It was the summer holidays and I was home from college after my sophomore year. During the week I worked at the local hunting and camping store in the small country town where I lived in upper Michigan. But today was Saturday, so I was just lounging around watching sports on some cable network, when I heard a knock on the front door. Mom and dad were out for the morning with my younger brother and sister and they wouldn't knock. So I got up to answer the door. I turned the doorknob and swung the door open. Standing on our front patio was a girl, a beautiful girl at that. It was Ivy one of my longest and closest friends. We had known each other since kindergarten so I opened the screen door and let her in.
Ivy was crying hysterically, and I immediately noticed that the right side of her face was very swollen and bright red. I sat her down on our couch and asked her what had happened to her.
"Stu, it was Graham. He did this." She managed to get out in between sobs. Graham was her asshole boyfriend.
"What the hell did he do that for the bastard?" I asked as I got up and grabbed a sports cold pack from the fridge to use to try and keep the swelling down.
"Thanks." She said, before she continued her story. "Well we were having a picnic in the park on the edge of town, and we were you know kissing and stuff. But Graham started to get a bit too rough and tried to put his hand down my shorts. I slapped his hand away. So he tried it again. And I slapped him away again. I tried to get up but he was holding me down, so I slapped him across his face. That's when he punched me. I blacked out for a few minutes when I came to he had left. I didn't know what to do so I came here."
"Damn that low life bastard to hell." I said. "We need to call the cops. He assaulted you Ivy, he needs to pay." I added.
"No I don't want the hassle." She replied.
"Ivy, I know you think you love him, but the guy is an A-grade asshole." I stated.
"Stu I don't need an argument right now. I just need someone to hold me." She said to me, as she looked at me. Her blood shot, pain filled eyes stared at me, called out to me. So I sat down beside her on the couch and hugged her gently.
We sat there in each other's arms until there was another knock on the door. I let go of Ivy and walked over to the door and opened it. I was her boyfriend Graham. The jerk that had just punched Ivy in the face. Before I knew it I had punched him twice in the face. Blood burst from his nose as he crumpled to the ground.
"Piss off Graham, we don't want you around here." I said from the doorway.
Graham picked himself up off of the deck of the patio. "You can keep the little whore. You'll pay for this Stuart, I'll see to it that you do." He screamed at me through his hand that was trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose.
"Dude, I'm not scared of some guy who hits girls, you pussy. Now piss off." I said to him before I slammed the door shut. "Asshole." I said as I returned to Ivy, flexing the hand I had used to punch him. I wiped the blood off of it onto my shirt.
It didn't take long for Graham to get the cops involved, but the guy was not a genius, as he should have remembered that I was studying Law at college. In my mind I went through the half dozen or so defences I could use against the assault charge he was going to try and bring against me. It was only half an hour later that the Police showed up. Being a small town I new both of the Sheriff's Deputies. They asked what had happened to Graham, who had gone to hospital with a broken nose. So I let them in and showed them Ivy, whom they new as well. She explained to them what Graham did to her. It was enough for them and they said they would not be laying any charges, but they would be talking to Graham.
They had only just walked out the front door when my mom and dad burst through the door. "Stuart James. What is going on here." Mom exclaimed loudly, she always used my middle name when she was mad at me.
"Mom settle down." I said trying to calm her. "It wasn't me. It's Ivy." I added, pointing to the living room. Mom dropped the shopping bag she was carrying and ran into the living room. Ivy was like a daughter to them, so after finding out what had happened they were quite angry. That was until I told them what I did to Graham. Dad gave me a slap on the shoulder and a 'well done', mom said that it was good that I protected Ivy, but violence doesn't solve everything. I agreed with her. Normally I was peaceful as a rabbit. But if you harm or threaten my family and friends then that cute little rabbit turns into a wolf.
By this time Ivy had calmed down and asked to be taken home. She had come here in her own little car, so I offered to drive her home and then walk back. Ivy accepted and we spent the five-minute drive to her house in silence, I just couldn't find the words to say. As I pulled in to the driveway of her home her parents were already waiting at their front door. Mom or dad must have called them and told them what had happened. I got out and handed the keys to Ivy and walked her to her front door.
"I here we owe you our gratitude, Stu." Said her dad ushering us both inside.
"It was nothing. I was glad to help Ivy when she needed it." I replied.
"Did the cops give to any hassles?" he asked.
"All they had to do was see her face and hear her story and they decided not to press charges." I told him.
"That's good. Now do you need a lift home?" he asked.
"Oh, no that's alright. I need some fresh air and time to wind down." I said. It was only a mile or so back to my place.
"Okay then. And Thanks again for everything you did for my little darling." Said her father as he gave her a little hug.
"Not a problem. I'll see you later Ivy." I said heading for the door.
Ivy followed me to the door and said, "Thanks for today Stu. You know you're like a big brother to me" as she kissed me on my cheek.
I just smiled at her, turned around and walked down her driveway to the sidewalk. There I turned around to she were waving goodbye to me, so I waved back. Oh man! I said to my self, as I rubbed my face in my hands. I had always harboured a secret crush on her, since, like always. I'm sure she knew, but being the great friends we were decided not to make an issues out of it, that and she knew that I would never make a fool of myself by asking her out.