"Eleanor, I need you to stay away from me." He says as he holds tight onto my hand. I look up at him in confusion and hurt. No hint of anger is in his eyes.
"What, why?" I ask, voice breaking.
"I just need you to trust me okay? I don't want you to g...
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I push the doors out of the club open and rush to the open air. There were only a few people scattered around the entrance who had come out for a smoke break. Even with the smoke filled air, I felt like I could breathe a bit better every step I took away from the club. My only thoughts as I made my way down the street were her lips attached to his, them dancing under the strobe lights, and the look on his face when he saw me watching.
"Hey EL, wait!" I hear Danny yell after me, but I keep walking. I feel his hand on my shoulder and begrudgingly turn to face him
"Look Danny, I just don't think I can stay in there. I can't watch that," I say while focusing my attention to the ground.
"Because you're jealous?" He asks.
"No, it's not--"
"I'm sorry Eleanor, we all know you're jealous." I hear a voice sneer, Erica's sickly sweet voice.
She walks towards us, red lips pulled into a smirk. Danny stiffens next to me, but says nothing as she makes her way to where we stand shivering in the streetlights. Erica looks thrilled, like rubbing salt in a burn is just one of her favorite past times. I don't look away from her. Instead I attempt to match her fierce expression, though I imagine mine looks stained with fear and hesitation.
"You know I've made a few scenes in my life, but I don't think any of them were quite as embarrassing as your little freak out the other day. The entire school was talking about how you basically attacked Jackson, so let's stop pretending you aren't in love with Isaac, shall we?" Erica mocks, standing tall in her high heels next to my flat heeled boots.
"I'm not--"
"Don't even try to deny it, I saw the look on your face in there," She sneers, "Oh poor little Ellie, can't handle seeing your precious Isaac flirting with another girl? Wait, I'm sorry, that would imply that he is actually yours, or that he ever gave you the time of day. Maybe I should say, 'My Isaac'".
"Leave her alone," Danny says
"No, I can handle her," I say to Danny, my eyes not backing down from her, "You're right, he isn't mine. But I never claimed that he was. I'm not going to pretend like I don't care about him, or apologize for what happened with Jackson. We both know seeing all that in there hurt me, okay? But you coming out here to rub it in my face? That says a lot more about you than it does me."
"Drop the act sweetheart," Erica snarls, "You aren't any better than me, don't pretend like you are. You're just some lonely girl that's been pining after the same guy for years like some pathetic little bit--"
"Erica, that's enough, don't you think?" Another voice interrupts from a few feet away. I take my eyes off Erica's to find Isaac leaning against a streetlamp behind her. However, my eyes don't stay on him long, as they travel down to the floor, alongside my nerve. I listen to his footsteps moving towards us, and feel his eyes on my head.
"Okay, don't you both think this is enough? Eleanor, let's just go, okay? Let's just go back in there and have some fun," Danny says, reaching for my shoulder to escort me back to the club where I can hopefully ignore all of this and enjoy my night. I follow Danny, not daring to look back at them.
"Eleanor, wait, can we talk for a minute?" Isaac calls after me, and I turn around to face him. Erica opens her mouth but Isaac stops her, saying, "Alone please. Erica's going to go be a bitch in the club, right?" He glares at her, and she rolls her eyes but starts to leave.
"Alright then Isaac, whatever you say. Have fun with the fucking princess why don't you." She calls back to us, "But remember we have a job to do."
"Watch yourself Lahey," Danny warns allowed, then whispers in my ear, "If you need me to kick his ass, just say the word. I'll be right inside."
I listen to Danny's footsteps leave, and convince myself not to just chase after him. A moment of hesitation, and the desire to flee, goes by before I'm left alone in the street with Isaac. I start shaking a bit, from the cold air hitting the skin around my tight dress, or from the nerves. Either way my heart is pounding, and I count my stars that he can't tell.
"What do you want?" I ask, bringing my eyes up to meet his. He smiles at me, a sad, small smile.
"Eleanor I think that you should leave." He says
"Excuse me?" I say, anger replacing any nerves I felt, "I don't think it's your choice."
"I just really don't think you should be here tonight, just go home."
I laugh, rolling my eyes at him and start walking back to the club. He comes up in front of my, tall frame blocking my way. I try to move past him, but he keeps blocking me. I huff, and look up to expecting to see a smirk on his lips, but just see a frown in its place.
"Oh what?" I ask, "Is it too dangerous? Something happening with whatever 'job' you have to do? I'm not a kid anymore, you can't just tell me to leave and think I'm going to listen."
"El, please." He pleads.
"Get out of my way Isaac." I respond, ignoring the look of pain on his face. He lets me past, but right before I reach the club he shouts after me.
"Well then I hope you are prepared to watch me all over Erica tonight! I tried to warn you!"
I stop in my tracks, so close to the club that I can feel a low base on my skin. I want to be strong enough to just ignore what he said. I want to be strong enough to say I don't care, go in and dance the rest of the night without a worry. But I'm not, and soon I am on my way back home in the back of a taxi crying over how stupid I feel.
