Chapter 3: A night to remember
It had been a month since Leah started hanging out with her new friends, and it had been a blast. One Saturday evening, Charlotte and Leah sat inside a restaurant, enjoying themselves and chatting happily, when Leah noticed a guy walk in and felt an unknown fear envelop her. She couldn't explain why, but something about him seemed off. Charlotte noticed Leah's gaze and followed it to the man, who was talking to the waitress in a menacing tone. The waitress looked tense and scared, and Charlotte's expression turned stern.
When the man grabbed the waitress's hand and dragged her forcibly, Charlotte stood up, determined to intervene. "That's it," she said, her voice firm. Leah tried to stop her, but Charlotte was already on her way to confront the man.
"Hey, mister, what's your problem?" Charlotte asked, standing up to him. The man turned and glared at them, his eyes filled with anger. Charlotte noticed the red scar on the waitress's hand and quickly took her to stand behind Leah, who was scared and worried.
The next minute, the man raised his hand to hit Charlotte, but she was quick enough to dodge the slap. Then, with a swift motion, she gathered her strength and kicked him in the groin. The sound of sirens filled the air as the police entered the restaurant. Leah had called them when she realized the situation was escalating.
The police officer took the man outside and thanked the girls for intervening. The waitress, Stella, followed them to file a complaint. "Thank you so much, miss, for helping me," Stella said, her voice shaking. "That man is my boyfriend, and that's how he is."
Charlotte's expression turned sympathetic. "Why do you stay with an abuser?" she asked. Stella looked down, her eyes welling up with tears. "He took me in when I had nothing, but he's a drunk and beats me when I don't give him money. I was going to leave when I saved up enough money, but he kept taking it from me, so I just had to bear it till I could move out."
Charlotte's face turned stern. "Such a jerk," she said. "By the way, I'm Charlotte, and this is Leah, my friend. Nice to meet you, Stella." She handed Stella her phone number. "Take this and call me if you ever need help with anything, okay?"
Stella took the number and smiled, looking grateful. On their way home, Leah had been quiet, but when she turned to look at Charlotte, they both burst out laughing. "That was crazy," they said in unison, still chuckling. "And dangerous," Leah added, shaking her head.
As they walked home, Charlotte and Leah couldn't stop talking about the incident. "I can't believe that guy," Charlotte said, shaking her head. "He's got some nerve, thinking he can treat someone like that."
Leah nodded in agreement. "And poor Stella, she's been through so much. I'm glad we were there to help."
Charlotte nodded. "Me too. I hate seeing people get bullied or abused. It's just not right."
Leah smiled, feeling grateful for her friend's kindness and bravery. "You're amazing, Charlotte. You always stand up for what's right, even if it means putting yourself in harm's way."
Charlotte blushed, looking embarrassed. "It's no big deal, Leah. Anyone would have done the same thing."
But Leah knew that wasn't true. Not everyone would have the courage to stand up to a bully like that. Charlotte was special, and Leah felt lucky to have her as a friend.
As they turned the corner onto their street, Leah noticed a figure standing outside her house. It was Angelo, looking concerned. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked, noticing their worried expressions.
Charlotte filled him in on what had happened at the restaurant, and Angelo's face darkened with anger. "That guy's a real piece of work," he said. "I'm glad you guys were there to help Stella."
Leah nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She was glad Angelo was there, too. She knew she could always count on him to have her back.
As they stood there talking, Leah realized that she had found something special with her new friends. They were more than just friends - they were a family, looking out for each other and supporting each other through thick and thin.
And as they walked into Leah's house together, she knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, she was ready to face them with her friends by her side.