Unconditional

Say no. Say. NO. “Brad, you seem great but…”

“Come on, Mike said you don’t have a boyfriend. One date and I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”

“There’s a lot of reasons a girl can say no that has nothing to do with whether she has a boyfriend. As Mike should have probably prefaced, I don’t date much.” I cross my arms defensively. “I’m super busy and I just don’t have the time for a boyfriend.”

“A girl has to eat though, right? I’m talking dinner. I’m not talking about the rest of your life. Or even the rest of the month.” He raises an eyebrow at me and I shake my head.

I should have just said I have a boyfriend. One that didn’t go to my school.

And have Sasha refute that and become even more relentless with her questioning? Pass, my subconscious argues.

“I eat plenty,” I answer, before leaving him out on the patio. I grab a bottle of water from Melanie’s refrigerator and down it, preparing my exit when Sasha is immediately next to me.

“You are not leaving.”

“Watch me.”

“You’ve been drinking.”

“I’ve had one light beer in four hours. I’m okay.” I tell her before I finish the bottle in one swig. After a series of more hugs and goodbyes followed by a million drunken, I love you’s from Melanie and a few of our friends, I make it to my car.

“You’re leaving so soon?” My hand is hovering over my handle just as Brad appears what seems to be out of no-fucking-where looking like the suspect in an episode of To Catch a Predator.

“I should go home.”

“Oh, come on, have a drink. It’s your friend’s birthday.” He moves around to my side of the car and leans against my door, stopping me from opening it.

“Brad, I really want to leave, can you please move?” I smile, trying not to provoke him or push him to do anything crazy. My hand immediately goes to my necklace on instinct, just as it always does when something doesn’t feel right. It makes me feel closer to Cal and usually gives me the courage to get through whatever is in front of me. His eyes move down my body lasciviously and I immediately step back. I take a deep breath, swallowing down the nerves as I reach for the pepper spray in my clutch.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Maddie.” He smiles and leans closer to me. “I want to do the opposite.” His eyes close, and he sways towards me. “I want to make you feel good.” His hand comes to trace my face and I take another step back.

“Please…no.” I’m prepared to run, when I feel something right at my back.

Oh, for the love of God. I resign myself to being thoroughly fucked, outside by myself with two men that are much bigger than me when a familiar voice fills the space around us. “Beat it, before I kick your ass.” Henry comes into view from my side and stands between us. He looks like he’s lost some weight just in the two weeks it’s been since I’ve seen him and his beard is fully grown in. “If I ever hear that you’ve touched her again, I’ll rip your limbs from your body and beat you with them. Then you won’t be able to do whatever bullshit sport you think you’re so good at.” Brad takes a step back and holds his hands up.

“Listen we were just talking…” he begins to stammer and I can see him getting red around his neck.

“Before or after she asked you to move? Because she asked a few times and even said no. Do you know what ‘no’ means?”

He looks at Henry and then me before he turns and practically races back towards the house. I let out a breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “Thank you. Oh my gosh, Henry! It’s so good to see you.” I wrap my arms around him in a hug, but he stiffens in my grasp. I pull back and now that I’m looking at him face on, I see that his eyes are bloodshot, making me wonder if he’s on something.

“You too, Mads. Listen, can you give me a ride?”

I frown, wondering where his car is and then a flood of questions enter my mind. “Sure, but…what are you even doing here?”

“Friend of mine lives around the corner.” He runs a hand through his hair and makes his way to my passenger side. “So, that ride? I left my car near a hotel in town.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure, of course! A hotel?”

“Yeah,” he says as we settle into the car. “Aria and I are taking some time…apart.”

“Oh no!” I can’t stop the tears from welling in my eyes as I remember walking down that aisle at their wedding, tossing flowers from a wicker basket. “I’m sorry, Henry.”

“It’s okay. Things happen, you know? People change. Grow apart.” He looks out the window as we pull away from Melanie’s house. “But I think maybe this is for the best. I’ve been thinking I need a change of scenery anyway.”

“You’re moving?” I wonder if Cal knows about any of this.

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