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"My problem is with both of you. Why bother with the ring? This is much more fun. Your girl will see you taking the beating of your life, and you will learn that when you come to a new place, you show respect."
"Fuck off, Gabe. I’ll see you in the ring when you aren't high."
Gabe doesn't back off. He just shakes his head, grinning.
"Boys," the popcorn guy exclaims, "whatever brawl you have, take it out of here."
"I don't think we will," Gabe says. The guy's eyebrows furrow, eyeing the phone in front of him nervously. He must have called the police already.
"Dani, go home," I tell her.
"What are you doing?" She steps between me and Gabe, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Listen to me, Dani. It won't go down well. This idiot is high. Go home. I'll call you once I'm out of here."
"I'm not going anywhere," she says.
I want to argue some more, but never get the chance because Gabe pushes her out of the way with a shove. I reach out, but miss her by a fraction of an inch. She stumbles back, right into a group. One of the guys catches her.
What happens next goes on so fast, no one has time to stop us. Gabe and I start fighting.
"Someone break them apart, please!" Dani screams. No one does. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see her get out her smartphone and press it to her ear. There are some big guys in the crowd, and I'm sure they could efficiently break up a high school brawl, but Gabe and I are pros. This is worse than in the ring. We hit with the same ferocity and determination, only this time the determination is a dangerous thing. In the ring, it's about winning, but now it's about hurting him so he can't hurt her. The crowd has formed a large circle around us. I don't know for how long Gabe and I throw punches at each other. Then a guy gets between us, forcing us apart and receiving a punch in the jaw from Gabe. When I see Dani run to the guy, I realize it must be her brother James.
The police arrive a few minutes later, taking both Gabe and me into custody.
"Check his pockets," I say, spitting blood, and I know it's game over for Gabe. He knows it, too, by the look of hatred in his eyes.
The police interrogation lasts for hours. As soon as I spill the beans on Gabe having drugs on him, all Hell breaks loose. He starts talking about the fights, and then the police question us about everything. In the midst of it all, Dani's brother whisks her away, and I’m grateful for it. I don’t want her to witness this. She deserves someone who doesn't put her through crap like this. At nine o'clock, I'm dismissed. George is called to take me to his house and the police take Gabe with them.
We stop at a gas station, but George doesn't fill up his car’s tank with gas. He goes inside the shop, returning with a pack of ice. He hands it to me, and I give him a silent nod of thank you, and then put it on my split lip. My eye hurts like a motherfucker, so I bet it'll be black tomorrow.
When we arrive at home, I intend to disappear to my room as fast as possible, wondering if it's too late to call Dani, but George stops me.
"Damon, wait. We need to talk."
I lean back against the door of my room, staring at him. This better not be some father-son bonding bullshit from his part. All right, it was decent of him to show up so quickly when the police called him, and to buy me the ice pack, but I'm in no mood for a sermon. He's been backing off for the few past weeks, stopped pestering me to stay away from Dani, so I suppose he's accepting it.
"You've crossed the line," he says.
"I'm not in the mood for this."
"Neither am I. It's late, and I'm tired. I'll make it short. It's obvious I'm not good at this father thing."
"Obviously."
"That's why I'm sending you to boarding school."
"What?" His words hit me like a ton of bricks.
"Isn't that what you wanted? To get away from here?"
I unhitch myself from the door, suddenly alert. "Not at a fucking boarding school. Maybe I don't want to leave anymore."
"Because of Dani."
"That's none of your business."
"It is. I have no control over you. You've done
