Just like that

“Brandy, you totally can’t say some stupid shit like that. You’re going to get us into a fight.”
I loosened my grip around his coat from where I had him pinned against the wall. The crisp night air bit into my hands and I hid them away in my pockets, eyeing the line of people snaking their way down the street, trying to get into the club we’d just exploded out of.
I glanced up and down the street but there was no sign of the guys we’d just escaped.
“Seriously, those guys aren’t messing around,” I said, trying to catch his unfocused eyes.
“Alright, Mick, I fucking get it, I get it. No more messing around.” He gripped his baseball hat with both hands and closed his eyes breathing deeply.
“I’m sober now. I’m totally sober.”
I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall beside him. A moment later he was bent double, jean jacket spread tight across the back he’d built in the marine corp. I patted him as he threw up, wishing I knew where the hell Constance was.
“Hah, there you guys are!” I heard a voice, a sweet sound like a splash of cool rain on a warm day call down the street.
I glanced up from Brendan who had made quite a mess and smiled, “Constance!” I said, gratefully eyeing she had a friend with her.
“And Lucy! Thank God you girls made it!” I said, pulling Brandy upright.
Lucy came and tucked herself under Brandy’s arm and his eyes tried to focus on her.
“Lucy, I’m drunk,” He slurred.
Her dark hair shimmered in the streetlights and her face turned up towards his. “Of course you are, Brandy. It’s Saturday, what else would you be?” But she gave him a peck on the cheek and held him upright against the wall.
Constance came and tucked her arm around me, giving me a brief hug. “I’m sorry we couldn’t come sooner, we got caught up studying. I’m kind of nervous about Monday,” she said, eyes wide staring at me in the dimly lit street.
I could keep staring all night. Of course I knew about Monday already, it was Constance’s final exam in Anatomy and she had been stressing about it all week.
“Relax, Connie, you know more about the human body than anyone I’ve ever met,” I said, pulling her in front of me.
She gave me a quick kiss, “I’ve probably got a bit more to teach you though.”
“Hey, there he is!”
I groaned, glancing back towards the club. We hadn’t moved far enough and there was a pack of three guys coming towards us. I broke away from Constance, holding up my hands.
“Hey, guys, listen he’s wasted. He seriously didn’t mean anything by that.”
The guy in front, a tall kid that looked like he was still in high school pulled up suddenly.
“Didn’t mean anything by it? What about when that asshole pissed on my shoe?”
I couldn’t keep myself from grinning, “Well, what the hell do you expect-” “BLARGH!” came a sudden noise behind me, followed by Lucy squealing as she moved her feet out of the splash zone.
“I mean, just look at the guy,” I said, turning to look at him.
As soon as I turned, I heard Constance scream and something smashed into my head. I careened sideways into the wall of the club and felt blows pummeling my body from all sides.
I couldn’t make out anything except grunts and heavy breathing all over Constance’s screams. Suddenly there was more shouting and the blows stopped. I coughed, something hot and wet filling my mouth and I tried to sit up against the wall.
Brandy was sideways on the ground, passed out or knocked out I wasn’t sure and Lucy squatted by his side. Constance was crying, screaming something as she tugged one of the guy’s arms down. I couldn’t tell what was going on until she was thrown back into the street by one of the other guys.
She hit the ground with a thud, her head smacking against the pavement. With a roar I struggled up, unaware of anything else. The tall boy who looked like he was still in high school turned, straightening his arm. He was pointing something at me, but it was too dark to see what he held in his hand.
For an instant I leapt at him, full of fury at Constance lying on the ground behind him. The next instant there was a dull flash and something tore through my stomach, knocking me to the ground. I could vaguely hear screaming erupt like nothing I’d ever heard as I lay twisting in pain and then everything went dark.