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I hoped it would, but what would that mean for us? Would Tanner push me away every time something bad happened to him? I didn’t think our relationship would be like this, but we had met during such a tumultuous time in our lives. What if we couldn’t withstand the chaos? The more I thought about it, the sicker it made me.
Mallory was right. I needed to forget about everything. Just for one night. I tried to fix my face and mustered a smile for my friend. She was the only thing I had to help get me through this, and I was grateful to have her.
We danced to songs from a mixture of decades. Soon, we were back at the bar for our second round. Mallory ordered happily as she bopped to the beat. Then, I watched as her expression suddenly changed.
“I don’t fucking believe it,” she spat.
I spun around to see what she was looking at, surprised by the two dark eyes looking back at me a few stools over.
Tanner. He wasn’t home with his family. He wasn’t crying in his room. He was here.
Tears instantly filled my eyes. I couldn’t help it. Did he lie about needing space? What was he doing here? I whirled around and pushed my way to the exit. I didn’t stop until I reached Mallory’s car.
Mallory was not far behind me when I saw Tanner shove past her. The closer he got, the more apparent it became that he was drunk. Had he been here drinking by himself? I didn’t remember seeing anyone with him. His eyes were glassy and bloodshot. He stumbled as he ran in a crooked line to get to me.
“Charlotte,” he breathed, taking my face aggressively into his hands. He covered my mouth with his, but he tasted like whiskey, and his kiss was too forceful. This wasn’t the Tanner I knew.
“Tanner, stop.” I pushed him off me.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he slurred.
“Have you?” Mallory snapped. “Because you sure as fuck have a funny way of showing it.”
Tanner squeezed his eyes shut as he swayed back and forth. “Please just let me explain.”
“I will let you explain when you’re sober. Not like this.” I yanked on the door handle of Mallory’s car.
Tanner grabbed my arm, stopping me from getting into the car. “Charlotte, wait. Please don’t leave.”
I tried to shake myself free from his grasp, but he was holding on too tightly. “Tanner, you’re hurting me. Let go!”
Mallory tried prying his fingers off my arm, but that only made him hold on tighter. “Get off her, you asshole!”
“You don’t understand! I can’t lose you, Charlotte!” he yelled, pulling me closer to him.
“You’re going to lose me if you don’t let me go, Tanner!” I felt a familiar panic twisting around my lungs as he clutched my arm.
When he didn’t let go, I did what I had to do. I kicked him in his kneecap and twisted his wrist until he released me.
“Oh, shit!” Mallory exclaimed.
Suddenly, TJ appeared out of nowhere. He spun Tanner by his shoulders and shoved him away from me. “Get in the fucking car.” Then, as if nothing had happened, he turned his striking eyes to me and smiled. “Nice work, Charlotte.”
“Where did you even come from?”
“I was having a drink with your boyfriend.”
“You know Tanner?”
“Right now, we have a love/hate relationship. Mostly the hate part, but … I think I’m growing on him.” He winked.
“Oh. Well, thank you for your help.”
He raised his hands in the air. “I didn’t do anything. That was all you, baby girl.”
“That was fucking amazing,” Mallory said. “I wish I’d gotten that on camera.”
I rubbed my arm. “I’m really worried about him, TJ.”
