Summer Fair Part Three

"The biggest bear the Fair has to offer. For you." Punk smiled triumphantly, passing over a gigantic pink teddy bear to AJ which he'd just won by shooting down as many tin cans as he could in thirty seconds.

AJ had marched him around every stall to see which one had the biggest teddy bear to offer, finally finding it and standing behind him whilst he tried desperately to shoot enough cans down.

"I love her." AJ smiled happily, taking the soft teddy bear from him which was almost the size of her, "And that was really hot." She added.

"You're very welcome." Punk smiled, "You going to give her a name?"

"I am going to call her… Phyllis." She smiled as Punk chuckled.

"Very good." He nodded.

"Do you think I should go check on Lyla?" AJ asked, hugging the bear into her chest as they walked on from the stall.

"She's probably just exhausted." Punk shook his head.

"She seemed a little off, though." AJ frowned, "It's like I hit a nerve when I suggested double dating with her and Cole. I mean… obviously it was a joke."

"What's her love life been like anyway? She dated anyone seriously?" Punk asked curiously, walking with her towards the large seating area in the middle of the park. Benches and tables were set up in the centre in front of the stage area.

The rest of the gang had gone to enjoy the Fair after they cleared up their stall.

"No, she hasn't dated anyone. She just hooks up with guys mostly." AJ said, "I guess I actually didn't notice she didn't date because I wasn't either." She admitted.

"She have any serious boyfriends before you moved here?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, sort of. She was dating a guy from college. Lewis." AJ said, "She really liked him, but she just told me it wasn't working out. They broke up just before her and I moved here." She shrugged.

"Maybe she's still hung up on him?" Punk suggested.

"From six years ago?" AJ asked.

"It's possible." Punk said, "I'm surprised you haven't asked her. You guys are so close."

"We never really talked about guys that much." AJ said, "Especially after I was attacked. It's like she was scared to bring anything up in case it triggered me. She's always been protective that way." AJ nodded.

"I'm sure you're just overthinking it. She was probably just tired. People get cranky when they're tired." Punk said.

"I've never seen her like that before, though." AJ frowned, "It was really weird."

"Ask her about it in the morning." Punk nodded, "Let's just enjoy the rest of the night."

"Yeah." AJ nodded in agreement.

"There's Cole." Punk noticed his friend sitting at a bench with a drink, "Hey, man." Punk said as Cole looked up.

"Hey." Cole chuckled, mostly because AJ was carrying a gigantic teddy bear, "So which one is your girlfriend?"

"Funny." Punk nodded, "Cole, this is April. April, this is Cole." Punk introduced them.

"Hi." AJ smiled nervously, "You can call me AJ. And I'm sorry I wasn't very friendly earlier at the stall. It was really chaotic for a while." She laughed a little.

"No sweat." Cole smiled, standing up and shaking her hand, leaning in and kissing her cheek as AJ raised her eyebrows, "It's nice to meet you." He nodded pleasantly.

"You too." AJ smiled.

"This is a crazy place." Cole said, sitting back down on the bench whilst AJ sat down across from him, "It's like another planet. I just saw a bunch of cows over there." He pointed behind him.

"Small town living, brother." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, no kidding." Cole said, "How did the stall go?" He asked them both.

"It was great." Punk said, "Exceeded our expectations."

"Couldn't believe it when I saw the line for it." Cole shook his head as AJ just smiled. She loved how easy-going and comfortable Cole was. How he had somehow already regarded her as a friend, even though they'd just met today.

"Yeah, we did good." AJ smiled, "How is it you two know each other again? Phil probably told me but… he's a man of many stories. Hard to keep up sometimes." She said as Cole laughed a little.

"We met at a concert in Chicago. A Punk Rock band was playing at Medusa's Circle. Top venue for upcoming artists and bands." Cole explained, "We just got to talking and… kept talking for another twenty years." He nodded.

"You were only seventeen?" AJ asked.

"Yeah." Cole nodded, "Didn't go to same high school or anything but we always hung out. Bummed me out when he said he was moving away."

"I'm not that far away. Couple hours on the road." Punk shrugged.

"You like it here?" Cole asked him.

"Starting to love it." Punk admitted truthfully as AJ smiled, "The business is better than I ever could have hoped. I've met some… great people." He nodded, turning to AJ who smiled up at him.

"And you don't miss the city? Not even a little?" Cole asked with fascination.

"I did at first. I missed it a lot." Punk nodded, "Not so much anymore. I like how simple this place is."

"Good for you, man." Cole smiled, "It's good to see you happy. Especially after all the shit that happened."

"Yeah, it feels like I'm actually moving on from that now." Punk nodded hopefully, feeling AJ place her hand on his leg under the table, a comforting gesture that let him know she was here and that he deserved to move on from his past.

"Hey, where's your friend? The blonde?" Cole asked AJ.

