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“Can we talk about this later?” Sarah pushes Tim again. “Your friend needs help. ”
Gwen steps to the side and I advance to the tree line. Tim becomes touchier and Sarah keeps smacking him.
“Hey, Tim,” I say. “I think Sarah wants to head back to the party. ”
“No, we’re fine,” Tim responds.
Sarah swats his hands away. “Get off of me. ”
“Tim,” I say in a low tone. I’ll back up my words with action and he knows it.
Tim releases Sarah and his chest puffs up as he watches her stumble back to the party. I ready myself by widening my stance. Tim owns a reputation for his dedication to the football team and his anger when he’s drunk.
“What’s your problem, Ryan?”
“Don’t have one as long as you give Sarah her space. ”
He sloppily points at me, then sways. “You made her think she wanted space. ”
“Come on, Tim. Let’s go back to the party. ”
Tim rolls his shoulders back. He’s looking for a fight. I’m not.
“You know what I think?” he asks.
“I think we should head back. ”
“I think you’ve got a problem with girls. ”
My back straightens. “What did you say?”
His lips turn up into a smirk. “Yeah,” he says. “You have a problem with girls. You dumped Gwen and she’s hot. You gay, man?”
Rage ignites inside me and as my muscles tighten to rush forward, delicate fingers wrap around my arm. “He’s not worth it,” Beth says in a smooth voice.
Chris and Logan slide in between me and Tim, a barrier of skin, muscle, and bone between me and the guy I want to pound.
Tim continues to taunt me. “Real men aren’t saved by girls. ”
“You’re drunk,” Logan announces to him in a bored voice.
From the other side of Logan, Tim holds out his hands. “Come and get me, Ryan. Prove that you’re a man. ”
My fists curl and I step closer. “I’m game, Tim. Let’s do this. ”
Chris pushes against my chest, but the pressure does nearly nothing to hold me back.
He yells at Beth, “Get him out of here!”
Her fingers intertwine with mine and that soft, feminine voice breaks through the anger.
“Let’s go. ”
My eyes flick over to her. “Ryan,” she says.
“Please. ”
Her one please breaks through the chaos disorienting my brain long enough to propel me in the opposite direction of Tim. I tighten my grip on Beth’s hand and lead her back to my Jeep, but not before snagging a six-pack of beer from a cooler.
