I whip around. “Thefuck?” I yell. “What the hell is your issue, Bundy? Stuck in the past because you peaked in high school?”
“Still a mouthy little shit, I see,” he sneers. “You got off easy back then! I’ve been hoping to run into you foryearsnow. You deserved way worse for what you did to me!”
“WhatIdid toyou? Good thing you got kicked off the team — sounds like you can’t afford to lose any more brain cells!” I fire back.
Bundy aims a black scowl in my direction. “Fuck you, twerp. You ruined my life! Instead of working a shit job for my old man, I could’ve gone to college and done something with myself.”
Seething, I bark out a bitter laugh. If Errol had a parent willing to step up and support him, never mind employ him, who knows where he’d be today? “College isn’t how you do something with your life. Beingmotivatedis how you do something with your life,” I snap. “Grow thefuckup, already. I’m done with this shit.”
I make an attempt to get around him, but Bundy steps towards me, blocking my escape. He’s still bigger than I am, even if he is soggier now. He cracks his knuckles. My anger at this entitled dickhead is still white-hot, but it’s being rapidly supplanted by an icy squiggle of fear in my guts as he draws closer. I was at the edge of the audience watching the band before, and I can tell he’s trying to force me out of the crowd’s sight line —which would put me in deep shit.
The band starts up its next set.Fuckme. Any prayer I might have had of someone hearing a shout for help just evaporated. And fuck meagain, because Bundy nods at a couple of guys who peel themselves off the crowd and join him. I recognizeone from high school. He played football, too, but now he’s drawn and unshaven with darting, pinprick eyes. The second guy is unfamiliar, built like a brick shithouse with a nose that’s definitely been broken.
“What the fuck?” It doesn’t slow down my quickening heartbeat, but relief sweeps over me when I hear Errol’s voice. All four of us turn to see him storming over. A deeper dread stabs into my guts when I realize he’s alone.
“I heard you yelling,” he says, taking in at a glance my soaked appearance and the three guys ringing me.
Bundy gets in his face. “Stay the hell out of this, dude! I’ve got some unfinished business with this guy, and it’s none ofyourfucking concern.”
I realize Bundy doesn’t recognize Errol as his eyes snap back to me. “It’s fucking payback time, Knight.” He punches into his palm. “By the time I’m through taking that football scholarship you cost me out of your skinny ass,you’llbe the one missing brain cells.”
Errol turns on Bundy in a fury. “Thisismy business. Get the hell out of here, and get the hell over yourself — it’s not like you were ever going to do more than warm the bench playing ball in college.” He throws me a quick glance. “You OK, babe?”
Bundy blinks at him in stupefaction for a moment before his expression turns incredulous. “Skunk?”
Errol’s eyes darken with anger until they’re nearly black. Honestly, I’m not sureIrecognize him right now. “It’s Errol, asshole,” he snaps.
Bundy’s eyes narrow as his eyes dart between Errol and I. “Ohhh…” He smirks. “I got it. You fucking dweebs always were a couple of —”
With one stride, Errol inserts himself between the two of us, a split-second before my sweet, submissive Babydoll hauls off and punches Bundy’s insult straight back into his fucking face.
Bundy staggers back, cursing as blood streams from his nose. My stomach turns a little when I realize itdefinitelywasn’t at that angle seconds ago. Errol brings the hand that’s not still balled into a fist to his mouth and blows an ear-piercing whistle around two fingers. “Get the fuck out of here, lowlife,” he snarls.
The goon with the busted-up nose charges at Errol. With panic and adrenaline fueling me, I do the unthinkable: I launch myself at him. I jump high enough to throw an arm around his neck as I slam into his back. He shoves my arm away and, predictably, shakes me off with relatively little effort, sending me and my ego alike tumbling onto the pavement.
Fuck, I suck at this. My heart sinks as Bundy rushes back into the fray, face bloodied and fists up. And then —thank God — the fucking cavalry shows up in a blur of ponytails and leather vests and tattooed arms.
Washed-up high school jocks don’t stand a chance. As soon as Bundy’s within reach, AJ grabs him by the collar of his shirt and the waistband of his jeans. He lifts him as easily as he’s been picking up serving trays all day and launches him at his former teammate.
AJ and his biker buddies make short work of all three dickheads as Errol races to my side. He takes me by the elbow, guiding me out of the fray to a couple of folding chairs near the back door of Finn’s.
“Sit,” he says. I’m embarrassed to feel my knees trembling as I do. Errol scoots the second chair closer until we’re nearly touching. “Are you OK?”
I nod, shamefaced. IamOK, technically —a fact for which I can take exactly zero credit. The fact that Errol had to come to my rescue is both mortifying and disorienting. It was always the other way around before: When we were kids, I was the one inserting myself between Errol and whoever wanted to hurt him.
“Thank you for bailing me out of getting my ass kicked,” I mumble. “Sorry I dragged you into that mess.”
Errol looks indignant. “Don’t be sorry! Nothing about that shitshow wasyourfault. That immature asshole obviously wanted to pick a fight, and he wasn’t going to leave you alone until he got one. What would you expect me to do —stand there and watch? I wouldn’t let him hurt you!”
Seeing this new, unfamiliar side of Errol gives me a different perspective and a whole new appreciation for the grit that lies within him. I think back to this morning. Watching his strong shoulders and his easy rapport with the bikers, I felt… not humiliated, but sure as fuck humbled.
“I really admire you,” I blurt out. Errol blows out apfftand I feel myself frown.
“No, really. I know you might not always feel like it, but you carry yourself with a confidence that I envy. Maybe you look at yourself and see what you’renot, but I see what youare. You’re strong, you’re loyal, you’re handsome.” I huff out a sound that’s not really a laugh. “You’re so much tougher than me.”
Errol lowers his forearms to his thighs, drops his head and starts shaking it slowly without saying a word. I hope he’s not pissed-off at me. I’m confused when he suddenly snickers, then breaks into a full-throated gale of laughter as he straightens back up.
“What’s so funny?”
