" Rachel's voice called out from down the hallway as we heard her feet pad down the wooded walkway, coming straight for us.

"Why in world are you guys even up anyways? Don't you-"

Her words were stopped the moment she laid her light blue eyes on the scene in front of her. Her wild blonde hair was still in knots from whatever activities she took part in the night before and she looked all too cute standing in her full Frozen themed pajama get up. The look in her eyes though when she noticed my red, blotchy face, Mia's concerned one, and Ben's furious, rigid stance, was anything but cute.

"What's wrong?" She immediately asked.

"Nothing. We were just having a conversation."

"Alex," Ben's voice warned, his stare was intent on mine, daring me to lie to my blonde best friend.

My shoulders sagged in defeat, my head falling back and knocking painfully into the wall behind me. I winced at my own stupidity and gestured for Ben or Mia to fill in Rachel on my present situation.

"Greg called her last night and wanted to meet with her." I heard Mia's meek voice explain.

"And she almost met with him too! That part, we are still waiting for the explanation on."

I lifted my head back up and sought out Ben's heated gaze.

"I was only gonna go because he threatened Nathans career." My voice came out strong and defensive, my eyes trained on his asking for him to challenge my reasoning.

"He knows about you guys?" Rachel finally spoke up, stepping closer to me, her concern filled eyes finding mine.

I simply nodded.

"How?"

"He said he has sources; whatever the hell that means."

"Why didn't you tell me last night, Alex?" Rachel asked insistently.

I shrugged and geared my stare towards the floor.

"It was your birthday. I didn't wanna ruin that for you," I answered timidly, knowing she wouldn't tolerate that as an acceptable answer.

Her eyebrows rose, her face taking on an incredulous look. "Seriously? That's possibly the worst reasoning in the history of excuses."

"I know," I whined pathetically. "But Nathan and I were handling it and now he's off to confront Greg and I didn't have a say in the matter and now he's putting himself in danger for me and all I'm left to do is sit here like a fucking damsel in distress and I'm sick and tired of being helpless!"

Three faces in front of me contoured with sadness after my outburst. Rivers had started to run down my cheeks again and my chest was heaving up and down heavily and I already felt completely exhausted and it wasn't even noon.

"Alex," Rachel's voice rang out softly. I remained silent.

Seconds later, her bare feet came into my vision that was intensively staring at the floor. Her hands seized my own and held them firmly in hers, the warmth of her skin radiated over my body, calming me down just a fraction.

"We can't say that we know what you are going through because we don't. But we can tell you that without a doubt that you aren't helpless."

"Then why is Nathan off fighting my battles for me while I sit here and wait?" I asked, disgusted with how powerless I had become.

"Because he loves you." Mia answered for Rachel.

My heart convulsed in hope as my face went through a thousand different emotions at the thought of her statement being true.

"You don't know that. We haven't even said that yet."

"But I do know," she countered. "Both Ben and I saw it clear as day in his eyes as he was looking at you. Maybe you guys haven't said it yet but it's so true. He loves you so much, Alex. And that's why he's out there fighting for you. Not because he thinks you're helpless but because he would rather die than see any harm come to you. And you love him too, don't you?"

I had only come to the realization last night but already I felt like screaming it from the rooftops.

"So much," I replied in a whisper with a small smile as new, happy tears leaked from my eyes.

Both girls in front of me smiled widely at my confirmation and came at me with open arms as we all three hugged. I was more than grateful for my friends and this blissful moment of not a single ounce of worry or distress, but a moment filled with pure joy.

Ben, Rachel, and Mia waited with me until the time came. I got a call from Nathan just before one o'clock that he has arrived at the university and was waiting in his car.

I had given him a picture of what Greg used to look like back when I was in high school, hoping that he hadn't changed too much so Nathan wouldn't have much trouble identifying him.

When the clock struck one o'clock, my heart began to pound faster and faster with every fleeting minute. Both Mia and Rachel sat next to me on the couch as we waited in silence. Ben was up walking around aimlessly, picking up random trash that he would find along his way in an attempt to clean up the disaster that was our living room.

And then my phone began to ring.

I glanced at the phone and saw that it was Nathan but the thing that struck me as odd was the time.

It was only 1:04.

"Hello?" I picked up instantly.

"He left," Nathans voice came through the other end in short spurts as if he had just been running.

"What do you mean he left?"

"I saw him waiting next to his car and went to go talk to him but the moment he saw me, he recognized me and jumped in his car and left. I chased after him but...it was no use. He got away."

He got away.

Those words echoed through my head mercilessly, taunting me until my stomach began to churn and the room was spinning.

"I'm so sorry, minx. I tried-"

His voice was cut off by a beeping noise in my phone. I looked down and saw that there was another incoming call.

Unknown.

"I think he's calling me," I told Nathan in a shaking voice.

"Don't pick up, Alex! Don't-"

My fingers hit the 'answer' button before my brain had a chance to stop it. My body wobbled as I got up off of the couch, lightly shoving off Mia and Rachel's hold on my arms.

"Hello?"

"Bad move, bitch."

"Greg, I-"

"You don't even know what you've just done to yourself. I don't want to hurt you Alex but you aren't giving me much of a fucking choice!"

"You don't have to hurt me just leave me alone!" I screamed in undiluted rage, drawing my hands up into my hair and pulling at the strands savagely. 

Ben had darted from his position and was in front of my shivering body, holding me in place forcefully as I tried to lash out, my body out of its own control and blinded by un-containable wrath and fear.

"You know I can never do that, Alexandria! You are mine and you always will be, no matter what professor is fucking you at the time. You. Are. Mine!"

"No!"

"You're just making this worse and worse on yourself and everyone around you. You're forcing my hand on this one, Alexandria. You have given me no other choice.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked desperately, my body frozen in fear.

"I'll be seeing you soon, my love."

And then the line went dead.

CLIFFHANGER! I love giving those to you guys ;) SO what did you think? What do you think Greg had planned?

Please vote/comment/share if you loved it!  Thank you guys! :D