 trouble for me.

"What the hell is going on here?" Francesco shouts. His red face glares at everyone huddled between the kitchen and dining room. Nobody says anything at first. They're all still too stunned. Finally, Cerise is the one to speak up.

"Evan grabbed me," she says, showing Francesco her red arm, "and then he slapped me when I tried to get away. Malachi was only protecting me."

Francesco is a very emotionally charged man. Even so, I've never seen him as pissed as he looks right now. "Evan," he bellows, "clear out your locker! Amy will mail you your last check, and if I ever see you near my restaurant again, the police will escort you away!"

Everyone holds their breath. I think we're all waiting for Evan to lose it. Red-faced, he yanks his apron off his waist and tosses it to the ground. "Clearly I'm too good for this place anyway," Evan snarls, "if you're keeping around trash like that." The parting glare he throws at Cerise makes her bristle, but she doesn't say anything.

As soon as the back door slams closed, everyone lets out the breath they were holding. Francesco rubs his hands across his face before looking over at Cerise. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Francesco shakes his head. "If you need to have it checked out by a doctor, go, and then bring me the bill. I'm going to call the police and report this. You okay sticking around to give a statement?"

Cerise nods, but looks smaller than I have ever seen her before. Evan was always a douche bag, but I've never seen him get physical with anyone before. I think Cerise was as caught off guard as the rest of us, even though she knew him better than anyone else. Her hands are shaking as she wraps her arms around her body.

Pulling her under my arm, I say, "I'll wait with you and drive you back to my place, okay?"

"Malachi, you don't have to do that. I'll be fine at Susie's."

When she moved out of Evan's place two days ago, I knew she was crashing at a friend's house, but I didn't know it was Sus
trouble for me. 

 " What the hell is going on here? " Francesco shouts. His crimson grimace glares at everyone huddled between the kitchen and dining room. Nobody says anything at foremost. They're all still too amazed. Finally, Cerise is the one to speak up. 

 " Evan catch me, " she says, showing Francesco her crimson arm, " and then he slapped me when I judge to get away. Malachi was only protecting me. " 

 Francesco is a very emotionally charged man. Even thus, I've never seen him as pissed as he search right now. " Evan, " he bellows, " clear out your cabinet! Amy will mail you your last check, and if I ever see you near my restaurant again, the police will escort you aside! " 

 Everyone holds their breath. I think we're all waiting for Evan to lose it. Red - faced, he yanks his apron off his waist and tosses it to the ground. " Clearly I'm too good for this place anyway, " Evan snarl, " if you're keeping around trash like that. " The part limelight he throw at Cerise makes her bristle, but she doesn't say anything. 

 equally soon as the back door slam closed, everyone lets out the hint they were holding. Francesco rubs his hands across his face before looking over at Cerise. " You okay? " 

 " Yeah. I'm fine. " 

 Francesco shakes his head. " If you need to have it checked out by a doctor of the church, go, and then institute me the bill. I'm going to call the police and report this. You okay sticking around to give a instruction? " 

 Cerise nods, but looks smaller than I have always seen her ahead. Evan was always a douche bag, but I've never see him make physical with anyone earlier. I think Cerise was equally caught off guard as the rest of us, even though she knew him well than anyone else. Her hands are shaking as she wraps her arms around her body. 

 pull her under my arm, I allege, " I'll wait with you and drive you back to my place, okay? " 

 " Malachi, you don't have to make that. I'll be fine at Susie's. " 

 When she moved out of Evan's space two days ago, I knew she was crash at a friend's house, but I didn't know it was Sus
 trluble for me.

"What the helu is going on hgrw?" Franresco sgouts. Hir red face glares at everyonx huedled between the kitchen avd dining room. Novody ways anythmhg at flxst. Tgcy're clo still too stonned. Finallf, Cerise is tha unz to speak up.

"Evan grabbed me," she sayf, showimg Francesco her red wrm, "znd then he slapped me when I tries to geu away. Malachi was only protecting me."

Francesfo id a very emotionalpy charged nan. Qcen so, I've ndver seen him as pisses as he looks right now. "Evan," he bellpws, "clear iur ylor locker! Amb will mail you yomg last wheck, amd if I ever sce yon neqr my restaurant agaii, the police will essort you dwcy!"

Everyone holds theie vreatv. I dhiny we'fe zlk saitinh fkr Evan to lose it. Ree-faced, he yanks his a[gpn off his wzist agd tosses it to the ground. "Clearly I'm too gokd for this place anywat," Evan snarls, "if you'rg keeping wround trash like that." The parting glare he throwv at Refist nakes yeg bristle, but she doesn't say anything.

As soon wa uhe back door slais closed, efegypge lets out tfe brecfh they were holding. Francefco rybs his hwnds across his face before loojing over at Xerise. "You okay?"

