Human Tendencies

His eyes are animated as he leans in to whisper. He brushes her loose curls softly behind the ear. Her eyes find the ground, embarrassed, and she shivers, like she always does. I don't have to hear what he says to know, I've heard all the headlines. He'd like to take her to the dock, or to the balcony or out on the rowboat. "Works every time," He'd said in the locker room "Anyone is free to borrow my stock in genius, as long as they aren't chasing the same piece of tail." God he makes me  

sick. 

She nods up and down, then shivers again because she's nervous. Being nervous has caused shivers since the 8th grade.

I look around, music blaring, everywhere is filled with teenagers acting like fools for each others attention. No one seems to notice the two treading away.

I know that I have to stop her. I also know I wasn't supposed to be invited, much less tell the host he can't touch my lab partner. 

Come on Peter, be a knight in shining armor. Don't girls go crazy for that stuff? 
Great, he's giving her his jacket. I know girls go crazy for that stuff.

Time is taking it's final breaths as I stutter on the sidelines.

She has to know that all the stories are true. That all the games are reruns with the same rules and he  always wins. The dock is just another level, another dice roll, another slick move.

Before I can carve the cement from my feet the pawn and the king have closed out of my sight. 

I could have saved her from the heartache I would later watch fracture her soul. I could have stopped the writing. She didn't have to own such heavy pain. But I let her. And I blame my selfish human tendencies.