Page 86 of How We Fooled

I drop over in pain for a brief second before I see absolute red and lose all control as I swing on one guy while another one knocks me to the floor.

I jump to my feet just as another guy grabs me from behind and swings me around, only to hit me across the jaw.

My sight spins for a few seconds as the bartender runs up to us. “Break it up!”

The guys stop their assault as the bartender pushes me toward the door.

“You’re out of here.”

I stand my ground. “I’m not leaving without my girlfriend!”

“I’m telling you right now, if you don’t turn around and walk out of my bar, I will call the cops.”

I look him dead in the eye as I yell, “Call the cops. I’m not leaving without her!” I push him out of the way and try to get to Liza again.

Two guys hold me back and throw me to the ground, only to kick me on either side. The pain doesn’t register with each kick they give me because all I can think about is getting to Liza. I need to protect her. Something’s wrong. I don’t know what, but I’m not leaving her here alone.

They’ll have to kill me first.

Through the kicks, I’m able to push them off and hop to my feet, only to have another guy jump on my back, wrapping his legs around me with his arms around my neck, making it hard to breathe.

“Stop it right now, or I will put you to sleep,” he growls in my ear.

I can only take short breaths, and I start to feel the world fade around me, so I stop fighting him, and once he loosens his grip just enough for me to breathe, I inhale as deep as possible to get my bearings back.

I open my eyes once my vision comes back, only to see Liza not giving a damn about everything around her while she stares at the guy whose lap she’s on while she’s playing with his hair.

I’m still in a headlock, being held back even though I wish the guy would squeeze my throat again because it would feel better than how I feel now, seeing this.

I hear more commotion behind me and am yanked around, only to see another one of my absolute nightmares.

The cops.

“Okay, we’ll take it from here,” the first cop says as he takes my wrist, twisting it around and pulling it to my back right before he grabs the other one, slapping handcuffs on me. “You’re coming with us.”

The bar crowd starts clapping at my arrest.

They’re fucking clapping!

They have no idea what’s going on. No one knows I’m trying to protect the one I love.

What the fuck is going on?

I’m forcefully escorted outside as I fight every step. “You don’t understand. That’s my girlfriend in there. Something’s not right. She’s not okay. She doesn’t know those guys. We came together. Ask the waitress!” I beg for them to listen to me.

“Look, I don’t know how drunk you are, but I’m sorry the girl chose someone else. This is not how you handle it though.”

I fight against the handcuffs, trying to rip them off. “She didn’t choose someone else! Go ask her! Please. You have to believe me!”

The police officer opens his car door and places me inside, where I’m barely able to squeeze my feet in.

“Do you see yourself right now? You just got into a bar fight, and you really think I’m going to believe you?”

I drop my head back, banging it against the seat because I have to do something or I’ll lose my ever-loving mind.

“I’m telling you the truth. She came with me tonight. We’re staying at the cabins at the lake. She went to the bathroom, and when she didn’t come back, I went to find her, and she was with that guy!”

“How much have you had to drink tonight?”

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