How To Stop Smoking

Ulterior motive

Chapter Eighteen

Olympia

We, Kat, Melody and I, were stood by the VIP door, the two of them had swiftly pulled me away when the signs of a fight began to show. I was secretly glad that they did, seeing Rob punch someone, especially my ex, wasn't something I wanted to see, even if seeing Chris with a black eye would be quite satisfying.

Kat and Melody talked among themselves while I reflected on the things Chris had said. I knew him for a long time, went out with him for over a year, and yet I'd not once seen that side of him, it made me wonder just how well you really know people.

From the added height my shoes gave me, I could see Rob making his way through the crowd, a head above everyone else, I couldn't miss him - or take my eyes off of him. He looked a little panicked as he pushed through the dancing public, eyes darting all round.

Relief filled his face when he saw me, our eyes meeting made butterflies flutter inside of me. In my slightly tipsy haze I allow them to fly, but once this feeling is gone, once I have a level head, they're no longer allowed to take flight.

Rob reaches us and pulls me to him, his usual scent is tinged with alcohol and sweat, though it's not an unpleasant smell on him. He flinches as he hugs me tighter, but I can't be sure where the pain is coming from.  It's not until I pull away that I get a good look at him, his face is flushed and red, shiny with the perspiration of an adrenaline fuelled fight.

I trace my fingers from his waist to his hands, intertwining them with his. His tenses his jaw at a flicker of pain and I look down at his our hands, his knuckled were red and glazed with blood.

"Rob, your hands-"

"It's fine." He cut in, pulling his hand from my grip.

But I was feeling defiant, Rob had done something for me so I needed to help him, "No it's not, come on we're going home."

I began to lead him out of the club, Kat winked at me when she spotted us leaving but I didn't even blush, too occupied with getting Rob sorted out. Once outside, the cold night air nipped at my exposed skin and I shivered, my seemingly perfect dress left a lot of skin vulnerable to the elements.

"Are we going to yours or mine?" Rob asked me, slipping an arm around me for warmth.

"Either, I don't know."

"My mum's not home so let's go to mine."

I nodded, my parents thought I was staying at Kat's tonight anyway so it wouldn't make a difference. Though telling them my whereabouts for the night was merely a formality, we all knew that if I'd stayed out or if I'd come home it meant nothing to them.

We walked to the taxi area outside and Rob told the driver his address while I got into the back, he then got in a minute later and squashed up next to me. The driver set off and Rob reached over to put an arm around my waist, scrunching his face in pain as he did so, I assumed he'd knocked his hand against the seat or something.