Gabby put her hands up and pushed back from the table. “All right, that is enough.”
But Amber kept on rolling. “This is your best friend’s bachelorette party and instead of helping her out, you are making things more difficult.”
“You’re the one making it difficult. Every place we suggest you shut down. You’re rude and uppity with no compassion for others.”
Amber crossed her arms over her chest and sat back in the chair. “Really? Because you are sitting here with the perfect venue and acting like a bitch because you’re, what, afraid?”
“I already told you. It’s not a party pad. It’s special.”
“We are all adults. I’m sure we can handle a little alcohol and not mess up your special place.” Amber threw up air quotes belligerently and Noel lost it.
She slammed her hand down on the table.
Gabby muttered, “Oh fuck.”
“It’s my place and if I don’t want to use it as a party location, it’s my prerogative.”
“A selfish one. Just like you stringing Nick along when you have no intention of giving him what he needs.”
“Me stringing Nick along?” Noel cackled. “You stayed with him for eight years while you partied and hooked up! He thought you were this sweet, loyal girlfriend and no one had the heart to tell him what a horrible person you actually were!”
Amber pelted a handful of M&M’s at her, the tiny colorful disks flying across the table and hitting her in the face and neck. Noel barely had time to hold her hands up to block the missiles before one hit her in the eye. Noel cried out, cupping her hand over her eye, blinking back tears.
“Noel!” Gabby cried.
Gabby’s voice sounded faint and far away while Noel’s one good eye trained on Amber. A red fog swirled across her vision and everything else faded away.
The room stilled for half a second as Noel’s blood boiled to the breaking point and without consideration, she scooped up M&M’s and chucked them back at Amber.
“You guys, stop!” Gabby cried out, but it escalated too quickly.
“You’re such a self-righteous little shit, Noel!” Amber yelled, hitting Noel in the cheek with a pizza roll.
“Better than an egotistical bitch who talks shit about her friends, boyfriends, pretty much everyone she knows!”
Noel got up close and personal with the jalape?o poppers, smashing several against the side of Amber’s head and smearing them into her blond hair. Amber retaliated with a palm of ranch sauce across Noel’s face, the slap wet, cold, and stinging her cheek.
“You’ll always be an unlovable loser, Noel. Forever alone. Forever pathetic!” Amber screamed.
Noel reeled back her arm and punched Amber so hard she flew across the table, taking the favors with her as she fell ass over tea kettle. Amber’s arms flapped wildly, reaching out to catch herself. When she accidentally hit Gabby square in the face with the back of her hand, there was a sickening crack before Amber finally hit the floor.
Noel gaped in horror as Gabby leaned against the wall in the corner, holding her nose. Blood gushed between Gabby’s fingers, dark red streams oozing trails over her hand and arm.
“Gabs…” Noel took a step toward her bestie, but stopped when Gabby held up a bloody hand.
“No,” Gabby whimpered.
Amber moaned as she stood up, her palm covering her cheek. “Gabby? Are you okay?”
“No, I am not okay!” Gabby yelled nasally, blood spraying from her mouth. “You destroyed the favors, the food my mom made, wrecked her dining room…” she moaned as she grabbed a handful of tissues and pressed them against her face. “And I am pretty sure you broke my nose!”
Noel swallowed back a lump in her throat, the vision in her one eye blurred and painful to open. “I am so sorry.”
“Fuck your sorry! I warned you several times if you two can’t put your shit aside and get along, then I don’t want you in my wedding. Hell, I don’t even want you at my wedding.” Gabby headed for the door with her head tilted back. “Clean up the mess you made.”
Noel came around the table, following behind her. “Gabby, you can’t drive yourself. We’ll clean this up and one of us can take you to the ER.”
“No.” Gabby held up a finger, stopping her pursuit. “I’m so pissed at you right now. I cannot be in a small space with either of you or I may say something I can’t take back.”
The front door opened and Gabby’s cousin Emilia stopped in the doorway, eyes wide. “What happened here?”