Bad Seed

Ike wasn’t good for her, and I’d never apologize for intervening the way I did. But it was manipulative, and it was me assuming I knew what was best for her instead of her deciding on her own. But she’d been with that bastard for years, and I wasn’t sure if she’d ever have left on her own.

I wasn’t sure of anything any longer.

I watched her walk into the woods, and she didn’t even bother to look back. She was angry and hurt, and with good reason. The sun was slowly beginning to set, and a chill was creeping in from the creek behind me. If Hollis saw Theresa walking out of the woods with me following, it would only make things worse.

So, I hung around until it got dark before I headed back to the house.

CHAPTER 13

THERESA

Ever since my trip to the creek and my reckless emotional dump onto Grant in the woods, I’d been itching for something else. Something greater. Something grander. Something even more reckless than before. I wasn’t sure what had seized me, but my heart was pounding for it. My soul was yelling for it. My body was begging for it. I wanted to do something so out of character it would shock even my best friend. I wanted to experiment. To travel. To throw shots back in a crop top and not give a shit as to the fact that my stomach wasn’t perfectly flat. I wanted to go somewhere and eat exotic food or run naked in the streets and try to narrowly escape the cops.

I wanted to feel alive.

“Did you seriously sunbathe topless by that damn creek?” Jane asked.

“I did. For two solid hours. A bottle of wine at my side and nothing but me and the animals,” I said.

“Fuck. Now I’m pissed I didn’t leave work to come with you. That sounds awesome! What the hell made you do something like that?”

“I feel—free. Like I’m no longer underneath someone’s thumb.”

“You mean Ike’s thumb?”

“It’s insane, the shit I put up with from him.”

“Whoa, I never thought I’d hear you admit that out loud. I’m liking this new Theresa more and more,” she said.

“But really. I put up with so much. I can’t believe I convinced myself that living the life I was with Ike was somehow normal. What the hell was wrong with me?”

“Theresa, the fact that you can admit that Ike was controlling you and suppressing you speaks volumes to the clarity of mind you have. And I know it makes you angry and I know it’s hard to look at now that you’re standing on the outside. But use this to make yourself stronger. You’re free of the man who shackled you. Who expected you to be someone you weren’t. Hell, Theresa. He was policing your damn clothes. You can wear whatever the fuck you want now!”

“I could wring my hands around that bastard’s neck.”

“Let’s maybe not consider murder as our reckless venture, though. Okay? I don’t think Hollis would appreciate that,” she said.

“Speaking of Hollis, you and I haven’t talked since the bar that night. What happened?”

“Girl, absolutely nothing.”

“What? What do you mean ‘nothing’?” I asked.

“We drove around and talked. He took me on a call.”

“He what?”

“Yeah. Took me on a damn call. I guess he thought he was being cool or some shit. Then we drove to this secluded place near the beach, made out for a while, then he took me the fuck home.”

“That doesn’t sound like Hollis at all.”

“I practically threw myself at him. I don’t know what happened, Theresa. Actually, I do know what happened. Nothing!”

I threw my head back and laughed as I fell back onto my bed.

“Well, maybe Hollis is one of those guys who tries to respect a woman he really likes.”

“I wanted him to fuck my brains out.”