I was seated back at the table, trying to ignore the way Jesse was tracing circles on my bare leg. I was trying to ignore the way the edges of Clara's lips were pointing downwards as Brett whispered into her ear.

I started to wonder how Clara and I could sneak out of here without anyone noticing. As far as I know, there was only one exit, and it was at the front. We'd never make it without anyone noticing.

I started to wonder that, because I was watching as Roman and Samuel walked into the restaurant. I watched as they shook their heads when the hostess tried to seat them at the bar. I watched as they pointed back to where we were seated, they pointed to the empty table beside us. I watched as Roman's eyes were fixated on Jesse. He wore the same look that he wore when we were outside. The look that made me think he was angry.

It was a look that made me think he wasn't going to leave it alone. And that look made me scared, because Jesse wasn't going to leave it alone either, especially if he had Brett by his side. If Roman pushed hard enough, he would fall into the pool of anger that these boys lived in.

He didn't know what he he was falling into. He didn't realize that Jesse was not someone to mess with. He didn't realize that Jesse had nothing to be scared of, because he wouldn't face consequences for anything that he did, or anything that he caused.

Or maybe Roman did know that, and he was stupid enough not to care.

I felt Jesse kick out underneath our table, hitting Brett's leg and causing him to look up at Jesse in curiosity. Jesse flicked his chin upwards, towards Roman and Samuel, who were only a few feet away from the empty table beside us now.

I didn't attempt to interpret what Jesse and Brett were trying to say to each other without words, because I deadlocked my eyes with Clara's instead. I was trying to tell her that trouble was coming, but she didn't seem to understand what I was saying. It wasn't until I pointed my eyes to Roman and Samuel that she understood. She looked over to them, and I saw the moment of surprise that she felt. I saw it, because it was plastered all over her face.

Clara looked back towards me, her eyes bulging out of the sockets. For once, her reaction wasn't a understatement. She didn't even know what had just happened outside. She didn't know that Roman had already confronted Jesse. She didn't know that Roman and Samuel sat beside us on purpose, I'd bet any money on it.

Roman and Samuel didn't say anything to us as they sat down. Their table was so close to us, they could reach out and touch ours. Clara and I were sitting closest to them, and I suddenly forgot how I was supposed to be acting.

"Sorry." I heard Samuel's voice say, causing all of our heads to flick over to him. He didn't look sorry, as he leaned back in his chair, his arm thrown over the back of the chair beside him. He had a grin on his face, like he wasn't concerned at all about Brett and Jesse.

It was either a front, or he was just as stupid as Roman.

"I hope we aren't bothering you." Samuel finished, in the same arrogant tone.

"Actually, you are." Brett said. "Maybe you didn't realize, but we're trying to take our girlfriends on a date."

I resisted to roll my eyes at his words. They were so desperate in their attempts to mark us as their own. Like dogs, they were.

"Too bad. We're already here." Roman added, and I had to will my eyes not to move to find him. "It would be rude to ask them to move us now."

"Who cares?" Brett told Roman, his eyes narrowing. There was recognition in Brett's eyes as he looked at Roman, and it clicked that he also knew him. Or at the least, knew of him.

"What is your problem?" Jesse asked, and I didn't need to look at him to know who he was asking. I heard the tone in his voice, the one that makes me scared of him.

"We don't have a problem." Roman answered him, and I couldn't help but notice the tone of his voice was the complete opposite of Jesse's.

"We just couldn't help but notice that your girlfriends don't seem very happy. Thought maybe we could help with that." Samuel chimed out, it made me close my eyes. It made me close my eyes in disbelief, because that was the worst thing in the world he could have said.

"You don't know know anything about our girlfriends." Brett gritted out through his teeth. I looked at Clara to find her eyes already trained on me. We stared at each other, because we didn't know where else to look.

"I know they looked a lot happier when we ran into them this afternoon." Samuel answered, and I knew both Clara and I suppressed a groan.

"Well, when they ran into us." Roman added, and I heard the hint of humour in his voice.

"I thought you said you didn't know these guys." I knew Jesse was looking to me, even though I didn't look at him. I knew he was talking to me because his voice held that certain tone that he only seemed to direct toward me.

"We don't know them." Clara answered for me, our eyes didn't move from each other's. We were both thinking the same thing, how we were going to get out of here without a fight breaking out. "The accident we got into today, it was their car."

