Save the Date

31

"I should have guessed!" Luca's eye darted from me to Chris, he looked disgusted. I could only imagine what it looked like, especially if he had seen Chris bending towards me. Some of the yoga women were looking at us but thankfully Nova came back to the front desk and called Chris out, asking him if he'd like a form to fill in for the classes. I used the distraction to move around Chris, his attention was on Nova and the women around him who were obviously intrigued by his muscles, so he didn't have a chance to stop me. At the same time, Luca turned and walked out of the studio. The yoga studio took up most of the corner it was situated on. He was already halfway to rounding the corner by the time I slipped through the door after him. His long strides made it so that I had to run to catch up to him, but I called out "Hey!" as I ran. He chose to ignore me. He rounded the corner and I sped up not to lose him. He must have changed his mind though because by the time I had rounded the corner I bumped right into him. I stumbled back with a loud "oof" and he made to catch me but it wasn't necessary because I had managed to correct myself. Once I'd caught my balance, he rounded on me, "You know, I can't believe you! I basically attack a total random to defend you but yet, here you are... with him!" His accusation made my blood boil. Why was he angry with me? It wasn't like I had invited Chris to my yoga session. Luca was the one sending mixed signals and kissing blonds in parks. "What do you actually mean?" I managed to get out before tears of anger stung my eyes. I tried my hardest not to let them show but I felt them brimming. He was going to think that I was crying over him but that was not going to happen. "You have some nerve pitching up here and yelling at me about this, especially after what you've done! How did you even find me?" I echoed, by now the tears had started to fall out the side of my eyes. Luca must have seen this because his expression softened. He was feeling sorry for me! This was unacceptable and made me even angrier. "I saw your check-in." He said. Something in my brain clicked. This was probably how Chris, too, had found me. Something else clicked in my brain as I looked at Luka, standing in the warm evening breeze, his brown hair dishevelled, "But I blocked you." "I know, but I used my friend's phone to check in on you." My heart stopped. I didn't know if I should feel flattered or worried. His words made my heart thump in my chest. Then I remembered his girlfriend and their kiss. If I didn't know any better I would have said he looked hurt but he continued, "I know I kinda left things on a weird note the other night and I wanted to apologise. So when I went to look for you to send you a message I couldn't find your profile. Then I asked to use a friend's phone and there you were." "Okay, well stop checking in on me and stop following me around. We don't owe one another anything." I said wiping my eyes and cheeks. I couldn't believe the audacity he had. And the irony of the situation wasn't lost on me either. "Besides I'm sure your girlfriend wouldn't be happy with you stalking girls on social media." He to a step back, looking taken aback, "What are you even talking about?" With a little satisfaction, I could hear the anger creeping back into his voice. I had gotten a rise. Before I could answer, however, Chris came bounding around the corner. I didn't know if he was just going back to his car or if he actually came out to find me but it still gave me the creeps. Instinctively I took a step closer to Luca. "I heard shouting," Chris said glaring at the two of us. "Are you bothering her buddy?" Luca let out an audible sigh, "Look I'm getting tired of this. I can't play any more games." I wasn't sure who he was talking to but I assumed it was me. He turned to go. Ignoring Chris, I marched up to Luca and pulled on his arm like he had done to me countless times before. "Oh no, don't even think about it, you don't get to keep running away and giving me no answers." He pulled his arm out of my grip and turned back around, "Answers? What do you need answers for? You should be the one providing answers." He spoke louder than he had intended because he clamped his mouth firmly shut. Christ had caught up with us again and growled, "Stop shouting at her!" Luca faced Chris and advanced on him, the two men were inches apart, "What are you going to do big man? You gonna choke me the way you choked her?" he pointed his thumb at me "No buddy I'm not the threat here. I'm done with all of it." He didn't shout but his voice was so low that it gave me goosebumps. Luca turned around again and made another attempt to leave. "Pussy!" Chris hurled the insult at Luca's back, he had an insane smile on his face. Why did he keep trying to pick fights? "Chris!" I gasped, but Luca had turned around again and wound his arm all the way back and with all the force he had he drove his fist into the centre of Chris's stomach. The knock winded Chris and made him stumble backwards but he recovered quickly and lunged himself at Luca who had his fists up ready to defend himself. The fight had escalated and I watched as blow after blow was dealt. I couldn't tell who was winning because they matched each other punch for punch. I kept screaming for them to stop, we must have been making quite a bit of noise because before long the entire yoga class was there outside watching the fight. Some of the women had already picked sides and were shouting encouragements, "Come on Blondie! Punch him in the head." or "That's it skinny, get him." Others stood filming the whole spectacle on their phones. This was going to go viral! Eventually, Nova came out armed with a Taser in one hand and her cell phone in the other. She pressed the button of the Taser and the sound of electricity crackled through the air, loud enough to get the attention of the brawling men and much to the dismay of the yoga moms. Some had placed bets to see who would get knocked out first. The men let one another go and the extent of the damage was clear. Chris had blood dripping from his mouth, I was pretty sure he'd lost a tooth or two. His skin was raised around his left eye which was sure to bruise deeply the next day. He still had that insane look on his face, he relished in the fight. Luca on the other hand only had a busted lip and poppy bruise on his cheek. His knuckles were bleeding again but it appeared that Chris had come off worse than Luca had. My first instinct was to check on Luca, but nobody moved except Nova. She held the Taser steady, ready to use it if need be. "Right!" her voice had lost its crisp gentleness as it boomed over the street, "Clear outta here you hooligans or I'll call the police. I'm a pacifist but I'll kick some ass if necessary." Then she turned her attention to the Yoga moms and said, "Come on ladies, show some class. Your unborn children would be ashamed." She brandished her Taser in their direction. The yoga moms dispersed, some eyeing Nova, who still glared at the bloodied men, others exchanged the money they had betted muttering mild curses under their breath in Nova's direction. It would have been almost comical if I wasn't in the middle of the fight. Both men were still panting hard and Nova seemed satisfied that nothing more would happen. She turned around and left the three of us with another warning tase that echoed off the surrounding buildings. Chris looked at me pleadingly, I wondered if he'd started the fight to try and impress me, but for the second time, had come off short. I looked between the two men, my heart gave a thump when Luca's eyes met mine, he didn't look angry but there was a sadness on his bloodied face.