Summer in Montauk

Your Boyfriend the Jerk

"I don't know if I can do this," Lacey confesses as she sits in the passenger seat, staring at Carson's mansion.

"Of course you can," I say, opening my door and getting out of the car. It was a beautiful sunny day, and here we were, voluntarily going to talk to this jerk.

Lacey gets out rather reluctantly. I can tell how hard this is for her, and I am proud of how well she's handling it. "I don't know about this. He's kind of a jerk. Even if I still love him," she confesses.

"You'll be fine. I'm here for you, and I will stay with you no matter what," I state. I have to be firm, or else I know that we'll be heading straight home.

"As long as you stay. I need you, Sally." She nods. We walk up to the door of the mansion in front of me. Lacey grabbed the eagle knocker and knocked three times.

The door swings open. We are greeted by a rather tall, handsome man about our age standing in the doorway. His salt and pepper blonde hair compliments his absinthe eyes, which light up when they see Lacey.

"Hey, Alice," he smiles. Then he sees me. "Why is she here?"

"She's my friend. She's here for moral support," Lacey says firmly.

We walk in purposefully without permission.

"She shouldn't be here, Alice. I need to talk to you." Carson states under his breath, trying to whisper quietly enough so that I won't hear.

"I'm right here, you know." I say loudly. I don't like it when people ignore me and talk about me behind my back.

"I know that," he says immediately in a sour tone. I immediately dislike him, despite his incredible good looks.

"Look, Carson-" Lacey starts, but he cuts her off.

"No, Lacey. I will not discuss anything until we are alone," he states, looking at me with disgust.

I stepped forward. "You talk with me here, or not at all." I didn't know where this stubborn mood came from, since I hadn't even wanted to come in the first place. All I knew was that I needed to stand up for my friend.

He stepped closer to me, "Get out of my house. Or else." I could see anger burning in his green eyes.

"I'm here for Lacey. This is what's best." I say. I stare him down, not taking away my gaze.

"Get out," he growls. Lacey looks as if she's trying to not get in the middle of it. She is bitterly opposed to conflict, and I don't need her help anyways.

"No." I stand firm. I feel a sharp pain connect with my face. My cheek in particular. Carson's face is red with rage, the hand that had slapped me hanging on his side.

Suddenly, Lacey ran to me. "Carson! How could you?" She touched my face gently, checking how much he had hurt me. She looked at Carson with disgust. "How dare you? You jerk!" She suddenly turned towards Carson and slapped him across the face. Then we turn, Lacey supporting my shoulders, and walk out.

***

"He did what?!" Don yelled at me.

"It was nothing. I just wanted to inform  you on why Lacey is in such a bad mood." I replied.

"Where does he live? I'm leaving," Don said as he got up, pushing his chair away.

I glared at him. "I don't need your protection. I can handle myself."

"I know that. He just needs to learn his lesson that he can't just push around whoever he wants to." Don tries to say calm, but fails.

"Don," I warned.

"Sally. I'm going to go knock some sense into him whether you're on my side or not." Then his voice softened, and he touched my cheek. "He hurt you."

"It's okay." I whisper, staring at his sorrowful sea green eyes. I gently kiss him, but he pulls away.

"Inn sorry, Sally. Goodbye. I'll see you soon." He walks towards the door.

"Don. Don't," I warn him, but he keeps walking out. He's too stubborn to listen to me.

"Wait!" I yell. He can't do this. But he won't listen. It's time to compromise. "I'll go with you."

He turned around, a bewildered look on his face. He wasn't expecting that.

"It makes sense," I reason. "I'll come with you. I'll show you where it is. I'll mediate the violence."

"I don't want the violence mediated," Don said.

"This is the only way that I'm going to let you go," I pleaded with my eyes. I didn't want to fight over this.

"You can't make me stay or take you. You know perfectly well that you can't force me," Don tried to find a loophole.

"I will break up with you if you leave to go find him without me." It was a completely empty threat. I would never break up with him, but he had to believe that I would. I steeled myself and looked him seriously in the eye. The distress and sorrow etched upon his beautiful face made my heart melt. But I stood my ground.

"Okay. Come with me," he nodded his head. He then turned around and walked out the door.

"I'm driving!" I yelled at the open door, grabbing my keys and running to catch up with Don. I didn't want to hurt Carson, but I wouldn't care if he got hurt. Just a little.