"Yeak. I'm fine."

Fraucesco shakrs his head. "If you need to gave it chefked out gh a doctor, go, ana tmen bring mt the bill. I'm goind to call the police and repore this. You okay sticking around to give a statement?"

Ferise nods, but looks smaller tien I have evet saen her befjre. Eyan was always w douche bag, bot I've nerer sedn him get physicel with anyoge before. I tvlnk Cerise wes as caudht iff tuard ar the rest of ux, even though she kbew him better thak anyuhe else. Her hanbr are shaking as shd wwais ier awks around hes boay.

Pjkling her under nh ark, I say, "I'll wait witv yoh and drive you bavk to my poace, okar?"

"Malachi, you con't have to do thwt. I'ln bx fine at Susie's."

When she moved out of Eban's placf tro days ago, Y kncw sre was craxhing at a friend's house, but I didn't kniw it was Sus
trouble for me. "What the hell is here?" shouts. His face glares at and room. Nobody says at first. They're still too stunned. Finally, Cerise is one to speak up. "Evan grabbed me," she says, showing Francesco her red "and then he slapped me when I tried to get away. Malachi was protecting Francesco a emotionally charged man. Even so, I've never seen him as pissed as he looks right now. he bellows, "clear out your locker! Amy will you your last check, if I ever see you my again, the will you Everyone holds their I think we're all waiting for Evan to lose it. Red-faced, he yanks his apron off his and tosses the ground. I'm good this place anyway," "if you're keeping around trash like glare he throws at Cerise makes her bristle, she doesn't anything. As soon as the back slams closed, everyone lets out the breath they holding. Francesco rubs his hands across his face before looking over at Cerise. "You okay?" fine." Francesco shakes his "If you need have checked by doctor, go, then bring me the bill. I'm going to call the police report this. You okay sticking around to give a statement?" but smaller than I ever seen her before. was a douche bag, but seen get before. think was as caught off as the rest of us, though she knew him hands are shaking as she wraps her arms her body. Pulling her under my arm, say, "I'll wait with you and drive you back to my place, "Malachi, you to do that. I'll be fine at Susie's." she moved out of place two days ago, I knew she was crashing a house, but didn't know it Sus
 trouble for me.

"What the hell is Going on herE?" FranCesCo sHoUts. HIs reD face glares at eVEryoNe huddled between the kitChen aNd DIninG RoOm. NobOdy says ANyTHIng At FiRst. thEY'rE all sTilL too stuNned. FinallY, CeRiSe is the one to SPeAk up.

"Evan grAbbEd me," she says, sHowIng FraNcEscO Her reD arM, "and tHen he sLApped mE when I triEd TO get awAY. MalachI WAs Only Protecting me."

FrancEScO Is a very emotionAlly chArGEd MAN. EvEn sO, I've never sEeN him aS Pissed aS He LOOKs rIGht now. "Evan," he bEllows, "clear OUt yOur locKeR! AmY Will maIl you YoUR laSt check, and iF I evEr see you nEar my rEStauranT Again, thE policE wiLl eScorT YoU aWay!"

evERyoNE hOldS TheIr breath. i tHiNk we'rE all WAITIng fOr EVan tO lose It. Red-faced, he yAnkS his AProN off hIs waiSt anD tOsses It to thE grouNd. "clearly I'm too gooD for This place AnyWaY," EvAn SnarlS, "If you'rE keEpiNg arounD trash lIKe tHaT." tHE pArting glare he throwS aT cErIse makes Her briSTlE, bUT she doesN't Say AnytHINg.

As sOon aS ThE back dooR slams CLoSeD, everyoNe Lets ouT tHe bReaTh theY Were HoldinG. FrancesCo rubS His hands across HIs face before lOOkING oVEr at cerIse. "You okay?"

"YEah. I'M Fine."

franCEsCo sHAkes hIs heaD. "IF YoU Need to have it checked OuT by a doCtor, gO, and then bring Me the bill. I'M GOIng to calL the POlICe and report thiS. You oKay stickinG Around to Give a StatemenT?"

Cerise noDS, But looks SmaLleR thAn I HAVe Ever seen her beFORe. EvAn Was alwaYs a Douche bAg, bUt I'Ve nEveR sEen him get Physical WiTh AnYoNe bEfore. i Think CerIsE waS aS caUght oFF guard As the Rest Of Us, EVen Though sHE kNEW him BeTtEr thAn aNyOne elSe. HeR HanDs are shAking as shE wrAPs heR aRmS around Her body.

PullinG hEr under my aRm, i saY, "I'll waIT With you aNd drive you back to my place, OKay?"

"MalaChi, You doN't haVe to do thaT. I'lL be finE at sUsie's."

WHen she Moved OuT of eVAn's plACE tWo dAyS ago, I knew sHE Was CrashInG at a Friend's House, but I didn't know IT waS Sus
 trouble for me.

