YOU KNOW, I might have lost the love of my life to some stupid argument, but this? This was enough healing for me.

A bodyguard approached me as regards Nathan Eiser's command and I slowly took a couple steps forward to meet him. Just before I could push through the ladies in front of me, the girl by my North-West who wore a purple spaghetti blouse happily rushed into the bodyguard's arms and he led her up the stage amidst the loud cheers from the audience. I paused and stared blankly, watching as the girl walked on stage all giddy.

Wait. I thought...

I looked up at Nathan Eiser. Seeing that I caught him staring, he turned away from my gaze to watch as the other lady approached him instead. She joyfully ran into his arms and he smiled at her.

Oh. I should have known. I should have known that it could never be me. Life would never grant me something as beautiful as this.

I slowly stepped back to the fifth row.

"You thought he was calling out to you, didn't you?" The young lady to my left whose mouth reeked of alcohol said as I stood beside her, "I thought so too."

The dark-skinned lady behind us sneaked her head into the conversation, "Same here. You know what I feel? I feel that chick on stage right now only used the opportunity that she's also wearing purple to get picked. Some girls are that crazy, you know?"

The memory of Nathan Eiser looking away from me on seeing the other lady replayed in my head. Realising that it should have been me on stage but he happily accepted my replacement was even worse. I'd rather it be a mistake on my part than that.

I shook my head, "It wasn't me. He didn't call for me."

I looked at the stage, watching as Nathan Eiser and the lady sang together with the audience joining along. I was so stupid to believe that someone like him could have an interest in me.

"Right?"

I turned around and pushed my way through the crowd, heading out of the arena. It was so embarrassing, seeing as I got so excited over nothing. It was like getting so hyped about a surprise party on your birthday, only to find out that it's not yours but for another kid down the street who shares your birthday. That kind of embarrassing.

The sky had darkened outside, since it was half past ten, and I walked down the free road with high hopes that I would find a cab soon. I peered at my phone screen; Annabelle had called me twice even as she was the one who dropped me off at the arena but there was not a single call from Thomas since last night.

I pursed my lips. Why was I still thinking about him? I thought I had agreed to let go of him for a little while. But let's be frank, it wasn't so easy to do that. It wasn't easy to just suddenly let go of the person you've held on to for six years and counting.

I scrolled through my contacts and clicked on the call button beside Thomas's name. The call rang only once before it went straight to voicemail. I breathed out a laugh. He had blocked my contact; he had meant it when he said he was done with me.

I scrolled over to Annabelle's contact and dialled it. If she was done with the wedding preparations, maybe she could come pick me up. I had been walking for about five minutes and not even a bicycle had ridden past me. Maybe everyone had gone to Nathan's concert.

A vehicle suddenly pulled beside me and horned, drawing my attention to it.

Thomas?

I swiftly turned to my right to fish out who was in the vehicle.

"Hello, Wendy Davis," Devin said as he rolled down the windows.

I stepped back, placing my phone into my purse, "What are you doing here? Why are you calling my name?"

"I want to apologise for my girlfriend's attitude last night," he said with a little smile, "I explained everything to her."

I shook my head, "I don't want to hear your apology. You and your crazy girlfriend should stay the hell away from me. Okay?"

"Come on, I won't take so long," he said, "Come take a seat. I can give you a lift too, since we're heading the same way."

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" I frowned, "Stay away from me!"

I continued my journey down the sidewalk. How did he know I was here? This was more than half an hour away from the cafe. What was he doing here? Was he trailing me?

I exhaled, "Let's not overthink this."

Yes, he could be living around here and just happened to see me on his way back from work. But if that was the case, wouldn't he be coming from the opposite direction?

It felt like waves of electricity were passing through my lips. My hands felt so cold and my heart was beating so loudly that you could hear it from another continent. What exactly was this terrible feeling and why was I feeling it?

"Has anyone ever told you that you look so sexy from behind?" I heard him ask.

I turned around and realised that Devin had been driving behind me all the while with his car, following me as I walked ahead. Even though my hands were cold and my legs felt weak, the kindled anger in my chest burned with life.

I slammed my palm on his bonnet, "You should be ashamed of yourself. You made your girlfriend pour boiled water on me and now, you're here trying to flirt with me. Are you crazy?"

Did he even know the gravity of the stunt his girlfriend had played in the cafe? I lost my boyfriend because of that!

"Just get in the car and let's talk about this for a minute," he stared at me intently, "My girlfriend knows that we're just friends now."

There was just something off about this man. From the eerie smile on his face to the ghastly gaze in his eyes. He had a mission.

"We're not friends. Stay away from me!" I yelled as my hands began to shake.

I tightly held onto my purse and ran off. Everyone knew that no matter how good you were at running, you were most likely not going to outrun a car. Devin hit the accelerator and tilted the wheels to his left, drifting the car away from the main road and across the sidewalk to block my path.

I paused and began to step back as he got out of the car.

"Let me talk to you, Wendy," he said, covering the steps I took away from him, "I won't be long."

