Bad Rep

by A. Meredith Walters

  “I never meant to hurt you. What happened with Jordan and me was in no way planned. We both tried to ignore it. Once I found out you were his girlfriend, I did everything to avoid him.” I told her truthfully.

  “But that didn't stop you from shoving your tongue down his throat behind her back,” Milla called out with a sneer. I turned my eyes to look at her. This girl who had come to hate me with a passion that I didn't entirely understand.

  “Yes, we hooked up. I don't know why I did that. All I can say is I love him too. This isn't some random fling.” Olivia's eyes flared and I could see the hurt there.

  “I'm sorry for that. We didn't mean for it to go down the way it did. I would take it back in an instant if I could. But what you've been doing is way worse.” Olivia frowned.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked. I glanced at Gracie who gave me an encouraging nod.

  I took a deep breath and continued. “The rumors, the posters calling me a slut. All of it. I understand you're hurting, but that's no reason to rake my name through the dirt like that. I wanted to handle this privately. Between you and me. But you've made that impossible.” Olivia opened her mouth, frowning.

  Milla jumped in. “Don't blame Olivia for the fact that everyone on campus knows you're a whore. That's all on you, babe.”

  “Shut up, Milla!” Gracie yelled, jumping up beside me. The noise level in the room became deafening. And I couldn't help but notice Olivia sitting there quietly, her face a mix of emotions I didn't understand.

  Olivia banged the gavel again. “It's time for us to vote. Tania is passing out slips of paper. As a group we have to decide whether Maysie will leave the sisterhood. You are voted coming in, and you are voted going out,” Olivia said with an absolution that her face didn't mirror. She looked bothered. By what, I had no idea.

  Ten minutes later, Randa, the treasurer, was adding up the votes. She got to her feet. “Thirty-five have voted for Maysie's suspension. Majority rules.” Randa didn't meet my eyes. And like that, my days as a Chi Delta sister were at an end.

  “Thank you, Randa.” Olivia looked at me then and I saw something that looked like regret flash across her face, which confused me. “Maysie. The sisterhood has spoken.” I nodded and got to my feet. I felt like I had faced a damn firing squad. I was ready to get out of there. Gracie was crying and I squeezed her hand.

  “It's okay, hun,” I assured her. Though I felt anything but okay.

  I held my head high and walked out of the room. Gracie ran after me. “No, Maysie! This isn't right! You need to appeal this to the head council! You need to do something!” she implored as I opened the front door. I shook my head, too tired to hold it up.

  “I'm not going to fight this. Those girls don't want me. I'm done. I'm out,” I said. Gracie grabbed me in a hug.

  “This doesn't change our friendship, Mays,” she said emphatically. I didn't respond. I had nothing to say. “Let me grab my keys, I'll drive you home,” Gracie said, turning around. I reached out to stop her.

  “No, I'll walk. It's not far. And I need to clear my head.” I told her. Gracie looked prepared to argue. “But it's dark,” she reasoned.

  “I'll be fine. You go do what you have to do. I'll talk to you later.” I just needed to get out of there. The vibe of that place was killing me.

  “Okay. Be safe, Mays. I'll call you,” she promised, her eyes still wet with tears. God, this was depressing.

  “Later,” I called over my shoulder, letting myself out. Closing the door behind me, I sagged in defeat. I felt battered and bruised. I wish I felt relief or something other than the aching grief at how that just went down. Girls were brutal.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Walking the six blocks home did little to clear my jumbled head. I door opened with a slam kicking off my shoes. Riley came into the living room from the kitchen. She took one look at my face and came to grab my arm. “You look like shit,” she told me matter- of- factly.

  “Yeah, well I feel like shit, Riley,” I said blandly.

  “What happened?” she asked as I sat down heavily on the couch. I laid my head back against the cushions.

  “Well, I've been officially suspended from Chi Delta. Sorority Maysie has died a tragic death,” I muttered.

  “What a bunch of ass hats!” Riley yelled. I wanted to laugh. Ass hats. What a great name for them. But I couldn't make my lips move.

  Then just like that I was crying. “I feel like such an idiot,” I wailed, covering my face with my hands, hiccupping as I tried to calm myself down. Riley put her arm around my shoulders.

  “Why in the world would you feel like an idiot?” she asked softly. I dropped my hands into my lap and leaned my head on her shoulder.

  “Because I actually thought those girls were my friends. And because I can't entirely blame them for what they did either,” I admitted darkly.

  Riley pinched my arm. “The hell you can't blame them!” she said, her anger obvious. I shook my head.

  “No, Riley. I get it. What Jordan and I did was wrong. And because I couldn't keep my damn lips to myself, my life is in ruins. Everyone hates me,” I moaned. Riley grunted.

  “Not everyone hates you, Mays. Stop being so dramatic,” she said harshly.

  She got up and went into the kitchen. She came back with a glass of orange juice. I downed it in two gigantic gulps. “I just wanted to be part of something, you know? I really wanted those girls to like me,” I said quietly, feeling the tears prick behind my eyes again.

