i met my wife when I was fourteen, she sat beside me in eight grade English class, so I knew her name was Britney. We didn't talk to each other accept to say 'Hi'.
I turned sixteen just before I started sophomore year of high school and got a job in a local restaurant. The place opened at 5Am and closed at 8PM. Jim the owner hired me because I would work the weekends and any day, I didn't have school and the all three of the week-long vacations. The regular waitresses all had young kids and needed to be home when there wasn't school.
I started as I bus boy, but soon was working the counter. The job was a good fit for me as I liked the interaction with all the customers. Plus, I got to know almost everybody in town.
I didn't play sports and was saving for college. Dating was not my thing at the time, as I wanted to get good grades so, I could get accepted to a good college.
In November Britney came in one day looking for a job. Because she told Jim she would work weekends and when ever she was off school, she got the job. We worked almost the same hours most of the time. So, we got to know each other.
There were two TVs and the mid-afternoon crowd was mostly middle aged to older women. I noticed they seem to all be there to watch a soap opera called General Hospital. During the commercials small groups would gossip about the show. It wasn't long before Britney and I were into the show.
One day Britney said to me: "That new character Brita, they refer to as 'The Britch', she prefers to be called Brit instead of Brita. I hate that my parents named me Britney. I was named after my father's older sister and she is a 'Britch'. She is not a nice person and always calls me 'Little Britney". So, from now on call me Brit and I am going to tell everyone else to call me that also."
Brit was going out with a senior, the guy was a real asshole, but he was a jock and good looking. The fact he had a sports car and came from money added to his appeal.
Brit's family was working class people as was mine. Both our mothers work to help pay the bills. My folks wouldn't let me help, but Brit's parents were not as well off and she pitched in.
Senior year on her eighteenth birth day, it was a Saturday night. Brit had the night of for her birthday. I knew her boyfriend had planned something special. Just before closing she came in crying.
I asked her: "What's wrong?"
She said: "I hate him and never want to see him again."
I asked her: "What did he do that you are so upset?"
She said: "I don't want to talk about it. Just hold me."
I did as she asked and held her while she cried on my shoulder. Jim heard what she said handed me his car key and told me to take her home. Brit sat crying the all the way. When we got to her house she just got out and went in.
When I got back the Jim asked: "What did that asshole boyfriend of hers do to her?"
I told him: "I don't know she didn't tell me. She just sat there crying till we got to her house."
Sunday Brit didn't come to work, her mother called to say she was sick. Monday at school she wasn't her usual self. After school we walked together to the restaurant.
I told her: "Do you want to talk about it?"
She said: "I probably need to, but right now I can't."
I said: "I understand if you are not comfortable talking to me, but I sense you need to talk to someone."
She then started crying again. I stopped and held her till she was able to stop. We then continued to work.
Brit came to me during a lull in business and thanked me for understanding and not pushing her to tell me what happened.
Two days later her ex-boyfriend came in and from ten feet away he called to her saying: "Hey Britch we need to talk now!"
She ran in to the kitchen and when he went to follow her, I stepped in his way. He went to shove me aside, but I was ready and used his momentum to put him on the floor.
As he went to get up I stopped him and I told him: "You don't know me or anything about me. So, I will tell you, I have studied martial arts since I was six. I hold three third degree black bets in Karate, Jujitsu, and Judo. If you put your hands on me again, I will put you back on the floor, if you try a third time you will be carried out of here."
He left saying: "This isn't over."
Jim called the police and they took statements from Brit, Jim, several witnesses, and myself. At closing the officer came back and drove Brit home.
The next couple of days Jim drove her home. Saturday night after closing Jim. Brit, and I were cleaning up. I went out to the dumpster out back with the trash. When I turned to go back in, Brit's ex was there with two other guys.
They each had baseball bats and he said: "All your black belts won't help you now."
He then charged me. that was his mistake. As he swung, I ducked and swept his legs out from under him. He went down hard smashing the back of his head on the black top. The second one charged like a bull. Intending to tackle me. I side stepped and shoved him into the front of the dumpster.
I looked at the third guy and said: "Your turn."
He dropped his bat and took off. It was then I noticed someone getting out of a car. It was the cop from the other day.
I asked him: "How long have you been watching?"
He told me: "I saw them heading this way and followed. I know your dad and know about your skills."
I asked: "Why didn't you stop them?"
He laughed and said: "Them, I knew you could handle them. I was here to stop you from killing them."
I smiled and told him: "I only defended myself and that is what I did. It was not my intention to cause them harm beyond that. But if they try again, I will hurt them severely."
He said: "Lets hope it doesn't come to that. I will have a talk with his father he knows his son is a hot head. Last time he acted this way he sent the kid to one of those boot camps for delinquents."
He then got back in his car and I went back inside. Brit asked me: "What took so long?"
I told her: "I had a chat with your ex."
Jim joined us and said: "You left some of the thrash on the ground."
I asked him: "How do you know."
He said I: "I watch it from the kitchen window."