His World, not Mine

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I stared up at the night sky, my vision blurred. The air outside felt colder now or maybe it was just me. Missy was still beside me, her hand gently patting my back like she didn’t know what else to do but didn’t want to leave me alone either.

I wiped my face quickly, sniffing. “Maybe… we should go back inside,” I said. The words felt strange coming out of my mouth.

Missy paused.

“Are you sure?” she asked softly.

I nodded, even though the ground didn’t feel entirely steady beneath me. “If I leave now… they win,” I said, my voice unsteady but stubborn. My chest still burned, my cheek still stung but underneath all of it, something else was rising

Not confidence, something sharper. Pride.

Before I could overthink it, I stood up hoping it wasn’t a bad idea. The world tilted, and I staggered.

Missy immediately stood with me, steadying my arm. “Careful,” she murmured.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, even though I clearly wasn’t.

Together, we walked back inside. The music hit us again instantly, very loud and alive, as if nothing had happened.

Like I hadn’t just been humiliated minutes ago, people were still dancing, drinking, laughing, and living and for a second I hated how easy it was for the world to move on.

“Emma.”

I turned.

Cash was walking toward us, his expression tight, “I heard that b***h slapped you,” he said, clearly irritated. “You want me to go say a few words to her?”

I shook my head immediately. “No,” I said. “It’s fine.”

He raised a brow.

“I’m serious,” I added. “I’m not doing the whole… violence thing anymore. I want a fresh start. Like I planned.”

Cash stared at me for a second. Then slowly he smiled. “Fresh start, huh?”

I nodded.

He glanced past me, then leaned slightly closer, “Well…” he said, lowering his voice. “See that guy over there?”

I followed his gaze, there he was. A guy standing across the room. Looking directly at me not in a whispering way, not in a judging way.

“He’s been watching you for a while,” Cash added. “Maybe it’s your time to mingle.”

I hesitated, then looked again. “He’s… good-looking,” I admitted quietly.

Cash grinned. “Go on. Make Adrian jealous, or at least make that guy’s night. He’s been staring so hard I thought his eyes might pop.”

I let out a small breath.

Then before I could change my mind, I started walking toward him. Behind me, I could faintly hear Missy’s voice.

“Really?” she asked Cash. “You can see she’s tipsy.”

“Yeah,” Cash muttered, watching me. Then softer almost to himself, “I’d keep an eye on her.”

There was a pause.

Then his tone shifted slightly, “By the way… I got something for you,” he added. “Your favorite drink. Took me forever to find it.”

Missy’s voice softened. “You did?”

“Of course I did,” he said. “Come on. There’s a quieter room upstairs. You’ll like it.”

There was a small hesitation, then footsteps. And they were gone. I was too focused on not tripping over my own feet. The closer I got to him, the louder my heart seemed to beat.

Or maybe that was just the alcohol or the music or everything.

He noticed me approaching. His gaze sharpened slightly.

But for a second, I almost turned back. I didn’t.

“Hi,” I said when I finally reached him.

He smirked a little. “Hi.”

Up close, he looked even better. He was confident and relaxed. He wasn’t stiff like the others; he leaned against the wall like he actually enjoyed being in his own skin.

“I’m Emma,” I said.

“I know,” he replied.

Of course he did, everyone did. I let out a small laugh, a little embarrassed.

“Right…”

There was a brief silence. Not awkward, just waiting.

“So,” he said, taking a step closer. “You always make dramatic entrances? Or was that a one-time thing?”

I smiled faintly. “Depends. Are you always watching from a distance, or…?”

He chuckled. “Only when something interesting shows up.”

Something about the way he said it tightened something in my chest.

For the first time that night… I felt normal. I felt seen and not judged. Not whispered about.

“Do you want a drink?” he asked.

I held up my empty cup. “I think I’ve had enough.”

“Fair,” he said.

The music shifted, slower and softer now. People around us started moving differently.

“Dance with me,” he said.

It wasn’t really a question.

“Okay.”

He placed his hand lightly on my waist, pulling me closer. He smelled like sandalwood and something expensive. His hand was warm through my dress, and for a second, the floor felt like it stopped tilting.

