Page 10 of Goldilocks
“Mary.” Sam got up. She advanced another step, and this time one of Fionn’s friends caught her arm before she could land another slap. Sam shoved between them, arm flat on the guy’s chest.
“Let go,” Sam warned. He racked his brain, trying to figure out how to de-escalate without making things worse. Having Mary apologise? She’d rather die. Fionn apologising? Just as unlikely, though he was probably more reasonable than she was.
“Let me go,” Mary growled.
Sam twisted, seeing she’d been grabbed on the other side. Sam’s eyes flashed down, seeing her tiny wrist in a hand that dwarfed it. Seeing her getting yanked.
Sam turned away from the guy he’d pushed off her. “Stop it.” He reached.
Mary erupted into violence; the guy holding her wrist cursed at her, threatened her. She spit words back. Insulting everything she could about him and more. Sam’s arm was wrenched back. He tried to free himself, but the guy he’d turned his back on didn’t let go.
Sam stumbled, hearing anoofat his ear. “Get the fuck off me!” the guy hissed.
“You pulled me onto you!” Sam snapped.
“Would you all stop—”
A ringing cut off Fionn’s shrill voice. Sam’s head jerked to the side, muscles in his neck lighting up like they’d been doused in Mary’s weaponised hot coffee. His heel caught on something, tripping him. Sam hit the ground, confused to find himself abruptly horizontal. To find the wooden beams of the cafe filling his vision, the grey underside of his table. Voices rose around him in a wave of white noise, and he lifted a hand to his cheek. Protectively cupping his aching face as he reorientated himself.
Dazed, he saw that his old neighbour and Eric were locked on to each other. Fionn and his friend were pulling their friend away. And for some reason, Nick – Connor’s broadly built, amber-eyed older stepbrother – was pulling Eric away. Eric’s pale skin was flushed red, his teeth bared as if he were ready to bite into his opponent. There was no trace of the timid man Sam had sat down with minutes ago. Mary and the guy she’d been screaming insults at had stopped their verbal fight to watch.
Shakily, Sam climbed to his feet. He blindly reached for his chair and sunk into it. He bit the inside of his cheek, his hip throbbing. He blinked. Blinked. Willed himself to get up and try to help, but even though he should, Sam really didn’t want to get into the middle of the melee.
The two were finally pulled apart, Fionn hauling his friend out of the cafe and muttering curses under his breath. Mary and the other guy seemed to remember they’d been in the middle of fighting and jumped apart, cursed at each other, and then the guy ran out after his friends.
Eric briskly shook off Nick and rushed to Sam. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice high and worried. The bloodhound had vanished; returned was the nervous young man.
“Fine,” Sam said. Mary and Nick hovered behind Eric’s shoulders as he crouched down and peered up at Sam’s face.
“That was a cheap shot,” Nick said.
Whatever kind of shot it was, Sam hadn’t seen it coming. “We should go. They’re not going to serve us anyway.”
“No, you’re fine,” Nick said. He twisted toward the counter and nodded to the worker. She raised an eyebrow in response. “It’s my roommate’s girlfriend working. She’s cool.” His foot crunched as he took a step, and Nick looked down at the broken cup beneath his shoe. Coffee stained the white floor tile.
Sam lifted his gaze to Mary. “You can help clean up,” he said flatly.
With a look of guilt, Mary went to the counter and asked the workers where their cleaning equipment was.
Eric’s hand hovered just beneath Sam’s jaw. He hesitated a moment before gently catching Sam’s wrist and pulling it away from his face. The action made Sam flinch, as if mere exposure to people’s eyes could hurt. “He punch me or what? I didn’t even see,” Sam admitted.
“He sure did.” Nick leaned against one of the chairs. “He had psycho eyes. Didn’t look the slightest bit worked up when he did it.” Nick twisted, looking at the door they’d exited through. “He’s familiar… I’m pretty sure I knew him when I was younger.”
“He used to be around during the summers,” Sam said. “Lived a few doors down from me.”
Eric released Sam’s wrist and straightened up. “I’m going to ask if they have any ice packs.”
Eric was gone and back in seconds and offered a cloth to Sam. He took it, and whatever was wrapped inside chilled his fingers. Sam sighed in relief as he pressed it to his face, the cold working to numb the ache.
Nick nodded at Sam. “All good? Want me to stick around for moral support?”
Sam snorted. “Morals are all fine. Thanks, Nick.”
“You’ve got my number if you need me.” Nick went to the counter.
Sam was sure everyone in the cafe was staring at him, and he worried that someone had called security and trouble was on the way.
Eric continued to watch Sam with worry in his eyes as Mary returned and quickly cleaned her mess. Her expression was solidly set in guilt when she retook her seat. She fidgeted, pursing her lips together before squaring her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Sam. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”