Good Intentions

Ch10: Victor's Voice of Reason

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"You all think this is funny. This is just some big joke. 6 of you are in love with the same girl and you just think thats okay? You're just gonna laugh it off and what? All date her? Just pass her around like a..."

"Don't say another fucking word, Mr. Lee" Mr Blackbourne seethed. 

Victor Pov

But Kota would not have gotten another word out, because just as Mr. B said that, Nathan's fist slammed into Kota's jaw. It happened so quickly that no one saw it coming. Sean had moved to hold Mr. B back, and surprizingly, North was holding Silas tightly by the arms, but no one had expected that Nathan would strike him. Kota staggered back from the impact, reaching out with his hand to steady himself on the back of couch. It took him a moment to gather himself, a moment that was completely silent. Everyone was at a loss for words. I mean, it isn't surprizing for Nathan to lose his temper, but if he was going to hit anyone I would have guess it would be Gabe. 

Finally, Kota lifted his head to look up at Nathan. There were so many emotions flaring in his eyes, vying for dominance. But the emotions that seemed to win out were confusion and hurt. His mouth was open in surprise and his cheek was bright red from the impact. It was going to be a bad bruise. As if he had been waiting for Kota to look up at him, Nathan broke the silence.

"Don't you ever, EVER, even think about disrespecting Sang like that again." Nathan growled. 

Kota sputtered. And straightened up, lifting his palms up toward Nathan in a calming gesture. Nathan was shaking. His fists were still clenched so tightly they were purple and his eyes were wild. "I wasn't....I would never...I was just..."Kota couldn't seem to speak for the second time this evening. I was shaking my head to myself. This was a bigger mess than I had imagined. I couldn't understand how noth of them had been so blind.

Nathan sneered, a hateful ugly look, pointing his finger at Kota's face. "Shut up. Just shut up. You were going to call her a whore, or something equally awful." Kota's face paled even further and he backed up another step raising his hands even higher. Nathan was cracking up.  I saw Mr. B. and Sean start shifting closer to him out of the corner of my eye. Kota was shaking his head back and forth, trying to deny the accusations. "You have been treating her like shit all day all because she didn't want to hug you this morning and now you go and insinuate that there is something wrong with her, because all these assholes are out of their mind?" Nathan's voice is getting louder and louder, while Kota continues to shake his head frantically, tears rolling down his face. Mr. B and Sean are now behind Nathan on either side of him, ready to intervene if he goes for Kota again. 

"Nathan," I say calmly. "Nate man, it's gonna be okay. He didn't mean it, even if he was about to say it. You know that. Kota loves Sang just as much as the rest of us. He didn't mean it." I spoke slowly and softly, like I did to Sang when I was trying to calm her down. Nathan was taking deep heaving breathes. I could see the war in his eyes. He was looking at Kota like he had never seen him before. 

"Mr Morgan is right, Mr. Griffin. He would have regretted his words immediately." 

Without taking his eyes off Kota, Nathan turned his ire on Mr. B. "Don't you Mr. Griffin me. You are all almost as bad. The only difference between the rest of you is that you are shaming yourself and not her. But I won't let any of you disrespect her." Mr. B's lips thinned into a tight line and his eyes pinched closed. Sean looked like he was about to say something when Kota finally found his voice. 

"I wasn't going to call her a whore. I would never say or even think that. I was going to say toy or object or something along those lines." He whispered, his eyes begging Nathan to hear him and believe him.