I frantically shook my head, taking more steps back. Just when Annabelle had decided to take away the pocket knife I usually kept in my purse, this happened. I shouldn't have let her take it. Now, what weapon could I make out of a pack of gums and a white handkerchief?

Devin seemed to have gotten sick of my backward runway strut, for he roughly grabbed my hand and pulled me to himself before I could even think twice.

"You should always listen to what you're being told. Be a cute little girl and come with me."

"What do you want from me?" I yelled, trying to pull my hand away from his grip.

He smiled mischievously, "You'll find out."

"Let me go!" I tried to yank my hand but he just held onto me tighter.

He grabbed my wrists and held them together behind me with one hand.

He pulled me closer to him by my waist and whispered in my ears, "Do you know how long I've waited to have you?"

He showed me his eerie smile again as he pushed me against a building wall and kissed my neck, "You're all mine, Wendy Davis."

I struggled to free myself from his grip but it was of no use. He was strong.

"Let go of me, Devin, or I'll scream!" I yelled.

He chuckled, "You slut. You're talking like you don't like me touching you."

I could feel his grip on me weaken a little as he kissed my neck again.

Oh, Lord. I know I'm a weak ass girl but please, I need Scarlett's strength right now.

I yanked my hands out of his grasp and hit him with my purse. You could have guessed- that didn't do much. I only managed to anger him.

He slapped me hard across the cheek and grabbed my chin to look at him, "You should have been obedient."

I raised my voice, "Somebody-"

Before I could even complete my statement, he had drawn out a handkerchief and covered my nose with it. I immediately held my breath and struggled for a little while before pretending to lose consciousness. I lazily fell into his arms and caught me by my waist.

"So cute," he softly laughed.

Where the hell were the inhabitants of this neighbourhood? Did no one hear me yell? Someone, please save me from this crazy man!

Devin turned around and motioned to drag me back to his car when we saw Scarlett standing in front of the vehicle with death blaring in her eyes. Her collapsed black pocket knife was in her right hand and her left was curled into a fist. Some meters away, Annabelle was shutting her car door and she ran over to stand beside Scarlett, tightly holding her phone. I stared at them with a gaze of relief even as I was still pretending to have passed out.

"Let go of her," Scarlett said at once.

"Or what? Feeling so fly because of your tiny little toy?" Devin laughed, "Get out of my way."

Annabelle confidently approached Devin and me. She flashed him the screen of her phone, showing that she had been recording the conversation between Devin and me when I called her number.

"The police are aware of your antics and they'll be here any minute now," she said, "So, do we do this the hard way or the easy way?"

"Let go of her," Scarlett repeated, flipping the pocket knife open.

Devin released his grip on my waist and Annabelle caught me before I could fall to the ground. Scarlett let go of the knife in her hand and rushed over to help as Annabelle dragged me to her car.

"You're not really unconscious, are you? I saw you open your eyes," Annabelle whispered as we walked farther away from Devin.

"Yeah, I'm wide awake," I said, even as I had started to feel a little sleepy.

"Let's just get her to the car before we start this conver-"

Scarlett winced, pulling to a stop in her words. Before I could even figure out what had happened, she turned around with a swift punch and hit Devin right by the side of his throat with her fist. He moved to the side from the force of her blow and hit his head on the un-lit lamppost, dropping to the floor. I gasped in horror, forgetting that I was supposed to be unconscious.

"Do you have a death's wish?" Scarlett glared at him.

He just lay on the floor with his eyes closed. So, he wasn't all that. One smack and he was out like a little light.

Scarlett placed her hand on her bleeding neck, staining her fingers with blood before she fell on her knees and slapped Devin hard, "You little bastard."

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him so close to her face, "I can end you in seconds."

She snatched her black pocket knife on the floor which Devin had used to braze her neck and raised it high above her head, "Die!"

Annabelle let go of me and hurriedly held onto Scarlett's hands from behind, "Stop! Scarlett, stop! You're going too far."

"Leave me alone!" Scarlett yelled back.

"Listen to me, you're going to get arrested!" Annabelle yanked the pocket knife by the blade and flung it away, "The law doesn't care if he slit your neck, you can't stab him to death!"

I sluggishly trailed towards the pocket knife amidst the commotion and shoved it into my purse. She could kill Devin for all I cared, I would even offer to go to jail in her stead.

That bastard.

"He's unconscious, that's enough. Get your ass up and let's leave before the police see you like this," Annabelle pulled Scarlett up.

With my half-opened eyes, I stared at an unconscious Devin and his blood-stained cheek. The blow must have hurt badly, seeing as his neck now looked all odd and bruised. The doctors might have to take out his neck.

Scarlett grabbed me by my wrist, jolting me out of my thoughts.

"We're going to file a report right now," she said.

"But your neck-"

"Shut up," she weaved a glare at me.

I lowered my head, "Yes ma'am."

Scarlett took the driver's seat this time as we settled in, holding a determined gaze. She took hold of the steering wheel with her bloody hands and zoomed off, passing by an on-coming police vehicle.

If you ever intend to approach Scarlett, there are rules you would need to know. One, never let her punch you in the neck. You just may not survive it.

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Tip: Scarlett is self-trained in self-defence skills.