Caged by Amber Lynn Natusch

said, calmly. “But no. I don’t know him. ”
    Sean’s emphasis on the word “him” seemed strange, but so was Sean sometimes. I shrugged as I audibly exhaled. Boys can be so trying sometimes.
    I looked back at the man causing such a clear air of tension between them. I wanted to know who he was. However, as soon as I looked at him I no longer cared, I just wanted to be with him regardless of the cost.
    “I’m Eric,” he said without being prompted.
    “Ruby,” I managed as I struggled against Sean’s very strong grip to get closer to Eric.
    “We’re leaving,” Sean stated as he whirled me around and marched me towards the door. My feet barely made contact with the floor and I realized he’d picked me up around the waist to drag me out of the dance hall. Eric followed closely behind with a wickedly amused look plastered all over his face. The situation was more personal than either of them was letting on and I was furious at being in the dark about something that so clearly involved me.
    Sean stomped through the lobby, pushing through innocent club goers with no regard. As we broke through the front door, Eric slipped a small piece of paper into my hand as Sean continued on towards the parking lot. He didn’t see me take it so I managed to quickly slip it into my shirt and down my bra even with the restricted range of motion I had in my arm. I doubted that Sean would strip search me to find it even if he had seen what I did. Eric slipped out of sight into the bar while I continued to be hauled away like luggage to the car.
    “I’m quite capable of walking, you know,” I said with as much ferocity as I could muster.
    “I’ve seen what you’re capable of tonight,” he scoffed.
    “Why are you so angry with me?” I asked trying desperately to figure out what offense of mine he’d suffered.
    “It’s nothing,” he answered.
    “Nothing? This is how you act about nothing? Remind me never to do something to you then, because I shudder to think what your reaction would be to that,” I said, trying to wiggle away from him.
    He had no reply. We made our way to the car: me tucked under his arm and Sean still pissed off. When we got to the BMW he put me down right in front of him and bent down so close to me that I could see the tiny scar just above his left eyebrow.
    “I’m angry because you don’t know what the hell you’re doing and you’re going to get yourself hurt one of these days. You know nothing about that guy and yet I barely managed to get you out of there while your clothes were still on,” he said with an ever increasing volume. “You looked like a bitch in heat out there. Do you have any idea what he’s capable of?”
    “No, I don’t,” I yelled, feeling insulted. “Apparently you do though, so why not be a peach and share some of your vast knowledge on the subject?” I asked angrily.
    “All you need to know is that guys like that are trouble. They care about only one thing in life and that’s them,” he said, he eyes flashing hatred. “They are always their own bottom line…everyone and everything else is assessed as to whether or not they can improve that.” In the dim lighting the streetlamps provided, I could have sworn his beautiful green eyes were swallowed by a black so deep it appeared endless. “Any more questions?”
    I hadn’t noticed how tightly he was gripping my arms, and I tried to pull them out of his grasp before they were bruised.
    “Why do you even care?” I asked, finally freeing myself.
    I knew it had been a low blow when I said it, but I was so infuriated that it didn’t seem to matter at the time. His expression softened slightly, but I felt his anger and anxiety coursing through me.
    “If you have to ask that question, then you really aren’t the person I thought you were,” he said, opening the car door. I sighed, walking around to the passenger side to get in. We both sat in darkened silence for a few minutes; he hadn’t even started the car.