Ardent

Keira slammed the pint on the side, not leaving his gaze as it slopped over the edge and on to the bar. “James drop it”.
James knew the tone well enough to take heed of the words; pulling a face he grabbed his pint and downed half of it. Keira nodded and continued to serve other people. James had helped her find this part time job in a bar, and she loved it, meeting new people and laughing with customers each day. Smiling she gave an old man his change and turned back to the empty bar, walking down she leaned on the edge and stared at James.
”I have to stay with him James, please stop questioning me”
”You don’t have to. He is horrible”
”That’s not for you to say,” Keira shouted, “You don’t even know him.”
”I wouldn’t want to, I looked at him and realised he was the sort I wouldn’t piss on if they were on fire”
Keira groaned and walked to the other end of the bar, leaning over it she glanced at the pool tables and the men laughing around them. In the corner a man was setting up the karaoke for the night. James appeared next to her, and touched her arm.
”I just don’t think he is good for you, I mean think about it when you got this job. Everyone you told was happy what did he say? That it would be easy, all you were doing was showing your tits and pulling pints,” James thundered, gripping his glass and taking another mouthful of beer. This confrontation arose after James called up in he middle of them arguing last night. Even as she tried to say goodbye he could hear Pete shouting at her in the background. “The truth is Keira you are afraid of being alone, even if you have to be with that dick, you are happy?”
”He’s different when we are alone, he is sweet, loving, sexual, Very romantic” Keira turned to see James reaction, and pulled a face when he let out a huge belch.
”Bollocks” he said while burping. Keira looked about her to check no one had seen her with him. Eventually she laughed at the sheer absurdity and rudeness of him.
”Well either way, he lives with me and I have to make this work”
”You cant do anything more twinkle. You really cant” James said, jumping forward he leant over the bar and kissed her on the cheek, “Right I have to go, I do have a life besides star bucks your flat and this pub you know”
”Don’t lie” she laughed, watching him dance out the door. Turning to face the bar taps she frowned, he was right and she hated him when he was right. Pete wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination but the repercussions of her kicking him out of the house would be disastrous. Not that he contributed much anyway. It had been hers and Kayleigh, until she met Pete, then she had been swept off her feet and he had wormed his way into the house. Keira knew Kayleigh hadn’t been happy and now 2 years on she hated him. Keira had realised Pete wasn’t as nice as when she had first met him, and screaming arguments plus tears had become a daily thing. Sighing she turned and grinned at two ladies and walked over to ask what their tipple was.

Kayleigh opened her bedroom door slightly and stuck her head out. Looking left and right, she crept into the kitchen. Breathing a sigh of relief to see he wasn’t there. Reaching for the kettle she flicked it on and hugged her dressing gown to her, searching for a clean cup and the coffee, she heard a tapping on the window and her blood froze. Turning to face the intruder she saw James’ grinning face, pushed up against the glass. Kayleigh’s face broke into a smile, she had never been so happy to see him, running to let him in she laughed as he fell up the steps in his haste to get out of the cold.
”Hey baby cakes” he laughed, throwing a bag of marshmallows on the table, “I bring gifts, for information”
Kayleigh grinned, “Love it, throw a fiver down as well”
”Har har, come on what was it about?”
Kayleigh sighed, “Let m get some coffee first, you want some?”
”Nooo 14 a day is my limit. I’ll have some water, move wench” he ordered, running into the living room and diving on the sofa. Kayleigh gave him an evil glare and threw a marshmallow into her mouth. Pouring her drink, she filled a glass of water for him and headed into the living room, kicking the door shut behind her.
”If Keira knew I gossiped about her she would flay me”
”Its not gossip, I just want to know she is ok, she doesn’t tell me anything about the overgrown chimp. Plus your confidence is easy to buy” he laughed, taking a swig of his water. “Get dressed come the pub, I’m headed there after this.”
Kayleigh told him all about the latest row, and watched his face drop with sadness.
”How can I cause them to fight? I avoid him like herpes.”
”He is jealous of you” Kayleigh shrugged, “You have a great relationship with Keira and you are here all the time making us laugh.”
”Its not like im trying to date Keira, she’s my friend”
”I know that and so does she, don’t take it to heart, he was very drunk. Just see how it pans out, but we want to be leaving in case he turns up”
Hearing the front door slam, she jumped up quickly and dressed as fast as she could, having naturally curly hair, she left is as she woke. Bursting into the living room she saw Pete staring as James with fury on his face. The smell of whiskey hit her and she wrinkled her nose in disgust, he had obviously been sent home from work for being drunk, again.
”I told her you weren’t welcome here anymore” Pete roared.
”Yeah, well communication issue, I never listen to her, we have that in common” James grinned, jumping backwards as he dived toward him.
”Stop Pete stop, we are leaving now,” Kayleigh screamed, running over to James.
James stared at her and pushed her out of the way, “You might have told me this little gem.” He cried, dodging a vase that was thrown at him. “Christ are you on your period or something, what is your problem”
”My problem” Pete laughed, “You are here, you are always with my girl. I don’t like it, I don’t like you, and I don’t want you in my house”
”Pete you cant say that, this isn’t even your house” Kayleigh shouted, hiding behind James who was refusing to be pulled toward the door.
”I’ll deal with you later” he rasped, pointing at Kayleigh, “Now get out!”
”No” James stood his ground, taking a step forward he sat down on the chair opposite Pete and reached for his glass, “I’m not going anywhere”
Kayleigh stared at them both, fear running though her. Pete moved first, diving over the table he smashed his fist into the side of James head. James cried out in pain and pulled himself up, head butting Pete as hard as he could he dived on his and punched him wherever he could. Kayleigh screamed and ran from the house, heading for the pub.

