Page 61 of Common Grounds

“You seem like a nice guy.” Derek tries to put his hand on Trevor’s shoulder again, but he sidesteps, and Derek stumbles a step forward.

“Don’t touch me,” Trevor warns. He raises his hands, palms out.

“Whatever. Listen, I’m just looking out for you,” Derek insists.

A muscle in Trevor’s jaw ticks. “I’m a big boy. I can make my own choices, thanks.” He turns to me, his amber eyes darkening in a different way. “Ready to go?” he asks me.

“Yes, please.” I try not to go weak at Trevor’s gentle treatment of me. I want to kiss him so badly—for the way he’s looking at me now, for the way he defended me in the bar, for the way he doesn’t seem to care about Derek. But I am not doing that in front of my ex.

I scoff at Derek, who has his arms folded and is wearing a scowl. “Go home and sober up. No one likes a sloppy drunk.”

“No one likes you,” Derek spits out. It’s a stupid comeback, and I bark a laugh at the childishness of it, but before I can tell him so, he reaches out and grabs Trevor’s shoulder again.

Trevor spins around, brushing Derek’s hand off his shoulder, then uses both his hands to push Derek squarely in the chest. “Don’t touch me,” he grinds out as he pulls his hands backward in a clear I-don’t-want-to-fight-you motion. But drunk Derek loses his balance and falls straight on his ass.

Trevor backs another step away with his hands still raised. “I don’t want to start anything, man, but you can’t talk to her like that.”

Everyone else seems frozen for a second. Violet wears a smug grin. Mike looks like he’s never been prouder. I’m not exactly sure what to feel, but I know I’m gaping at the scene.

Trevor turns toward me and puts his hand on my back, trying to lead me away. I all but fall back into his touch, happy to let him take me wherever he wants, but before we can get too far, Derek scrambles to his feet and grabs Trevor’s shirt, effectively whipping him backwards and away from me. Trevor manages to spin and shove Derek off of him again, but Derek is ready for it this time and is able to stay on his feet.

“Back off,” Trevor grits out, but Derek was never one to listen to reason. He runs at Trevor, barreling into his torso and landing a couple of hard punches to Trevor’s ribs as the two men fall to the ground. Trevor grunts a few times as the punches land, and I wince at the sound of flesh meeting flesh.

Before I know it, Trevor flips Derek over and lands a punch right on Derek’s jaw. Derek cries out as his arms fly up to cover his face, but Trevor doesn’t seem to be making any more moves.

I’ve never seen a bar fight before, so I’m not really sure what to do. Luckily, Violet and Mike take the break in the action to jump in. Mike grabs Trevor under his arms and heaves him off Derek. Derek jumps to his feet looking like he’s going to attack again. Vi stands in front of him, arms out to try to back him away.

Derek throws his head back and cackles. “She’s a damn ice queen,” he jeers. “Surely, you’ve noticed no one in her life but this bitch”—he throws a hand at Vi, who blocks it—“can stick around more than a couple years.”

Trevor almost charges forward again at that, but Mike grabs his shoulders and drags him away.

“He’s not worth it, buddy,” Mike says in Trevor’s ear. “Walk away.”

“She’s worth it,” Trevor shouts. My heart wants to beat out of my chest. Somehow, even in the midst of Derek’s absurd reminder that so many people have left me in the dust, Trevor’s words mean more. I want to crash my lips to his and show him exactly what it means to hear that I’m worth it, but while these two are both still foaming at the mouth, it isn’t the time.

“I’m pressing charges!” Derek yells over Vi’s outstretched arm. “You shoved me, you prick.”

“I’m getting you out of here before the cops show up,” Mike tells Trevor as he pushes him into the passenger seat of what must be his car parked nearby. Mike closes the door on Trevor’s protests and jogs around to the driver’s seat to start the car. He drives away quickly.

“That asshole shoved me first. I want his information, Emery. Give it to me, now!” Derek is pressing his hand against a bloody gash on his cheekbone.

I whirl on him. “Get a grip!” I scream. “Why can’t you leave me alone? Or act like a grown man? We’ve been split for five years! Go home to Erika and get out of my life!” I don’t like to think about the woman he cheated on me with, and I spit out her name with all the disdain I feel.

“Well, joke’s on you because Erika dumped me.” His sarcasm falls flat.

“She finally saw you for your manipulative ways?” Vi sneers.

“Fuck you,” Derek seethes.

“Stop it, both of you!” I shout. “I don’t need to know how much you hate me every time I see you, Derek. Grow the fuck up. Drink some water, and do not come back here again.”

“I’m pressing charges!” he repeats.

“The hell you are,” I say through clenched teeth. I take a few steps toward him, pointing my finger in his face. “You’re lucky I don’t do the same to you for harassment. Now leave.”

He sputters for a moment, then sharply juts out his chin. “Fine. I’m leaving. But because I have a job to do in the morning, not because you told me to.” He curls his lip. “A real job, unlike yours.”

I stare at him flatly, unphased. “Good one. Get out of my sight.”

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