Between The Books-Michael Clifford

Thirty

"Hey, man, back off. She asked you nicely." Leo says.

"I LOVE this girl! I thought you broke it off with Max! Thought you wanted to give us another chance! Now THIS on your neck?!"

"Look, you say you love her. Show her and let her go." Leo says, standing up.

"It's ok, Leo. Nate won't hurt me. Right Nate?" Laney says. Clearly he IS hurting her. It's in her voice though she's trying to keep from pissing him off more by showing it.

"Hurt you? Why would I hurt you, Laney? You like it rough, just giving you what I know you like!"

Laney tries to knee him, but he dodges it and turns Laney so her back is against him. She tries stomping on him with her boot but he's wearing boots too. She's no match for him.

"Nate, let her go. She's hasn't done anything to you. She's just moved on." I say. Like logic will work right now.

Becca and Synna head for the stage to get Toby and Scutter. There can't be a fight or the band will get kicked out of the bar. This is one of their biggest draws. Marcus might not remember that, seeing her like this.

"Yeah, she sure has, Star!" Nate's laughing, but he's about to lose it. She's pushing against him, but he has her wrists so there's not much she can do. "So who's the new guy, Lane?" He leans into her ear, "Please tell me who's this new AMAZING fuck that's had his hands all over MY girl?!"

As he says that, Marcus walks up behind him and puts a hand on each of Nate's arms. He leans down to Nate's ear. "That would be me. Now take your fucking hands off her, or I'll do it for you."

Nate is a strong guy, but he's not tall. Marcus easily stands four inches above him.

Nate lets go and Laney moves behind Marcus.

"Oh sure, I should've guessed the band! Have you fucked all of them, Lane, or you just getting started with the drummer?" He says, grinning.

"Nate, please. Just go. We don't want any trouble." Laney says, as Toby and Scutter show up.

"Oh, you can't handle my girl without backup?" He jerks loose of Marcus and reaches out for Laney.

"I handle her JUST FINE. You need to back the FUCK OFF and walk away from this before you get hurt." Marcus says, grabbing Nate's arm.

Nate looks at Marcus. What's he doing? Trying to decide if he can take him? Um hello! NO WAY.

"Fine. I'll go for now. I'm not done with you Lane. I'll see you soon." Nate's looking at her, a seriously creepy grin spreading across his face. He walks past Marcus and Laney and disappears into the crowd.

"I'm so sorry, Marcus. I really thought I could handle Nate." Laney says, trying not to cry. Marcus gathers her in his arms.

"No, Baby, don't apologize. Are you ok? Let me see your wrists. Did he hurt you?" He pulls back and gently takes ahold of her wrists.

"I'm ok. I'm so sorry guys. Are you gonna be in trouble? Can you go back on?" She says.

"Nah, Lane, we're good! Mikey's been talking up the crowd. They're ready for more. Besides, everybody loves a bar fight! Gets them in the mood to party, people buy more drinks! It's a win, win! Not for you of course, but we had your back. I was ready to jump in swingin' girl!" Toby says, smiling.

"Yeah, me too. Been a while since we kicked somebody's ass." Scutter says, laughing.

"Damn, too bad you didn't get the chance. That's hot as fuck, girls. Scutter and Marcus are BAD ASS in a fight! Go on, Baby. Go give this crowd the best show they've ever seen!" Synna says, smacking Scutter on the ass. He grabs her, pulling her into him and kisses her.

Um, that was hot.

They each do a shot and head back up on stage. Marcus giving Laney a long hug. She's holding on pretty tight. I think that scared her more then she's letting on.

What the fuck anyway? Nate was WAY out of control. He's shoved her a few times when they were fighting, but that was usually after she slapped him. He's never tried to hurt her before.

"Holy shit. That was close! Did you see Nate?! I think he was actually considering throwing a punch at Marcus." Becca says, grabbing a shot. Our shot tower's growing. It's on it's second level. After this, we'll be adding a third.

"That would've been a SERIOUS mistake. Marcus would've killed him!" Synna says, laughing.

"I've NEVER seen Nate like that. He was hurt...." Laney downs a shot. "...and seriously drunk. He wouldn't have hurt me." She says, more to convince herself then the rest of us.

"Bullshit! Laney, he WAS hurting you. You need to stay away from him. I don't know you at all, but he's not right in the head. Don't be alone with him, anywhere. If you see him on campus, just walk the other way." Leo says.

Laney smiles at him. Leo is such a lovey. He couldn't fight anyone to save his life. He's the kind of friend you go to for a hug, or cheering up. We all need a friend like that.

"Ok, enough about this! The band will do three more songs and then take their break. I think you need to spend that time with Mikey, Star. Show him you meant what the napkin said!" Synna says, grinning.

"What did I miss? You dumped Jax since we ate pizza?!" Leo says, looking surprised. Synna hands him a shot.

"Not exactly." She says, smiling.

"No, she just decided! That would be right before he kissed her, but after Marcus and I made out in the hallway! What can I say, we inspire true love!" Laney flashes her goofy smile at me and everyone busts out laughing.

For the next three songs we continue to drink and tell stories of past drunken escapades. Stella and Tyler join us and by the time the band takes their break, our shot tower starts its third level.

We find out Tyler once passed out on the grass in the Oval and woke up covered in snow four hours later. Stella had a fling with Max herself, when she was a freshman, which even Leo didn't know about, and Synna and Scutter had sex on the floor of the Buckeyes basketball arena.
No shocker there.

Leo broke into that same arena and spray painted Michigan on one side of the bleachers as a hazing prank during Rush week for Kappa Sigma, and Becca and her roommate trapped two girls in their dorm room in the middle of the night by jamming pennies in their door frame, then pulling the fire alarm.

"Ok, Star, your turn. What've you done that's bad ass?!" Becca asks just as Michael and the rest of the band show up at our table.

"Give me twenty minutes and I'll tell you." I say, grinning and grabbing Michael's hand. I pull him after me towards the women's bathroom as Synna and the girls start yelling and whistling.

We get to the back hallway and I stop.

"What are we doing?" Michael says, confused but smiling.

I smile at him and say, "Anything you want, Michael."