It's Time to Exact Some

You head back over with Dirk just in time to see Scott stumble out of your room as if pushed. The door slams shut behind him with such a resounding crash, it makes your ears hurt. You look over at Scott, who brushes his shirt off.

"Yo, Jack-man." He says with a weak smile. "I...uh...think Alicia wants some alone time with Melody."

"Alicia!" You yell at the door. "Let me in! I have to see Melody!"

"No, you don't!" She yells back, somewhat angrily. "This is not a place for men right now. This is a safe haven for women. You three will wait outside!"

"What?!" You exclaim. "But she needs me right-"

"It's okay, Jack." Melody's weak voice said. "Thank you for being there for me...but I need Alicia right now, okay?"

"Oh...okay. Whatever you need." You reply, slightly dejected. You feel cast aside and unimportant, when this is the time you want to show how much of a supportive rock you can be.

"Let 'em be." Dirk put a hand on your shoulder. "I think she needs to be able to converse with member of the same gender right now."

"I just hope Alicia's not speaking ill of me..." You mutter, fearing the worst. Really, your mind is still stuck on the bruises along your friends body and how much it hurt your heart to see them.

"I wouldn't fret about it." Dirk shook his head. "Alicia has taken many courses on **** counceling. She knows when the right and wrong time to bring things up is. She isn't going to be turning this around on you, not now."

"I guess." You lean up against the wall and sigh, dropping your head. "I just want to be there for her and instead I feel so useless."

"I think she knows." Dirk assures you, leaning up next to you on the wall. Scott does the same on your other side. The three of your lean there in silence for several minutes before Scott finally speaks up.

"Sooo...you guys wanna go beat the shit out of Keith?"

"Yes. Yes I do." You reply, pushing off of the wall.

"Killer." Dirk cracks his knuckles. "Then let us prepare Plan 'We'll Hold His Arms, You Punch Him In The Gut'."

"Wait, wait, wait." Scott holds his hands up. "We can't go beat up Keith like this, dudes. We're not in the right mind-set." You and Dirk both give Scott and odd look before the grinning man pulls out a half-finished joint from his pocket. "We need to get fucked up before we can go fuck him up."

"Word." Dirk grinned. "Light that one up and let's take a pre-war toke." Scott pulls out his silver lighter and lights up the joint. He takes a huff, then passes it to Dirk. The smaller man puffs a few times, then offers it to you.

"C'mon, Dirk. You know I don't..." You trail off as you remember the bruises on Melody's body. You're about to go fight someone bigger, stronger, and more athletic than you and there's no way you're going to back out. "Fuck it. Give me the goddamn thing."

"Yeeeeah!" Scott cheers as you take a cautious drag on the joint. The smoke burns your lungs and you cough it out wildly, trying to inhale fresh air.

"Breathe, dude." Dirk advises you. After a few seconds, you get your breathing under control. Everything feels slightly hazier to you, but it feels like you've been injected with liquid confedence.

"Well?" Scott asks, eager to know how your first experience was.

"Let's go wipe that preppy boy smile right off Keith's fucking face." You grin madly.

"Fuck yes!" Scott pounds a fist into an open hand. "It's Oscar De La Hoya time! Now where's this douchebag at, anyhow?"