Looking more intently, the group looked like...the baseball team. And the guy was yelling at Brent. Because of course he was. And of course Brent looked as cool as a cucumber while it happened.

The guy took a swing. Brent backed up a few steps, laughing while a cigarette hung from his lips.

“I’m going to go see what’s going on out there,” Garrett said, easing himself out of the booth.

“Wait,” I grabbed his wrist. “Don’t.”

He gently pulled my hand off of his. “I’ll be fine. Remember, I get tackled all the time.”

“Tackled, but not sucker punched!” I chased after him.

Garrett was already out the door. “Everything good out here?”

“Go back inside, Bradford,” one of the baseball guys called out.

The man who was screaming at Brent had a few guys with him. Screaming guy and Brent were on the ground instantly, throwing punches and grunting like cavemen. The rest of the group erupted into flying fists, shouts, and taunts.

There were shouts from inside about calling the cops. Brent rolled off of the guy, blood dripping from his lips, and had a deadly grin as he looked up at me.

Garrett stepped out in front of me, blocking my view and pushed me back towards the door. He turned around to face Brent sucker-punching him square in the jaw, throwing him out into the fight where he took a few more hits after taking down one of the other guys.

What a mess.

Luckily, the fight didn’t last much longer and Garrett slowly backed out looking as if he hoped that would be the end of it. The baseball team was victorious after they brought a few more men down while the others retreated, leaving their beaten members on the ground, probably hoping the baseball team wouldn’t follow them. Brent fist bumped one of his teammates to his left. “Fuck yeah, dude.”

Garrett looked like he took a few too many hits that hurt, but still came to inspect me. His eyes were full of concern as he searched my face. “You okay? Did anyone touch you?”

“No, I think I’m fine.” My eyes weren’t quite focused on his face.

“Sorry to crash your date, Blondie,” Brent called out as he and the team entered the diner. “I’ll cover the bill, don’t worry.”

Garrett was still looking at me, but my eyes caught Brent winking at me from inside, picking up a piece of my bacon and eating it.

“Let’s get you home.”

​Chapter 7

Brent

I hated working in this shit job for my shit grandfather. The Dictator. He was a demanding asshole who wanted answers and I was not prepared for another beratement about how I was a failure grandson once again. Those got tiring.