A few days passed, and my bruises had healed. I was finally back to feeling like myself again. The hospital stay was behind me, and life was slowly returning to normal. One evening, Scarlet and I decided to take a walk through the quiet streets, just to clear our heads. The night air was crisp, and the city lights painted long shadows on the pavement.
We wandered through the park, talking about everything and nothing. Scarlet laughed at one of my bad jokes, her arm brushing against mine. It felt good—almost peaceful. As we turned a corner near an old alley, I felt a chill run down my spine.
"Max?" Scarlet whispered, sensing the change in my mood. I glanced around, scanning the dimly lit area. That's when I saw them—three guys stepping out from the shadows, smirking like they owned the place. One of them, the familiar face from the café, sneered at me.
"Well, well, look who it is. Thought you could just walk around like nothing happened?" he taunted.
I kept my stance calm, pulling Scarlet slightly behind me. "You got a problem, man?" I asked, my voice steady but firm.
He didn't bother answering, just threw a wild punch. I ducked, countering with a swift right hook that landed square on his jaw. He staggered back, cursing. The next guy lunged forward, but I sidestepped, landing a solid uppercut to his stomach. The third guy hesitated, but I didn't give him a chance—one quick jab and he was down.
Scarlet clutched the back of my jacket, her fingers gripping tightly. I could feel her fear, and I wanted to tell her it would be okay, but there was no time. More footsteps echoed through the alley, and suddenly, at least fifteen more guys emerged, surrounding us.
My heart pounded. I was outnumbered, and Scarlet was stuck in the middle of it. I took a deep breath, trying to calculate my next move. Scarlet whispered my name, her voice trembling. I glanced back, forcing a reassuring smile.
Before I could make a move, a familiar voice cut through the tension. "You boys lost or something?"
Chris and Evan appeared from the opposite end of the alley, their expressions cold and unamused. The leader of the group hesitated, sizing them up.
"Didn't think we'd miss the party, did you?" Evan smirked, cracking his knuckles.
Without waiting for a response, they charged in. Chris landed a powerful kick to one guy's chest, sending him sprawling. Evan took out another with a quick jab to the face. They fought side by side with me, and we formed a solid front. After seeing five of their own go down in seconds, the rest of the group lost their nerve. One by one, they started backing away, muttering curses before eventually running off.
When it was over, Chris adjusted his jacket nonchalantly. "Man, I thought tonight would be boring," he said with a grin.
Evan patted my shoulder. "You good?"
I nodded, still catching my breath. Scarlet finally loosened her grip on my jacket, her hands shaking slightly. I turned to her, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You okay?" I whispered.
She nodded, but her eyes were still wide. Chris glanced between us and smirked. "We'll let you two lovebirds calm down. Let's grab some late-night food after this, yeah?"
Evan gave me a knowing look before they both walked off, leaving Scarlet and me alone again. I looked at her, trying to read her expression. After a moment, she just sighed and gave a small, shaky smile.
"You always attract trouble, don't you?" she muttered, leaning into my side.
I couldn't help but chuckle, slipping an arm around her to steady her. "Guess I've got a knack for it."
As we walked back under the streetlights, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. But right now, with Scarlet beside me, I was just glad we were safe.