Page 25 of Academically Yours

“I’m sure you do,” Kelly popped in from Cole’s lap. Huh. I hadn’t even noticed her moving to sit on him, but most of my attention had been focused on Noelle since I noticed her at the bar, anyway.

It was then that I saw another man approaching Noelle, and I saw the way her eyes got big, and her stance instantly went on the defensive. What was going on? Who was this guy to her?

I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she tried to pry the guy’s hand off of her. She looked around her nervously, as if to try and locate someone—most likely her friends.

“I’ll be right back,” I muttered to my friends, and before I could fully process what I was doing, I was chugging down the rest of my drink, standing up from my seat at the edge of the booth, and walking over to the bar. Right to Noelle, still stuck in the middle of the two men.

“Please,” she said, trying to push the guy off of her. The asshole was trying to wrap his arm around her like he was asserting his territory, and while she tried to squirm out of his grip, the newcomer was saying something to her that made Noelle frown.

“What the hell are you doing,” she cried, and I knew I had to swoop in. Because nope. Nope. Nope. Fuck this, I was getting her out of there.

I stepped up between the three of them, leaning my arm on the bar as if I was going to order a drink. “Everything okay over here, gentlemen?”

“Yeah, we’re just fine,” the asshole hissed. “The little lady was just talking with me, and this guy came over here to try and cut in.”

I looked at Noelle, who looked pissed off and also scared, although she was trying to cover it up. “Hm. Well, I think maybe the little lady might not be interested in talking to you anymore, pal. So, I suggest you let her go, and we won’t have any further problems.”

“No way. She’s mine, dude. I’m not giving her up like that.”

“She’s not your anything,” I growled, “and she’s drunk, so she’s certainly not going home with you.” Noelle was pale but nodded at me. The way she looked at the other guy, though… it seemed haunted, that was the only way to describe her expression.

“And who are you to stop me?” he countered back. I was seriously only five seconds away from punching this guy in the jaw. He deserved it.

I looked around. Her friends hadn’t come back from the bathroom. I didn’t want to risk them all being too drunk to help the situation either, so I said the only thing that came to my mind.

“I’m her friend.” Noelle still said nothing, eyes a little misty as she stared at the man who wasn’t saying anything, and I couldn’t help how protective I felt over her. I couldn’t control it either.

“Listen, asshole, if you don’t let her go in the next three seconds, you and I are going to have some serious problems.” I stood up to my full height, towering over the guy who stood at maybe five ten, and gave him my fiercest scowl.

Finally, he unwrapped his arm from her. “Fine, whatever. You can have her.” He stalked off, adding, “Not worth fighting over some girl. Have fun with her,” over his shoulder, and then he disappeared into the crowd. Noelle was left standing, looking especially wobbly on her heeled boots, and I helped her onto the nearest stool.

As if she was just some girl to me? Someone who I would want to just have my way with and then abandon, instead of the woman who haunted all of my dreams. As if. I couldn’t help but look at the guy’s back in disgust as he left. “Fucking jerk,” I muttered under my breath, then I addressed Noelle directly for the first time all night. “Are you okay, Noelle?”

She nodded; her voice quiet as a whisper as she replied, “Yes. Thank you. He wouldn’t let go of me.” She bit her lip as she looked up at me, and all I wanted to do was pick her up in my arms and hold her tight.

The other guy who had seemed to make Noelle upset was still lingering around, and I glared at him. “Dude. Leave her alone. I don’t know what you said to her, but she’s clearly upset, so—”

“What the fuck do you even know about her?” he sneered back at me, which made me even more furious. “She’s my ex-girlfriend, man, I think I know more about how she feels than you do.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, then looked at Noelle—the sight of her, looking like she had seen a ghost, made my heart ache. Clenching my jaw, I focused on her asshole of ex-boyfriend again. “Look, if any of my exes were almost in tears at the sight of me, I think I would assume I had seriously fucked up, so if you care at all about keeping your face intact, I’d leave.” I would do it. I totally would punch him, right here in the middle of the bar to take care if her.

It was then that I noticed her friends coming back from the bathroom, the three of them huddled together speaking in hushed tones. When they finally saw Noelle sitting between me and the asshole, still a bit paler than usual, they rushed over.

“What’s going on?” the brunette girl asked. “Are you okay, Elle? Is he bothering you?” And then she turned to the ex. “How dare you show up here, Jake. Leave her alone, you already did enough damage to her life without showing back up here again.”

“Gabrielle—” the man, Jake, started.

“No. No, we’re not doing this tonight. Leave our friend alone and don’t contact her again. Or show up anywhere around here. You left her, and none of us are interested in seeing Noelle heartbroken over you for a second time. Leave.” Her amber eyes were lit up like fire, and her body language screamed don’t fuck with me, man.

Noelle’s other two friends were bent over her as she sat on the stool, sharing a whispered conversation I couldn’t quite hear. I took a step toward her ex and raised my eyebrow one last time.

“This isn’t over,” Jake said, addressing Noelle, “I just want to talk, Ellie. We were so good together, and I want another chance.”

“Fuck you,” she said, calmly, though the tears that had started spilling from her eyes. “Just go, Jake. Please. Leave me alone.”

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something else but just shook his head as he turned around and walked back out the entrance of the bar, disappearing into the night.

Noelle finally stood up from the barstool, stepping towards me, and I took a deep breath. “So, um... I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said, sniffling. “Thank you again for the help.” She just blinked, and I could tell that even though she had sobered up a little bit, she hadn’t fully processed what had just happened.