"I won't give up on us."

Chapter Theme Song: 'I Won't Give Up' by Jason Mraz.

❤🌼🌸**❤

Chelsy

My brother's friends were laughing and I sat feeling completely out of it because Nathan walked away with Elizabeth and I had no idea where they went.

My tears were so near to falling. I had been crying so much these past few days that I was alarmed that I even had tears left.

"Where do you think Nathan went with Elizabeth?" Chris asked, a curious look on his face.

Jared shrugged, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. "Probably upstairs banging the life out of her."

And they laughed hysterically. It was humor for them but for me, those words were a nightmare.

"Didn't they break up?" Chris said between laughter and Jared shrugged, reaching for a lighter on the table.

"Yeah but make-up sex is the best sex, bro. They have been dating for two years, do you think Nathan could handle being in a room with her alone? I'm telling you, he is banging the life out of her right now."

They laughed again and Vicky sighed, resting a comforting hand on my arm.

Max looked at me a bit sympathetically before throwing one of the couch cushions at Jared, hitting the lighter out of his hand and slapping him in the face. "Don't fucking smoke your cigarette in front of my sister and her friend you ass!"

Max wasn't angry about the cigarette, he was just angry at them for rubbing that in but they didn't know that.

Chris laughed at Jared who pushed back the cigarette into his pockets with a small giggle.

I needed space.

I needed a breather and I needed to let these built-up emotions out so I stood to my feet. "Can I use your bathroom, Chris?"

He nodded quickly. "Yeah Chels, sure, first room on your left upstairs."

I smiled a little. "Thanks."

Max watched me as I left. He knew me like the back of his hand, he knew that there was no way I really wanted to use the restroom, I just really wanted a convenient and private place to cry my eyes out.

I slid through the crowded room of people praying the tears wouldn't fall until I had reached my destination. I was almost at the stairs when I bumped into someone.

"Ow. Sorry," I said, looking up at the guy who stood in front me. A small gasp escaped my lips when I saw who it was.

Greg.

You remember that pervert who drove me down that night and attempted to sexually assault me and Nathan ended up beating him to a bloody pulp? Well yeah that was him. How unfortunate.

A wide mischievous grin spread on his face. "Wow, look what we have here."

I rolled my eyes and attempted to step past him but he stood in my way.

He chuckled and looked to another guy who was a few feet away, talking to some girl. "Yow Joel, you remember this girl?!"

I sighed. What the hell is this guy's problem?!

The guy named Joel looked in our direction and then I realized he was the one who came from the car that night and didn't even offer a helping hand. He finished his concersation with the chick and walked over. "Dude you're always bothering this one girl, you're crazy."

Greg chuckled. "You forgot what she did? She bit me, and I am yet to punish her!"

Joel rolled his eyes and walked off, for the second time not giving a shit about a woman who clearly needed help. What was the world coming to? Is it now normal for guys 6ft tall to harrass a poor girl in public? If I was hoping for these drunk adolescents around me to save me, I'd better get my coffin ready.

I attempted to walk away when he gripped my hand.

"Let me go!" I said angrily.

"Are you here alone?" He asked, an evil smile on his lips.

"No I am not," I said, hoping he would have left me alone since I had company but to my disappointment, his hold on me tightened painfully.

"As I thought, you obviously wouldn't admit that you are alone even if you are. I mean, you were walking alone that night."

I fought to be released, fear now settling in.

"Don't worry, I won't be too hard on you."

"Let me go! You psycho!"

"Shh, we are going to have some fun."

"Let my hand go now you crazy bast-"

BLAP!

Someone fisted him hard in the face and I turned a surprised gaze to see Nathan, his brows furrowed in anger, his fist clenching at his side. "Are you deaf or plain retarded?! She said let her go!"

Greg looked up in shock from the ground he painfully fell against, his mouth bleeding profusely. "It's you again?"

"Yeah, surprise you sick fuck. I guess last time's beating didn't teach you well?"

Greg began getting up and I pulled at Nathan's arm. "Nate, no don't-"

"It's okay, P." He put me behind him and fear traveled through my body.

I didn't want Nathan fighting and getting hurt.

Especially because of me.

Greg charged into Nathan to fist him but Nathan just raised his foot and kicked him right in the chest making him fly against a table of drinks, knocking it all over in one big splash!

The crowd around us gasped, now bringing their attention to us. Some even took their cellphones out to video the scene.

Wow, now look at that, I was being harrassed but no one cared but now that a fight was on everyone was suddenly alert.

God help planet earth.

Greg got up again, looking like a mess since his clothes were now wet from all the liquor he spilled over.

Nathan calmly stood in his stance, his hands in the pockets of his sweatsuit as he waited for Greg to attack again.

How can someone be so calm on a battlefield? Was he human?

Greg was a coward. He reached for a glass bottle and broke it on the edge of the table, making surprised gasps escaped the crowd of people as some stepped back a little.

The war was getting nasty and I tightened my hold on Nathan's arm.

Greg then ran over and raised the bottle high to attack Nathan when a hand gripped his arm roughly, making him freeze mid-air.

I brought my gaze to see Max.

He clenched his jaw, his hold on Greg's arm tightening. "If you ever even fucking graze my bestfriend with that bottle, you're a dead man."

Greg narrowed his eyes. "Who the hell are you now?"

"Do you have to know that?" Jared questioned, coming on the scene. "Drop the bottle."

"Or we'll kill you and bury your body under my fucking cemented floor," Chris added, anger glistening in his eyes.

Greg scoffed. "What's this? A frigging gang?"

Jared shrugged. "Take a guess."

Max's gaze darkened. "Drop. The. Bottle."

Greg huffed like a bull before dropping the bottle out of his hand.

Max's nostrils flared as he released him, his expression dark and ruthless.

"Now get the hell up out of my house," Chris finished, his arms folded.

Greg looked at them angrily before turning away and walking out.

Jared shook his head after the front door was slammed shut. "Menace."

Chris blew out his cheeks and walked away, Jared following behind him.

Show was over so everyone in the room returned to not giving a shit about anybody again. Leaving just Max, Nathan and I.

"Thanks, Max," Nathan said, "I didn't deserve your help but thank you."

"Not because we aren't friends right now means I will watch a guy cut you in the face," Max responded.

Nathan nodded.

"But about you not deserving it? You're right. Nathan, if you aren't going to love my sister with all of that organ that beats in your chest then leave her alone."

"Max I love her, okay? Genuinely-"

"You would have to prove that to me, Nathan," Max interrupted, "And when you figure out how to convince me as to why I should give my sister to you then she's all yours."

I sighed. "Max, how will he-"

"I will, I will prove it. I love her, okay?" Nathan said, "And I won't give up on her."

I smiled hearing him say those words.

Max nodded. "Show that to me, then you can have her, let's go Chelsy, night's over."

I gave Nathan a smile and he offered one back before I walked away behind Max, turning around to give him a small wave before leaving.

Nathan said he wouldn't give up on me and that made me feel great.

I had hopes now.

Hopes that Max will somehow eventually approve and we would be okay.