17. Party at Holden's (II)

**trigger warning**

There is an upsetting moment in this chapter, therefore please read with caution.

***

"Um, do you want to dance?" Holden held out his hand towards me, with a nervous expression.

I took a quick glance at Julie, who was still in conversation with Liam. I guess she was okay if she was with him, so a dance wouldn't hurt.

Placing my hand in Holden's, I smiled and nodded. "Sure," I said.

He led me into the crowd of people, making sure that no one bumped into me, and then we began to dance together.

"So, why don't you like celebrating your birthday?" I asked Holden.

"It's not that I don't like it, I'm just not that fussed," he shrugged whilst dancing.

"Oh right," I nodded at him.

I guess that made sense. I knew that Danny was similar. He didn't really bother much about his birthday, just treating it as any other day. Of course, I didn't let that slide and would make a big deal of it for him.

Holden then spun me around whilst dancing, with my back now resting against his chest.

"But I like this one," he said against my ear.

"Yeah, it's a pretty good party," I told him, hoping that he heard. He's so tall, I don't know if that even got to his ears.

"It really is," he said close to my ear and I realised he must be bending down for him to do that.

Dancing with Holden was so fun.

He was dancing behind me, with his hands on my waist. It was weird at first, but it's just dancing. I think I was kind of grinding on him at one point. It was not my fault that Andre put on a song where I had no choice but to do that.

After dancing with him a bit, I switched to dancing with my girls, since Holden said he was going to get a drink. Dancing with my girls was better anyway.

"I'm just going to go to the bathroom real quick," I told the girls.

"You want me to come?" Mel asked.

"No, it fine," I told her and moved away from the group, trying to find the bathroom.

***

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologised, as I bumped into to someone coming out from the bathroom.

"No problem, gorgeous."

I looked up and saw that I had bumped into a guy, one that gave me some real weird vibes.

"Okay then," I replied, forcing a small smile on my face and then tried to make my way around him, to go back downstairs.

Before I could move around him, he blocked my way. "Wait, where you going?" He asked me.

I knew this guy was trouble. Plus, he was a moron. Where do you think I was going?

"Away from you," I then told him, as I pushed past him, but instead his grabbed my wrist.

"Not so fast, kitten," he said and pulled me closer to his body, his hands around my waist and caging me against him.

This is not what I thought would happen at this party. Or ever to be honest.

"Let me go," I struggled against him, trying my best to get out of his hold.

"Never," he said, as he pressed me against the wall. I could feel his body against mine, and it just made me want to gag.

I continued to try and push him away from me, shoving at his chest. "Get the fuck off me!" I yelled at him.

The music downstairs must be too loud for people to hear me and no one else was around us here. Shit.

"You dress like that, begging for attention, now that you get it, you act all coy, fuck that," he said, as he lowered his head until lips landed on my neck.

I just felt revolted by him and his words. I then tried  kneeing him, the classic move, but he blocked that and instead began dragging me into a room.

He threw me onto the bed and before I could get off, he began to get on top of me.

"The way I dress means nothing, dickhead. You're just a prick who can't keep it in his pants," I shouted, trying to get him off me.

This can't happen.

"You got a real mouth on you, let see what I can do with it," he said then tried to kiss me, but I managed to get my hand free from him and punched him in the face.

"Fuck," he winced and then looked at me with anger. "You're gonna regret that, bitch," he said.

I moved away from him but then but he trapped me once again. I could see his hand coming towards my face and as a reflex, I just closed my eyes.

"Shit," I then heard the guy swear and felt no impact.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the guy on the floor and...

"Liam?"

"Touch her again and I'll break off your fucking hand like a twig!" He yelled. "You sick bastard, get the fuck out of here."

I've never seen this side of Liam.

"Sorry, bro. I didn't know she's yours," that piece of shit weakly muttered from the floor.

"I am not your bro. Now get the fuck out of here, fucking piece of trash," Liam yelled at him and instantly, that the guys runs off.

Quickly, getting of them bed, I stood up and tried to fix myself. The prick made me crease my outfit.

"Are got okay?" Liam asked.

I looked at him and saw his face full of concern for me.

"Yeah I'll be okay," I told him, offering him a small smile.

This situation was really scared and I knew that it could've been a lot more worse. I'm just so thankful that it didn't and that I got to punch him too.

"Rena," Liam's voice snapped me back to reality and I could see his eyes roaming over me, checking if I'm okay.

"I'm sure," I told him. "Although, my hand could use some ice," I joked.

It was probably too soon for me to make a joke but instead of it making him smiled, it made Liam frown, and he looked down at my hurt hand.

"Come with me," he said, taking my other hand in his.

This feeling alone, makes everything better.

When we got to the kitchen, Liam immediately took out ice and he wrapped it an a tea towel and began to ice my knuckles.

"I'm sorry that happened," he said.

I hiss slightly, gripping Liam's hand. He gave my hand a squeeze, reassuringly.

"It's not your fault," I told him.

When I looked at him, I could see this guilty expression on his face, one that I couldn't really understand. I mean, he saved me. Why would he feel guilty?

"But still.." he frowned.

"It's okay, Liam," I smiled at him, hoping it helps with his guilt.

He then smiled back at me. "That was a nice punch," he told me, looking so proud.

I couldn't help but grin. "My dad's a police officer. I wasn't going to go down without a fight."

My Dad always wanted me to be able to defend myself, if the situation ever arose.

So when I was old enough, he started teaching me some self defence lessons. 'You are not weak,' he used to always remind me.

"You really are something, Rena." Liam chuckled, as he continued to ice my hand.

If only he knew...

"Rena? What happened!?" I heard someone shout.

I turned towards the source of the voice and saw Danny fuming. "Nothing, Danny. I'm good." I smiled at him, but when he saw Liam icing my hand, it only made him angrier.

After Danny, I then heard a chorus of voices, and saw all my friends standing there with worried expressions.

"Guys, I'm fine," I tried telling them.

Jumping off the kitchen counter, I gave them a twirl, to show them that I'm fine.

"What happened?" Danny gritted out.

He really won't let this go until I tell him.

I then let out a deep sigh. "Some guy tried it on me and I decked him," I told him nervously, not really sure what his reaction is going to be.

"Where is he?" He yelled.

Okay, yeah. I probably should've expected that reaction from him.

"Don't worry, I took care of it. Holden and Chris threw him out anyway," Liam then said, standing behind me.

I hope that helps...

"I'll kill him!" Danny shouted.

Or not.

"Danny, I'm fine. Please," I walked towards him, to stand directly in front of him, hoping that this somehow this calmed him down.

"She's okay, Danny. My girl's a fighter, that dick is just lucky she only punched him," Sara said, her hands on Danny's chest and this seemed to work.

Wow. And I thought that I was the only Danny-whisperer around here.

***

"Liam, we're gonna go now," I let him know.

Thankfully, the incident with me didn't ruin the night, but now my feet were beginning to ache and everyone was also getting tired.

"Okay. Thank you, Rena. For everything," Liam said, giving me a hug.

"I did nothing, except punch a guy," I joked and hug him back.

"You did more than that, Rena. Thank you," he whispered in my ear, tightening the hug.

He seemed so...happy, I couldn't help but think what might have happened with Julie and him.

I left the party with my friends. When I looked at Julie, I saw how happy she looked, and again, I felt a little piece of me shatter and break.

This was only the first piece to break...