The Wink

Tommy punches you, and your world kaleidoscopes. Pain fireworks across your face. You taste blood.
A ring of classmates forms. You’re big, but Tommy is bigger. You swing, but your breath is short.
You were friends before. Then he started dating Alice and changed. “Stop looking at my girl,” he said.
The truth is, you like Alice, too.
Tommy steps closer, fist up.
Alice rescues you: “Mr. Stevenson’s coming!”
It’s bullshit. Everyone scatters.
She kneels beside you. “You okay?”
You should thank her, but instead, you smirk. “I had him pinned.”
She laughs.
You wink.

Mathieu Parsy