Save the Date

23

"Heeeey beautiful," he slurred eyeing me at the table. This was not something I had counted on but I wasn't surprised. It certainly wasn't going to make things easier. He sat down at my table, fist-bumping Patrick who looked like Christmas had come early. "Barkeep!" Chris shouted, "A round of Tequila for everyone!". This was met by a small round of applause by a group of men in suits sitting in the corner of the bar. Luckily for Chris, they were the only other patrons in Nick's. I didn't want to beat around the bush, I needed to let Chris know where I stood with him pronto. "Listen, Chris, we have to talk." "Uh oh, that's never good." He brought his empty shot back down to the table, tapped it twice then rubbed his mouth clean. Patrick looked fascinated by Chris as he kept popping peanuts into his mouth. I looked pointedly at him trying to give him the hint to leave us alone. Eventually, he snapped his head back and said, "Fiiine!" got up and went over to sit at the counter still watching us. "Okay, so what's going on?" he asked watching Patrick leave. "I don't think I can see you anymore," I replied looking him straight in the eye. At first, Chris looked confused like what I had said hadn't sunk in and then through his drunken haze, it dawned on him. "What do you mean you can't see me anymore?" What came next happened so quickly that the shock must have paralysed the entire bar. Chris abruptly stood up and pushed the table between us out of the way. His eyes were wide. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up towards him. He was tall enough to lift me that the tips of my toes scraped the floor as he shook me. "Ouch, you're hurting me." I whimpered as his fingers dug into my upper arm. "I'm hurting you?" he spat in my face. This was not the reaction I had expected. I knew he would get a little upset but we had only exchanged a few texts and been on one date. This was an overreaction. Chris tightened his grip more and tears stung my eyes. "What about the pain you've caused me? I thought we were soul mates!" he shook me harder. I dared not break eye contact. "Is there someone else? Is there!?" he looked like a mad man. As menacing as he looked, the alcohol had made his reflexes quite slow and all I needed was a distraction. Suddenly, the door opened again and then when the bell tinkled Chris drunkenly turned his head to see who had come in. I took my opportunity to wind my leg up and place a strategic kick right between his legs. With the sudden shock of pain, Chris let me go and doubled over. "You bitch!" he managed to get out before he hit the ground. I'd already fallen onto the floor and Patrick helped me get up. I looked in the direction where my saviour had come from but my blood ran cold. Luca stood in the doorway watching the scene unfolding in front of him. He looked furious. A skinny blond that had followed him in but quickly scrambled over to the suits in the corner. Luca advanced toward us in no time. He pulled Chris up by his collar so that he could look him in the eye. "What did you just say you piece of filth?!" Chris wasn't looking too good. It was clear that he was still in a lot of pain and that last tequila shot must have just kicked in. With bleary eyes, he looked between Luca and me. "I can't believe it! You said nothing was going on between you!" he said trying to shake himself out of Luca's grip. "Enjoy my sloppy seconds pal." With that final remark Luca had had enough, he drove his right fist into Chris' jaw. Chris fell in a heap on the floor as Nick came bounding down the stairs to see what the commotion was about. "What in the...? What is going on here?" His eyes darted between Chris, writhing in pain on the floor, Luca whose chest was heaving with restraint and me standing like an idiot returning Luca's stare. Patrick spoke first "This guy," he tapped Chris with the point of his shoe, "Attacked Rachel who, rightly, kicked him in the balls. Then this guy, Chris, called Rachel a bitch and then this guy," Patrick had a satisfied smile on his face as he patted Luca on the back, "punched him in the face."