“I’m Michael, by the way.”

We danced for minutes. I was actually enjoying it until the exhaustion started to seep into my bones. Michael noticed immediately.

The music faded as we moved.

I didn’t even realize how far we had drifted until I caught a glimpse of the pool area. Lights reflected off the water, blue and shimmering, like something unreal.

And of course, that’s where they were, Adrian and Jane. I slowed down without meaning to, my steps losing rhythm as my eyes locked onto them.

They looked perfect.

Jane laughed, her hand resting on Adrian’s shoulder as they played around in the water. Their friends surrounded them, loud, confident, and untouchable.

I shouldn’t be there but I couldn’t turn back.

Adrian pulled her closer, he was smiling as he kissed her. Something in my chest twisted.

I looked away quickly, I wasn’t supposed to see that. I didn’t want to. Their friends kept chattering about me, but no one noticed me standing by the door.

“Can we just have fun?” Jane said suddenly, pulling back. “And leave the poor girl out of it.”

There was a pause.

“She isn’t worth it,” she added, her tone light but sharp. “Not even worth talking about.”

A few people chuckled, while some nodded. It was normal to them, I was nothing.

“It’s actually unfair.” A voice cut through the laughter, it was different and calm. Every head turned in that direction, mine included.

A guy sat at the edge of the pool, his legs swinging lazily in the water. He didn’t look like the others. Not polished. Not loud. Just there.

Wesley must have noticed the attention because he shrugged, “I mean it,” he continued. “The way you all treat her… It’s unfair.” Wesley didn’t look at anyone when he spoke. He looked at the water, like he already knew no one here was worth looking at.

There was silence for a second. Then laughter. Louder this time.

Jane even laughed, shaking her head. “Babe,” she said, nudging Adrian lightly. “Did you hear that? Wesley thinks we’re being unfair.”

Adrian barely reacted. “You shouldn’t be bothered about him,” he said casually. “He’s weird.”

Jane smirked. “Well, he is your best friend.”

Wesley didn’t react to that.

He just looked at them, steady, “She’s new,” he said. “She’s trying to find her place. You could at least give her a chance.”

Carol rolled her eyes instantly, she was invested in her phone before she looked up at Wesley, “Westbridge isn’t her place,” she said. “Let’s be real. This isn’t for people like her.”

A few people nodded.

“And she slapped Adrian,” she added. “That alone is insane.”

More agreement, more laughter.

“She needs to be dealt with,” James said, half-laughing. “But I wouldn’t mind tasting her though…” James' voice slurred, careless.

My stomach dropped, I hoped they had noticed me.

“…wonder what a poor girl tastes like.”

Laughter exploded around the pool. Some people covered their mouths. Some leaned into each other. Some didn’t even try to hide how funny they found it.

I felt sick. I felt the bile rise in the back of my throat, more bitter than the drink I’d swallowed.

I didn’t even realize my hand had tightened around Michael’s arm beside me until he shifted.

Wesley didn’t laugh, he didn’t say anything else either. He just stared at them for a moment then suddenly dove into the pool.

The water splashed loudly, cutting through the moment. Just like that everything moved on. Adrian pulled Jane back toward him as they kissed again. Like nothing had happened.

Like none of it mattered.

I looked away. This time around, I forced myself to. Michael immediately took me back inside giving me an apology look, I thought to myself, ‘This isn’t where I belong.’

“You’re leaving already?”

The voice was right behind me, low and familiar.

My body froze. Slowly I turned, Adrian was standing there, alone. His eyes dropped briefly to my face lingering on the faint redness from Jane’s slap. Something flickered there.

Something I couldn’t read.

“You cry easily,” he said quietly.

My chest tightened. “You watch too much.”

There was a pause. Then he stepped closer, close enough that I could feel it.

“If you’re going to stay here…” he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear, “you’re going to have to learn how to survive.”

My breath caught, his gaze locked onto mine.

“Because next time,” he added. “Jane won’t be the one you should worry about.”

Just like that, he walked away. Leaving me standing there wondering what kind of war I had just walked into.