Ch 24

Lisa returned to the table before Mark noticing Paul was gone. She felt nervous as she scanned the restaurant not seeing him anywhere.

"Where did Paul go?" Lisa asked Adam, Glen, and John as she sat down.

"He said he was going to see about getting us a table in the bar," Glen said as Mark returned. "He has been gone for awhile."

"I'll go look for him," Lisa started to stand feeling the strong hands on her shoulders.

"I'm right here angel," Paul kissed her cheek. "I got us a table in the club. Guess what its karaoke night and I thought it would be fun if we took turns choosing a song for someone else to sing. I just choose one for Adam then he can return the favor and choice one for Lisa and me to sing. Mark, Glen and John can go next."

"I'm not in the singing mood," Adam spoke up.

"Paul, I'm not either maybe some other time," Lisa said as he pulled her chair out gently taking her arm.

"Oh come on it's just for a laugh," Paul smiled widely. "I should be the one protesting I sing terribly. You on the other hand have a pretty good voice," Paul patted Adam's shoulder.

"Ok Paul," Adam reluctantly agreed knowing Paul would drive him nuts till he agreed.

"Thanks Adam. I'll even let you borrow my girl to sing to. What do you say Lisa? How about giving Adam some moral support up there? I'll let you out of the embarrassment of being up there with me," Paul turned his attention to her.

"She doesn't have to do that," Adam interrupted.

"I'll do it," she said just wanting to get the moment over with.

"Thanks angel," Paul hugged her tight. "It looks like our table is ready."

"What song did you pick?" Adam asked as they entered the bar area.

"It's a surprise. I think you already know the words for it," Paul led them all to the table. Adam's name was immediately called out the moment they sat down at the table. Lisa started getting a bad feeling in her stomach. She looked up meeting Mark's eyes letting him see all her worries.

Adam nervously stepped up on the small stage. All his nervousness was replaced with angrer when he saw Def Leppard's Girl Like You pop up on the screen.

"That son of a bitch," Adam said loud enough for Lisa to hear. She looked at the screen not believing Paul would pick that song.

"Come on you can do this. It's the past, it can't hurt now," she softly said.

Her eyes locked on Adam's as he looked up from the screen not needing to look at the words since he knew every one by heart.

As the music started, Paul slowly slithered over to Mark as Adam started to sing.

"What the hell have you done now?" Mark glared at Paul.

"Just a little trip down memory lane," Paul grinned. "That song holds a lot of memories for those two. Can't you feel his pain?"

"You're a sick man Paul," Mark growled wanting to kick Paul's ass.

"I'm just showing you what they used to have," Paul rubbed his chin. "Every break up her and I have gone through she always runs back to him. Mark, think about it you're an old man with only a fewmore goodyears to offer her. Fine you get rid of me but you still have to deal with Adam. Another man in the prime of his life that she was in love with. You're not good for her so go find someone your own age old man." Paul said before leaving the table. Mark's attention was drawn back to the stage where Adam and Lisa were lost in their world reliving a moment in their past they both thought they had dealt with.

As the song ended, the crowd clapped and whistled as Adam dropped the microphone hugging Lisa. She pulled away from him shaking her head no as she left the stage. Her eyes focused on Paul seeing the happiness in his eyes at the expense of the pain he had just caused.

"How could you do this!" she yelled at Paul.

"What did I do?" Paul grabbed her arm as she tried to pass him.

"You knew about that song," Lisa stared into his eyes. Before Paul could respond to her, Adam came through the crowd attacking Paul. The two started to roll around exchanging blows as Lisa watched for a moment then ran out of the bar in tears. Glen and John tried to separate Paul and Adam. Mark went after Lisa finding her slumped by the truck holding her head in her hands crying.

"What in the hell just happened in there between you and Adam?" Mark stared at her.

"Paul picked that song on purpose. That is the song Adam told me to listen to anytime I missed him. It was kind of our song," Lisa looked up at Mark. "What happened in there was the past coming back to haunt."

"Let me kill the son of bitch!" Adam was yelling as Glen and John dragged him outside.

"Adam, stop that is what he wants," Glen tried to calm Adam down.

"He has already got what he wanted. He took her from me," Adam yelled not noticing Lisa near the truck.

"I didn't take a damn thing from you. You lost her. The better man won," Paul burst through the door getting in Adam's face.

"Better man my ass you took her from me," Adam struggled against John's and Glen's grip as Mark watched on not sure what to do.

"Now I'm a thief," Paul laughed. "I think you better face the facts you screwed up and let her go because you were afraid to tell her the truth and face the consequences."

"What consequences? Adam, what is he talking about?" Lisa spoke up.

"Come on Adam, be a man and tell her. Tell her the real reason you left her," Paul poked Adam in the chest. Adam stared at Lisa for a few moments.

"It isn't important now. I'm going back to the hotel," Adam finally broke lose from Glen and John.

"Adam, please tell me. We have to resolve our past once and for all," Lisa tried to stop him as he stared at her again with a sad face.

"It is resolved for me and it should be for you too," Adam brushed past her hurrying to the truck.

"I'll take him back to the hotel," Glen volunteered.

"Come on angel, let's go home," Paul went towards Lisa. Lisa shook her head no backing away from him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Lisa was trembling with fear. "I need time away from you. This is twisted what you did tonight. You knew that would hurt me and you still did it. That isn't love Paul."

"Thanks a lot babe. This is our last night together for a few days and you're blowing me off. You selfish little bitch," Paul went towards her. Mark reacted immediately pushing Paul roughly to the ground.

"Stay the hell away from her! She said she doesn't want to go with you," Mark towered over Paul.

"Mark, I warned you to stay away from my girl now I'm going to teach you the hard and painful way," Paul started getting to his feet as a police car pulled into the parking lot.

"I don't think you'll be teaching anything," John glared at Paul as the police officers got out of the car. John went to Lisa hugging her close hoping to comfort her.

"Mark, this isn't finished. You better watch your back," Paul hissed as the officer walked over. Mark looked behind him at Lisa still trembling in John's arms and at Adam sitting in the truck looking deep in thought. Mark couldn't help wondering if Paul was right could Adam become an obstacle to his future with Lisa.