Past the Tipping Point

\ Chapter 8 /

Colby was just in the process of washing away his prior thoughts in the shower when he heard his phone ringing off the hook. He begrudgingly shut the water off and wrapped his towel around his waist, showing no urgency. However, when he spotted Pamela's contact, one he hadn't seen in years, his gut sank.

Still, he tried to answer relatively normally. "Hello?"

"Listen, I gotta know if you're in or out. Right now." In the time Colby had gotten to know Pamela, he'd never describe her as harsh, yet there was no playfulness in her tone.

Colby sighed, "I don't know Pam-"

"In or out, Colby." He almost wanted to blame Mercedes for Pamela's sudden brevity, but he also could've blamed Rebecca if he was being honest. He just chalked it up to Pamela getting really tired of babysitting. "I don't have time for a back and forth right now. She's on another rampage, so if you won't come help, I'll lose your number and find someone who can."

Colby wandered to his kitchen and picked up the picture he was looking at earlier off his counter, staring at Rebecca with pure sombreness. "Where are you?"

"Where do you think?" He heard Mercedes yell into the phone, then promptly heard Pamela tell her off.

He stared at the woman in the picture in front of him, knowing that if she just gave him the chance, he could bring that woman back. The one full of puns and smiles instead of what she had turned into. "I'm on my way."

Meanwhile, at the bar, the group of four—Pamela, Mercedes, Jonathan, and Joseph—all watched Rebecca from across the room. They still liked to entertain the look of carelessness, but they always made sure to at least have one set of eyes on her.

"Screw this, I'm going to play pool." Mercedes waved them off. "If you wanna join me get prepared to have your asses beat."

Pamela watched her stroll over longingly, and the guys shook their heads. Joseph gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Go. Enjoy the night for once, please."

"We've got it under control, Martinez." Jonathan nodded with a grin. "Go kick her ass."

Joseph grabbed two beers and tried to hand one to Jonathan, but he declined. "You're not gonna have one drink?"

Jonathan shook his head. "Not tonight, man."

"Really?" Joseph couldn't hide his shock even while shrugging. "More for me, I guess."

"Listen, I never thought there'd be a day." Jonathan confessed with a frown. "But just watching her is enough to make me wanna go on a sobriety oath. Especially as of late."

Although the two had good intentions, Joseph chugged back a few beers to take the edge off of the night, and Jonathan got lost in conversation with him. When he looked back over to where Rebecca had been drinking, Jonathan noticed a different scenario playing out rather than the happy drinking that had been taking place.

He saw a man with his back towards them talking to Rebecca, and it was evident that whatever he was saying was angering her. He was already going to confront the stranger, but it was when Jonathan saw an embroidered flame on the man's hoodie that all of the dots connected, and all of his coolheaded attitude flew out of the window.

"You fuckin seeing this?" He hit Joseph in the chest halfheartedly to get his attention away from another conversation with someone he was having, never taking his eyes off the man he knew was Colby.

"Oh, you've gotta be shitting me." Joseph slammed his beer bottle down onto the table next to them and directly moved towards Colby.

In the meantime, Colby had been trying to convince Rebecca to go home. But within an instant of hearing her yelling at him with a litany of swears, he was being yanked backwards by someone he couldn't see.

When the individual turned him around, however, Colby wished he had never shown up. "Joseph. Jonathan. Nice to see-"

Joseph punched him swiftly across the face, and Colby crumbled to his knees. "Shit..."

Jonathan grabbed his chin roughly, forcing him to look at the revolted expression on his face before shoving his head to the side. Jonathan was so beside himself he laughed and walked in a circle before pulling Colby up and kneeing him in the groin, causing Colby to fall right back down.

"Woah!" Pamela pushed the two men away. "What's going on?"

"Way to go, dumbass." Mercedes shook her head at Colby. "You actually show up, and for what? You like getting your ass beat?"

"Not exactly my intention, no." Colby mumbled out as he tried to catch his breath.

"This was a bad decision, Pam." Joseph ran his hand over his face. The noises within their group and all around the bar were leading him towards insanity.

Yelling broke out between the group as Colby struggled to collect himself, sliding out of the way of their feet and slowly straightening himself out. When he did, and the room stopped spinning, he noticed an empty seat in front of them where Rebecca previously was.

He immediately turned to look at the rest of the bar, unable to see her anywhere. He started to panic slightly at the suddenly missing woman and turned to find the group still fighting.

"Guys." He was still struggling to stop the ringing in his ears, and he wiped away some blood from his aching nose. "Guys!"

Mercedes was quick to whip her head in his direction, hastily approaching him at high speed. Colby raised his hands in surrender as she grabbed a handful of his shirt. "Don't you think you've done enough damage? Fuck off already."

"She's gone." Colby replied, and she immediately diverted her attention to the empty chair and fighting group.

"Shit." Mercedes spared Colby a glance that wasn't pure anger before pushing into the middle of the bickering group. "Rebecca's gone."