Page 52 of We Are the Stars

“Jase, please…”

“No!”

That one word is all it takes for Carsen to fly over the counter at him. It may have also been the way Jase slammed his hand down directly in front of me or the veins beginning to pop in his neck, or maybe even the way he lurched forward.

Bryan comes rushing out of the back room as a few customers scream. He grabs Carsen by the collar as he lands a second blow to Jase’s face, and Jase swings back but misses.

“Get in my office,now!” Bryan yells at Carsen, holding him as far away from Jase as he can, then turns to my best friend. “Get. Out. You’rebanned!”

“You employ a murderer! I’dnevercome back here anyway!”

I stand there, stunned.

What in the hell just happened?

“Go check on him,” Bryan calls over his shoulder as he stalks Jase out the door.

I don’t hesitate to follow his instructions. I’m so pissed off at Jase right now I’d much rather be in the same room as an angry Carsen.

“That son of a bitch!” Carsen curses, pacing back and forth. “I cannot believe him!”

Closing the door behind me, I move close enough to place a calming hand on his arm. He instantly freezes. I watch as he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He begins counting, and I assume it’s one of the “things” he does to calm his anger.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

“What? Don’t apologize. You have no reason to.”

“I attacked him.”

“He was a dick, a dick I refuse to associate with any longer.”

“He’s your best friend, Elliott.”

“Was. He was. After that stunt, past tense is required.”

Carsen sighs, and I step closer to him. He reaches out, grasping my hips and pulling me snug against him. My arms wind around his neck and his around my waist.

We stand there, holding one another.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats.

“I’msorry.”

He sighs and falls into me more. I squeeze him tighter.

The door opens and we burst apart.

Bryan ignores our awkwardness and flings himself into the chair behind his desk. He glares up at Carsen. “What the hell was that?”

“Bryan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost control. I—”

“I always thought he was such a good kid,” Bryan interjects. “He’s always treated you with respect, Elliott. But that? No. Screw that. Screwhim.I’m sorry, kid, but he’s not welcome here again. I know he was a little intoxicated—could smell it on his breath—but that’s no excuse. He’s banned, and he’ll be lucky if I don’t tell Nigel about this shit.”

Carsen stands there with his mouth open, staring at Bryan in confusion. Can’t say what’s happening is making much sense to me either.

“Bryan, I—”

“Take the rest of the night off, kid. You know what, both of you get out of here. We’re slow and it’s a Thursday night so it’s not like we’ll be hit with a rush. After all that kerfuffle out there, you both need a break.”

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