Crushes, weirdos and the little things

Turning Point

I tighten my fist, feeling the pain stab my knuckles. Crouching, one knee on the ground and my hair in my face. Eric's jeans clad legs lie stretched out in front of me, dampened curses are heard through the hand covering his nose and mouth. There's blood seeping through his fingers and his shocked blue eyes stare at me. "Where the fuck did you learn to fight?" The words sound muffled, like they're painful to form.
I stare into his eyes, the adrenaline coursing through my veins lend my voice strength. "Anyone can fight, if forced. I never want to see you again. Keep away from me!" A hand on my shoulder has me tensing further, I make myself ready to take another swing, but the scent of Marc Jacobs' Daisy has me taking a deep breath and getting up. 

Alice takes my closed fist in her soft hands and sighs quietly. "Sophie, violence is never the answer." My body turns towards her and I throw one last look down towards the ground, where Eric sits wiping his bloody nose with the sleeve of his hoodie.
"I want to go back inside." The pounding sound of loud music echoes in the alley behind The Club. When Alice shakes her head I pull my hand free and start walking past her.
"Sophie! You can't just leave him here!" Yes, I can. Her footsteps hurry after me.

Outside the entrance, Eric's friends are gathered, waiting for him to come back after our little 'talk'. They let me pass and turn to watch the alley. Alice stops and talks in a quiet voice to Gustav, who throws me a surprised look and then drags the others in the direction of Eric and his bleeding face. As the bouncer checks our hands for the marking to let us in again, I impatiently drum my fingers against my thigh. There's twice as many people in the semi-darkness as when Eric found me and wanted to have a chat. I push myself to the bar and order myself a cider. I down half before I push myself in the other direction and to an empty table in one of the darker corners and chill my now aching hand on the cold glass.

Alice joins me, a glass of cider in her hand and worry in her eyes. "Why did you hit him?" She has to lean into me, half-shouting her question in my ear. I move my glass, cooling another part of my hand. It's a little swollen, it's beginning to hurt like a mother and the knuckles are looking a little purplish and red. Alice is waiting for an answer.
"Eric and I were together a couple of weeks at the beginning of summer." Her eyes go wide and she opens her mouth, but I raise my hand to stop her from speaking. I empty my glass and sigh. "You were in France and it was all over before you got back home. The other day I found out he has a girlfriend, they've been together for nearly two years." Alice shakes her head and takes a big gulp of cider. I nod and glance over at the bar, not too many people, I should be able to get another one quick enough.

A cider and a couple of tequilas later I've forgotten about the pain and I'm anger dancing on the dance floor. Everyone around me is a blurry caricature of a human, I don't care who's next to me. I'm dancing by myself. Avoiding anyone who tries to encircle my waist with their arms or to catch my eye. I've somehow lost Alice, or maybe she lost herself on purpose. I've not been the most pleasant company tonight. The DJ spins the last upbeat song of the night, before the slow songs that'll close the place down, and I let the music carry me away. One last rush before having to deal with reality and the walk home. "Is it too late now, to say sorry?" Laughter bubbles up inside of me and the memory of my fist connecting with his face and the shock in his eyes pastes a huge smile on my face.

The late summer night is dark blue. The air cools my hot skin and caresses my aching hand. I close my fist again, feel the swelling tightening the skin and shooting pain down my fingers. When was the last time I felt this alive? The answer hurts more than my hand. The memory of his naked skin against mine, the scent of unknown fabric softener and the feeling of lying in someone else's bed burns my eyes and places a lump in my throat.
"Fuck!" I bite down hard on my lip to stop the tears from falling. Someone throws up behind me and I hurry my steps as to not be corralled into some form of rescue mission. Alice has sent me four text the last half hour.

where are you?
have you gone home?
why don't you answer?
I'm going home now, it's 1.43

My phone bleeps me at that it's low on battery and I contemplate not answering her, but my conscience has me sending a short text.

going home now, didn't see your texts <3

It takes me fifteen minutes to walk home. Somewhere along the way I realise the idiocy of walking through town alone, but if I punched one asshole today I would totally be able to punch another if need be. My alcohol infused brain adds logic where there is none. 

Someone's at my building. Someone tugs angrily at the door. I slow my steps to see who it is. A guy my age swears loudly and runs the tag over the keypad before yanking at the locked door again.
"Fucking hell!" He aims a kick at the wall and I decide to help him before something breaks.
"Problems?"
The guy swings round, looking surprised. His eyes take in my blonde hair and short skirt, and I can see his shoulders relaxing."What?"
I smile at him and hold my tag against the lock long enough for it to register it with a buzz and a click, and then I open the door. "Violence is never the answer."