𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓- 𝙟𝙤𝙝𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚

23. 𝐂𝐀𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

— TONIGHT  WAS THE  NIGHT

Johnny was going to meet Bob at the park with nobody but me there with him. He was more nervous than ever, everyone could see that. How antsy he was the entire day and how he constantly was on edge— In all honesty, it stressed me out even more.

I was trying to keep him calm by maintaining physical touch, holding his hand and allowing him to hold me whilst I held him. It was little actions like those that always kept him at ease, and it was the same for me.

It was around 8pm and the gang was anticipating for the clock to hit 9:50, the time that me and Johnny would head to the park. We knew that Bob was only looking for trouble, otherwise we wouldn't be as worried as we were. We knew if we didn't say yes to Bob's "request" then he'd continue to terrorise us or find a different way to fuck us over. We knew this would be the easiest and quickest route to take.

We all had eaten dinner, and somehow I had kept mine down regardless of the nerves. I could tell that Johnny was practically scared shitless, but he didn't want to make it obvious as he didn't want to seem weak.

I would never see him as weak, no matter the circumstances, but Johnny didn't know that— I don't think he would believe it either.

After a bit of aimless talking and thigh rubbing, it was time to head out. We all said our goodbyes, Darry telling us to call him if anything happened or if we were in more trouble than we could handle. Johnny also made sure that we both had our switchblades in case anything would get rough, which was very possible as these were Soc's that we were dealing with, not other Greasere. Greasers always played fair, everyone knew that including the Soc's, which is why they never played fair.

"It'll be okay" I told Johnny, lightly squeezing his hand as we walked toward the park, his hand in mine. I kissed his cheek for extra reassurance and to let him know that I was there and by his side. I wanted him to know that I had his back, like I said, we were each other's protectors.

As we approached the park, we saw headlights in the distance meaning that Bob was already there and waiting. As we got closer and closer, my heart pounded in my chest.

Bob and his friends turned around as they heard us, a flash in hand and a shit eating grin plastered on his face. It was as if he knew that he had already won, and that's what scared us even more— because even though we wanted to be confident and win this, we knew that it would be a rough battle that we were most likely not going to win,

"Well, well, well.." Bob slurred, his liquor in its canister sloshing around. "Shitface brought his girlfriend along!" Bob cackled menacingly before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What d'ya want Bob. Why call me here?" Johnny hissed as he walked a few steps toward them. I could tell that Johnny was terrified, but he didn't want to back down. He didn't want to let Bob and his gang of prissy Soc's win against us, not this time. He refused to be beat like last time, he at least wanted to put up a fight— he wanted to try.

"You.." Bob pointed, almost stumbling over as he took a few uneven steps toward us both. Johnny put his hand in front of me, his other hand in his back pocket, gripping his switchblade. I did the same as we both didn't want to take any chances, and the last thing that we wanted was to be beat to death. "You stole my girl." Bob sneered, making us both confused. "I wanted her!" Bob pointed to me, making us both look at each other in shock. "But you took her! I was going to ask her out! then you decided to snatch her up.. you little fucker."

"I would never go out with you." I snapped at Bob, now standing in between Johnny and Bob. Johnny tried to pull me back but I shook him off. If this whole situation was about me, I deserved to have a voice in it. "Your an alcoholic, a drunk, a deadbeat. No girl would ever go out with you."

Bob threw his drink on the ground, the liquor spilling on the grass and most likely damaging the soil. The dirt began to collect in the liquid, floating in little particles next to the tall grass. "What did you just say to me?" Bob yelled, causing both me and Johnny to jump. He walked closer toward me, Johnny pulling me behind him and shielding my body with his.

"She said, she doesn't want you. So back off." Johnny defended me, straightening his posture so that he seemed taller. Bob nodded with a smirk before nodding to his friends, which then quickly rushed over and grabbed me away from Johnny. "Astra!" He yelled to me before he was punched in the gut over and over, my heart aching with every hit. I screamed and cried and begged for them to stop.

"Stop it! Stop it!" I begged and begged but Bob didn't nudge, and neither did his friends as they continued to pull me back, their strength dominating mine. "I'll go out with you just stop!"

Bob then stopped hitting Johnny before looking up at me and turning in my direction. He had a smile on his face, one that was filled with sin— it was the kind of smile that would send shivers down anybody's spine. A grin so disturbing that it could make anybody recoil and run, it meant trouble. "Is that so?" Bob questioned, though it was more of a statement as he knew that he had won. "If that's the case.. then kiss me." He whispered dangerously close to my ear. His breath slightly pushed against my loose hair, his hot breathe causing goosebumps to appear all over my skin.

I looked over at Johnny who was hunched over in pain but was also now looking up at me, his eyes practically pleading me not to. I wasn't going to do it, and I believed that deep down he knew it too. I planned a route in my head, one that one allow me to get a fair distance away from Bob so that I could pull out my switchblade. "Fine." I lied, reaching into my back pocket. I began to lean in, and just as I was about to pull away from Bob, he groaned and hunched over.

Bob held onto his stomach, red liquid spilling from his body. My eyes widened as I looked down at my side, realising that I had yet to pull out my blade, so why?

I looked to my side to see his Soc friends running away, followed by the pounding of footsteps on the grass. Bob's mustang stood vacant and alone near the scene, the headlights still on, allowing everything to become even more visible.

Bob fully collapsed onto the ground at my feet, his blood spilling out onto the pavement and onto the tips of my shoes before I stood back in shock. I covered my mouth with my hands, realising that he was dead. As the blood continued to spill, my heart began to pump my own blood faster and faster, making it harder to breathe. I then looked up to find Johnny..

— HOLDING IN HIS HAND A BLOODY BLADE