The atmosphere of the birthday party grew thick. The droll irony of the event had been suffocated by the mounting pressure. Johnny fumed, finally convinced of Lisa's infidelity. He had overheard her bragging of it to her mother days before. He thought it was bluster; Lisa hated Denny, and neither Peter nor Mark would ever betray him. She didn't have any other friends. The computer business was too competitive.
But seeing Lisa and Mark taking refuge in each other's arms against the emotional onslaught of the Revived, Johnny knew. Love is blind, but Johnny saw clearly.
Likewise, Mark's anxiety soared. Lisa couldn't keep her hands off him, and she didn't care who noticed. She seemed poised to take the leap– to finally leave Johnny for him. And he knew he couldn't give her what she wanted. It was time to shut her down. It was time to tell Johnny.
Mark recoiled from Lisa's claws as she stroked his back. "Who the hell do you think you are?" he shouted.
Confused, hurt, Lisa fired back. "Just shut up!" she spat as she slapped him across the face.
Johnny leapt into action. "What are you doing?" he called as he rushed between them. "What's going on here?"
"You really don't know, do you?" Mark started. He wet his lips in preparation for the bombshell.
But Johnny cut him off. "Maybe I know more than you think I do, Mark!"
Mark was suddenly lightheaded. Hot shame flooded into his cheeks. Icy prickles swirled around his useless navel. An animal impulse took control and he lunged at his former best friend.