Keiras heart was racing; her feet barely touched the floor as she ran alongside Kayleigh all the way home. Bursting through an open door she saw them, still attacking each other violently. Her living room was a mess, chairs and tables sprawled on their sides, her eyes shot to James first, he had a cut under his eye, and his lip and nose were bleeding. Reluctantly she turned to Pete, his face was a mess, she was half pleased, about time he received some sort of pain for everything he had done. Keira screamed as Pete lunged out once more, throwing James off balance, he fell into the shelving unit, which toppled over and landed on him. Crushed under its weight, James cried out in pain. Keira ran forward, “Stop please fucking god, stop” diving in Pates way she found herself roughly shoved to the side. Pete flipped the unit over and began kicking James in the side repeatedly. Not to be outdone James managed to roll out of the way, and jump uneasily to his feet. Both men stood, battered figures of their former selves and just stared. James glanced to Keira; she was on the floor in tears, having collided with the TV. Walking over he lifted her to her feet, and stared at her eyes. They were pleading for this to end. Keira’s eyes left his, and flicked to he side of him, she screamed as Pete brought a chair down over James head. James fell forward and held onto Keira for support, eventually crumpling to his knees, he fell to the floor, holding his head.
”Get the fuck out of my house” Pete repeated, staring down at him. “You, bitch, I told you to tell him, are you fucking deaf?” Pete shouted, gripping Keiras arm until she cried out. James rose to his feet, and smashed Pete once more in the face, watching as he fell to the floor with a thud. Grabbing his coat he walked out of the house. It had begun raining, and he looked up and closed his eyes as the cold drops felt good on his battered face. Keira ran out after him.
”Why?” she cried, “What happened”
”Does he need an excuse?” James whispered, his lip swelling. “Keira I have to tell you, I don’t think I can see you until your rid of him. I won’t be coming back to this house.”
”James please” Keira sobbed, “Come inside, and let me wash your face”
”I fought for you, you alone. You’re my best friend, and he treats you like dirt.” James turned and walked away. Leaving Keira growing cold in the rain. Sirens sounded, Kayleigh must have called an ambulance. Turning to walk back inside, she felt a wave rise up inside her, and she sobbed even harder falling upon the step she sat here until Kayleigh came out and put her arms around her.
”I want him out, make him leave” Keira sobbed. “James wont come back otherwise, and im not losing him”
”James didn’t deserve this, he came here today asking if you were ok. WE were almost ready to leave and come and see you in the pub until Pete burst in, furious to see him in the house. James fought for your word and his right as your friend.”
”I know he did”
”But as least he is still walking, Pete is out cold on the floor” Kayleigh giggled. I don’t know how James beat him at all”
Keira smiled, “James is a god guy”
”The finest, he brought me marshmallows”
Keira laughed, “When he is gone we can see what is left of our room, then I want the locks changed and his stuff can go to his mothers. Don’t think it’s the end though”
they smiled as the ambulance pulled up, and took them inside. Once Pete had been led out, the police arrived with questions. Keira was terrified, would James get in trouble for this? She couldn’t even tell them where he had gone.
”Pete attacked a friend of ours” Kayleigh spoke, lying through her teeth. “He left in pain, he wasn’t as bad though, he wont need medical attention i don’t think.
”Right” the officer scribbled some notes in his book, “Would you say this was an unprovoked attack?”
”Pete wanted James to leave the house, but he refused”
”Why not?”
”Because it isn’t Pete’s house, its ours, and we like James being here.”
”Why is Pete here at all?”

The questions went on for another hour or so; they had to give all their details and James as well. The officer assured them they would contact James and check if he wanted to take this to court. After he left, Keira walked into her bedroom and began bagging up all of his things. It was pointless to leave it now. Kayleigh had began cleaning the living room, and washing the blood from the walls. Neither of them spoke. Kayleigh called James later on to check how he was, though he didn’t sound himself, h said he was ok. He had seen the police and was taking it further, hoping to get Pete behind bars.
”You can tell Keira it could be the best thing I ever do for her, and if she doesn’t want to know me for locking her boyfriend up, I’ll console myself with the knowledge that he is off the streets away from normal people”
”Why are you being so hard on her?”
”Because if she had done what I said weeks ago I wouldn’t have stitches or a broken rib would I?”
”She is very upset James don’t blame this on her”
James sighed, “I need to go to sleep, I’ll talk to you later”
”James no, you might have concussion! Did you go to the hospital?”
”No”
”Then how do you have stitches?”
”The woman who lives below me is a nurse, don’t worry she cleaned me up and stuff.”
Kayleigh waited for the usual joke about his sexual deviancy, or some sort of pun regarding a nurse waiting on him, but it never came.
”I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Look after her for me” he spoke softly and hung up. Kayleigh stared at the phone and dropped it like it was on fire, everything was so wrong it seemed right. At least now they were rid of Pete, Keira could finally see what a horrible person he was. James however had taken a beating to show her that. Kayleigh hoped it wouldn’t come between them. Walking through to the bedroom she told Keira everything James had said and sat waiting for an reaction.
”ok I’m going over there” Keira shouted, “I’ll be back. Bloody nurse indeed, and no joke how dare he”
Keira smiled at Kayleigh as she left, “Don’t make a mess will you, I’ve just cleaned up”
Kayleigh looked around the destroyed room and smiled, “Sod off”.