Breaking Masks

by Josh Aterovis

  “I didn't touch you,” Erin replied calmly.

  Becca actually stopped screaming and stared at Erin in surprise. “I have a room full of witnesses. You can't deny it!”

  Erin turned to Alex who was staring at Becca as if trying to figure out why she was bleeding all over the floor. “Did you see anything?” she asked.

  “Nope. What happened?” Alex said.

  “I didn't see anything either,” someone piped up from a nearby table.

  “Me either,” someone else said.

  “I think she ran into the door,” I heard Carlos say from behind me. “Clumsy bitch.”

  “Did anyone see anything?” Miranda asked, wiping the last of Becca's spittle from her face with a napkin someone had handed her.

  “No,” everyone in the room roared in unison.

  Erin faced Becca with a look of grim satisfaction. “You should really be more careful,” she said warningly. Her words obviously carried a double meaning. “Stay away from my friends.”

  Becca sputtered for a few more seconds, then turned suddenly on her heel and ran from the room. A round of applause rippled through the room.

  “No, really,” Alex said after a few moments of silence. “What happened?”

  Everyone in the room started laughing and the mood was broken. Erin turned to Kody and me with a grin. “Well, we provided the evening's entertainment. Dinner is on you two.”

  We finally sat down around the two tables the boys had pushed together, Kody sitting in my lap.

  “Damn, babe,” Carlos said with a note of awe in his voice. “I knew you could take care of yourself, but that was some punch.”

  Erin rubbed her fist. “Growing up with three older brothers had some advantages.”

  “Yeah, you just had to show me up,” Miranda said. “I only backhanded her, you had to go and throw a punch. And I'm the one who has to go and get shots now. The bitch spit on me!”

  “I'm really sorry, guys,” I said suddenly.

  Everyone including Kody spun to look at me. “Sorry for what?” Roy asked.

  “That all of you got dragged into this. This was between me and Becca and it ended up involving everyone I care about.”

  “Oh please,” Miranda said dismissively.

  “Jake, we're your friends,” Erin said. “We didn't get dragged into anything. We got involved because we love you and friends look out for each other. Trust me, it was my pleasure. I've wanted to hit her for a long time now.”

  I looked around the table, making eye contact with each and every person. Each looked steadily back and nodded in agreement with what Erin had said. I felt tears pricking behind my eyes. These were my true friends. They really did care about me. Enough to stand up for me, enough to drive over three-hundred miles to bring me back.

  Kody snuggled into me, reminding me of my best friend of all. I still couldn't believe I was lucky enough to have someone like him love me. After all we'd been through I knew we'd be able to face anything together.

  I felt the tears spill over as I squeezed Kody tight and bent my head to give him a soft kiss. I looked up to find everyone watching us with contented smiles.

  “Thanks guys. Thanks for everything.”