That was it. I'd had enough of Peter's mental abuse. It was bad enough that I had to forever live with the fact that I actually dated him, but his constant insults had finally pushed me over the edge.

"You don't know how good you had it!" He yelled as I stormed away. "Do you really think anyone else will want you?"

His words stung and my footsteps quickened to a jog so I could get out of sight before I started to cry. I ducked into the tiny bar on my right silently praying he wouldn't follow me.

The place was unexpectedly busy considering it was only mid-afternoon, but what do I know? I've never actually gone in a bar before.

It took only a moment for my eyes to adjust to the lower artificial light compared to the bright sunshine outside. I tried to make a B-line for the ladies room, but Peter crashed through the bar room entrance before I could squeeze through the crowded room to the bathrooms.

"You're plain. No, you're ugly." Peter yelled over the heads of everyone seated at the scattered tables, not caring that every eye now turned to him. "You have no curves. In fact, I get more turned on looking at a 14 year old boy than you. You talk too much, you're too damned opinionated and you don't do what you're told. Ever!" He exhaled loudly. "No guy is ever going to ask you out, ever again. You'll be alone forever."

My mouth dropped open. Everyone was now looking at me, waiting for a reply to his verbal attack. The bar eerily silent. I knew I had to reply, but I had no words. Not only was I ready to burst into tears at any moment, but I couldn't think of anything equally hurtful that would be decent retaliation. I'm not the kind of person to ever say mean things about anyone, even someone as lowly as Peter.

That's when a deep voice spoke up from one of the tables in between Peter and I. "I'd go out with you." My head spun to face the new comer to the conversation. I recognized him immediately from my chemistry class. We'd never spoken before, but we'd already exchanged glances several times during the first two weeks of semester. His name was Tobias, and he was gorgeous. "I've been dying to ask you out ever since I first saw you."

Tobias stood and Peter took a step back, shock overtaking his face. Then another voice spoke up. A dark skinned man sitting next to Tobias. "I'd go out with you to." He stood up beside Tobias and smiled brightly in my direction.

The third guy at the table, who looked like a slightly older version of the second guy, stood next. "I'd totally go out with you." The girl beside him elbowed him in the ribs. "Well, if I was available I would."

I was so surprised to have these three strangers stand up for me. Then, almost simultaneously, every other male, and even a few females, stood adding in their bids. My hand flew to cover my mouth as the scene opened up in front of me. I felt tears threatening again, but this time they were tears of joy.

Then the woman behind the bar spoke up. "I'm calling the police."

Peter looked up at her in shock. "What?"

"You just admitted to being a pedophile. That's disgusting." The bar erupted in laughter as Peter turned a bright shade of crimson. He had no choice but to make a hasty retreat as the bartender picked up the phone and started dialing.

As soon as he was gone, she returned the handset to its cradle and grinned at me. My own smile now spreading from ear to ear as the realization hit me that an entire bar just came to my rescue. I bit my lip as my eyes scanned over the crowd of standing patrons, finally settling on Tobias. His smile warmed my heart and I knew I had to let him know just how grateful I was that he spoke up first.

I smiled shyly as I walked over to him. "I could just kiss you." My words bubbled out as I came to a stop beside him.

"I'm up for that." His eyes locked onto mine and his smile dared me to come closer. I had to look away as the whooping and hollering echoed through the room, lighting my cheeks with a pink hue.

I felt like a newlywed bride as the sound of people hitting their glasses and beer bottles with their silverware surrounded us.

Tobias shrugged. "Should we give the people what they want?"

I'm not usually this bold, but with three dozen bystanders cheering me on, I took a deep breath, leaned in closer and met his lips with mine. You'd think the local football team just won the Super Bowl if you were walking by outside. The entire bar erupted in shouting and cheering. By the time we pulled away, we were both blushing uncontrollably.

"I'm Tobias." He held out his hand, and though it seemed odd to shake his hand after kissing him, I took it and gave it a quick squeeze anyway. "This is Uriah, Zeke and Shawna." Then he addressed his friends, "guys, this is Tris."

I looked up at him after acknowledging each of his friends. "You know my name?"

"I do now."

I looked at his quizzically, not understanding what he meant.

"Professor Moore spoke to me after class. He said your chemistry partner had dropped the class, and since I'm the only one who didn't have a partner, he paired us up. I hope you don't mind. He was going to tell you tomorrow in class."

"Oh. Great! Molly and I did not get along at all. I was afraid we'd fail the class because we couldn't agree on anything."

"Well, the professor seems to think we'll make a good team."

I smiled at him again. "I think so too."