“You bitch,” he spat, red gushing down his chin. I barely took note of what the rest of the room were saying even as I reached for Connie’s hand and gently ushered her toward Molly. I took a reluctant step backward holding his gaze, trying as hard as I could not to shrink under the fury in his eyes. Somewhere behind me, I could hear loud murmuring, Molly whispering to someone what else had happened.

“He was harassing Con,” I heard her say, “And Alex tried to step in, and—”

I didn’t dare to flinch even when he took a step forward, balling my other palm into a fist as if to goad him on. I raised an eyebrow in question and waited for him to back away but then my name was ringing through the room. My head snapped around to the side to watch Connie jump forward again but just as I opened my mouth to answer her Aidan took the chance to swing his fist, colliding against my face with such force that I barely managed to lift my hand to break my fall. A stabbing flare shot through my skull before I landed on the ground and I let out a cry that sounded foreign even to my own ears, both of my eyes squeezing shut before I could even begin to settle the ringing in my mind.

Connie screamed and knelt down at my side. I became aware of her touch before I was aware even of my own pain, where it was coming from and why, and her hands lifted me into an upright position. She cradled my jaw and traced gently over the side of my face even as I flinched away from her in pain, managing to pull open my left eye. My right eye, I realized then, was swollen shut. Connie’s face was inches from my own and her shallow breathing echoed mine, both of our chests rising and falling together.

“What the fuck, Gallagher? You can’t hit a girl,” somebody said. Jack, maybe. “Get the hell out of here.”

“Can you stand?” she asked me, her soft voice trembling. I nodded and she guided me up slowly, wrapping an arm around me. Aidan stalked out of the room and when the door slammed shut the rest of the group watched him go, nobody making a single move after him. Without even thinking I leaned into Connie, craving the warmth of her body at my side. Connie must have felt me stiffen for she wrapped her arm around me even tighter, and her head shot up to face the small group around us.

“We’re leaving,” she announced, half to the group and half to me. I looked up and saw Orla nod and sniffle, wiping at her cheeks before she squeezed Molly’s hand, unwavering at her side. The two of us rushed out of the house with as little fanfare as we could manage, into the cool night. I reached up to touch my face but Connie swatted my hand away instantly.