Chapter 1 #3
Moving past them to get to my bench, I freeze as I overhear part of the conversation.
“I don’t know why you thought you’d be welcomed back here,” someone says. I think it was Frank. I snap my head up sharply, but they’re laser-focused on Luke, who seems to be trying his best to remain calm if the way he’s clenching his jaw is anything to go on.
I shouldn’t get involved, should I? I definitely shouldn’t get involved.
After all, it’s not really my fight, and Luke seems like he’s handling it fine on his own.
Right? But then, all I can think about is my old high school parable, the one I replayed over and over again about what would have happened if I’d been around when everything went down, and I suddenly feel queasy.
“You’re an abomination. Your kind doesn’t belong here,” Frank spews, reaching out and shoving Luke with a forceful push. He stumbles back against his bench hard enough that it rattles.
Oh, fuck no.
My blood runs cold, and I react without thinking. I’m surprisingly calm despite the seething rage roiling inside my chest as I take a few steps over and drop my hand on Frank’s shoulder, gripping it tight enough that he yelps in pain. I don’t let go.
“Now, that’s not a very nice thing to say, Frank,” I hiss through clenched teeth, never letting up the pressure on his shoulder. He turns and looks at me with wide eyes, and Nick and Henry take a cautious step back. Good.
“Jesus, lighten up, Carlson.” Frank forces a laugh, but he’s unable to hide the wince as I squeeze a little harder. “It was a joke.”
“It didn’t sound like a joke to me.”
“Okay, fine! I’m sorry!” Frank bleats out as the pressure gets to be too much, and then I finally let go. He rubs his shoulder a few times, then flashes me a sinister glare, a devilish smile on his lips. “What, are you gay for him or something?”
The rage boils over. “God, what are you? Five years old?” I snap back sharply, louder than I mean to. “So what if I was?”
I realize what I’ve said, but I’m too pissed to care.
They can tell they’ve crossed a line. It’s written all over their faces, and they’re cautious of what I’m going to do about it.
It helps that I tower over them, at least three times their size.
My height combined with my wide chest and broad shoulders tends to make me look intimidating, and this might be the first time I’m grateful for that fact.
By now, most of the shop has tuned into this shitshow, but it barely registers in my brain.
“Grow the fuck up, Frank,” I snap. “It’s 2023, for Christ’s sake.
If you think for one goddamn minute that this is something to ridicule people about, then your cerebral cortex is more deformed than I previously thought.
” Maybe it was too high-brow for this lot, but at least they know what an insult sounds like—even though I doubt they know what that part of the brain does.
“Come on, Ethan,” Nick pipes up nervously. “Lighten up, man. It was just a bit of fun.”
“No. You know, there’s one thing I won’t tolerate, and that’s being a fucking bigot at someone else's expense. I don’t give a shit what your personal opinions are, but anyone who wants to make this a problem for him will have a bigger problem with me.
” I look at the other guys who’ve surrounded us, staring them down for good measure, and I can see wary recognition that I’m not playing around in many of their faces.
There are a few murmurs in the crowd before it disbands, and as I turn back to the three original perpetrators with a stern glare, they all visibly flinch.
I never realized I had this much power to make grown men so nervous, but there’s a delicious feeling to that kind of ability. Maybe I should use it more often.
“If I catch any of you saying shit like that again, you’re going to be dealing with me,” I warn icily.
Henry and Nick don’t need encouragement to bolt like their lives have been spared, but Frank’s less willing to bow down in defeat. There’s a fire in his eyes as he shuffles away slowly, a challenge in his glare.
Good. Great. I’m sure that won’t come back to bite me in the ass someday.
I take a deep breath and drop my shoulders before I remember Luke is still standing behind me. I got so carried away that I’d almost forgotten he was there. Glancing back, I’m shocked to see that his face is dark.
“I didn’t need you to do that.” Luke’s voice is so quiet that I almost didn’t hear him. His cheeks are flushed, and he’s clenching his hands at his sides. Did I seriously fuck up again?
“Well…” I shrug, glancing over my shoulder at the cautious stares being turned my way. I can feel heat on my cheeks. “I was sick of hearing that shit anyway.”
I meet Luke’s eye briefly, but he quickly looks away. I shake my head, then retreat to my station and force myself to get back to work.
It’s impossible not to keep glancing at Luke, even though he is very pointedly ignoring me now. I thought I was doing the right thing, but judging by his reaction, maybe it would have been best if I hadn’t gotten involved after all.