Annalise

Chapter 24: Fighting Words

"What the hell did you just say?" Zachary hoarse voice barked at the guy, shooting up from his leaning position and standing more in front of Michael.

As he spoke, the guy's meaty knuckles slammed into the Imperishable's nose, creating a cracking snap from the damaging impact. The gang member's hands instinctively hovered over his new bleeding wound. He squeezed his eyes and blinked continuously, trying to gain focus but horribly fell back with his head meeting the ground first. He groaned, moving his hands up to his head, cradling it as the blood rolled down his cut eyebrow and injured nose. It wasn't a nice sight. He may have threatened me, but I wouldn't wish harm on someone who did me wrong, that just isn't me. I don't fight fire with fire.

"You didn't even put up a fight," the guy cockily chuckled, a twinge of disappointment to be sensed as spit fell from his lips and landed on the beaten Imperishable.

In the crowd, I realized it wasn't just Ricky, Jose, or Timothy among us, but also other Imperishables. The girl with diva curls was next to Ricky's area, along with a couple of guys who were throwing threatening glares at the winner of the fight if there were any.

It felt like he just signed his death warrant and had no idea he did.

"What the hell did you say before?" Zachary asked again, his face tense while he took a more straight posture, adding a few more inches to his towering height.

The guy turned his face very slowly towards the question directed at him. "Are you freaking deaf? I won't repeat myself, dickhead," his upper lip curled in disdain as he uttered unnecessary insults.

"Bitch, who the fuck do you think you are to bring your homophobic ass to our faces? Insult me or my boyfriend one more time, I promise you you'll be knocked on your ass!" Michael shouted, his eyes narrowing at the source of his anger as he moved to be besides Zachary.

Asher tugged my arm back, making my body go behind his, covering me from the guy's grey eyes.

He scoffed before responding back. "I'm not homophobic. I just don't fuck with homos unless they fuck with me, and I'm not getting disrespected by some sexually confused guys."

"Ok, well sorry to break it to you, but just saying that makes you homophobic and sounds hypocritical," Alice cut in, adding a snarky remark of him being a Trump lover.

"Listen, big mouth, mind your business before you start something you won't be able to finish," he threatened, his apathetic eyes scrutinizing her from top to bottom.

At the same time, Zachary responded to his previous statement. "We're not sexually confused. We're fucking gay," he voiced with clear vexation at the comment.

Zach was always cool, he had a hard time losing his temper and tough skin to get under, but right now, his attitude was changing quickly. Zachary was losing his calm, reasonable aspect of himself, and for good reason.

His response was disregarded by the nose-piercing guy as Alice retorted. "I've never started anything I wouldn't be able to finish, jackass."

The guy laughed obnoxiously, abruptly swinging his eyes back onto her face. "I'm not afraid to hit a girl, you know, feminism and all that shit. I really support women and men being treated the same," he smiled immorally, taking a step forward.

I could see Asher's body tense up as he listened without intervening, but it was clear by the passing seconds that it was getting quite difficult. It was always a challenge for him when self-control was involved.