I watched as Margie batted her eyes, and she kept putting her hand on this guy’s arm.
What in the hell is she doing?
“I don’t have a very good feeling about this, Garrett.” I turned and looked at him. “Maybe we should go before she does something she regrets.”
He nodded his head in agreement. “You go get Marg, and I’ll go find Billy.” He leaned down and kissed me. “I love you, Buttercup.”
I smiled. “I love you more.”
I watched as he made his way to the other side of the dance hall. I turned back around and started walking toward Margie.
I knew the last two months had been hard on her and Billy. She had been hoping he would ask her to marry him before we all graduated, but graduation had come and gone three days ago. She had no idea he had planned on asking her this coming weekend. Margie had been offered a teaching position in Austin, but Billy was torn. He wanted to go back to Mason and help Garrett run the ranch, but he also wanted to move to Austin.
As I got closer, the guy leaned down and whispered something into Margie’s ear. She nodded, and he took her by the arm. He started to lead her toward the door. My heart started beating faster, and I began pushing people out of my way.
I ran through the door and screamed out, “Margie!”
Margie and the stranger stopped, and she spun around. “Emma Rose, what are you doing out here without your knight in shining armor?”
“What?”
Margie shook her head. “Never mind.”
She turned to keep walking, but I grabbed her arm.
“Where are you going? And who is this guy?”
“Just go back inside, Emma, to your perfect fiancé and your perfect little world. Don’t worry about me,” Margie said, slurring her words and pulling her arm from my hand.
“Oh my God, are you drunk? Did you get her drunk?” I took a step closer and grabbed her arm.
The guy came closer to me and pushed me. I lost my balance and fell backward. I landed so hard that I screamed. Then, I saw someone run by me.
“You motherfucker!” Garrett said.
Billy reached down and picked me up as he yelled out, “Garrett!”
Everything was happening so fast, and I couldn’t think straight.
“Emma, grab Margie,” Billy said as he ran toward Garrett and the guy.
It took me a few seconds to see that Garrett was punching the guy over and over. I threw my hands up to my mouth. Please stop. Oh God, please stop.
I grabbed Margie and pulled her back. Then, out of nowhere, four more guys showed up. Two of them grabbed Garrett and held him while the guy who had been walking with Margie started to hit him.
“Stop!” I began screaming. “Please stop!”
I turned to look at Margie, and she was crying.
“Go get help, Margie!” I yelled.
I looked back, and both Garrett and Billy were being beaten.
“Margie!” I screamed. “Get help!”
I ran toward them, screaming for the guys to stop. One of the guys reached out and slapped me so hard across the face that I fell back.
“Fucker!” Garrett yelled, breaking free of the other guy’s grip.