"Oh, she went home. She was super tired." AJ nodded, "So does this mean you knew Phil when he had blonde and purple hair?" AJ asked, trying to change the subject.

"That is correct." Cole nodded as Punk ran his hands over his face, "He dyed it red at one point."

"Stop." AJ chuckled as Cole nodded.

"Had an eyebrow piercing. A tongue piercing. Both nipples pierced." Cole nodded as AJ turned to Punk.

"He never mentioned that." AJ smirked upon knowing such interesting details, "What possessed you to get your nipples pierced?" She chuckled, not being able to help it.

"Just felt like it one day." Punk shrugged.

"You were a proper little Punk kid." AJ smiled.

"That's what everyone called him. Punk." Cole nodded, "Even his parents' called him it."

"Yeah, I think they just called me it as an insult, though." Punk said.

"Punk." AJ scoffed, "So silly." She shook her head as Cole chuckled, already taking a liking to AJ. He could see why his friend was so besotted with her.

Punk and AJ sat with Cole for a few hours, chatting over some burgers whilst several bands and singers took to the stage. Families chatted around them, kids running around playing tig or dancing to the music. It was a beautiful atmosphere and AJ was also enjoying learning even more about Punk from one of his best friends. She only wished Lyla was here to join her.

"So you both hated each other at first?" Cole chuckled.

"She thought I was trying to put her out of business." Punk nodded.

"You were stealing all of my ideas." AJ defended, "He was a jerk." She nodded to Cole.

"I believe it." Cole nodded, "And now you're here working together, buying cute teddy bears for her?" He teased as Punk just shook his head and smiled.

"There you are." Becca appeared at the table with Shiv, "We couldn't find you." She said, clearly a little drunk.

"We did so good today." Shiv smiled, hugging AJ from behind.

"Are you drunk?" AJ asked Shiv, smelling strong alcohol from her.

"No." Shiv whispered, stumbling back a little.

"Becca. You're getting her drunk?" AJ turned to Becca with disapproval.

"I'm not her keeper." Becca said, "She needed to unwind after the stressful day we had."

"Well, she looks unwound, definitely." AJ scoffed.

"Daryl apologised." Shiv nodded to AJ and Punk, "He actually said I'm sorry."

"That's good." Punk nodded.

"It's confusing." Shiv disagreed, "Because what am I supposed to do now?" She shook her head drunkenly, "I'm going to college soon. I'm… I'm growing up and I'm moving away." She told them, as if they didn't already know this information.

"We know, Shiv." AJ assured her comfortingly, "Maybe you should get her home." She turned to Becca who was looking at Cole.

"Are you an Aries?" Becca asked Cole curiously.

"What?" Cole shook his head.

"Your star sign? Aries?" She asked him.

"No. Libra." Cole said, a little nervously.

"Damn it." Becca shook her head angrily.

"I feel a little sick." Shiv admitted to them.

"Becca, get her home." Punk nodded to Becca.

"It's 8pm. She's fine." Becca rolled her eyes, turning to Shiv who appeared to be going a strange yellow colour, swaying from side to side.

"She's underage and wasted." AJ said, "Her parents are probably here. Just get her home before she throws up everywhere."

"Fine." Becca scoffed, "Come on. Let's go." She guided Shiv by the shoulders and wandered away as AJ shook her head like a disappointed mother.

"They seem fun." Cole said sarcastically.

"Sorry." AJ said, "They work with me. They're great girls." AJ nodded.

"I should go make sure they get home ok." Punk said nervously, keeping his eyes on the girls as Becca guided a drunk Shiv through the crowds.

"Yeah, maybe that's a good idea." AJ agreed, also keeping her eyes on the girls and feeling a little nervous.

"I won't be long. Don't talk about me too much whilst I'm gone." He said, getting up from the bench and running over to catch up with Becca and Shiv. He knew he'd sleep better tonight knowing they'd gotten home safe.

"So he's fitting in here?" Cole asked AJ once Punk had disappeared.

"Yeah. I think he is." AJ smiled, "He deserves to move on after all the shit he dealt with." She nodded, taking a sip of her drink.

"Yeah, his brother is a nasty piece of work." Cole shook his head, "Always was."

"Yeah, he doesn't sound like someone worth knowing." AJ agreed.

"The shit he made Phil do." Cole shook his head angrily, "I'm still mad at him for going through with it."

"The fraud?" AJ asked, "Pretending he wasn't his brother so he could represent him in court?" AJ clarified. She felt somehow that they weren't talking about the same thing.

"Well, yeah. That." Cole nodded, "And getting him to beat up a witness. He beat him up so bad the guy ended up in the hospital. It was just… so unlike Phil." Cole shook his head as AJ looked across at him. That seemed like a significant detail Punk had forgotten to tell her.

