Last night I nearly got into a fight.

I was at a club with my girlfriend Mary and her friends. We met up with my older brother and his friends. My brother’s best friend, Tower, always seems to make the girls go weak. They love him. He smiles a lot, he’s tall and strong. Plus, he’s studying something cool and creative at college. It also doesn’t hurt that his dad owns a big bottle store in our town.

Tower and my brother go way back. And I’ve seen them punch out a couple of guys. The truth is I’m a little scared of him because he likes to fight.

Then I notice he’s looking at Mary in that way. She’s wearing a skirt that shows off enough of her to distract the boys. Even my brother’s looking at her.

Tower takes Mary aside and starts a conversation. He’s getting a bit too close to her. And the conversation goes on a bit too long.

The thing about Mary is that she never notices when a guy’s hitting on her. She just thinks that everyone is nice. She’s being all nice and friendly to him like she is to everyone.

So I went and sat next to her, put my hand on her shoulder and said: “Baby, can I buy you a drink?”

“I’m fine,” she said, “Tower just got me one.”

My blood boiled.

“Are you buying my girl a drink, Tower?”

“Your girl?” he snapped back as he stood up to his full height.

“Yes, his girl,” said Mary. And she took my hand.

And just like that what could have been a major fist fight turned to ash.

Mary is a keeper and there’s no doubt about it. She just needs to stop getting herself into situations that’ll end with my face at the end of some guy’s fist.

Guys, what sign do you look for in a girl’s behaviour that shows she loves you?