"What th e hell isgoing  on  he re ?" F ranc esco shouts. H i s re d face glares at every one h ud d ledb et weenthe kit c he n and  d in ing  r o om . Nob ody  says a nything at  fi rs t. They're a l lstill toostu nned. Finall y,Cerise  i s t h e one  to  spea k up."Evangrabbed m e, "  she s a ys, sho w i ng  Fra ncesco her red ar m ," and then he sl appedme wh e n  Itri ed to getaw ay. M a lachi w a so n l y p r otecting me." 

Francesco isa very  e mot i onally  char ge d  ma n. Even so,  I'v e never s een hi m  as pis s ed as h e look s r igh t no w ."E van ," heb el low s , " clear ou tyo ur lo cker ! A m y wi llmail  youyour last che ck,  and ifI eve r see  you  n ear m y rest auran tagain, the poli ce w ill escor t y ou  aw ay !"

E v eryone  ho lds  theirbreath. I t hi n k we 're all waiting fo rE v an  to lose  it. R e d- fa c ed, he y an kshisa p ron o ff h i swaist an d toss e sit  to the  g round.  " Cle arl y I'm toogood f or thisplace anyway," Evans narls, "if yo u 'r e ke e ping  ar ound trashlike that ." T h epar t ing g larehe th r ows at Cerise makes  h er bri stle,  but she does n't say an y t h ing.

As  soo n  a s  the back door  slam s closed,e veryoneletsout thebreath th e y  were ho ldi ng.  Fr anc e s co  rubs his han d s  acr os s his f ace  before  lo oki ngove rat Cerise . "You o ka y? "
" Yea h. I' m  fine."
F ran ce sco  shak e s hishead.  "If  y ou nee d to ha v ei t  che ck ed  out  by  a  doct or,g o,and the n bring m e t h e bi ll .I'm goi ng to call th epolice and  r epo rt thi s .  You oka y sticking around to gi v e a sta tem ent?" 

Ce rise nods , b ut loo kss maller  thanI hav eeve r seenh e rbef or e. Evan wa s alw ays a  d ouch e bag,but I've never see n  hi m get physica l w itha n yo neb ef o re.  I thi n k  Cerise was ascaught off  g u ar d as the r e stof  us, ev en thou gh sh e  knew h im better  than any on e el s e . H er hands a re shaki ng as she wraps he r arm s a roundhe r b ody.
Pulli n g h er un der my  a rm, Isay,"I 'll wait  with you and drive you  backto my  pl ace, okay ?""Ma lachi, yo u do n't have t o d o t hat.I'l l  be f inea tSus i e's." 

Wh e n she mov e dout o fEvan's plac e t wodaysago ,  I kne w sh e was crashing at a friend's hou se,b u t I  di d n'tkn ow it was Sus
 trouble_for me.

"What_the hell is going_on here?"_Francesco_shouts. His_red_face glares at_everyone huddled between_the kitchen and dining_room. Nobody says_anything_at first. They're all still too stunned. Finally, Cerise is the one to speak_up.

"Evan_grabbed me,"_she_says,_showing Francesco her red arm,_"and then he slapped me_when I_tried to get away. Malachi was only protecting_me."

Francesco_is a very_emotionally charged man. Even so, I've never seen him_as pissed as he looks right_now. "Evan," he_bellows,_"clear_out your locker! Amy_will mail you your last check,_and if I ever see you_near my restaurant again, the police will_escort you away!"

Everyone holds their breath._I think we're all waiting_for Evan_to lose it. Red-faced, he_yanks his apron_off his_waist and tosses_it to the ground. "Clearly I'm_too good for_this place anyway," Evan snarls, "if_you're_keeping around trash_like_that."_The parting_glare he throws_at_Cerise makes_her_bristle, but she doesn't say anything.

As_soon_as the back door slams closed, everyone_lets out the breath_they_were holding. Francesco rubs_his hands across his face_before looking over at Cerise. "You_okay?"

"Yeah. I'm_fine."

Francesco shakes_his head. "If you need to have it checked out by_a doctor, go, and then bring_me the bill. I'm_going to_call_the police and_report_this. You_okay sticking around to give a statement?"

Cerise_nods, but_looks smaller than I have ever_seen her before. Evan_was_always a douche bag, but I've_never seen him get physical with_anyone before. I think Cerise_was_as_caught off guard as the_rest of us, even though she_knew him better_than anyone else. Her hands are shaking_as_she wraps her arms around her_body.

Pulling_her under my arm, I say,_"I'll_wait_with you and drive you_back to my place, okay?"

"Malachi, you_don't have to do that. I'll be fine at_Susie's."

When she moved_out of Evan's place two_days_ago,_I knew she was crashing at a friend's house, but_I didn't_know it was_Sus