The bass from the party thumped like a sick heartbeat, and from his spot leaning against the far wall, he watched you. He watched the way your scum of a boyfriend kept a possessive arm locked around you, a human chain that had pulled you away from him for months

He was your best friend. Or he used to be. Before your boyfriend decided he didn't like how close you two were and forced you to choose

A lyric, from a song you both used to love, echoed in his mind, fitting this miserable scene a little too perfectly: "I could be a better boyfriend than him..”

He saw the way your smile was now a tight, practiced line. He saw you flinch when your boyfriend whispered something in your ear, his grip turning cruel. He remembered the late-night drives, the laughter that used to come so easily, the way he could make you feel safe without even trying

But…

He wasn’t going to let you go…