Nick

Charlie and I both turned towards the dining room doors as they crashed open. An average looking guy with dark hair was standing there screaming in our direction.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he screamed as he stormed over towards us.

“Ben,” screeched Charlie while still lying on top of me from where we had fallen just moments ago. Before we could do anything Ben was grabbing hold of Charlie by the back of his jumper and pulling him to his feet. I vaguely heard him say to Charlie, “You’re wearing a jumper? It’s not even cold.” Once Charlie was off me I started to get back onto my feet too. By the time I was up, Ben was dragging Charlie backwards by his jumper saying the most horrible things to him.

“You’re so pathetic, throwing yourself at any boy that will look at you,” he spit.

“Were you trying to humiliate me, by not showing up to the wedding,” each sentence filled with vile and hatred.

“You’re coming back with me, no one else will have you.”

I went after them, trying not to stumble over the legs of the chairs sticking out in the dining room. I caught up to them in reception and stepped in front of Ben’s path forcing him to stop.

“Get your hands off him,” I screamed, making sure my chest was puffed out to make me seem even more imposing in front of him.

“He’s mine, I’ll do whatever I want,” he hissed.

“After what you did to him?” I laughed.

Ben turned to Charlie, “Have you been telling lies about me Charlie boy?”

Charlie just looked down to the ground without saying anything.

“You were kissing a girl the night before you were due to marry him,” it was my turn to hiss.

Ben’s head whipped around to me, “Who even are you, this is nothing to do with you.”

“How long?” Charlie softly spoke, barely above a whisper.

I’m not sure if Ben heard him or not, until Charlie spoke up again, much stronger this time, “How long have you been cheating on me Ben?”

Ben turned, I think he was shocked that Charlie had stood up to him. I’m guessing that’s not something Charlie has often done before, if ever.

“I haven’t cheated on you, clearly you were cheating on me with this oaf,” he said pointing over his shoulder at me. I chose to bite my tongue, he can call me all the names he wants.

Charlie pulled out his phone and turned the reel from his friend towards Ben, “How can you stand there any deny it?”

Ben changed tactic now, it was almost like he had a completely different personality. He switched from the vile hatred he had been spewing to try and appear all sweet and romantic, “You know what you mean to me Charlie, we’ve been together for years, you can’t just throw this away,” his hand grazing down Charlie’s arm. Was this guy for real, I hope Charlie could see through his crap, if he chose to go with him, I’d be devastated but I wouldn’t stop him. Even if I really, really wanted to.

“It’s over Ben, I don’t know how long you’ve been cheating on me, maybe you’ve always been cheating on me behind my back but I’m not letting you do it to me anymore. I deserve better than this, I deserve better than you,” Charlie confidently replied, I felt so proud of him for standing up for himself and a huge grin was now plastered across my face.

Ben wasn’t happy about Charlie standing up for himself, the Mr Nice-Guy act now long forgotten, “Really, you think anyone else would be interested in you, you’re just a pathetic, little, fag.”

At that point I saw red, I swung Ben round to face me and punched him as hard as I could in the face causing him to fall to the floor.

“I’ll see your fired for this,” he tried to scare me while he held his now bloody nose.

“GET. OUT. OF MY. HOTEL!” I shouted back at him, “You are not welcome here, and if you try and come back, I will call the police and have you arrested for trespassing.”

“You haven’t heard the last of this,” he snarled before skulking off out the reception doors. I shook my hand out, suddenly feeling sore after punching Ben in the face. I looked at Charlie for the first time since I hit Ben, a look of fear and concern fighting for dominance across his face. Shit. The last thing I ever wanted to do was ever scare this beautiful man. It seems concern won out and he tentatively stepped forward to take my hand, looking down at my red knuckles.

“We should get some ice on that,” he smiled up at me.