I am 15 chapters ahead on my patreón, check it out if you are interested.
https://www.patréon.com/emperordragon
_________________________________________
Chapter 35: Rescue
A few hours later.
At the Pritchett house, Jon sat in his bedroom, absentmindedly stroking Ghost's head while the kitten contentedly munched on his dinner. The little fluffy kitten moved his tail, clearly enjoying the attention. It had been a long day, and Jon was just about ready to wind down when his phone suddenly buzzed. The screen lit up with an incoming call from Haley. That was unusual.
Raising an eyebrow, Jon answered, "Haley? What's up?"
"Jon! Can you come pick us up?" Haley's voice was slightly frantic, which immediately put Jon on alert. "Me and Dylan are at this college party, and—ugh—Dylan being Dylan, things got a little... complicated."
Jon sighed. "Do I even want to know?"
"One of the college guys here was hitting on me, Dylan got protective and shoved him. By accident! But the guy fell into the pool and he looked super pissed when he left the party, and I just don't feel comfortable here anymore. We came with Dylan's friend, but we can't find him, and I can't exactly call my mom or dad without getting into serious trouble. So, please, Jon?" Her voice was laced with desperation.
Jon didn't even hesitate. "Send me the address. I'm on my way."
He grabbed his car keys, gave Ghost one last pat on the head, and headed downstairs. Manny was in the living room watching TV, but Jon didn't stop to chat. Instead, he walked straight out to his car and started the engine, his mind already racing.
---
Fifteen minutes later, Jon pulled up in front of the house at the address Haley had given him. The party was still in full swing, music thumping loudly as a crowd of students filled the front yard, laughing, drinking, and shouting over each other. But there was no sign of Haley or Dylan outside.
Jon frowned and pulled out his phone to call Haley, but just as he was about to dial, he heard a loud splash from the backyard, followed by a collective gasp. Something told him this wasn't just a pool party trick.
Moving quickly, Jon made his way through the house, pushing past people who barely noticed him. As soon as he reached the backyard, he spotted Haley standing near the pool, her arms crossed, looking tense. A group of people stood in a semi-circle near the water, all eyes locked on Dylan, who was sputtering and pulling himself out of the pool.
Jon hurried over to help him up. "You okay?"
Dylan coughed. "Yeah, man, I'm good."
Jon turned to Haley. "What happened?"
Haley sighed. "The guy Dylan pushed into the pool earlier? His friends are now here to get some revenge."
Jon exhaled sharply. "Alright, let's go."
He placed a protective hand on Haley's back and guided her and Dylan toward the exit. But before they could leave, a group of five guys who just threw Dylan in the pool stepped in their way. The biggest of them, a mountain of a guy who looked like he lived in the gym, crossed his arms and smirked.
"You think you can just leave?" he said, his voice low and threatening.
Jon sighed. "Listen, man, your friend got pushed into the pool, and now Dylan got pushed into the pool. We're even. Let's not make this any worse than it needs to be."
The big guy grinned. "We'll decide when it's even."
Jon rolled his eyes. He really didn't have time for this.
Before the guy could react, Jon moved. Fast. He stepped forward, his right fist snapping up in a blur, connecting cleanly with the guy's jaw. The impact was immediate. The big guy's eyes rolled back as he crumpled to the ground, completely unconscious.
Silence fell over the backyard. The remaining four guys took a step back, their confidence gone in an instant. Jon cracked his knuckles and raised an eyebrow.
"Anyone else?" he asked.
No one spoke. No one even moved.
Jon gestured for Haley and Dylan to follow him, and without another word, the three of them left the party. They reached Jon's car, and all climbed inside. As Jon pulled away from the house, Haley let out a breath she'd been holding.
"Okay, that was kinda cool," she muttered.
Jon shrugged as he started the engine. "That was self-defense."
Dylan, teeth chattering, managed to say, "I—uh, I think I owe you a beer, man."
Jon chuckled. "You owe me dry seats in my car."
Dylan, still dripping wet, shivered. "Dude, remind me never to get on your bad side."
Jon chuckled. "Noted."
As they drove through the quiet streets, Haley turned to Jon. "Thanks, by the way. For picking us up. And for... you know, knocking out that guy."
Jon shrugged. "Anytime."
The rest of the ride was quiet, save for Dylan's occasional sniffling from the cold. When they finally pulled up in front of Haley's house, she turned to Jon again.
"Seriously, though. You saved our asses tonight."
Jon smiled. "Just try not to get into trouble next time."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. No promises."
She and Dylan got out, and Jon watched them enter the house before driving off. It had been an eventful night, but at least everyone was safe. Shaking his head with a small smile, Jon turned onto the road and headed home, already wondering what crazy situation he'd be thrown into next.