3 In The Blink of an Eye

I need to hurry and get changed. Emma will be impatiently waiting for us. If she would have only come back to my place like I suggested, she wouldn't need to bombard me with all these text messages.

Half eight and I hear the horn. Outside a black SUV is waiting for me. I open the car door and Mark is sitting in the back seat with a cooler on the floor in front of him. He looks at me all cheerful, wearing a black button-down shirt and black jeans, which go perfectly with his short black hair and green eyes. I climb into the back seat with him. He holds a beer up and looks at me again, "cheers mate!", he laughs, and I already know he has had a fair amount of drinks.

I cannot help but chuckle at his intemperance and, also the fact that I am wearing black jeans and a dark button-down shirt, but mine is more of a slate color. Emma likes this shirt she says it highlights my blue eyes. She always comments on the way darker shirts or my dark brown hair bring out the blue in my eyes. Yet she can't stand that my hair is a little long on the top and I can never decide if I want to style it up or to the side. Tonight, I'm going for the messy look, that will probably piss her off I'm sure. She will forgive me for my lack of style later, I have no doubt.

Mark gives the driver Emma's address so we can pick her up on the way. As we pull up to her place, she is standing by the door as I expected, with her arms crossed by her chest, I can see the vein in the middle of her forehead throb as she clenches her jaw. Even in distress she is sexy to me. Her long blonde hair is tied back revealing her picture-perfect face and long neck. The strappy black dress falls just above her knees accentuating her tall slender body, and her black heels add the perfect touch. She always wears heels around me, probably so she can feel closer to my 6ft frame.

I get out of the car to meet her. "Hey baby" as I give her a kiss on her cheek, "everything ok?".

"you're late" she scowls, stomping her way into the car and sits right next to Mark.

Mark is rolling his eyes of course, so I shoot him over a warning look, and he stops.

"The Hawley Arms" he shouts to the driver.

The driver drops us at our destination. There is a sign at the door that reads "Private Party". Inside the pub a live band is playing, and I look around and see that just about our entire cast and crew from our new movie is here, along with a few other guys I've never seen before. But for the most part, it seems we have the place to ourselves.

" Great! I thought we would have at least one night away from the set" Emma angrily states, then looks at me "please get me a drink".

I leave her at the only empty table we could find then head over to the bar. I order Emma's favorite drink and shot of whiskey for myself.

"I see Emma is beautiful as ever, even if she is ...always angry", I hear a voice say next to me.

I look up to find Liam standing next to me. I don't know why I'm all of the sudden so irritated by his comment, usually Liam and I get along pretty well. He's one of my supporting actors. He is generally a nice enough guy. All the girls seem to flock to him wherever we go. He's built like me, muscular but slightly shorter with a chiseled face, blonde hair, and ocean blue eyes.

"Hey mate, lay off of the Emma comments, I don't need her to be mad at me all night because people are talking shit about her" I glare at Liam.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to cause any problems" he says as he gives me an anxious stare.

Then he continues with "I just can't picture you two getting married, I mean, you're so chill and she walks around all high and mighty, expecting everyone to do everything for her".

I can feel my anger creeping up inside me as I try and rationalize what to say to him. I can see he is getting nervous now, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck and looking down at the floor.

" Emma is just a girl who knows what she wants" I begin to explain.

"She came from nothing and has worked very hard to get to where she is now and doesn't want anyone or anything getting in the way of that! Not that this is any of your fucking business" I add.

Chill?...how does he think I'm chill, I am usually the one telling everyone off . I wave the bar tender over then down another two shots of whisky before heading over to where Emma is sitting.

"Took you long enough" she frowns.

"Sorry Baby, Liam and I got talking, and well you know", I smirk, shrugging my shoulders at the same time.

"Are you drunk already?", she asks me.

"No not yet baby, how about you and me have a dance", I smile at her hoping to change her mood.

"Sure, why not", she beams.

The band is playing "I am Yours" by Andy Grammer, this is perfect, she loves his music and to be honest, we need a perfect moment, just her and I right now.

I grab her hand in mine, while wrapping my other around her waist. She puts her other arm around my shoulder just in back of my neck and pulls me closer into her as she leans her head on my chest. This feels comfortable, holding her in my arms, floating across the dance floor.

Our moment doesn't last long enough before I am dragged by Mark into multiple conversations I do not really feel like having with anyone. Someone keeps handing me drinks though, and I find myself too intoxicated to focus on what anyone is trying to say to me now. I stumble my way over to Emma who is giggling at the site of me. I just want to sit here with her and watch her laugh as she runs her hands through my hair.

"Levi, last call and then we are out of here" I hear Mark yell from across the room.

I nod, giving him a thumbs up and then lean my head back on Emma's shoulder. She returns to toying with my messy strands, if she does this for much longer, I might pass out.

Moments later I feel Mark putting my arm around the back of his shoulder as he lifts me from my chair attempting to half carry me out of the pub.

"I can walk, I can walk" I say to him as we get outside.

He lets go of me and I fumble around when I take a few steps forward, trying to gain my composure.

"Where's the car?" I slur.

"It's across the street, wait for Emma, she's right behind us" I hear Mark say.

"Okay, Okay" I say.

My uncoordinated feet trip on the curb and I end up taking a few steps backwards into the street. I look up and search for Emma. When I spot her, my body freezes and I will never forget the look of terror on her face as she screams my name.

I am not sure what just happened. I remember my body hitting the ground with a sudden force. All I can feel is pain, all I can hear is Emma screaming and Mark shouting for help. Visions of figures moving all around me. I can't see straight, but I can hear their voices. My head is pounding, people are screaming in every direction.

Emma is standing over me, I think she is holding my hand, but I cannot feel it. Mark is talking to me, asking me questions that I cannot comprehend.

My mind is a haze, everyone is starting to fade away, I am losing consciousness. Why can't I move, why can't I answer them? The pain I am feeling is unbearable. What the fuck is happening right now.