OE

Penalty Box. The blast of loud music and

y at me from the bar. She was wearing a bright

handed me a bubbling cocktail. "First one's on me! To celebra

lass and clinking it ag

p burn of alcohol slid down my

seed of unease that Philip's words had p

ends, Christina and Jared, arrived. The four of u

shadow fell over us. A drunk guy in a footb

iend looks pretty lame," he said, gest

red. Christina shrank

p, blocking the guy's view of C

there was always some entitl

please, leave us alone," I said. My

ned to anger at my tone. "Ooh, a spicy

foul wave of stale beer. His ha

was a public place. But his eyes,

rs were about to gra

echoed through

at me in disbelief. The area around

heart hammering against my

queezed out a few words through his teeth. "You

s phone and star

was a spotlight fixed on me. The football player held his rapidly

hone. "At The Penalty Box. Bring a f

bed my arm, her face pale

friends had already blocked our way,

wanted to protect my friend, but now I'

soft sobs cutting through the silence.

ing athletes. "Hey, man, we're all students here, no need for this..." Before he could

eized me. In the face of brute

ng in on me. "Weren't so tough when you

rds me, the humiliation in his

ng myself not to back down

ness. The second I d

ed their way through the crowd at the entrance. They whi

ched. We were comp

said, his eyes raking over me with a predatory gleam. "Do

knees and apologize, then chug this bottle; none of you are leavi

liquor? This wasn't a simple conflict anymore

ack, my spine hitting the co

es, filming, but not one person stepped in. We we

the time they arrived, we could be.

ntically, searching for a

h the dense crowd, and finally lan

t watching the commotion. He was

indifference and power radiating from him, setting him apart from everyon

ed... d

utterly stupid idea

chance. I had t

Casey, "Whatever happens next, don't m

y, I pushed past her and

players behind me reacted inst

g under their arms and running with

d, as I ran headlong towards t

nger. Please, plea

he looked up, his icy blue eyes wid

my arms around his neck, clo