“Yes,” Justin answers as I nod, and we both jog toward the back of the building.
I’m about to rush them, but he stops me by grabbing my shoulder. “Wait.”
“What?” I bark, pumped for the fight I’ve been yearning for for a long time.
“His uncle is a judge. He’ll make sure whatever we say will be erased.”
“So what do you suggest we do?” I ask sarcastically, trying to keep my voice down.
He shudders with disgust. “I hate this is even needed, but I have a plan.”
He pulls a phone from his back pocket, swipes the screen up, and motions for me to follow him quietly. At the corner, he points the camera at the group and begins filming. I want to throw up. I hate myself for staying here and letting it happen, but somewhere at the back of my head, I know he’s right.
One of them is standing behind her, his hands roaming her body. Her head leans on his shoulder. She’s out of it. The other one runs a hand up her skirt, and I swear I’m about to run in there to stop it when Justin’s hand lands on my shoulder once again.
“What the fuck?” I hiss at him, seeing only red. I want to rip them limb from limb. The loud, booming music from the club muffles my voice.
“Not yet,” he answers, signaling for me to lower my voice and reminding me that he’s filming by nodding at the phone. His face is void of emotion. This is the Justin people fear.
“What do you mean not yet? They’re about to fucking rape her!” I hiss back.
“Not. Yet.” He gives me a stern look he might have used at the military. Or prison.
There is a struggle in the group, and the girl’s voice is loud and clear. “No, don’t” reaches my ears.
“Now,” Justin says as he turns the camera off.
We run toward the assholes.
“What the fuck!” one of them cries just as I barrel into his side.
“Get going,” the other says as he drops the girl on the asphalt.
“We were going here.” Justin smiles as he swings at him, and he goes down the second Justin’s fist reaches his face.
I take the first one. They can’t deliver even one punch. Neither of them.
We are enraged. We are here for Alicia. And for this girl. And for all the girls who were here before.
I don’t feel the pain in my hand anymore as my fist connects with the face I’ll be seeing in my nightmares forever. The face of the person who stole the happiness from the girl I love. The face of the person who stole the feeling of safety and purity from her. The face of the person who made her feel at fault.
The face of the person who stole her from me.
Strong arms pull me back as I try to deliver another punch.
“Enough, Mark.” His voice comes through the bloody haze I’m in, but I don’t stop. Arms wrap around my shoulders and pull me back stronger. “Enough, Mark,” someone hisses into my ear. “Think of Alicia.”
I struggle to break free.
“Think of Alicia!” He shakes me. “Alicia, Mark.”
Her name gets puts me firmly back on earth. I stop struggling and let Justin pull me away.
The door behind us opens, and a girl’s scream pierces the air.
Justin lets go off me and turns toward her. “Those guys were trying to rape that girl. We tried to stop them. Call nine one one.”
She’s looking at him with wide eyes. She’s scared out of her wits. I don’t blame her. He looks wild. Blood all over his shirt.
