Forgiven by Rebecca Brooke

would have to get over since I was never going to have Caleb.
    “Casual sound good?” He asked nervously.
    I smiled up at him. “I love casual.”
    “Really, ‘cause I have to say you look amazing in that dress,” he said as his eyes traveled down my legs.
    I felt the blush creep up my cheeks. “Thanks.”
    I picked up my beer during the silence that followed. Nick was gorgeous and he was easy to talk to, unlike mister mood swings himself.
    “So, what else do you do besides play football?” I asked.
    “Well, mainly school work. I’m here on a combination scholarship—half for football and half for academics. If I want to keep my scholarship, I have to keep my grades up,” he replied looking shy.
    “Me too! What are you majoring in?”
    “Engineering,” he answered. “You?”
    Wow, he was the same major as Caleb. “Well I know this is going to sound boring, but history. I think I might want to teach someday. That or write,” I stated proudly.
    “History isn’t boring, it’s one of my favorite subjects. I just wasn’t sure what I would do with a degree in history. So, since I was good with math and love technology, I decided to go with engineering. That way I can put my strengths and passion into one. I’m still working on a history minor though.”
    “Wow, most people look at me like I am crazy. I’m pretty good with numbers myself,” I laughed.
    That is when I felt a hand curl around my elbow and a familiar sensation run up my arm. I knew who it was, even before he spoke.
    “Angie, can I talk to you?” Caleb asked.
    I answered him without turning around. “No.”
    The pressure on my arm tightened, “I really need to talk to you.”
    I slowly turned my head towards him. “Get your hands off of me.” I saw Josh starting to get up from his seat across the bar.
    Nick stood up next to me and turned to face Caleb. “Dude, you’re fucking drunk. Go home and sleep it off.”
    Caleb’s head snapped in Nick’s direction and his jaw clenched. “Mind your own fucking business, Nicki! Come on Angie,” Caleb growled.
    Nick’s hands were starting to shake. “Don’t call me that, asshole.”
    I pulled on my arm. “Get. Your. Fucking. Hands. Off. Of. Me.” I said, enunciating each word so he understood.
    “Not until we talk!” he snapped.
    Nick grabbed a hold of Caleb’s arm. “She said to let her go. Don’t be any more of an asshole!”
    “If you don’t get your fucking hand off of me, you’re going to lose it,” Caleb snarled. He let go of my arm and turned on Nick.
    Nick looked him up and down. “You really want to do this?’ he asked with menace.
    Before Caleb had a chance to say anything, Josh had come up behind him, wrapped his arms around his torso, and was pulling him back. “Man, you don’t want to do this.”
    “Let me fucking go!” Caleb cursed as he struggled against Josh’s hold.
    “No fucking way. You’re drunk and you’re going to regret acting like an asshole tomorrow,” Josh said disgusted.
    Nick was not backing down. “Josh, if he wants to fight, I’m game.” He continued to look Caleb up and down, as if Caleb was pathetic for even thinking he could take him.
    Thankfully Andrew and Emily had noticed the commotion from the dance floor. Andrew approached us with Emily right on his heels. He stepped between Caleb and Nick, and put his hands on Nick’s shoulders. “You don’t wanna do this man.”
    Andrew continued holding Nick back when he turned to Josh. “Get him out of here before this gets worse.”
    Josh pulled harder on Caleb, but Caleb struggled against the hold. Finally Josh whispered something in his ear that drained the fight right out of him. Caleb’s shoulders slumped forward, but his eyes looked up to meet mine. I could see the same sadness I’d seen the first time we met. Even though I didn’t want it to, my heart lurched at the sight of it.
    Part of me wanted to wrap my arms around him and take the pain away, but then I remembered how he’d