The Kiss

never came.
    Cold liquid splashed the side of her face and poured down her front, making her jump and open her eyes.
    “You slut!” Cal’s eyes blazed with fury. He’d showered her with his beer.
    “Hey! No need for that.” Nate held up a hand. “It’s just a game.”
    “You stay out of this, asshole.” Cal grabbed Eliza’s upper arm and shook her harshly. “You’re a cock-tease, Eliza.” His voice was loud enough that she knew everyone around heard him.
    “Let go of me!” She pushed him back, but he wouldn’t let go.
    “No! You came here for me, and instead I find you kissing every man you see. What’s next?” His eyes were red, bulging. “Rubbing against them? Taking them to bed? Whore !” He raised his palm, as if to slap her.
    She’d heard enough. Balling her hand into a fist, she aimed for his solar plexus. She wasn’t fast enough.
    Nate punched Cal in the face.
    Then, when Cal released Eliza to pinch his bleeding nose, Nate swiped Cal’s legs out from under him, sending him to land on his ass. “She said let go, you fucker.”
    Eliza turned stunned eyes to her unexpected savior, just in time to see Mike and Leo double-team him. Mike sucker punched him from the side, the fraternity ring on his finger tearing a gash on Nate’s cheekbone. Nate swung at him, but Mike dodged it and then trapped Nate’s arms so Leo could punch him in the gut.
    Nate doubled over in pain, and the two bent down to help Cal, ignoring the gathering crowd yelling for more.
    Eliza was still shocked and trying to make sense of what had just happened, when Nate raised his bloodied face, and asked, “Are you all right?”
    What the hell was wrong with this guy? His eyebrow was torn, he was holding his gut and wincing in pain, and yet he was asking if she was all right? Had he forgotten he hated her?
    “I’m fine.” She pulled out of reach when he made to grab her shoulder. There was blood covering his eye. She sighed and looped her arm around his waist to help him straighten up. “What were you thinking? I—”
    “I wasn’t,” he whispered.
    “What?”
    “I wasn’t thinking. I heard him talk to you like that, saw him grab you, and thought I’d save you.”
    “For yourself ? I didn’t need saving. I’ve handled worse.” She turned to Cal who leaned dazedly against the wall. “Don’t call me. Ever !” Mike and Leo held their arms up when she glared at them.
    “He started it,” Leo said, pointing at Nate.
    Eliza just narrowed her eyes and they moved aside for her to lead Nate out of there. The whole party seemed to have stopped, everyone watching the odd couple make their way to the exit.
    Once outside, she turned him to face her. “I think that’s gonna need stitches.” She pointed at his eyebrow, but he withdrew from her finger. It made her feel bad.
    “Not necessary. I heal easy.” He dabbed at the blood with the hem of his shirt.
    “I still think we should take you to the hospital.”
    He shoved a hand into the back pocket of his jeans and came up with a crumpled packet of Marlboros and a Zippo.
    “You smoke?” She’d never known that about him. Or much of anything, really. They hadn’t done much socializing together, what with his insulting her and one of them leaving every time they’d happened to meet.
    “Yes. I’m bad. Want to spank me and show me the error of my ways?” He leered, but the blood trickling down his face killed the effect.
    She hit the cigarette out of his hand as he was raising it to his lips. “Not really. I want to punch you, as always. I just don’t think I need to.”
    He didn’t try for a second cigarette. “Nice way of thanking me.”
    His resigned sigh bothered her, as had his behavior minutes earlier. “Why did you do that, Nate? Why stand up for me?” She still didn’t get it, and really wanted to. His reaction to Cal’s putting her down had been shocking, to say the least.
    He shrugged. “I don’t really know. It felt like I had to.”
    A breeze made Eliza’s skin erupt in little goose bumps. She rubbed her arms, all too aware of the chilly night air.
    “You should be going. You’ll catch your death in that skimpy excuse for a top. And your hair is wet.”
    She shook his words off. “I’ll walk you to your car. You drove here, right? Are you okay to be driving home?” Why did she care? She owed him, she reasoned with herself.
    “I’m not going home. Don’t want my dad seeing me like this.” Blood dripped on his T-shirt when he