My name is Tessa

　　“What was what, Loser?” I mimic him and the hoots grow louder. My head jerks left and right like a puppet on string, their laughter fuels me with more courage. “Shouldn’t you be with your fellow losers? Why are you even here?” The thing is, I ramble a lot not just when I am nervous, it happens when I get too excited and right now, I am. In a singsong voice, I add, “Loser. Loser. Loser.”

　　Ben jumps to his feet, his chair clatters to the floor and the rest of my words hook in my throat. Shit. The room shrinks in size, I start backing away from the stage once his foot connects with the stairs. Double shit. The hall is too silent, nobody is trying to stop the menace storming towards me like I am the source of his bad attitude. He finally climbs the stage, takes one step and another until he is a few feet away from me.