"What happened exactly with the disbarment?" AJ had to ask, "I mean… Phil told me but… I guess I'd like to know your perspective on it?" She said.

"Stuart. His brother… he was always into bad shit. Dealing drugs and hanging around with the wrong people." Cole nodded, "A kid ended up dying after taking some street Valium that Stuart gave him. Cops managed to trace it back to Stuart and he was arrested." He explained, "So of course… Stuart uses his one phone call to cry and plead for help to the little brother he always bullied and tormented." He shook his head.

"So why would Phil help him?" AJ shook her head. Perhaps it was something she hadn't pressed Punk on enough. Why he would risk so much to help the brother he grew up despising.

"No idea. I've always asked myself the same question. And I've asked Phil a dozen times, but he never gives me a proper answer." Cole shrugged, "So Phil tampers with documents, commits fraud to make sure the court don't know that he and Stuart are brothers. Then he goes and beats up a witness. Puts him in the hospital. Makes for a stronger case if there's no witnesses, right?"

"But he got found out." AJ nodded.

"Yeah." Cole nodded, "I don't know what the hell he was thinking. He's lucky he only got disbarred and community service." He said, "I was mad with him." He admitted.

"I can understand why." AJ nodded. At no point had her boyfriend mentioned the part where he had put someone in the hospital. A witness. An innocent person who was only trying to speak up and do the right thing. She felt a little sick.

"Anyway… I can still be mad about what he done and love him to death. It's good he's moving on from it." Cole nodded.

"Yeah." AJ said quietly.

"I'm going to go get another drink. Can I get you anything?" Cole asked.

"No, I'm ok. Thanks." AJ smiled, watching him stand up and head on over to one of the drink stalls.

It was a lot to think about. She knew why he hadn't told her about the full extent of what he did to try and keep his brother out of prison. He was no doubt ashamed. But it still didn't feel good knowing he'd not told her the full truth. Especially when she'd told him so much about her own past.

She took her phone out to message Lyla, just to check in and ask how she was, when she felt someone walking close behind her, walking around the bench and taking a seat in front of her as she gulped.

"There you are." Luke smiled as AJ looked across at him, feeling her stomach sink with fear.

"What do you want?" AJ shook her head.

"Maybe an explanation?" Luke said, as if it was obvious, "Leading me on like a little whore and then avoiding me like the plague."

"We went on one date." AJ said quietly, "I hardly lead you on."

"Yeah, one date… and then you're walking around town with this new guy the next fucking day." Luke said.

"It wasn't the next day." AJ shook her head. She could smell the beer from him, even from across the bench. The nastiness in his voice made her want to get up and run, but she felt so frozen with fear, "And honestly… I didn't think you'd be that disappointed considering you were laughing with your friends about me." She said bravely. She had to stick up for herself.

"Yeah, because you're a fucking lunatic." Luke laughed a little, "I gave you a fucking peck on the lips and you had a damn meltdown. What the hell was that about it?" He laughed cruelly as AJ looked across at him, swallowing the lump in her throat. It was clear the only reason he was here in front of her was to further humiliate her for that night.

"Is it hard to believe that maybe I was repulsed by you kissing me?" AJ spat as Luke stared at her, his face turning from amusement to anger.

"Nah, you're just a fucking loser." Luke shook his head.

"You have three seconds to stand up and walk away from here." Punk said, appearing behind Luke, his whole body filled with complete rage as he walked back to the bench to find him sitting there, clearly disturbing and upsetting his girlfriend.

"Or what?" Luke turned to him, "You gonna ban me from your lame ass coffee shop?" He scoffed with a chuckle as Punk suddenly grabbed him up by the back of his neck, clenching his hand into a fist and punching Luke hard on the face, so hard he went down immediately. But that didn't feel like enough.

He climbed over him, punching him again, people nearby beginning to turn around and notice with horror as Punk continued to unleash his fists.

"Hey hey hey!" Cole shouted, running over once he noticed the commotion, grabbing Punk around the waist and pulling him back, "Hey, c'mon man. That's enough." Cole pleaded, keeping Punk back whilst some people rushed over to check on Luke who was now a bloody mess, groaning in pain as he held his nose.

"Alright." Punk shrugged Cole away with frustration, running his hands through his messy hair. He turned to AJ who was still sat on the bench, looking almost as if she was frozen as she looked on at Luke's bloody face. She was disturbed by the violence from the man who had only shown her gentleness and love. Patience and kindness.

"Hey, are you ok?" Punk walked over to her once he'd gathered his breath, "What did he say to you?" He asked as AJ looked at him.

"I need to go." AJ said quietly, standing up from the bench with wobbly legs.

"April." Punk shook his head, placing his hand on her arm as she pulled it away, shaking her head and backing away from him as she walked off out of the park, leaving the gigantic teddy bear behind.