The Taunting (College Life #1)

The fight that we've all been waiting for

I push to the front of the crowd so I can see what's going on.

"Why don't you talk to me instead of having your lapdog do it for you, Bridge," said Kam.

"Just leave us alone, Kam. And I can speak for myself thank you very much."

"Lapdog? You've got some fucking nerve to talk about me, I'll whoop your ass." Teddy threatened, and I knew he was serious. The crowd around us ohhhs.

"Oh please, meathead! You took my girl away from me, I have the only reason to be mad." He pushes forward, and so does Teddy. Bridget locks her arms around his torso.

"He isn't worth it, Teddy. Don't do this!" He ignores her.

Kam adds more fuel to the fire by saying, "She would have nothing without me. You would have nothing without me, Bridget. I made you what you are, you were a dummy without me. Couldn't even comprehend a basic paragraph, I MADE YOU!" He screams so loud that the whole house hears and the music is shut off, casting an eerie hue around the party.

It brings in Elizabeth, who's looking around confused.

"Get the FUCK off me, Bridget, I swear to God I'm going to kill him! You better shut your mouth man." The veins from Teddy's neck were prominent and his fist was red and balled up.

Bridget's now crying, he's embarrassing her, in front of our whole school and schools we don't even go to.

"No, I'm not done. I found out you were whoring herself behind my back with this meathead, this asshole. I should have fucked you and dumped you as my friends told me. But no, I fell for your ass and it's the biggest regret of my life."

"Shut up, Kam." The tears pour down her face. One mistake Bridget made was letting Teddy go. I know that Kam regrets it.

Everything moves so quickly.

He kisses Bridget on the lips, telling her that he's sorry, and lunges for Kam. I didn't have time to stop him, Teddy's always been quick.

He punches Kam in the face and knees him in the stomach. Kam goes tumbling to the ground like the Great Wall of China. Teddy doesn't wait for him to get up, he straddles his waist and starts punching the shit out of him, bashing his head into the ground.

The crowd gasps and I see a bunch of phones flashing. I need to stop this, if this gets to the coach or anyone at Berkeley, he'll be kicked off the team. We have hundreds of investors that put money into our sport and if they know about this, they'll pull out, not wanting to be associated with animals.

My hands pull at his waist. I see Elizabeth in the corner of my eye, shielding Bridget's vision from Teddy, not wanting her to see him like this.

So violent.

So, enraged.

Doug comes running down the stairs, "The hell is going on!" Carlee trails behind him, clamping her hand over her mouth when she sees the scene.

"Come help me, man!" I scream at him. Since he's stronger, and Teddy's light, he pulls him off of Kam so easily. We all wince once we get a view of his face. Wet with blood and exhausted.

He's not dead but is worn out from getting his ass beat. He moans and groans, people run over and try to help him.

"Don't help that fucking prick! He deserves to wallow in pain." Scared, the people move away from him.

Doug keeps holding onto him, "Let me go, Doug."

"Not until you calm down." He tells him.

Now I'm enraged, remembering the camera phones.

"Teddy, look around," I say, my voice steady and enraged. "People are recording the fight, if this goes past the valley, you're out of the game. We already don't have Jace, we can't lose you too."

He bares his teeth to me, "Don't you fucking stand here and lecture me, not with what you did to Elizabeth. He was talking about my girl, the woman I fucking love, he's lucky I didn't kill his ass." He thrashes in Doug's arms, but Doug doesn't relent.

"What is he talking about?" asked Bridget, who turns to me and then her sister, who was trembling next to her.

"Nothing Bridget."

"No, what is he talking about Elizabeth? Teddy wouldn't say anything that's a lie."

Now the crowd is focused on something else: Elizabeth and I.

Wondering what's going on between us. Elizabeth doesn't make eye contact with me, but I know she can see me staring at her, the way her neck twitches.

Our public embarrassment is put on hold once Kam rises from the depths of death and lunges forward, to Bridget. His fist was up, and ready to hit her.

Teddy tries to stop him, but Doug won't let go. I'm too far away to do anything, but one person does, Elizabeth.

She hits him square in the nose, and he falls right back to the ground, letting out a loud thud. Everyone just stares at Elizabeth. Surprised a tiny, thick little thing like her could have that much impact on the human body.

The only sound being heard is Kam's moaning and the stumbling of someone down the stairs.

It's Ollie.

"Oh fuck, is this part of the party?" She questions.

"No," I said.

"Well, fuck him. Where's the music! The last time I checked, this was a party. TURN THE MUSIC UP!" As if nothing happened, the DJ starts his track, everyone goes back to what they were doing, dancing and moving around Kam as he lays on the floor, blood spurting out his nose.

Bridget holds her hands over Teddys face, making him stare at her. "Doug, let him go." She says quietly, her eyes still on Teddy. He's still fuming, teeth-baring as he stares at Kam. He's been wanting to beat his ass for a long time, and today was his day.

He has no regrets.