I applied a small ice pack to the side of Tommy's face as Darius paced back and forth in front of everyone in the empty entrance of the studio. The cops had come and Darius had settled up the entire cost of damages as well as bail for Tom and Spied before dragging the entire group out of the restaurant and into waiting cars.
"You just couldn't wait until a more appropriate time, could you?" Darius asked Spied bitingly as Spied shrugged and looked away hurriedly. Darius threw his hands up into the air in exasperation.
"Well that's just great because now we have managed to ruin a perfectly good charity event, and we've managed to cancel the televised fight between the two of you. I mean, what's the point now, huh? Everyone and their mothers are going to be seeing it on the freakin' local news tonight. Do you even realize the ramifications of this?" Darius asked as everyone just stared at him silently. Darius sighed before glancing at Tom.
"Maybe it's a good idea if you take a vacation for a little while, Quincy. Just until I can clean this mess up." Dariusstated matter-of-factly as I jerked my head up in astonishment.
"You can't be serious, Darius!" I began as Darius held up his hand in a gesture of warning.
"I would not finish that statement if I were you, Jude Harrison." He said rather pointedly as I felt Tom shove the ice pack away from his face forcefully. I could tell he was angry—maybe at himself or just at the situation, I'd never know.
"Why don't I just start my little hiatus now?" He asked with a furious shrug as Darius just looked at him quietly, and I almost screamed in frustration as Tom nodded his head before shoving his way out of the room. No! I glanced at everyone only briefly before following him as fast as I could.
"Tommy wait!" I cried as we both burst into the balmy night air as he marched steadfastly to his viper. He glanced at me only a second, and I felt my heart break at the glint in his eye.
"I need to get away for a while, Jude, and right now, I don't know if I'm coming back." He said pointedly as I cried and shoved my fist against the hood of his car as he jumped in and revved up his engine.
"Tom No!" I shouted again as he shoved the gear into drive and pressed the gas peddle--streaming gravel as he tore into the street.
"Tom!" I yelled as I watched hopelessly and helplessly at his fading taillights in the distance.