As Regina had described, Jim’s was a small local hangout. It was a little grubby but it was packed with the usual suspects, college students out looking for a good time that wouldn’t cost much. The entire place consisted of one long low room with a dozen pool tables, each accompanied by a low hanging green stained glass lamp. Cheap looking chairs were scattered around the room around tall spindly tables that were set up against the walls. A small bar fit the room at one end and an attractive looking dark man tended it, wiping down the counter with a gleaming bright white towel. The other end of the room sported a fully functioning bright colored jukebox and a small dance floor with a tiny stage that served for occasional visiting bands.

When Regina walked in a group of people swarmed her and her face lit up with smiles. After a minute or two of hugs and congratulations, while Marshall stood back and watched the scene, she stepped back to him and grabbed him by the hand, dragging him forward.

“Everyone, this is Marshall, the guy I’ve been seeing,” she said with a grin.

“Marshall, this is everyone, well, that’s Lana, Anne, Yolan, Aaron, Taylor, Sarah, Christina, Al, Tony, Eric, Liz, Maggie and Joe.” After shaking a few hands and smiling nervously they got a pool table.

“So Regina, you’ve been hiding this talent, all this time,” Joe said as he watched Regina line up a shot.

“Nope, didn’t know I had it in me, dammit,” Regina spat as she missed her shot.

“So Marshall, one day with her and you turn her into a rapper, damn, you’re good,” Joe laughed. Marshall cracked a smile.

“Nah, she had it all along, so what is it that you guys really do in this association?” Marshall asked as he sat back in his chair and sipped at a beer.

“Oh a lot of different things. Go over censorship cases, lots of research, write articles, put up hip hop festivals. Oh, which reminds me, Reggie, you gonna be able to attend?” Lana asked after she explained. Reggie looked up at her from her shot.

“What?”

“The debate over at UCLA, you’re on the bill for next week,” Lana replied as if this were obvious.

“The debate, at UCLA, you’re fucking kidding me?” Regina replied dropping her cue on the table.

“Hey Reg!” Joe called indignantly.

“Marshall, do me a favor,” Regina said motioning to the table. Marshall stood up and took her cue before she took his seat at the table with Lana. Christina and Aaron took a seat as well.

“Yeah, didn’t we tell you, you got picked, they want you to be the main event,” Aaron said.

“I can’t do a fucking debate next week! What the fuck am supposed to say!” Regina said angrily, slapping her hand down on the table.

“What you always say, Reggie, it’s just a debate on whether or not censorship is a legal concept or not,” Christina replied.

“Censorship is not a legal concept! What the fuck do we need to debate about?” Regina said, with wide eyes, and a tone that was not to be messed with.

“Actually, it’s music influencing school attacks, specifically, Columbine,” Lana said cringing.

“Fucking Columbine! Jesus fucking Christ! Are you fucking insane!” Regina shouted. Marshall looked up at her concerned.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“They want me to do a fucking debate, on fucking Columbine, with less than a week to prepare for it! That’s what!” Regina spat.

“Well, we got a few things,” Sarah added as she stood at the table edge.

“Oh this is unfucking believable! Really, no way in hell am I going into this, on a weeks notice! I have no time to get any footage, interviews, song clips, no time to make a presentation, practice, nothing!” Regina cursed.

“Regina, what are you worried about, you’ll kill em,” Marshall replied.

“There is a lot more that goes into a debate than just being able to argue Marshall,” she snapped.

“And what would that be?” he replied in the same tone.

“You need visuals, evidence, research, a plan of attack. A debate is a battle of words, but if you don’t know what the opponent is going to say you can get killed out there. Besides, of all the things to debate about, Columbine. I might as well shoot myself.” Regina replied.

“Stop you’re bitching, you’ll do fine, you always do,” Marshall replied waving a hand at her and going back to the table to make a shot. Her eyes narrowed at his back.

“Like I said before, you don’t know me enough to be saying always,” she replied. That did it. He stood up and threw the pool cue down on the table.

“That’s it, I have fucking had it with this shit. Either we straighten this shit out now or I take it outside,” he growled.

“Who the fuck are you, my father? You try to hit me and I’ll kill you. I was beat on for twenty years, don’t think I won’t take on you,” Regina replied with a steely gaze. She jumped off the barstool and headed to the bar. He’d forgotten what she’d said about her father. Shit. Now what was he going to do?

