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As Kyle, Sam, and Ronnie made their way back to campus after leaving Bogart’s, they barely said a word. Sam was still shocked that Kyle got involved in an altercation with the creeps who had been harassing that poor girl, and despite everything, things were still slightly awkward between Kyle and her, even if they had convinced themselves that it wasn’t. Kyle felt it too. He had been crazy about Sam for years, and for the longest time would have given anything to be with her. However, the timing just never worked out for them. Either he was with someone else, or she was. The tension between them was driving him nuts, and he wanted nothing more than to resolve the issues between them, he just didn’t know how. 

“You know, you two really need to get your shit figured out.” Ronnie said, as if he had a supernatural ability to read the situation. And in a way, he did. They were his best friends, and he knew them better than just about anyone. He knew when things weren’t right, even if they didn’t want to admit that anything was wrong at all.

“What are you talking about?” Kyle asked, taken off guard by the statement.

“Ronnie, there’s nothing-” Sam was cut off mid-sentence.

“Bullshit.” Ronnie said before adding, “you guys have been in love with each other for as long as I’ve known you, but you’re too damn stubborn to make anything happen. Granted, Kyle, you’re with Addy right now, and she’s cool as shit. But seriously dude, what the fuck?”

“Seriously Ronnie?” Kyle asked, shocked at what he was hearing.

“Yeah dude, you’re like my brother and I love you, but you’re a fucking mess. You need to figure out what it is you want.” He paused, before adding. “Both of you.”

Before either Kyle or Sam could respond, the loud roar of an engine shattered the quiet of the night. They looked to the source of the sound and saw a dark Cadillac shoot around the corner and slow down right next to them. The tinted driver’s side window rolled down and Kyle made eye contact with the driver, one of the creeps from the club. Kyle braced for trouble, however, the driver just grinned and pressed the gas pedal to the floor, kicking up smoke and the smell of burnt rubber as the Cadillac sped off down the street.

“Was that…?” Sam asked, the fear rising in her voice.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Kyle said.

“Good idea.” Ronnie said as he picked up his pace, the other two following suit.

Then they saw the Caddy come back around the corner from the opposite direction, heading straight for them.

“Kyle…” Ronnie said, panic starting to creep into his voice.
“Run!” Kyle cried out to his friends. 

However, they didn’t get the chance. The Cadillac sped up and raced toward them. As the vehicle pulled up beside them, he could see one of the passengers leaning out of the window pistol aimed directly at them. 

“Get down!” Kyle commanded as he tackled Sam and pulled her to the ground, laying on top of her to shield her from the firearm. There was a volley of gunfire, and then a squeal of tires as the Cadillac sped off. Kyle stayed on top of Sam for a few moments, not wanting to get up in case the danger hadn’t passed. Finally, he rolled off of her and looked her in the eyes.

“Are you okay?” He asked, angry with himself for not taking the threat that the thugs from the club had posed seriously, and putting his friends in danger in the process. 

“Yeah, I think so.” Sam managed to say, her voice shaking.

“Ronnie, you okay?” Kyle asked. 

There was no response.

“Ronnie?” Kyle said again as he turned toward the spot his friend had been.

“Ronnie…” Kyle said, his voice trailing off as he saw his friend laying on the sidewalk in a pool of his own blood.

Kyle was nearly overcome by a sickening feeling in his gut as a raced over to his friend’s side, unable to believe the massive amount of blood on the sidewalk. He put his fist over the gunshot wound in Ronnie’s chest in an attempt to stem the flow of blood.

“Ronnie.” Kyle said, a mix of panic and anguish in his voice. 

“Hey Kyle…” Ronnie said, forcing a smile in his delirium.

“It’s gonna be okay Ronnie, you’re going to be fine.” Kyle said in an attempt to reassure his friend…and himself.

“Yeah. I…I know. It’s just a flesh wound.” Ronnie said with a slight laugh, followed by violent coughing. 

“Yeah, just a flesh wound.” Kyle repeated his friend’s reference to Monte Python’s Black Knight, from a scene that the pair had quoted ad nauseum. 

“Hey, Kyle…” Ronnie said, his voice growing weaker.

“Yeah buddy?” Kyle said.
“She loves you, you know that. Take care of her…” He said, just before his eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp.

“Ronnie? Ronnie?” Kyle said, panic gain taking a hold of him, followed with a cold realization that came as soon as he felt Sam’s hand on her shoulder. He looked up at her and the tears in her eyes nearly caused him to break.

“Ronnie…”