Free Charlotte's Tangled Web: L.B. Pavlov by L. B. Pavlov

the team, Logan and Chase, and they were anxious to talk to Sean and me about something. “Dude! Blane is acting crazy. He is really pissed that he didn’t get to play much. He’s saying things about getting Coach Pank fired, and he’s being an asshole.”
    Gomez continued uncomfortably, “He’s trying to start a fight with everyone he runs into. I don’t know why he even came to this party, but I’m staying clear of him.”
    “Where is Charlotte?” I asked apprehensively. I was not concerned with the douche bag as long as he wasn’t with her. Logan said that he saw her talking with Steph and Kathleen in the other room and that she seemed to be having a good time, but that she had been looking for me as well.
    I moved into the next room, and first I saw Blane, who was drinking straight from the keg in the kitchen as people stared at him in shock. I saw Charlotte in the adjacent room, talking to Kathleen and Steph and a few other girls. She seemed to be having a great time, and I was happy for her. When she looked up and saw me, her face lit up. She rushed over and gave me a big hug.
    “I’m so proud of you, Daniel! You really did great tonight. I saw your parents on my way out of the stadium, and they were so happy,” she said proudly.
    “Thanks, Charlotte. Hey, make sure you drive home with me tonight, OK?” I said firmly.
    “Sure. I hope Blane won’t mind, but I think it would be easier to drive home with you,” she said.
    She obviously had no idea her date was chugging beer and picking fights in the next room. But she didn’t seem to be missing him one bit. I stood with Charlotte and the girls, and I listened to their funny conversation. She kept looking up at me and smiling. It was nice to see Charlotte having some fun and laughing with her friends.
    Kathleen asked me if I knew where she could get a bottle of water because she was thirsty. I asked the other girls if they would like something to drink too, and I went to get them a couple bottles of water. When I got to the kitchen to grab some waters, I couldn’t believe what I saw: Blane was making out with Crystal Bryant in the kitchen. I thought, this just might be the king of all douche bags. He saw me walk in, and he pushed Crystal away.
    “Dude! Guy code! You can’t say anything!” he shouted at me in a slurred voice. This guy was absolutely out of his mind.
    “I’m not your dude, and I’m not your friend. I think you just need to leave now. That way no one gets their feelings hurt,” I said, holding back what I wanted to say to him.
    “Go to hell, Daniel!” he shouted as he grabbed two beers and stormed out of the kitchen.
    I tried to follow him, but the kitchen was crowded with people. I saw him stumble into Charlotte, and her sweet smile turn into a horrified and frightened look. This prick had pushed me too far. He shoved a cup of beer in her face, spilling it all over her. She pushed the cup away, and then she attempted to push the douche bag away. I tried to get to her, but people were in the way now, standing around and pretending not to watch.
    I heard her say, “I don’t want a beer, Blane!” She definitely sounded angry.
    He screamed at her, “You need to loosen up, Charlie! You’re no fun at all. You don’t get to do this to me twice,” and he moved to grab her arm roughly just as I was finally approaching them.
    She tried to push him away again, and I saw her friends struggling to help her pull out of his grasp. That was all I could handle. I rushed up beside him, and I punched him in the face. He fell to the floor as he let go of her arm, and she stared at us in shock.
    Blane was on the ground, slurring his words and acting like an idiot. He was screaming, “You’re not going to leave with him, Charlie! You came with me! You leave with me! Do you hear me?”
    She looked down at him in horror and looked back at me with her big, brown, innocent eyes, complete trust evident in her face. She clasped her hand into mine,