Page 90 of Perfect Chemistry

He screamed when she pulled it harder, “Kai, I want to close up! Get your psycho off of me!”

Two waitresses ran out of the dining room. Katie’s eyes shot up to me to look for guidance, but I was on the verge of pissing my pants laughing. “How can you call the woman who encouraged you to chase your dreams a psycho, Alex?” I asked, sitting back down.

Her eyes widened, looking down at the man under her on the floor, “Alex? Is that you?” she asked.

Alex whimpered. “Kai, did you tell this lady I owe you money?!?” he yelled.

Katie jumped up, releasing his arm, and moving to help him up from the floor.

It was obvious that she felt awful. “Alex, I am so sorry. I didn’t realize that was you,” she apologized, dusting nonexistent dirt from his shirt.

Alex scowled at me before turning around to look at Katie. His eyes widened with recognition, before he grabbed her into a big hug. “Holy shit, Katie! If I had known it was you I would have just let you two have the whole place!” He laughed, pulling back from her.

“Kai, why didn’t you tell me you were bringing Katie?” He scowled at me, before turning back to her with a cheshire grin. “You disappeared after High School! You know people thought you were dead?” He informed her.

“Well… Here I am. Alive and kicking. Besides you saw me in California,” she grinned. Then she looked over to me with a questioning look, “Dead? Really?”

I just shook my head. “Sorry, Alex. Yeah, Katie just moved back to town so we were catching up over dinner. We didn’t realize how late it was. I am sorry for keeping your staff,” I apologized, shaking his hand and patting his back.

Suddenly, the doors to the dining hall burst open and two armed police officers entered in front of one of the waitresses who ran out earlier.

“That’s them! They attacked my boss because he told them to leave. The woman is violent!” She yelled, pointing at us.

“Sir, I’m going to need to see your hands?” One of the officers said, looking at me still holding Alex’s arm.

I immediately let go of Alex and put my hands up. Katie, a second behind me, threw her hands up as well.

“Who the fuck called the police?” Alex yelled. “Officers, these are two of my oldest friends from high school. I don’t know why you were called, but there is nothing going on here.”

The second officer holstered his weapon, and approached us. “We had a frantic call that a customer was belligerent and assaulted the owner of the establishment. We responded with appropriate caution,” he explained, gesturing for his partner to stand down.

Alex shook his head. “The only belligerent person in the room was me. I didn’t realize who this was and came in screaming. I lunged for Kai here, and Katie took me to the ground until I calmed down,” he admitted.

“You were assaulted?” The first officer attempted to clarify.

“No,” Alex corrected. ”I was about to assault my friend here for staying so damn late, but his beautiful date reminded me that I owe my business to her, and I should calm the fuck down.”

The first cop began eyeing Katie, and I didn’t like it. I pulled her behind me. Alex noticed as well, and began ushering the two officers toward his office at the back of the restaurant to clear up the matter. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but then Alex started yelling.

“There are no charges to be pressed, Karen! I don’t care what your real name is! Did you have the police on speed dial? Shut the fuck up before I fire you!”

Alex refused to allow the police to take our information, stating if anyone should be written up, it would be him for verbally abusing a customer. Eventually, they left and so did we.

I promised to come back another night with Katie to catch up with Alex, and then apologized again to the grumbling staff as we left the barn. It was after midnight as we walked out to the car. How did we always lose track of time in that barn?

* * *

Katie’s Point of View

Kai opened my door for me again, and let me settle into my seat before he closed it and walked around to climb into the driver’s side. He sat there for a minute staring straight ahead into the dark.

“Kai?” I asked not wanting to disturb his thoughts, but wanting to know what he was thinking. We were having a good night, and then I body slammed one of our childhood friends into the ground.

The police were called.

I knew Alex took the heat for everything, but I could have just as easily been arrested for assault. Then what? They would see that I was a veteran with post traumatic stress, and lock me up. Or worse, forcibly medicate me. My mind was spiraling, waiting for Kai to say anything.

He was quiet for a long moment, before he started the car. As we drove back through the farms and headed through town, the inside of his car remained eerily quiet. Kai was mulling something over, and I decided to let him think it through before pressuring him to speak.

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