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A/N: This flashback is from Connor's perspective TW Fighting
CONNOR WALKED away from the field. He was tired, and felt beaten up, but mostly, he felt a feeling weighing down his heart, he had to talk to Lauren. The Payton boy heaved his bag over his shoulder and trudged towards the exit and down to the parking lot. He was secretly hoping he might find Laurie there and get a chance to talk to her.
As Connor neared the lot, he began to hear voices, noises, and as he got closer, they turned into shouting, yelling, fighting. His brow furrowed in confusion and it was as if time stopped, his heart sank, his stomach jumped, and his heart began to race when he saw the commotion.
It was Lauren. But not how he wanted to come across her. She was pinned up against a car by a man and Connor had never seen her look fearful. But in that moment, there was fear, hurt, and weakness in the Davis girl's eyes.
Connor saw blood, he saw bruises, and it all clicked in his brain. The fact she'd been living with Troy, her stress, even before he knew her he noticed the faint bruises from a gripping hand.
Connor didn't hesitate. He dropped his bag and in an instant he was there.
"Get your hands off of her!" He yelled. He grabbed the bruised up-man by the back of his stained shirt, Laurie had put of enough of a fight, now it was Connor's punch. Connor may have been a bit smaller than the man, but Laurie had tired Derek out, not to mention he was still tipsy. And Connor was a football player, he was a damn good one too.
The boy tackled Derek to the ground. Derek's eyes raging with anger he got up, pushing the boy and swinging at him a few times before Connor grabbed his arm, twisting it down and finally, jabbing the man in the face with a quick left hook. An exhausted Derek fell back in a heap. He drunkenly rolled over, attempting to stand up.
"Don't touch her!" Connor yelled to the man on the ground. He gave Derek one last kick that was enough of a warning. "Don't think about coming near her again, don't ever touch her again, you hear me?"
Connor ran over to Lauren who was standing up, looking a bit wobbly. He didn't hesitate for a moment before securing an arm around her waist to help her up. She hissed in pain, wincing slightly at feeling the bruise on her ribs.
"Sorry! Sorry, is this okay now?" Connor asked, readjusting his hand.
"I'm okay. Connor, I'm fine." Lauren spoke after they were out of sight and farther away from Derek able to sit down. "Like, it's not even that bad, you didn't even have to- like, it's all fine, I-I'm sorry- I jus-" She began to rant, hands shaking.
