Chapter12
Keith
As I focused close on her features from the dimly lit room and the pulsating muste surprise enveloped me. My heart skipped a boat as I froze, my eyes
locked on her.
It was truly her, Rose.
If it wasn’t for her eyes, I might have missed recognizing her altogether. The distance of mo into a sharper, more refined version of its former self
more than a decade had altered her features, sculpting her face
She appeared thinner, almost fragile, a gloomy contrast to the vibrant, beautiful girl I remembered from our high school days. The passing time had etched its mark on her, but those innocent eyes remained unchanged, sparkling with a hint of the same kind–hearted spirit that had captivated me so long ago
Memories cam
came flooding back Rose in the school hallway, in class, sometimes glancing at those hazel eyes that made my heart race.
As her eyes moet mine, a jolt of electricity ran through my veins, transporting the back to a time when life was simpler, and my heart was full of hope. For a fleeting instant, the years melted away, and I was once again the lovestruck teenager, garing into the eyes of the girl who had captivated me
The memories came flooding back the way my heart skipped a beat when she smiled, the way my palms grew sweaty when she was near, the way I felt like I was drowning in the depths of her eyes. It was as if no time had passed at all, and I was still that awkward, smitten teenager, desperate to make her
Her gaze broke away, and she turned back to the person calling her. Her movements tense, as if she was trying to hold herself together.
I was left standing there, my heart racing, my mind reeling, wondering I’d imagined the whole thing. Why would I suddenly hallucinate about her though?
“Taylor, what the hell? Roman exploded, his voice echoing through the room.
“Who gave you permission to bring in dancers?” Byron’s face turned beet red with rage.
“Relax, guys, they’re not strippers,” Matias interjected with a sly wink, trying to diffuse the tension.
“You’re in for a world of hurt, Taylor,” Dexter growled, his voice low and menacing, as he struggled to contain his anger. It was rare that you’d see him losing his calm “Keith is going to lose it when he sees this!
Taylor’s grin twisted into a wicked smile as he sneered,
“Keith’s an upright bastard, and so are the rest of you. You all need lessons on how to have fun.” His laughter sent a chill down my spine, the sound dripping with hostility.
1 stood there, paralyzed by rage, my mind reeling from the toxic mix of alcohol and fury. My head was slightly heavy clouding my thoughts, as I struggled to contain the explosive anger building inside me, all directed at Taylor’s smirking face.
“Well, well, well! Look what we’ve got here Keith Nelson! His irritating voice echoed through the room, as his gaze landed on me, his words dripping
with a sarcastic enthusiasm that made my skin crawl.
The sudden interruption shattered the fragile surprise I was surrounded by, and I watched in dismay as she flinched, her head cast down like a startled
animal.
“Reunion of high school sweethearts,” he crooned,
ned, his voice dripping with malice, as be gazed at Rose and me with a wicked glint in his eye
As Taylor’s words boomed through the air, Rose’s eyes widened in terror, her gaze darting around the room like a sacrifice seeking escape.
Her slender frame began to tremble, her shoulders shaking with a quiet fear that made my heart ache. Taylor’s grin grow wider, his eyes glinting with a sinister light, as he reached out and grasped her wrist, his fingers closing around it like a vice.
“Come on, Rose, sit on my lap,” he cooed with false sweetness as he pulled her down, his filthy palms purposefully resting on the exposed skin of her thighs, as he grinned wide at me.
Her face went white, her lips parting in a silent protest as she tried to pull away. But Taylor’s grip only tightened, his fingers digging into her skin
I felt a surge of anger and helplessness as I watched Rose’s fear unfold before me. I wanted to intervene, to shield her from his predatory advances.
“Let good her Taylor,” I stopped. Something inside me broke free, and I unleashed a fury I’d never known I possessed.
My fists clenched, I charged at him, grabbing him by the collar and slamning into him with a force that sent us both crashing to the floor. Taylor’s smirking Late was the last thing I saw before my vision turned red.
I puraneled him with blows, my anger and frustration pouring out of me like a torrent. He tried to defend himself, but I was relentless, driven by a ragel couldn’t contain,
The room erupted into chaos as our friends rushed to Intervene, shouting and trying to pry us apart. But I was beyond reason, consumed by a singular focus, to make him pay for his ridiculous game.
-12
Fists flew, and bodies collided as the fight spilled out into the room, with both Matias and Taylor ending up with a bloodied nose or split lips. I was panting and puffing by the time I was done with them.
