“Can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked as I tugged on Matt’s arm again.

He pulled his arm back and gave me a strange look. He turned back to Lilly and grabbed her hand.  I watched as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. I wanted to rip his face off. The flirty smile he threw at her made my stomach turn. I knew exactly what he was up to and there was no way in hell I’d let that happen.

“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” he whispered to Lilly.

A pretty little blush covered her face and my anger spiked. I practically dragged him to the other side of the room and out of Lilly’s hearing range.

“You better start talking,” I growled.

He pulled his arm out of my iron grasp.

“What the hell’s your problem, Devin?”

“Why are you here with Lilly? Better yet—why are you even here at all?”

“I was invited. I’m her date.”

“The hell you are! You stay away from her. I’m serious, Matt. You stay the hell away from her!” I yelled a little too loudly.

A few of the guests turned and looked our way. Thankfully the shitty music they were playing helped to drown out some of what we were saying. Matt leaned in so that no one could hear.

“Look, man, you blew it. Get over it. Just stand back and watch the master work.”

Even though I wanted to knock him the hell out, I knew I couldn’t, not there, not at Lilly’s birthday party in front of her friends and family. I wasn’t going to give those snooty bastards a reason to look down on my any more than they already did.

“You need to go. You need to leave now,” I said as calmly as I could manage.

“Oh come on, Devin. Don’t act like you weren’t trying to get in her pants. I know you, dude. We’re cut from the same mold. Of all people, don’t even try to play me. I know the way the game is played,” he chuckled.

I was on my last thread. It took all the self-control I had to keep from busting him in the face with my fist. I took a deep breath and then turned my attention to where Lilly was standing.

She stared back at me with innocent brown eyes and I knew that no matter what I did, I’d make sure to keep Matt away from her.  I also knew that no matter what, I wouldn’t fight at her birthday party. I wouldn’t ruin her night or embarrass her.  The next words he uttered crushed those plans.

“You know… fat girls have low self-esteem,” he slyly whispered. “Lilly’s a pretty girl, if I play my cards right, I could be in that tonight,” he leaned away and laughed at his joke.

Fuck it!

I don’t remember what happened next, I think I blacked out from all the anger that crashed into me. All I know is when I finally came to I was standing over a bleeding Matt and there were four strange men pulling me away from him. I tried desperately to break away from their hold so that I could kill him. Another man came over and helped to keep me back.

I could hear them telling me to calm down. Some woman was telling me to leave. There were hushed whispers all throughout the room.  All I could think about was killing Matt with my bare hands.

“I’ll kill you!” I heard myself growl.

Females appeared from all around with towels to help control the blood that was pouring from Matt’s nose.

“You broke my damn nose!” I heard him sputter.

I tried again to break through the men holding me. My anger just wouldn’t go away. I’m usually calm and laid-back, but for some reason, Matt’s words just made me snap.

“I’ll break more than your nose when I get close to you again, you son of a bitch!”

Suddenly, Lilly appeared in front of me with disappointment in her eyes and I instantly stopped. Her friend Shannon was next to her staring at me like I was some kind of monster.

“Devin, what’s wrong with you?” Lilly whispered in a rush. “Please, stop.”

The begging look in her eyes brought reality back to me. She was embarrassed. Her face was red and she was cautiously looking around the room at the people who were staring at the scene playing out in front of them.

“Please leave—please, just leave,” she asked softly.

She looked up at me and the softness in her eyes calmed me even more. In a daze, I nodded and I felt the arms holding me back loosen. Before I left, I leaned over her so that only she could hear me.

“Get away when you can and meet me outside, I’ll wait all night if I have to. I miss you so much,” I ran my fingers down her cheek.

I’m not sure why I did it. I needed something to hold me in place, and her face seemed to be the only thing I could focus on without flipping out again. The softness of her cheek against my rough fingers kept me in check.