“I’m staying with a friend. She lives right over there,” I explain, pointing toward my apartment. I don’t want him to know where I live, that’s the last thing I need right now. In the shadows, it’s hard to make out his face, but I can see the flicker of excitement in his gaze. This might be as bad as thinking someone was going to get me after all.
“Why are you following me?”
His lips tip up into a sadistic smile, “Because I’m not done with you. That blow job was nice, but I want more.” He takes a step closer, pinning me to the wall with his body, his hard bulge pressing into my stomach. A warmth burns through me. I want him, even though I know I shouldn’t. Instantly, I’m reminded of how his cock felt in my mouth, the salty tang of his release, and how wet I was kneeling before him. Warmth gives way to intense cold when I remember how he left me in that bathroom, how he treated me afterward, and how he acted in front of his friends—like I was nothing, no one.
Fuck him. I might be a nobody now, but at some point, I was somebody to him, and that should matter. It should fucking matter. Deep-rooted anger mixes with pain, and it hits me like a freight train, filling me with a newfound strength.
I don’t have to do this…deal with him, let him manhandle me like I’m some piece of meat. Taking all that energy, I force it into shoving him away from me. The shove is hard, but it only moves him an inch. Cold tears streak my cheeks as I stand on shaky legs, partially leaning against the brick wall.
I hate how weak I am right now. How broken I feel because of him. Looking up, I see Warren’s face is a mixture of shock and something else, something deeper. I don’t bother to internalize that look. All I want is for him to go away.
“Don’t ever fucking touch me again!” I yell, my voice dripping with hurt and disappointment. I’m so disappointed in him, but more so in myself. At what we’ve become. How did we get here? What did I do to make him hate me so much?
I almost sigh in relief when his arms fall down to his sides, and even in the dim light, I can make out his facial expression, and see that he is feeling the same way. Taking that chance to escape, I push past him and run the last block to my place, only stopping when I’ve made it inside. Slamming the door behind me, I lock the deadbolt and slide down the door, trying to catch my breath.
I sink my fingers into my hair and try and drown out the throbbing forming behind my eyes. Tonight, I made a mistake, one that I won’t make again. Warren got the best of me, in more than one way, but next time, he won’t. Next time, I’ll be ready.
5
Warren
I drop the weights at my feet and blow out a harsh breath. My muscles burn, and sweat drips down my back and forehead, but I feel lighter and more at ease now. Shaking out my limbs, I contemplate running on the treadmill to tire myself out.
Lately, all I’ve been able to do is work out. The idea of having sex with another chick… it makes me feel nauseous. It also makes me angry as hell because that means Harper is sinking her little claws into my skin and worming her way into my brain.
My best prick of a friend drops his own weights, and I can feel him watching me.
“What the fuck?” I growl.
“You’ve been acting weird. Is something going on?” Parker asks, “Anything you want to talk about?” He sits down on one of the nearby benches. Who is he? Doctor Phil? He gets a girlfriend, and suddenly he’s grown a heart? Yeah, no. I don’t want to talk about all the fucked up feelings that are barely contained beneath my skin.
“Nothing is going on, just been stressed. You know how my dad gets about my grades and keeping up appearances.” I shove a hand through my sweaty mop of hair. I’m not lying, not really. My dad does ride my ass about my grades. Keeping up appearances? Not so much.
Parker tilts his head to the side, “Right…” He scoffs. “You know you can’t lie to me. I know you too well. Out with it, who pissed in your cheerios?”
“No one,” I can feel the frustration that I just burned off, building again. Like a steaming pot, I’m close to boiling over all over again.
“Dude, that chick from the party…” Easton comes walking over to us. The guy can be a total douchebag, and he’s a bigger asshole than even I am, and that speaks volumes.