He took the seat at the table again and took a long swig off his beer.

“You, outside, now!” Ernelle screeched coming out of nowhere and grabbing him by the ear.

“Ow! What the fuck are you doing! Let me go!” Marshall shouted as Ernelle dragged him by the ear and out the door. She finally let him go and started yelling at him.

“Are you fucking stupid or what? You must know by now that her father beat her ass all the time, and here you are threatening to beat her up? Are you fucking mental!”

“I forgot! I didn’t mean to say it!” Marshall tried, as he rubbed his ear.

“Well you better remember. You have no idea what kind of pressure she is under with this debate. Columbine is the most sensitive subject to ever be debated about. She’ll be walking into a massacre even if she had four months to prepare. But you wouldn’t know that would you? No, because you can’t take the time to just fucking shut your mouth and listen.” Ernelle said as she poked him in the chest.

“Columbine? You mean where they tried to blame all that shit on Marilyn Manson?” Marshall asked, sudden realization hitting him.

“Yeah, finally ring a bell?” Ernelle snapped.

“Aw shit,” Marshall cursed as he shook his head.

“Now just go back in there and try not to make an ass out of yourself! And what ever you do, don’t mention the debate!” Ernelle yelled at him as she dragged him in by the arm. When they returned, Regina was still at the bar nursing a shot of Jack Daniel’s. Ernelle let him go with a stern look and he was about to approach her when out of nowhere someone yelled,

“Those legs, that ass and the gorgeous head of black hair that cannot be anyone but the Regina Contini!” Regina snapped around.

“QT! Oh my god!” she squealed as she ran from the bar and into the arms of a guy that Marshall had never met before. His gut tightened as he watched her hug this other guy tightly. Tall, obviously Puerto Rican, black hair, brown skin, Marshall did not want to admit that this guy could be competition.

“I can’t believe it! Where the hell have you been!” Regina shrieked as she stepped back to look at him.

“I’ve been, here, there, you know,” he replied.

“You look, incredible, really, but why the hell didn’t you bother calling me once in a while!” Regina replied smacking him lightly.

“Ah, you know, things happen. But come on, I’ve been waiting six years to get you back out on that dance floor,” QT replied taking her hand and dragging her to the floor.

“Oh all right,” Regina giggled as he led her over to the jukebox. Marshall crossed over to the table without taking his eyes off the pair of them.

“Who the hell is that?” he asked immediately as he sat across from Ernelle.

“Oh that? That’s QT, they were friends in high school. More specifically he was a friend of Mario’s.” Ernelle replied. Ernelle didn’t elaborate and Marshall didn’t ask anymore questions. He just sat back watching Regina and QT dance, the knot in his stomach tightening each time he heard her laugh or saw her smile. He didn’t like that guy’s hands on her. He was getting a little too feely for his tastes.

Regina chanced a look over at Marshall and sure enough he was starring at them. She flashed him a smile to piss him off and leaned into QT’s ear whispering,

“Do me a favor, make it look like you’re coming on to me, give boy toy there a taste of his own medicine.” QT grinned at her.

“He you’re man?” QT asked looking over at Marshall.

“Nah, he wants to be though,” Regina replied.

“Ok, we can make him jealous though,” QT smiled evilly and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek.

Game over. He was not going to sit here and watch her let another man grope all over her and kiss her, that was going too far. He got up off the bar stool and headed over to the dance floor and tapped QT on the shoulder.

“I think I’m gonna cut in,” he said as calm as he could. Regina looked up at him and said,

“Oh sure, no problem, you boys have fun.” She let go of QT and he went to take Marshall’s hands when he jumped back.

“What the fuck?” he asked as he backed away another couple of feet.

“Nice choice sweet heart, he is all that. Honey, you ain’t nothing to worry about, the only way I’d want to get into her pants is to try them on,” QT said with a grin. Marshall raised an eyebrow.

“Marshall, he’s gay, okay, get over it,” Regina laughed.

“You’re gay? You’re not into her?” Marshall asked again.

“No, but I could get into you, you’re pretty cute,” QT replied turning on his charm.

“I think I need another drink,” Marshall replied with a slight laugh.