Love Obsessed Read Free

is at my side.
    “Go and wait for me at the park down the road. I’ll be there shortly.” He turns me around toward the exit.
    “But...” I start to protest
    “Go, honey. I’ll meet you there.” Cole insists, so I nod and walk through the crowd, out the door and down the road to the park that Cole told me to go to. There is a swing set, so I go and sit down on one of them and wait. It isn’t too much longer before I see a figure running toward me. I stand up, not recognizing who it is until he’s close enough that the light from the lamps hit his face. Cole runs up and engulfs me in a hug, holding me tight, his breathing rapid.
    After an extensive amount of time, I speak, “Are you alright?” My question comes out only as a whisper.
    He pulls back, looking at me, “Am I alright? Honey, don’t worry about me. Are you alright?” A tear escapes, running down my cheek, Coles fingers wiping it away. “I am so angry at Brandon right now. He had no right.” Cole wraps his body around mine and just hugs me for the longest time.
    Cole
    I’ve had my eyes on her the whole night. Brandon is keeping her close; he always does when we go out, especially if alcohol is involved.  “Cole! Oh my god! You came to my graduation. I knew you would. They kept telling me that you wouldn’t, but I knew that you would!”
    It takes me a moment to place her. She obviously knows me, and she does seem familiar; size 8, blond hair, legs that go on for miles, definitely my type. I offer her a smile. She’s talking to me, but my attention is on Erin, who is talking to a few other people. Brandon is off with God knows who. A guy approaches Erin, offers her a drink, and hugs her. They’re talking, and it is clear that he has a thing for her. Who doesn’t really? Erin goes to take a mouthful of her beer when Brandon snatches it out of her hands and tips it out.
    “Shit.” I leave the girl rambling and head toward them.
    Someone yells, “Fight!” and a crowd starts to form.
    I catch sight of Ryan approaching the scene, too, and then I’m beside Erin. I tell her to meet me at the park down the road; it isn’t too far away and is well lit. Watching her leave, she looks so scared, watching the fight unfold. How could Brandon do this to her? Once her figure is out of sight, I turn back toward the scene. The boy is on the ground, and Brandon is standing over him.
    “You’re a fucking tosser, Brandon!” Ryan says, kneeling beside the unconscious boy.
    Brandon just stands there staring at him, and then looks around. “Where’s Erin?”
    We ignore him. I kneel on the other side of the boy. “I’m calling for an ambulance.”
    I get my phone out of my pocket, and start to dial, when he speaks again, “Where’s Erin!?”
    “Go home, Brandon!” Ryan yells just as loud. Brandon is very protective of Erin, sometimes too protective. We’re use to it. We all look out for her, but sometimes, like tonight, he gets too protective.
    “Where...”
    “Home!” Ryan yells, getting to his feet. If Brandon wants to start anything with Ryan, he will fail. Ryan is the one who taught Brandon everything he knows, and he doesn’t stand a chance.
    “An ambulance is on its way,” a girl standing in the outer crowd announces. I pocket my phone back up, and look to see where Brandon is. I don’t want him near Erin right now. He may protect her from the assholes, but I protect her from Brandon when he stuffs up.
    I see him walking through the crowd. “Give it a few minutes, and then go get her.”
    It is the longest few minutes of my life. The ambulance arrives and I take off running after Erin. I see her in the park, on the swings. I continue to run until I have her in my arms, and when I do, I hold onto her with everything I have. She’s shaking slightly, and tears are spilling down her cheeks. I just hold her, not wanting to let her go. After her shaking stops, I speak, “I got you something.”
    “What?” I still have a hold on her, so she