Page 37 of Prove Me Wrong (The Sunburnt Hearts #5)

Taller than me and does anything to show off her busty body, Lila always dresses in revealing clothing that hugs her figure.

She pulls me behind her, light blonde hair tied in a ponytail, tanned skin, amber eyes and a small mole on her cheekbone.

Her flared pants show off her curves, and the tight short sleeve shirt highlights her chest while giving away a lot of skin.

I, on the other hand, am dressed in my usual body hiding clothing.

I slipped on a free-flowing brown dress, and Lila told me to wear these matching brown boots that look like they belong to cowgirls.

They’re not my typical style, but maybe I do need to change a few things in my life, and shoes just seem like an easier option.

I have to start somewhere I suppose… Besides, they’re really comfy.

We stop at the timber bar and Lila leans against it, her chest pushing against the edge, lifting her cleavage up for the bartender to see. I just roll my eyes at the sight, knowing that this is one of her many games to score free drinks.

“What do you want?”

I glance at the board before settling on a cola. I have never been a drinker, and I think my anxiety would thrive off alcohol.

Nodding, she grabs the attention of a male bartender who is quite attractive.

His mouth widens at the sight of my friend, and he leans in, placing his elbows on the bench, long-sleeved button up rolled up.

Tawny hair swept to one side, his gaze lingers on Lila’s chest before lifting to her golden eyes. “What can I get you, sweetheart?”

Lila grins, flicking her ponytail—her signature flirting move. “I’ll have a gin and tonic, and my friend just wants cola.”

“Coming right up.” He winks at her and pushes off the bench to make our order.

Lila glances at me, her grin still wide as I stare with parted lips. “He seems nice.”

“He seems interested in your boobs, Lila,” I deadpan. She giggles unabashedly.

Peering down, Lila presses them together with her hands. “They are amazing. The one thing I’m happy I inherited from my mum.”

Snorting, my breath catches when I’m knocked into. I hate strangers touching me and being in a place this crowded is making my anxiety bold. The pounding of my heart is one unsteady beat away from tearing me into panicking pieces.

Leaning into my friend to avoid the elbow in my back, the bartender returns and hands us two glasses filled to the brim. “Come back soon, sweetheart.” He winks at Lila before tending to another customer .

I take my glass and follow her towards a quieter corner of the room where the pool table is.

Three guys stand around it, one lining up the cue while his buddies stand around him waiting.

I stop far enough away from them to not be completely overwhelmed; although with the noise and packed space, I’m already feeling suffocated.

A set of dark eyes meet mine and a smirk pulls in his stubbled cheek. Tattoos cover one arm, spreading up his neck, and a sliver piercing slots through one eyebrow with another in his lip. My heart rate picks up even more, fuelling my anxiety as our eyes lock. Nerves trickle down my back uneasily.

Flicking my gaze away, I focus on Lila who is downing her drink faster than people throw back pills. She wipes her stained lips and glances sideways at me, eyes full of deviousness. “Should we play pool with them?” she asks with a cheeky smirk.

I shake my head hastily. “No. I really don’t?—”

“Hi, ladies.” A smooth voice melts into the air behind me.

I didn’t realise he came over, but his closeness makes me flinch.

Lila grins widely. “Hi. I’m Lila, and this is Mia.”

“Scott,” the tattooed, piercing man grunts, devouring me with his intense stare of charcoal irises bleeding into his thin pupils like a snake.

Bile tickles the back of my throat, and I move to stand behind my friend, not wanting to inhale more of his bitter cologne, or maybe it’s spirits?

“You two should join us. We can always use extra players.”

My lips tense as Lila glances my way. I already know what she’s thinking. “Sure, we’d love to, Scott.” She winks up at him.

My mouth opens wider as Scott walks back to his buddies who watch us like we’re easy prey .

“Come on, Mia. Your therapist said you need to live a little, to get back into socialising. This is your chance,” Lila mutters excitedly.

Frowning, I bite my bottom lip nervously at her. “I really don’t want to.” I whisper, feeling my heart pounding like it may just hurtle itself out of my ribs. “Please don’t make us go over there.”

Her head tilts, and I can see the pleading in her eyes, guilt blooming through my stomach as my throat works. “They’re harmless, and I’m sure they’ll only be interested in me, anyway. If they try anything with you, I can tell them to back off. How’s that?” Flicking her blonde brows my way.

Ignore the obvious dig she just made at me; my hand reaches for my elbow. Rubbing at the painful rash, I watch as the three guys talk, peering over at us and smiling too widely that my bones chatter together. I feel like a lamb, and they’re the wolves waiting to lunge at me.

“Come on.”

Before I can detest, Lila grabs my arm, making me follow her silently. I know she thinks of them as harmless , but that word never entered my mind when I first mistakenly made eye contact with Scott.

Lila drops my arm before looking up at them, pushing out her chest a little, even though it’s already voluptuous enough. “Whose team are we joining?”

Scott openly stares down at her for a beat before grinning. “Blondie, you can go with Chris and Liam.” He pauses to smile at me, and another trickle of anxiety falls down my back as I keep rubbing at my elbow. “I’ll take the brunette.”

“I don’t want to play,” I say quickly, shaking my head at them.

Lila gives me an annoyed look as Scott leers gently. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you how it’s done. ”

Stepping closer, my whole body feels like it’s on fire, and not in the way that Noah makes me feel. Those are tender, heartwarming sparks. This feels like fire burning my insides, trying to swallow me into my nightmares.

“I’m okay. I just want to watch,” I mumble. “You can play with her.”

“What if I want to play with both of you?” he murmurs, tone low. I move backwards, needing to put myself at a safe enough distance.

“Don’t be shy, Mia. Come on, it’ll be fun,” Lila presses, clearly not understanding how uncomfortable I am right now.

Fun is not how I’d put this. It’s anything but .

I am suddenly really missing having Noah around. Lila used to be my safe space when we lived together, but maybe that’s shifted since moving, because I'm realising that the only person I trust in this town, because of Gran, is Noah.

If he were with me, he wouldn't force me to interact with strangers, knowing it makes me uncomfortable.

He wouldn't insist we go out in the first place, instead choosing to spend the night in with Jade, or doing something easy like an evening walk.

With Noah, I'm not worried that he's going to put me in a situation I can't handle.

He makes me feel safe, and right now, I feel anything but.