The next day felt… off.
Not loud. Not chaotic.
Just wrong.
Like something was waiting.
I tried to ignore it. I really did. But after everything that happened yesterday, it wasn't easy to pretend things were normal.
And Austin?
He wasn't around.
I checked my phone for the tenth time.
Nothing.
"No way he'd just disappear after all that…" I muttered.
But a small part of me was starting to worry.
School ended.
Still nothing.
I sighed, slinging my bag over my shoulder as I walked out alone. "Great. This is exactly what he said not to do."
The streets were quieter than usual as I made my way home.
Too quiet.
My steps slowed slightly.
That feeling again.
I frowned. "Okay… this is getting creepy."
Then—
Footsteps.
Behind me.
I turned.
And my heart dropped.
"Miss us?"
Them.
Of course it was them.
I straightened slightly, forcing myself not to show fear. "You guys seriously have nothing better to do?"
The middle guy smirked. "Oh, we do."
My grip tightened on my bag. "Then go do it."
One of the others stepped closer. "Not before we talk."
"I'm not interested."
"Too bad," he replied.
I tried to step around them.
A hand shot out—
Grabbing my arm.
"Hey—let go," I snapped, trying to pull away.
Another one moved closer, blocking my path completely.
"Relax," he said. "We just want a conversation."
"By grabbing me?" I shot back. "That's your idea of polite?"
The middle guy stepped in, his voice lower now. "You talk a lot for someone in your position."
"And you touch people way too much for someone who doesn't want problems," I fired back, trying to yank my arm free.
His grip tightened.
Pain shot up my arm.
"Let. Go."
Instead, his other hand lifted slightly—like he was about to grab my chin.
That's when the panic hit.
Not loud.
Not screaming.
Just sharp.
Cold.
"Don't touch me," I said, my voice dropping.
He smirked. "Or what?"
Before I could react—
A hand grabbed his collar from behind and yanked him back hard.
He stumbled.
"OR THAT."
Austin.
Relief hit so fast it almost made me dizzy.
Austin stepped in front of me instantly, placing himself between me and them.
His expression?
I'd never seen it like that before.
Not just angry.
Furious.
"Didn't I tell you not to touch her?" he said, his voice dangerously low.
The guy scoffed, recovering. "Or what? You'll fight all of us again?"
"If I have to," Austin replied without hesitation.
I reached for his arm instinctively. "Austin—"
He didn't look back. "Stay behind me."
I hesitated… then did.
The tension snapped again.
But this time?
It felt worse.
More personal.
"You really want to do this here?" one of them said.
Austin took a step forward. "Try me."
The middle guy held up a hand, stopping the others.
His eyes flicked between us.
Then he laughed softly. "You're really that protective over her?"
Austin didn't respond.
Didn't need to.
That was answer enough.
The guy smirked again—but there was something different in it now.
Calculation.
"Careful," he said. "Attachments make things messy."
My stomach twisted.
Austin stepped closer, his voice sharp. "You don't get to talk about her."
"Or what?" the guy challenged again.
"Or I forget this whole 'holding back' thing," Austin replied.
Silence.
Thick.
Heavy.
Then—
The guy stepped back.
"Relax," he said. "We got what we wanted."
My brows furrowed. "What does that even mean?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he glanced at Austin one last time.
"Tick-tock."
And just like that—
They left.
Again.
I didn't move for a second.
Didn't breathe.
Until—
"Austin…"
He turned to me instantly, his expression changing the second he looked at me.
"Are you okay?" he asked quickly, stepping closer.
I nodded, even though my heart was still racing. "Yeah… I'm fine."
His eyes dropped to my arm.
The one they grabbed.
His jaw tightened again. "Did they hurt you?"
"It's nothing," I said. "Just grabbed me."
"That's not nothing."
Before I could say anything, he gently took my arm, checking it carefully.
His touch was softer now.
Careful.
Like he was afraid I'd break.
"I'm okay," I repeated, quieter this time.
He exhaled slowly, then pulled me into a hug.
Tight.
Protective.
I froze for half a second…
Then relaxed into it.
"You shouldn't have been alone," he murmured.
"You weren't answering," I replied softly.
That made him pause.
"I know," he said. "That's on me."
I pulled back slightly, looking at him. "Where were you?"
"Handling something," he said.
I frowned. "Something related to them?"
A brief hesitation.
"…Yeah."
I sighed. "Austin…"
"I'll explain," he said quickly. "Just—not here."
I studied him.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
But this time, things felt different.
Worse.
Because now—
They weren't just threatening him anymore.
They had come for me.
And that meant one thing.
This wasn't just his problem anymore.
It was ours.
And whether we liked it or not—
We were already in too deep.