Free Slide by Michelle Congdon

both on the ground wrestling, swinging punches whenever they could.
    “Stop! Ryan, just stop! You’ll hurt each other!” I shouted, only realizing there were tears falling down my face.
    Just then, three older guys jumped in and tried to pry Ryan off Nick. Two of the football boys I’d recognized sitting with us earlier, chose that moment to jump in and attempt to do the same with Nick.
    “I’ll fucking get you next time I see you, you bastard,” Nick spat viciously.
    “If I ever see you near her again, I’ll find something harder than my fist to hit you with, scumbag.”
    “Get him the fuck out of here!” Hawke shouted from directly behind me.
    The men holding Nick back nodded and led him away into another room. The three boys holding Ryan sat him down on the sofa and instructed him to calm down.
    “Baby, you’re losing it! She’s fine. It’s all right. He’s just drunk,” one said. Baby?
    “You’ve got to calm down, Baby,” said another.
    I watched on, still in shock, as Ryan sat there staring at the floor with his jaw clenched tight and his hands in tight fists, while he shook his leg impatiently. What on earth had gotten into him? One of the guys that had been helping him stood up and started making his way towards me.
    “I’m really sorry about that. The name’s Scott Heilmann. Are you alright?”
    I took Scott’s hand and shook it. “Evangeline,” I answered quietly, glancing at him briefly before turning back to Ryan. Was he going to be all right?
    “I’ve never seen him act that impulsive before. Sure, Baby, he has a temper but off the field like that? Unheard of. Are you a close friend of his or a relative?” I shook my head. I wanted to say I barely knew the guy but thought otherwise. “Well, that’s rather bizarre. Maybe he’s just had a little too much to drink. Today was pretty overwhelming for us all.”
    I tried to force a smile at Scott but it came out awkward.
    “I’m fine, Bucky. She’s Rupert Montgomery’s daughter.”
    Ryan was suddenly standing behind Scott. I saw a look of realization dawn on Scott’s face then. “Oh shit, I didn’t even put two and two together. Of course, you were here with Connor before. Well that kind of explains a few things but not your behavior, Baby.”
    Ryan ignored him. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” he asked firmly, staring right at me. Anger still simmered in his eyes. His question wasn’t a request.
    I turned to Hawke, who was still standing protectively beside me. He just shrugged and whispered that he’d wait here until I came back. I thanked him and turned back to Ryan.
    All I could do was nod before Ryan grabbed hold of my arm roughly and dragged me away.
    “Have you fucking lost your mind?” Ryan barked, once we were alone in a quiet corner of the venue.
    “ Me? Why are you mad at me? You’re the one that attacked another guy in public.”
    “Fuck, Evangeline!” He threw his hand up and scrubbed his face in annoyance. “Couldn’t you see what he was doing to you? I heard you tell him no and he kept going and you just let him!” Whoa. What?
    “Wait just a minute!” I snapped, refusing to let him speak to me that way. “No, I didn’t ‘just let him’. I was in the process of telling him off before you came and tried to beat the shit out of him. It was my father’s funeral today, of all days! What’s your problem anyway?”
    “Scumbags like that are my problem!” he growled, pointing a long, firm finger in the direction from which we came.
    “Yeah, well you don’t have to take it out on me, asshole!”
    “Oh, so I’m the asshole? For sticking up for you?”
    Man, this was getting nowhere. Why wasn’t he giving up and letting this go?
    “You didn’t have to go crazy. You could’ve told him politely.”
    He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, because your technique was working very well for you.”
    I glared at him. I wasn’t upset anymore, I was angry. “You’re such an ass! You know that?” I