Page 20 of Love in Pieces

My blood reaches its boiling point, a rage so fierce I swear I could throw fire. My jaw clenches and my fists ball tightly. I turn back to Sam, who looks more annoyed than anything. “You just made it my fight.” I charge at Sam like a safety defending the end zone. A right hook connects with his jaw, sending him backward into the gathered crowd.

Bright lights of cell phones circle us. Students point and gasp. Some even laugh. I can’t let this continue. My luck grows when Logan runs out of the house and stands between Sam and me. He holds both hands out in either direction, forcing the fight to stop.

“Get the girl,” Logan hisses, now forcefully holding Sam back, who’s fighting to get to Abby.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” Sam yells over Logan’s shoulder.

To my surprise, Abby speaks up this time, her voice a heavy slur. “Fuck you, Sam! We’re done!” she wails through breathy sobs.

“The hell we are!” he yells back, trying to push past Logan. “You don’t get to make that decision!”

“Dude, don’t even try,” Logan warns, grabbing a fist full of his shirt and pushing him back farther.

Once I know Logan has a handle on Sam, I kneel next to Abby, offering a hand. She flinches, turning her head and squeezing her eyes shut. “Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She turns her head back, glancing at me, then at Sam. “I’m so sorry,” she mutters, meeting my eyes.

I can tell she’s tired. Not just from the drinking and the late night, but a deep exhaustion forcing its way out. Her blue eyes make it impossible to look away. “Don’t apologize,” I say calmly, but Sam pulls me out of my trance.

“You better be sorry, bitch!” Sam yells, getting antsy again. He takes another step in our direction.

“You need to leave,” Logan says sternly, shoving Sam backward again. “Go home.”

I sigh heavily before standing up and marching over to Sam. He takes a step back but doesn’t back down. “Go. The fuck. Home.”

Sam shakes his head but inevitably turns to leave, a sly smile playing on his face. He holds his hands out wide. “You know what? Fuck you all. And fuck you, Abby. You’ll come crawling back. You always do!” But he’s not done there. He turns to address Logan, then looks directly at me, his pompous smile making him look like a lunatic now. “Have fun with her. She’s a nutcase.” And with that, he leaves, storming down the sidewalk. A moment later, tires squeal on the asphalt past the house.

We go back to where Abby sits on the grass after we’re sure Sam is gone for good. The crowd slowly disperses, whispers taking over the sound of the music seeping from the house. “Are you okay?” I ask, kneeling next to her.

Her sobbing slows as she gathers herself. She takes short sharp breaths in between exhales. “Yeah.”

“Can you stand up?” I ask, offering a hand again.

She takes it softly. “Yeah.” She grips my hand harder as she shifts her weight.

Logan grabs her other arm and helps me stand her up. She wobbles a little, leaning heavily against Logan. “Woah, take it easy. How much have you had to drink?” Logan asks.

“What ‘r you, cop?” she stutters.

Logan chuckles and shoots me a glance. “No, ma’am. But I’ll take it you’ve had plenty.”

“Issa party. What’u espec?”

“Let’s get you sat down on a step,” I offer as Logan and I lead her to the front steps. She leans her head against the railing and closes her eyes, taking a long deep breath.

Logan watches her momentarily before we walk a short distance away out of her earshot. “First of all, what the hell was all that about?” he hisses. “And second of all, do you even know her?”

“I don’t know what that was about, but I’m not going to just stand around and watch it happen. Dude didn’t look like he was going to leave her after one hit. And no, not really, but I bumped into her earlier and spilled her drink all over her. I showed her a bathroom that no one uses so she didn’t have to wait in line.”

“What a gentleman,” he quips, shaking his head. “So, what now?” He glances back at Abby, who seems to have fallen asleep.

I rub the back of my head. “I don’t know. But I do know that if she lives with him, she can’t go home to that guy.” I pause, taking a moment to breathe. “Are you okay to drive?”

Logan looks at me confused. “Yeah? Why?”

“Can you go get the car?”

“Dude, she’s piss drunk. You can’t just take a random girl home,” he tries to reason with me.

---