Forever (Mavin)

66. Night on the Town

Geoff, Michael, and I all went out for bevs later, because there's no better way to forget painful moments than to get drunk off your ass, especially if you're Geoff Ramsey. It was fun, until we were walking home.

We were all drunk off our asses, so we obviously couldn't drive. Michael suggested we call Griffon, but she didn't answer. Geoff just decided it would be best to walk. After all, we were only a couple blocks from Geoff's house.

Anyway, as we were walking home, Geoff and I had a rousing argument about who was the better Peggle player, even though it was obviously Geoff. As we were walking by the old brick building that'd been vacant since I'd moved to Austin, Michael said he heard something. He told us to shut up and he listened, squatting down and sneaking around like a little hooligan about to rob a store. He started walking down the block a ways, until he reached the alley. He took cover on the edge of the wall, and it was like a video game. Michael peeked around the corner, and two dudes in black hoodies jumped on him, tackling him onto the pavement. Geoff instinctively ran to Michael's rescue, prying the taller of the two men off, only to be tackled himself. One of them, the one on Michael, whipped out a knife that was at least six inches long. That had to be illegal.

That was when I kind of froze. The dude held the knife toward Michael and threatened him with it, telling Michael he'd "better pull out his wallet." Michael kneed the dude in the balls and he yelped. They all started rolling around and wrestling on the pavement. I didn't actually get involved until the guy got on top of Michael again. He pinned him down and held the knife to his throat, Geoff wrestling his own enemy all the while. Michael screamed out for help and I started running, even though he wasn't that far away. The guy turned and slashed my leg once, but my adrenaline had taken over already and I didn't even feel the pain. I kicked the guy in the chest and he fell off Michael, hitting the ground with a solid thud that I'd hoped I'd never hear again. Michael grabbed the knife and turned the tables. I collapsed on the ground, getting the aftermath of the cut in my leg. But this still wasn't over. I started crawling over to Geoff, who was clearly having problems. I got to him just after the guy's knocked Geoff's head against the wall/pavement. Geoff immediately sunk down and stopped his struggle, and the guy started feeling his pockets, searching for his wallet. He turned to look at me and I punched him in the jaw. I climbed on top of him and pinned him, beating on his face. He finally got one hand free and clocked me good in the jaw, and I was out. When I came to, both the guys were running away; one with a limp and the other holding his arm. Michael was leaned against the wall with my head in his lap, trying to get Geoff to sit up. He had one hand on the back of Geoff's shirt, keeping him from falling, and the other on my leg, squeezing the cut to try and make it stop bleeding. I coughed a couple times and looked up at Michael, taking in his appearance. He had a good size cut on the side of his face, and his lip was bleeding. He looked like he could pass out at any minute, too.

That's one of the things I love the most about Michael. Even when things are just as bad for him, he's worried about everyone else. So worried that he pulled out his phone and called Lindsay.

To my surprise she actually answered, but, from what I heard, she didn't sound happy. At first, I mean. Michael mumbled into the phone that we were by the old brick building and we needed help. I didn't catch everything, but he'd said something about my leg and the guy's knife.

When Michael hung up, he'd noticed I was waking up.

"Oh, Gavin, good, you're okay." He moaned, his hand leaving my leg as he gripped the side of his head, an obvious headache leading on.

"Micoo," I coughed out, "Is... is she coming?"

"Yeah, Gavin, it'll be okay. I promise." He gritted his teeth and held his head tighter, clenching his eyes closed simultaneously. After a moment, he moved his hand, smearing my blood on the side of his face.

Within minutes, Lindsay pulled up. She dashed out of the car and over to Michael, examining the scene. She checked out Michael's face, and it was almost like nothing had happened between them at all. She was being really cool about it all, and I liked that. For once they were actually acting like friends again.

Lindsay helped Michael up, and he leaned on her, trying to get his balance. After a moment or two be finally spoke.

"Can you...?" He trailed off.

"Yeah! Yeah, of course!" Lindsay replied, walking over to me. Michael picked up Geoff, obviously struggling given his current situation. I could tell he was in extreme pain, but he was fighting through for his friends. He's the best.

He limped over to Lindsay's car and set Geoff in the back seat. Meanwhile, Lindsay was trying to get me to stand up. When I was finally off the ground, I grabbed my leg with my hand. It was somehow a combination of numbness and pain shooting through my thigh. I walked, with the help of Lindsay, to her car. She helped me get in the back with Geoff, and we ended up as a tangled mess of limbs with him laying across my lap and my leg propped up on her seat. Michael climbed into the front, and I just then saw the slice on his left bicep. It wasn't as deep or bad as the my leg or his face, but it was definitely bleeding and definitely painful.

Lindsay climbed in the driver's seat and cleared her throat, "Where to?"

"Just... just take us to Geoff's house." Michael grunted.