“You like harassing bartenders?” I asked, wielding the barstool like a baseball bat. “How about you—”
His fist flashed with impossible speed. My vision flashed bright as it caught me across the jaw, twisting me sideways into the bar. Instinctively, I ducked back in time to avoid his next punch, then threw one of my own into his meaty cheek. It felt like punching Play-Doh, striking with a wetsmack.He grunted a laugh as if it only tickled.
This guy’s too big.
With my options narrowing, I lowered my head and bull-rushed him. He toppled backward into a table, plates and beer glasses crashing all around us, me on top throwing more punches into his round gut. Ralph grabbed a handful of my shirt and pulled me close to him, then slapped his forehead into mine.
My vision went white again and I fell back. The floor lurched dizzily, and when I tried to reach out to steady myself, somehow I missed the ground. Ralph was getting to his feet, a mountain of a man, and I tensed and waited for the next blow.
The brewery manager appeared between us, shouting bloody murder. “The fuck’s the matter with you!”
“Asshole started it,” Ralph spat.
I blinked rapidly to dispel the stars in my vision, then stood. “He was harassing the bartenders. I politely told him to stop. He didn’t want to.”
The manager stared daggers at me. “And rather than come get me, you decided to pick a fight with him? Like you’re Harry Fucking Callahan? Get the hell out of here. You’re done.”
Ralph barked a laugh, and the manager rounded on him. “You’re gone too, Ralph. You’ve been warned plenty of times.”
Erica came around the side of the bar and put a hand on my back. “It’s not Hunter’s fault. He was just trying to defend me.”
The manager’s face twisted in confusion. “You know this bozo?”
“He’s a friend,” she said.
The manager sighed and pointed at me. “You. Out. Erica, you and I are going to have a conversation at the end of your shift.”
I turned to Erica. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble.”
“I’m not in high school anymore,” she said heatedly. “You don’t need to defend me. You’re just making things worse.”
As she started cleaning up the upturned chairs and glassware, I fumbled around for what to say to make things right. Before I could, the manager was in my face again.
“What part ofoutdo you not understand? Do I have to call the cops?”
“I’m going, I’m going,” I said.
I walked outside, wincing with every step.
25
Hunter
My head started to clear once I was outside. My jaw ached something fierce, and it kind of hurt to breathe. Ralph was an asshole, but he knew how to throw a punch.
I paused in front of my loaner car. I’d had two beers, and although I wasn’tdrunk, I was kind of woozy from the fight. I definitely didn’t want to risk a DUI, not when my entire job depended on my ability to drive.
I pulled up the map on my phone, found the trail that Erica was always taking to and from work, and started walking.
It was a cool summer night, and the trail was peaceful and secluded in a wooded area. The walk gave me time to think about everything.
Why am I here?
After moving to Portland five years ago, my life seemed to fall into place. My uncle let me stay with him for free while I focused on my YouTube channel. I threw all of my free time and energy into that channel. It was my sole purpose, the drive that helped me jump out of bed every single morning with enthusiasm. When you have one goal in life, it’s easy to forget about everything else and focus on that.
The decision to come back to Columbus was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. I remembered being socertainof what to do when I booked my flight. But now that I was back here? I felt rudderless. I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going.
I came back here because of Erica.