Great Girls(Victoria Pedretti)

C. 20🕰

"Hey! Get your hands off of her!" I screamed, running down the steps as I swung the front door open. Luci was looking in my direction as he proceeded to maltreat her.

"Stop it, Theo!" she begged as he smothered her with kisses aggressively. I raced down the pathway and entered the street. When my foot made contact with the back of his crotch, he groaned in agony and brought his knees together as he fell to the ground.

I reached my hand out to Luci, who hurried to my side in fear. Theo took some time to pull himself together and off the ground that his face so happened to be lying on.

I turned to a daunting Luci and grabbed her face gently with both hands in a sudden movement. "Are you all right?" I asked Luci, but Theo didn't give her a chance to articulate when he made it back on both of his two feet.

Theo, who was stumbling all over the road, staggered in the direction of us. "Salinger, this...has got nothing to do with you. So, why don't you...why don't you?..."Theo's expressions verbally were unattainable. He couldn't say what he wanted to say because he was drunk. I could detect the redolence of the alcohol from a mile away. Him driving over here while intoxicated only shows how careless a person could be, even a good one.

I glanced at Luci and averted my eyes back to Theo, who was sobbing and sliding down against his car, which made me think.

It's funny how someone can have the whole world and yet, still manage to come by sadness.

A small portion of myself felt sorry for Theo. Even though I didn't fully understand the situation. I was aware that he had a drinking problem in the past, but I had no clue what was taking place in the course of their relationship and the event in which it plummeted.

Call me Otis Redding because I am "trying a little tenderness."

I went down on my knees and crawled over to Theo, resting my elbows on his knees as his head was buried in his knees and thighs.

"Teddy," I whispered in a delicate and calm tone. Theo peeked through his legs first, making eye contact with me. I smiled softly with my lips and my eyes. "I understand you're befuddled, but you can't act this way. You might end up hurting somebody," I spoke softly.

"I'm sorry, Sallie," he cried.

Theo needed to apologize, but he and I both knew that wasn't going to happen today. My God. Look at him; he's a mess.

But I wasn't going to tell him that.

I moved my elbows away from his knees, took my hand, and placed it on his shoulder, rubbing it. "I'm gonna call Crush to pick you up." He nodded in silence.

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"Hey. I know I've been busy lately with Oliver and school, but I appreciate you calling me. I don't know what I would've done if—" "I know. I know. Just make sure that you took good care of him when he gets home. Crush, I hate seeing him like that. It's not safe for anybody to be around him when he's like that," I voice my opinion in concern as I watch Theo lay his head against his car window outside from the porch.

Crush shut his eyes in wretchedness, fingertips to the forehead. "He's just under a lot of pressure. You know, his mom's busy with her campaign, and his father's got his practice. No one's there for me."

"Yes, Crush. I understand that. I am sorry that he is having a tough time, but you know what, so are other college students, who are in debt and work two or more jobs to provide for themselves, their family, and hell, even help pay their tuition. That still does not give Theo the reason to force himself on someone."

Crush stared at the red panels, soundless, but I couldn't care less because he knew I was right. Lousy excuses shouldn't serve as justifications. That's not how I play my cards.

He sighed, picking his face up and glancing at me. "I'll call you later."

I pursed my lips, replying, "Okay." Crush spun around and stepped down the last step, strolling down the pathway.

While returning to Theo's car, I noticed Crush's car was still stationed in Luci's driveway.

"Chase!" I shouted Crush's real name. He moved his head and answered, "Yeah."

I swung my head in the direction of his car. "What about your car?" "Oh, that old thing. You can leave it. I'll call someone to pick it up on the way to Theo's."