Two Roads Split Off From Here

Beat Downs

Chapter Ten: Beat Downs

“Look, fem-boy and the dikey goth girl are still together?” a voice rang out from behind us.

I turned around and saw some of the jocks we went to school with. I was
surprised they still lived here.

“What do you guys want?” Matt asked.

“Oh nothing. No college classes tomorrow, no football practice. Thought we’d wander the town. Didn’t think we’d run into you two.”

“Fuck off,” I said.

One of them stepped towards me. “You want some fucking? I’d be happy to.”

“Hey, back off,” Matt said, blocking his path.

“What are you gonna do about it skinny boy?”

“Just fuck off and leave us alone,” I said. “Go find some sorority sluts.”

“And you think you can tell us what to do?”

I just casually gave him the middle finger.

“Yeah? Where and when sweetie?”

“That’s it. Back the fuck off and leave my girlfriend alone!” Matt shouted, then he punched the guy.

“Matt! Stop!” I shouted as he kept on punching the guy.

His friends didn’t help him either. They stood back. I actually looked at them, and asked if they could break this up. I tried to grab Matt’s arm and pull him away. I did once and he looked up at me.

“Matt, stop it. I think he got the point.”

He got back to his feet, and kicked the guy one more time. The guy had a bloody nose, and a black eye.

“Leave us alone,” I said.

I walked away, pulling Matt with me.

“God, what a fucking asshole,” Matt said.

“Matt, I appreciate it, but you didn’t have to do that.”

“I swear to fucking God one of them is gonna die soon.”

“Matt, just cool off. Let’s go to the tree house for a bit before you go home.”

He climbed up the ladder, and I went inside to grab an ice pack. I climbed up the ladder and sat next to him. I grabbed his hand and placed the ice pack over his swollen knuckles. His other hand went under my chin and he tilted my head upwards to look in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Lisa.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about it. You’re the only person I know that would stick up
for me like that. Okay, and maybe Steph too.” I laughed a little.

“You know? We should run away somewhere,” he said.

“Huh?”

“Work for a couple more months, then just take off.”

“Sounds like fun, but what about our friends?”

“What, we all have e-mails.”

“Matt, we can’t just leave our friends behind.”

“Ok, fine. We’ll all run away together. I wanna get out of here.”

“I do too, Matt. I really do. I know you hate it here, and I do too. I’ve always hated
it here.”

“I wanna promise you something. Once we save up enough money, we’re gonna move far away from here.”

I smiled at him again, and nodded. “We will.”

He leaned towards me and gave me a kiss. I kissed him back.

“How’s your hand?” I asked.

“Feels better. I’m gonna head home. I got work tomorrow.”

I smiled at him, once again. We kissed one more time, and he climbed down the ladder. I watched his silhouette walk away towards his house. I then just sat and stared off into space for a little while longer before heading inside and to bed.