Passion's Crossfire

Chapter 12

Matt

The pounding bass from the dancefloor reverberates through the dimly lit club, drowning out all thoughts and conversations. I push my way through the throngs of people, searching for Mallory. She left the dancefloor, and the overwhelming chaos of the club made it nearly impossible to locate her. My heart pounds in my chest, the room spinning as I caught glimpses of strangers dancing in wild abandon, each face a blur in the dimly lit club.

Feeling the weight of disappointment, I make my way to the bar, hoping that a drink might calm my racing thoughts. The bartender hands me a glass, and I watch as the amber liquid swirls inside. My fingers clench around the glass, and I take a deep sip, the sharp taste of the alcohol burning down my throat.

Just as I take another sip, Nick appears next to me. "Dude, are you okay?" he asks and I nod.

Nick leans in closer, his lips almost brushing my ear. "Mallory," he says, his breath warm and whisky-scented. "She left with Kylie."

My heart sinks, and I feel a surge of anger building inside me. "She left? Why the hell would she leave"

I curse under my breath and down the rest of my whiskey. I slam the glass on the bar, my hands trembling. "I need to find them," I mutter, and without another word, I shove my way through the bodies once more, heading towards the table where Mallory's friends are sitting.

I approach Sean, my voice low and urgent. "Sean, where is Mallory? I know she left with Kylie, and I need to find her."

Sean's eyes lock onto mine, but he doesn't offer a response. His silence is maddening, and I feel my anger bubbling beneath the surface. I reach out to grab his shoulder, my frustration growing. "Sean, this is serious. Where are they?"

Sean shakes my hand off his shoulder, his expression hardening. "You need to leave Mallory alone, man. It's none of your business."

My patience wanes, and I lean in closer to him, my voice a dangerous whisper. "Sean, I'm not playing around. Tell me where they are."

Sean's jaw tightens, and he locks eyes with me, unyielding. "I said it's none of your business."

My frustration boils over, and without thinking, I throw a punch at Sean. The unexpected blow lands on his cheek, and for a moment, his eyes widen in shock. But then, in an instant, his anger matches mine, and he swings back, his fist connecting with my jaw. The force of the blow sends me stumbling backward, crashing into a table and knocking it over.

Chaos erupts around us as other clubgoers gasp and scatter to create a makeshift circle around our impromptu brawl. We exchange a flurry of punches, grappling with each other as the room seems to spin in time with the throbbing bass of the music. I feel the sting of each blow, but my determination to find Mallory drives me forward.

Bouncers rush in to break up the fight, pulling us apart with firm grips. "That's enough! You two are out of here!" one of them barks and it doesn't take long before we're both escorted towards the exit. As we're pushed out of the club, the cold night air hits me like a slap in the face.

I turn to Sean, who's also catching his breath, his face bruised and bloodied from our brawl. "Where are they, Sean?" I demand, my voice no longer a dangerous whisper but filled with desperation.

Sean glares at me for a moment, but then, his resolve seems to weaken. "What do you want from her, man?" he sighs. You are driving her crazy, you know that?"

I take a deep breath, realizing that I need to be honest with Sean. My voice is filled with remorse as I speak, "Sean, I made a mistake breaking up with her. I know that now. I love her, and I can't stand the thought of losing her."

Sean's expression hardens, and he shakes his head in disbelief. "You're full of shit, man," he retorts. "You had your chance. You hurt her, and now you want her back? It doesn't work like that."

I feel a sinking feeling in my chest, but I press on, desperate to make Sean understand. "I know I messed up, Sean. I should've never let her go. But I've realized what I've lost, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. I just need to find her."

Sean's eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, it seems like he might soften. However, he ultimately shakes his head and turns away. "You need to leave her alone, man," he says, his voice tinged with frustration, and he walks away into the night, leaving me standing there, feeling lost and defeated.

Suddenly, Nick appears at my side, his hand firmly on my shoulder. I turn to look at him over my shoulder, and he has a perplexed expression. "I thought you were done with Mallory, dude. What's going on?"

I sigh, running a hand through my disheveled hair. "I thought I was too, Nick. But last Saturday, when I saw her with that prick, it hit me hard. I realized that it wasn't over for me, and I had to do something about it. I couldn't bear the thought of her being with someone else."

Nick raises an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "What did you do?"

I take a deep breath and recount the events that transpired. "I went to her house in the middle of the night and talked to her. I told her how I felt, but she turned me down."

ick looks at me with disbelief, his expression a mix of shock and frustration. "What the fuck, man?" he exclaims. I feel his hand firm on my shoulder, but I shrug it off.

"I know, Nick," I say, my voice low and filled with regret. "I couldn't help it. Seeing her with someone else, it just hit me hard, you know?"

Nick shakes his head, his expression a mixture of concern and understanding. "Dude, you're in a tough spot. But if she's made up her mind, you have to respect that."

I nod, realizing that Nick is right. Mallory was adamant that she wants nothing to do with me and my actions tonight might have only made things worse.

"You know, the guy she was with last Saturday? He's not here tonight. Maybe they're not together yet."

I rub my temples, the confusion and frustration mounting. "I don't know, man. I just need to talk to her and sort things out. I can't let her go without at least trying."