Ecstasy

Chapter 40

Tyson:

  I stood leaning against a wall, the top of a Corona bottle pressed to my lips as I drank and watched Calla from across the room. I'd noticed her only fifteen minutes ago and I hadn't stopped staring.

Nate was off somewhere talking to some basketball player and Jarrah stood beside me smoking a cigarette. "You like her." He stated as he blew out smoke.

My eyes didn't leave her as she laughed with her friend easily. She drank from a pre-mixed can. "She's drinking," I stated more to myself, ignoring Jarrah's comment.

Jarrah coughed. "So what? Everyone drinks." His voice twanged with his Northern Territory accent.

I took another sip of my drink, "She doesn't." I frowned; maybe she had finally relaxed about illegal substances.

"Dude," Jarrah breathed out, "you, like, really like-like her. You never like-like anyone!" He said astonished, eyeing me over. "Are you whipped or something?"

"No!" I replied too quickly to be convincing, standing up from the wall. He lifted his eyebrows at me. I ignored him and said, "there were to way many 'likes' in that sentence anyway!"

Jarrah just laughed, "Go talk to her!"

"No, I'm waiting." I said leaning back again.

"What for?" he asked curiously. I shrugged, I actually didn't know. Just something. Some reason for me to talk to her.

I watched as her friend grasped her hand and said something in her ear, Calla nodded in response and smiled before her friend walked off. Calla took another long gulp of her drink and relaxed against the window sill behind her. She looked so hot tonight. She wore an orange sleeveless dress, one that had an old fashioned collar but it had modern cut-outs at the waist showing off her porcelain skin. Her blonde shiny hair was dead straight and she wore darker make-up than usual. She looked different. More laid back or something. She looked older, definitely, like she had lost some of her innocence. I frowned again.
Suddenly a short guy from the other side of the room approached her. I couldn't see his face from this angle but the way he pushed her up against the wall and trapped her there with a hand on her waist and one above her head I new suddenly it was Daniel.

"Better go catch her before he does," Jarrah mumbled with the cigarette in his mouth.

I slapped my beer bottle to Jarrah's chest and quickly pushed off the wall and began to make my way over there. She seemed to be struggling with his weight, her small hands doing nothing as they pushed on his chest desperately trying to get him off her. She turned her head to the side avoiding his face.

Anger bubbled inside me at the look on her face. She looked anxious and frightened. Daniel dipped his head trying to kiss her, but I had had enough. I was finally standing in front of them and I grasped Daniel's collar in my hand and ripped him off her. Pulling him across the room to where I slammed his back into the wall. I bunched his shirt in my fists, lifting him higher against the wall.

"You don't touch her. Okay?" I threatened my voice murderously low. The people surrounding us had stopped dancing but the music still thumped on in my ears. My heart was pumping from adrenaline and my fists were itching to punch his face in.

"Tyson!" I heard a voice. I looked back at Mitchie, Calla's friend shaking her head. Calla still stood where she did before looking shocked and shaken. Everyone was staring now, the music was forgotten; the dancer's watching.

I looked back at Daniel. He was obviously drunk, but his face showed fear and his eyes pleaded with me.

I dropped him back onto the ground and he crumpled in a heap at my feet. I stepped on his fingers discreetly, before turning around and walking towards Calla.

"Sorry. Are you okay?" I asked.

Her eyes were wide and her hands were clutching at her chest as if trying to compress her heart beat. She slowly nodded.

"Daniel!" I heard Mitchie yell and I quickly turned around just in time to narrowly duck and miss a flying fist aimed at my face.

Daniel stood, swaying on his feet his fists up and an angry expression on his face. I shook my head and pressed my hand to his chest giving him a shove.

"Back off mate, you don't want to do this." I warned.

He just shoved me back, his face contorted with rage. Someone screamed out from the crowd, "Fight!"

I backed off, my palms in the air – not egged on by the bystanders. Daniel was a heavy guy, even though I was taller I had no intention to get physical with him. Daniel was. He came at me fists swinging. I side stepped the first one, my body dealing far better with the alcohol than his. He overbalanced a little with the continuing momentum of his swing, nearly falling over but he straightened himself and turned back to me.
Before he launched back at me, arms wound around his shoulders and pulled him back. Sam Tapp nodded to me over his shoulder, silently telling me he had this. I nodded a thanks back as he heaved his friend away.

I quickly looked back and just caught Mitchie and Calla walking out the door. I glanced back around the room; everyone had resumed what they were doing. Dancing, talking, and drinking as if nothing had happened.

I quickly jogged out the door to catch up with the girls. Jarrah smiled at me on the way out, still in his spot leaning against the wall. I followed them into the kitchen and stood in the doorway as Mitchie flung her arms around Calla.

"Oh my God! Are you okay? I'm so sorry I left you alone. Did he hurt you? What did-"

"I'm fine," Calla interrupted Mitchie's continuous questions, "Calm down. Seriously, I'm fine!"

Mitchie released her and looked into her eyes. "Really?"

"Yes!" Calla insisted, pushing her friend's hands away and smiled. "You're such a drama queen!"

Mitchie smiled, satisfied her friend was okay. She gave Calla a playful slap on the arm, "Oh shut up!"

It was then Sam Tapp entered the room. He stepped up to Mitchie and touched the small of her back.

"Okay? You don't want me to drive you home?" He asked Calla when the girls released each other. She shook her head smiling, "I'm fine."

Mitchie quickly walked to the fridge and pulled out a can. "Here," She handed it to Calla, "if you're so fine then, relax."

Calla laughed and accepted the can of mixed spirits.

I decided to interrupt the chatter. "Got rid of him then?" I asked Tapp across the room. The three of them finally realised I was standing there.

Sam nodded, "He's cooling off in my room."

"Good. He should stay there," I stepped into the room and up to the island bench. Calla sat on one of the stools on the opposite side looking far better than before – colour had returned to her face, and the slight pink in her cheeks made her look young again. I gave her a small smile as I walked around the island and leant on the bench beside her.

"Why is he even here?" Mitchie asked Sam.

"I couldn't not invite him, he's my friend!" Tapp argued.

"Yeah well –"

I tried to tune them out, as I looked over at Calla.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "Thanks by the way," She smiled again but it didn't reach her eyes. I knew that Daniel had affected her somehow. Mitchie and Sam had stepped out into the hallway to continue their argument. The sounds of their voices faded under the music and suddenly the kitchen was quiet. Calla took a sip of her drink and looked up at me. It was then I could see that she was still a bit shaken.

"He won't touch you again okay?" I said softly placing my hand on her shoulder and she looked down at the marble bench top averting my gaze.

She nodded, her eyes not leaving her hands; her gaze concentrating on her finger tracing the edges of her can of drink.

"Hey, I won't let him alright?" I bent trying to see her eyes again.

She looked up at me and the warmness of her eyes sucked me in and I couldn't look away. Her lips were plump and parted and I felt like kissing her right then. But suddenly she pulled back, "thanks Tyson," she whispered.

"No problem."

Her eye's reassessed me again, her gaze travelling over my body. Her mind thinking thoughts I couldn't guess.

Suddenly a good idea came to mind.

"Come with me," I stretched out my hand.

"What?" her face still held a guarded expression and I wanted so badly to dispel it.

"Come on, I want to show you something."

She hesitatingly took my hand and I pulled her off into the house.