Perplexed - A Jonathan and Nancy story

The Ice Cold Wind

Jonathan and I stood hugging in the middle of a restaurant when we suddenly heard tires screeching, then they came to a halt.

"What was that?" I looked up at him and asked.

"I have no idea," Jonathan's eyes were fixed on the two large doors of the main entrance.

"Should we go out there?"

"No. I will. You stay here." I sat down at his command.

Suddenly, Steve burst in through the doors and stormed over to our table. He shoved Jonathan against the wall and punched him.

"STEVE!" I cried. "Don't do this!"

"I can handle it, Nancy," Jonathan assured me as he grabbed Steve's arm, twisted it, then turned him around against the wall. Then, Jonathan landed a blow on Steve's right eye.

"Guys! Stop!" Tears were streaming down my face as I held my stomach.

"I can't let you marry him!" Steve shouted at me.

"It's my choice!"

One more blow to his left eye.

"There's no way you're stopping it now. You're on the defense. You're at my mercy," Jonathan spoke down to Steve.

"STOP IT!" A deep voice boomed. I looked over at the door to see my father standing there. He stormed over to our table, pulled Jonathan off of Steve, and forced them to sit down. "Care to explain what's going on?"

"Jonathan is trying to marry your daughter, sir. It's a disgrace," Steve pleaded.

"Don't act all innocent, Steve. You asked me before he ever did," I snapped at him.

"I know this!" My dad shouted. Suddenly, we were all aware of the dozens of people watching us. "Let's take this outside."

We all shuffled out of the restaurant and I grabbed Jonathan's hand. The cold wind hit the tears on my face and I shivered. Jonathan pulled his hand away so he could give me his jacket.

I sat between Jonathan and Steve on the bench outside. My father stood in front of us.

"If you knew about the engagement, then why are you here?" I asked him.

"I knew Steve would protest."

"How did you even know, Steve?" I asked his bloody and bruised face.

"Your father told me," he explained.

"Dad? How'd you know?"

"I told him," Jonathan chimed in.

***

Eventually, my dad and Steve left. Jonathan payed for our dinner and we left, but he didn't take me home.

He took me to an empty lot near the high school so we could talk. We decided that we would get married in May. I'd be transitioning into my senior year and he would be graduating. We're going to rent a home from one of the policemen that work for Hopper. We're going to have a family and grow old together.