When You Least Expect It

39

Whitney takes my hand as we leave the pool, trying to decide where to sneak off to. I figure we could go back to my room since it's closer than hers and bonus, Jason is already preoccupied. She suggests we find somewhere even closer, a room here. I'm considering just that when I hear someone yelling my name.

"Derek!! Thank goodness I found you. You have to hurry, it's Katie." Lacie is out of breath as she runs over. Her face looks panicked.

"Shit, what's going on? Where is she?" I ask as I drop Whitney's hand.

"Her and Bryce were arguing and he grabbed her by the face. They're screaming at each other now."

"Fuck. Let's go."

We take off up the hill and I can hear her screaming at him as we get to the back door. My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. Lacie leads me to the room and rounding the doorway I see them. Bryce has Katie backed against the wall yelling at her, his face inches from hers. "Get out of her face you fucking piece of shit."

I shove him hard causing him to stumble backwards. Katie sobs, screaming for me to stop. Bryce finds his footing and lands a solid punch to my right eye. I shove him back again and Katie jumps in between us. "Derek please! Stop, please, please! Don't do this."

Lacie tugs on Katie's arm trying to get her to move away but she refuses. My cheek is hot and when I wipe it, my hand is covered in blood. Bryce laughs, "Fucking white knight pussy."

Lacie is begging Katie to leave. "No! Let me go Lacie. Derek please, stop. I'm fine. We'll leave. Don't do this!" She puts her hands on my chest trying to stop me.

"Katie, move." I push past her and get in Bryce's face. "You want to talk about being a pussy and you're in here putting your hands on a girl?"

He laughs, "And what are you going to do about it?"

All I see is red. I sock him right in the jaw. He stumbles back again before taking another swing at me. Katie squeezes back in between us, begging me to stop. Bryce grabs her by the hair and drags her backwards. "You always got to be in my business don't you?"

Lacie is crying and yelling at her. "Katie please. Please let's just go. Come on!"

Bryce steps towards me again and I brace myself, my fists balled up at my side. Katie grabs his arm trying to stop him. "Please Bryce. Just stop. We can leave, I'll stay at your place tonight. Or whatever, just stop fighting please!"

He slaps her across the face and Katie stumbles back, dazed. "Whoa! Hey! What the fuck is going on in here?" Corey yells from behind me but it's too late.

I tackle him, knocking him to the ground. He struggles for a breath as the wind is knocked out of him and I take the opportunity to show him just how much of a "white knight" I can be. My hands lose all feeling as they connect with his face over and over again. It's a whirlwind. Behind me all I hear is noise. Screaming, yelling. My muscles are tense, my jaw clenched.

Someone grabs me jarring me back to consciousness. "Derek stop! You're going to kill him. He's out."

They yank me to my feet and it takes me a second to get them under me again. "Come on man. We got to go!" Jason shoves me towards the hall. "Now!"

All I can see is blood, everywhere. "Shit."

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"I thought you were going to kill that motherfucker."

"I wanted to. He would've deserved it. Fucking put your hands on a girl like that." I've cooled off a little walking around with Jason in the dark. We finally stopped at some benches along the square where the student union is. My jaw remains clenched as what happened replays in my head.