Page 7 of Feel It All

We drive around for a couple of hours; it seems to be a pretty slow night. A few traffic stops, and we give them all warnings. Owen said he is feeling gracious tonight, and I am not complaining; tickets are a pain. We make our way back into town when I notice a similar black dress and what looked like a guy yelling at her.

“Pull in here, looks like this couple is yelling at each other.” I point them out to Owen.

“Yeah. Hey, that is Winry and that tool-bag boyfriend, Flynn.”

I immediately feel this instinct to protect her, but something tells me she can hold her own. We pull up and I can hear his yelling.

“You know you always do this; you are so boring. I try to bring you out with my friends, and you act like you couldn’t be bothered. It wouldn’t hurt you to actually have a personality,” he berates her, and it is almost like I can see her flinch.

We come up behind her, “Hey, what seems to be the problem?” I interject.

She turns to face us. If looks could kill, hers right now would do it. “It is nothing, guys, I can handle this.”

“Hey, you are her neighbor! What, Winry, are you sleeping with him or something?”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Flynn. You are drunk. You need to get a cab home and cool off. I am not sleeping with him; he is my neighbor. Plus, you have girls that are friends, you do not see me accusing you of sleeping with them.”

“Oh, to the contrary. I am sleeping with them and most of them are a hell of a lot better in bed than you are.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” I want to rage at him. “You need to…”

“Hold on, Graham, I got this,” Winry holds up her hand to pause me. “I know you think this is going to have some sort of effect on me and make me want to beg for you to stay with me, but I am not that girl. I honestly don’t give two shits that you have cheated; I have wanted to end things with you for a month now. AndI’mbad at sex? Please, you couldn’t find a g-spot even if I gave you a map.”

Owen and I are really trying to hold it together, but damn, it is good to hear her stick up for herself.

“So, unless you want to have these guys take you in for public intoxication, I suggest you take the cab they are going to call for you home because we are done.” She crosses her arms and stares daggers at him.

“Fine by me, you—”

“Don’t even finish that sentence, asshole,” I barked at him, she said her piece, and I was not about to let him speak another word to her. Owen pulls him aside and calls him a cab, which leaves me alone with Winry. “Are you all right?”

“Just peachy.” We stand silent for a minute. She has her arms crossed still and is in defense mode. I try not to stare at her. She does not seem like she will take me trying to comfort her very well. “Sorry, you haven’t done anything. I don’t mean to take it out on you,” she finally says looking a bit more solemn.

“You are fine,” a few more minutes of silence elapse, and a cab finally arrives.

“He is in a cab. Why don’t you let us take you back to your place? It is a slow night, and it is not a far drive.”

“Okay, that’s fine.”

Owen makes his way back over and we get in the patrol car. I hated putting her in the back, but I hated the idea of not getting her home safe more. We ride the whole way in silence. I can feel a mixture of fury and sadness resonating from the back. We reach our apartments, and she finally speaks.

“Thank you for your help. Um, could you guys do me a favor and not mention this to my dad?”

“Sure thing, Winry. Have a good night,” Owen replies with a half-smile. And before I think about it, I get out to walk her to the door.

“You do not have to walk me to the door, Graham.”

“I know you are perfectly capable; I want to do it.”

“Okay,” she grumbles, and we walk to the door.

“So, are you going to be okay?”

“I will be fine, Graham. This is not my first break up and probably won’t be my last, so let’s not dwell on how shitty this one was.” We reach her door. Why does the look on her face make me feel like I have been hit in the gut?

“Right, well good night,” I say, not sure of what else to do.

“Good night Graham,” She gives me a half smile and closes her door.

---