The Girl With The Candy Floss Hair

Anthony tells the story

Anthony takes a second and thinks before he speaks. He squeezes Teris hand. He just starts talking. "You saw me man, she walked in the doors and I was gone. I spend most of the night trying to figure out how to watch her and you at the same time." He chuckles a little and nods at Smitty "Somebody kept dragging me away and then tease me about staring." Teri interrupts quietly "I did notice you were looking at me a few times" He squeezes her hand. "I saw her coming back from the bar at one point and some guy had his hands on her. She didn't look happy but she shook him off so I just figured I would just keep an eye out because I had noticed she was alone, ya know. Finally got the nerve to actually go down and talk to her. Standing there talking to that security guard Kevin when I see that guys back, only now he has friends and has her pushed up against the wall. The look on her face.." Anthony's eyes go dark and his voice drops off. Teri's hand is tight on his thigh and she has pressed herself against him. "Not sure man I lost it, I just had to get to her. I may have, kind of jumped over the banister at the stairs ran over an um..I punched the guy dude." Anthony looks over at Evan he makes a face and then says. "You actually punched a guy?" He can't help but start laughing just from the look on Evans face. "Ya, anyway he hits the ground and before I know it, she's in my arms and we are surrounded by security."

Matt interrupts. "Jesus man I saw you take off over those stairs and I was like, oh baby. Thought me and Smit were gonna have to bail you out. But security was all over it." Evan, just sits there for a second watching the way Anthony is looking at Teri. He clears his throat. "Part of me can't believe you punched somebody. But I have seen you break a controller ..So" At that everyone starts laughing. Anthony looks at Teri when he feels her move and realizes she's laughing too. "She called me her Panda knight in shining armour for Pete's sake." That sends everyone over the edge, laughing. Anthony's coughing and trying to catch his breath, Teri reaches up and rubs his back while trying to stop laughing.

The waitress appears and apologizes for interrupting as she starts handing out their food. The laughter soon dies down as they dig in. Its your usual friendly after party moment. Small comments going back and forth, passing the ketchup or a napkin, what anyone would except under the circumstances. Anthony is thinking how happy he feels. Its nice to be around these guys he doesn't see them enough. Teri just seems to have fit in so perfectly. As he glances over, she is holding a napkin out trying to wipe ketchup off Smitty's cheek. She turns, her eyes meeting his and the smile she gives him takes his breath away. She reaches up and brushes her hair back with one hand and his fingers twitch like they did the first time he saw her and that hair.

Teri loves this diner they have ended up in. When they walked through the door it was like walking into an episode of the Twilight Zone or something. She had to laugh when Anthony dragged her into a booth and then taken a look at the menus and comment "Is this the twilight zone?" They had laughed and jokes about what to order. All she wanted to know was if they had good fries. Luckily the waitress had heard her and said they had the "Best fries in town." She was so hungry and but had no clue what she was ordering until Anthony placed his order of a double cheese burger and fries deciding that was the best idea ever but with no relish and extra crispy fries of course.

Without even thinking she had dropped her hand onto Anthony's thigh as they all talked. Trailing her fingers across the smooth fabric, enjoying the feeling of the muscles in Anthony's thigh tense underneath her touch as she ran her fingers along the inside of his leg. She knows she is affecting him as he has gotten quiet. He looks to her hand and up and she can't help but giggle and say "Hi" as their eyes meet. The table goes silent, and Teri knows they are being watched. He clears his throat, smiles, and reaches out to grab his drink. Evan looks between the two of them and then asks. "What's the story? How did Panda here finally say hello?"

The question sends Teri's mind spiralling, sound around her fading out. She flashed back to that moment when she had realized she was in danger, the way the guy smelled and his hands on her. Remembering looking around for help but thinking she was alone and no one was there to help her. She drops her eyes to the floor, chewing her bottom lip so hard it hurts, it becoming harder to breathe. She feels Anthony cover her hand with his giving it a squeeze. Feeling him lean closer to her she leans into him. He whispers "I am here. You're ok." And she can breathe again. She squeezes his leg, then leans in and resting her forehead on his shoulder. She licks her lips and says "Its ok."

Anthony squeezes her hand again and starts telling the story. She listens to his voice more than his words. She knows she blushes as he speaks about seeing her for the first time. She sits watching his hand on hers, not able to look any one in the eye. Her fore head resting on his shoulder, she breathes in the smell of him, feeling the obvious strength in the arm she is leaning on and the thigh under her hand. He mentions seeing when she was stopped on her way back from the bar. She is surprised, she didn't know he had seen that too. When Anthony mentions seeing that guy with her pressed against the wall, she shivers remembering the moment and when her eyes met his. He stops speaking, she looks up and his eyes are dark and blank he is so caught up in the moment of remembering. She squeezes the hand on his thigh and curls in closer to him, letting him know she is there with him now, not there. He mentions leaping over the stair's banister, she didn't see that.

"I punched the guy dude." Anthony sounds so proud and kind of confused, Teri can't help but smile at that memory watching that him fall and then ending up pushed in Anthony's arms. She looks up as Evan speaks. "You actually punched a guy?" Anthony starts laughing and the look on Evans face backs her smile too. He just looks so confused and proud? Anthony continues "Anyway he hits the ground and before I know it, she's in my arms and we are surrounded by security." Matt interrupts. "Jesus man I saw you take off over those stairs, oh baby. Thought me and Smit were gonna have to bail you out. Security was all over it." Evan clears his throat "Part of me can't believe you punched somebody. I have seen you break a controller ..So" Everyone us laughing now. Anthony through his laughter "She called me her Panda knight in shining armour for Pete's sake." And that breaks everyone. They are all laughing and Teri is laughing so hard she is in tears. And then she hears it Anthony's laugh, the one she has always adored and that always made her laugh. He's coughing and choking and trying to catch his breath. She's rubbing his back gently while also trying to stop laughing so hard, his laugh not helping her.

The waitress brings them their meals, apologizing for interrupting. The conversation flows, with little jokes between the guys that she doesn't necessarily understand but she's ok with that. She is having fun. She knows what happened at the club could have gone a lot worse. Looking around at these guys and with Anthony by her side she can't imagine having it end up any better. She's still sitting as close to Anthony as she can, she can feel the heat of his body against hers and it makes her body tingle. She makes a joke about Smitty being the baby as she reaches over to wipe ketchup off his face. She glances over, her eyes meet Anthony's she feels trapped in his gaze. Her body tingles and running a hand through her hair, brushing it away from her face. Realizing she wishes it was Anthony running his hand through her hair, her heart feels like jelly. She has fallen fast and hard.