"So, what... you guys talked to our girlfriends for five minutes today and now you think you know them?" Brett asked Samuel and Roman. "That's kind of pathetic, if you ask me."

"Nah. We don't think we know them. But, we know enough about women to know when they don't look happy. Maybe you've never pleased a woman before, so you're not sure what that's supposed to look like." Roman said cooly, as if he was speaking about something as casual as the weather. It made my stomach turn in knots.

Jesse stood up, with such force that his legs hit the table and caused it to move across the floor. I had to stop my glass of water from spilling over. I saw the way his hands were balled into fists, and I could practically feel the anger radiating off of him.

"Can you take me home?" I said suddenly, surprising everyone. I hadn't spoken since Samuel and Roman sat down, and from the look on everyone's faces, I can tell they weren't expecting me to say anything.

"Now. Please." I said when Jesse didn't answer. I nodded at Clara, and she instantly understood. She gathered her cloth napkin in her hands and threw it on the empty plate in front of her. We both stood at the same time. I noticed the way she grabbed Brett's hand, as if she was trying to lead him out. I knew I should do the same to Jesse, but my touch didn't calm him down like Clara's does to Brett's. My touch might just set him off even more.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here, bro." Brett said as he stood, his words obviously directed towards Jesse, who was still glaring down at Roman, who hadn't moved. I allowed myself to sneak at glance at Roman, and I was shocked to see he had his eyes trained on me. His lips were pressed together, and his eyes were narrowed.

"You can take your eyes off my girlfriend." Jesse spat, causing me to shake my head and look away from Roman. I just wanted this night to be over already.

"Nah." Roman said, his voice slightly elevated from the calm voice he had been using. "I'm trying to see something."

"What's that? How fast you can get a black eye?" Jesse spat at him.

"I'm trying to see how she tolerates being in the presence of an asshole like you." Roman stated.

I saw Jesse begin to move towards him. I was surprised that Roman looked so collected. He didn't seem worried in the slightest that Jesse was actually going to hit him.

Knowing it was my last resort, I grabbed Jesse's arm, pulling him in my direction instead of Roman's.

"Babe. Let's go, please." I said, and the words tasted like vinegar coming out of my mouth.

Jesse stilled his movements at my words, a sick smile forming on his lips. "Okay, babe. Let's go."

Jesse wrapped his arm my shoulders as he began to walk toward the exit, pulling me with him. I didn't need to look back this time to know that Roman's eyes were still on me. I could feel them.

The ride home was quiet, and much to my dismay, I was in the passenger seat this time. Jesse confirmed the suspicions I had on the ride here, and his hand was clutched around my upper thigh. He dropped Clara off with Brett, and I gave her a small smile of pity as I watched her get out of the car.

I didn't want to break the silence now that it was just Jesse and I in the car. I didn't want to talk to him at all.

But something made me, and that something was my curiosity. I waited until we were almost at my house to ask Jesse, knowing I would have an easy exit strategy.

"So..." I tried to keep my voice as casual as possible. "How do you know that guy?"

I kept my eyes on my window, not wanting to watch Jesse's face as he answered.

"I don't know him, really." Jesse surprised me by saying. Hadn't he said that he did? I didn't imagine that, right?

"I just know of him." Jesse explained, causing me to nod my head in understanding. "He thinks he's some badass, because he's a boxer or something. I think they both are."

A lightbulb came on in my head. That must be why they weren't being careful with their words. It made sense, why they weren't scared of being hit. Maybe that's what this whole thing was about. They were looking for a fight. Roman and Samuel were egging Brett and Jesse on.

It didn't have anything to do with me after all.

I almost sighed in relief when Jesse pulled up to my house. I was so ready to be alone again, in the comfort of my room.

"Can I come in?" Jesse asked me, making me want to gag.

"My mom is home." I lied. I'm sure she wasn't. I'm positive she was working tonight, but he didn't have to know that.

"Okay." Jesse surprised me by letting it go.

I went to turn around close the door, but Jesse spoke again before I was able to.

"Take tonight as us officially getting back together, by the way. For real, this time." Jesse said, and his tone was so serious that I was stunned into silence.

He didn't wait for my answer. Instead, he leaned over and pulled my door closed. Jesse sped off, while I was still standing in my driveway, trying to understand what he just said.