His eyes scanned the room before landing on me. A smirk tugged itself onto his lips, it held danger and a hint of amusement.

There was nothing more I wanted to do then get up and smack the smirk right off his lips. But as I tried to stand up, my legs wouldn't work. Leaving me stuck in my place as a sitting duck.

That's when my breathing started kicking in, the hyperventilation that I once felt when I first got myself involved into gangs. My mind was screaming for me to run. But I couldn't, I just couldn't function my legs to move.

Surely my uncles gang members would pop out anytime soon, right? To haul him away and protect me, just as my uncle promised. My uncle has never broken his promise to me before. But right now I'm starting to think otherwise.

"Hello Ryder come sit" Mike spoke, greeting Ryder in a more polite way than he did to me. Mike looked at Ryder with respect and I with disgust. I wonder if I told him the many terrible things Ryder has done. Would Mike still look at Ryder as a walking god?

Ryder and Caleb took a seat, Caleb next to his brother, and Ryder next to the holland parents. They held a short conversation until Paige decided to introduce everyone.

"And this is Jake's girlfriend Iris" she finished off. I felt the all many eyes turn on me. But I refused to look back, if I lift my head I'll see him and I might cry.

"Iris are you okay?" I heard Jake's soft voice in my ear. When he didn't get a response, he took the liberty to rest his hand on mine, trying to soothe me.

All I wanted to do was scream in frustration. His comfort isn't what I needed. Truth be told, I kinda wanted Max to hold my hand, tell me that everything is going to be alright even though it wasn't going to be.

"Is she okay?" I heard the most familiar voice ask. He almost sounded sincere and worried. Almost. I always saw through him.

"Hey Jake, I think she starting to realize how dating you was such a big mistake" Jake's brother imputed. If he was trying to stick to the role as an ass of an older brother. He for sure fitted to it.

Caleb was right in some way, I did regret coming here and pretend to date Jake, just not for the reasons he thought.

I felt Jake's grip on me tightened, if I wasn't having a panic attack I probably would have screamed in pain of the forced contact. His grip was flooding memories to me, memories I tried so hard to avoid.

"Son, maybe next time pick a functional lady" Mike spoke, earning the same place his eldest son received.

From the view of underneath the table I saw Ryder shuffle his feet. Instead of separating them he crossed them together. I wasn't to keen on for using his simple actions, what stood out more was the fact that my uncle has still not yet save me.

"Man, I can bring her home if you'd like?" That's when my body started shaking, the idea of being alone in a vehicle with Ryder made me want to throw up.

I shook my head, causing my eyes sight to blur with the fast motion. "I don't think that's necessary" I finally spoke, making official eye contact with everyone.

With Mike, it was pure attitude. His comments all dinner had made me want to scream in his face

With Paige, it was apologetic. I ruined a perfectly good dinner for her and all she has been with me is kind.

With Caleb, it was anger. He's the one who brought the very man I despised into the restaurant.

With Jake, it was guilt. I'm ruining everything for him.

And lastly when I got to Ryder, I froze. He wore the same smirk on his face when he abused me. When he grabbed his own knife to slit my arms. Making me scream and suffer for his pleasure. The same smirk when he found out if I either won or lost against the men he sent to try to toughen me up. And the same smirk that I once used to adore. He wore that smirk every time he accomplished me to laugh, or when he kissed me.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to drive you home. You look pale"

"I'm okay" that's when I heard it. That same weak voice I used to have, the one I got rid of as soon as I stuck my blade into someone flesh. This voice was the owner of a scared little girl, and I am not that girl anymore, I drink, I drive, I hurt, I kill. But why was I cringing and flexing at every sudden movement?

I need to get out of here.

"I have to go" I tell everyone. The only ones that looked merely concerned was Paige and Jake. Caleb and Mike, held a blank face, not impressed. And lastly, Ryder held amusement. Everything was simply a game to him.

I quickly peck Jake on the lips and dashed out of the Jillian restaurant. Some might say I look like Cinderella running away from my prince. I say I'm more like Belle, I'm running to my prince.

As soon as I got out of the restaurant, I let the tears pour freely. As my eyes turned red and puffy, my vision blurred. I didn't care though, I didn't want to see the world that was against me. The world that let me suffered.

That's when my heel broke, my first instinct was to put my hands out front before me. But that didn't exactly stop me from falling face first into the cement. I felt the concrete and rock cut through my face. Leaving a nasty gash in my cheek and a bloody nose.

My hands shook as I tried to study myself into a proper standing position we all learn as a child.

"Iris?"

"Max" I cried out in sight. I would probably normally ask what he is doing here, if he came to stalk my fake date or whatever, but at the moment it didn't matter. I didn't care, he was here. And that's all that matters.

Without asking, I leaped into his arms and clutched onto him for dear life. He didn't seem to mind as he held onto me like I was the only person that mattered to him.

My body racked into sobs against him. But he never let go. Not even to check if his shirt was snot free.

"We need to get out of here" I sobbed into his chest. My voice muffled by his shirt.

"What happened?" He asked, his lips were against my forehead, kissing it ever so softly.

Unlike Ryder, Max voice was sincere and concern. Max did care for me, I was his best friend. To Ryder, I was simply a pawn in his sick game. What game, I was still trying to figure that out.

I pushed him back, making him face me. "Ryder is here" I choked, almost unable to say his name. I swear once I get my shit together, my uncle will receive a very angry message.

Max stiffened of the sound of his name. He understood my pain, he knew why I was on the verge of a never ending cliff.

"Just take me to your place please. And promise me, you'll never let me go. That you will stick to my side whenever. I need you Max, I need you so much." I never thought I would get this low since the accident. But pouring out to Max was different. He was the only reason that my heart is still beating.

"I promise Iris. I will never let you down. I will always be by your side until this is all over. Because I care about you much more than you could possibly know."

My heart raced at his words, they held so much meaning to them that my chest felt like it was going to overload. I can already see the message of maximum capacity in my head.

The thumping in my chest hasn't gotten this drastically since the first time I met Ryder. And this is even worse. I thought I turned this emotion off. The emotion everyone calls attractiveness and feelings to one another. However, it seemed to find a way to swivel back into me.

I think I like my best friend. I think I like the shy boy.

~~~~~~

I didn't think it was possible to keep writing as I am. To seem that I never want to stop. It's hard to keep going, my gosh.

Anyways Iris likes Max! Ooh la la.

Honest opinion: Do you guys think the story is moving too fast?

Question: What's your dream job?

P.S. I just want to thank you, my lovely readers that are reading. If it weren't for you I wouldn't still be writing. I adore you all <3