  Riley rubbed my back. “Babe, if they're so quick to turn their backs on you, then they aren't the kind of friends you want or need. Why are you letting it eat at you like this? Be relieved it's over and you can put it behind you,” she reasoned.

  “I don't know that I can put it behind me,” I murmured, running my tongue along my lips. My phone beeped in my pocket. Pulling it out I saw it was another text from Jordan. I deleted it without looking at it.

  “Jordan?” Riley asked and I nodded. She frowned. “Why didn't you text him back?” she asked suspiciously.

  I didn't say anything, tossing my phone on the coffee table. Riley reached over and smacked my hand. “Hey!” I yelled. Riley glowered at me.

  “I know what you're doing, Maysie Ardin, and you need to snap the fuck out of it!” she said, her voice hard. My eyes slid away from her.

  “I don't know what you're talking about,” I denied.

  “The hell you don't! Don't you dare sabotage a relationship with a great guy because you feel guilty. You can't live your life worrying about what everyone thinks, Maysie. Otherwise you'll be miserable,” she told me sagely. I smirked.

  “Easy for you to say. You're not the one being bullied every time you step foot on campus,” I said.

  Riley sighed. “I know you don't want to hear this. But damn it, this once don't close those ears of yours and listen. Jordan Levitt is bat shit crazy in love with you,” I snorted. Love? I wasn't so sure about that. Lust, yeah. That I could see. But why in the world would he love me?

  “Maysie! Why are you so down on yourself? I had no idea all of this had eaten away at you like it has. Please don't self-destruct. Don't push him away. He is not your dad! He isn't going to turn his back on you the second you do something he doesn't like. If you screw this up, you'll regret it,” she predicted. She had called me out pretty succinctly. She was right of course. I was trying to lump Jordan in with my parents. Expecting him to turn his back when I invariably disappointed him. I knew that wasn't fair. But my reaction was ingrained and hard to stop.

  I was so mixed up. I had just had the day from hell. And some silly part of my kind of blamed Jordan for the mess I found myself in. I was so mad at him for pursuing me even though he had a girlfriend. I was mad at him for not breaking up with Olivia sooner. I was also mad at myself for being led around by my hormones.

  Riley sighed again, this time deeper and with obvious frustration. “Just don't do anything stupid while you're all emotional,” she said, j
abbing her finger into my chest. I swatted her hand away.

  My body and head felt heavy. I was so freaking tired. “Whatever.” I muttered, feeling an exhaustion that was bone deep. I lay down on the couch, bringing my knees up to my chest.

  I felt Riley put a blanket over me and then I was asleep.

  I wasn't sure how long I had been out. The next thing I knew I felt lips on my neck and warm fingers sliding up my shirt to tease my breast. I rolled onto my back and let out a moan. The lips came down on mine and I felt a tongue press into my mouth. My eyes opened in a slit and I saw Jordan leaning over me.

  I closed my eyes again as he started rub my nipples, rolling them between his thumb and finger. “Sorry I woke you,” he whispered, kissing the skin below my ear.

  “Mmm,” was all I could get out as his hand dropped to my pants as he pulled the zipper down. His hand slipped inside and he teased the edge of my panties as his mouth slanted over mine again. He nibbled at my bottom lip, his tongue thrusting inside my mouth. I tangled my tongue with his and shivered at the cool feel of his barbell.

  His fingers moved my panties aside and he dipped inside my wet warmth. “Ahh, god!” I groaned into his mouth as he pushed inside my body while his thumb rubbed against my throbbing clit.

  “Maysie,” he rasped as his hand started to thrust in and out of my body. I arched against his palm and brought my hand down to shove him deeper inside me.

  “You're always so wet for me, baby,” he whispered as his fingers picked up the pace. My body started to tremble and I knew I was close. Jordan curved his fingers, finding the spot that would shatter me.

  “Jordan!” I called out as I came all over his hand. Jordan moaned into my mouth, still rubbing my clit with excruciating slowness.

  He pulled his fingers out of me and shed my pants and underwear. I lifted my arms as he took off my shirt. I was clumsy as I fumbled with the button of his jeans. Laughing, he finally took over and stood up, dropping his clothing to the floor. He lay back down on top of me; his naked flesh pressed tantalizing against mine.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist as he trailed kisses along my collar bone. I could feel his hard erection pressed at my opening as he started to slide along my wetness. I thrust my hips up to meet his but he wouldn't penetrate. Instead he continued to tease me by taking his cock in his hand and rubbing it along my throbbing slit. He would push the head in and then pull out, sliding it along my drenched folds. “You're killing me,” I groaned as he pushed part way in and pulled out again.

  Jordan chuckled and brought his mouth down to my nipple. He sucked it into his mouth, his tongue lapping roughly. I moaned loudly and caught myself. Shit, Riley could come out here at any time! I tried to pull myself out from underneath but Jordan held me in place. “You're not going anywhere,” he said softly, pushing his tip inside me and holding himself poised to thrust.

  My breath was coming in ragged pants. “But Riley...” I was able to get out.

  “She was leaving when I got here,” he said, his tongue leaving a wet trail up between my breasts until he reached my mouth again.

  “Ohh,” was all I said as I arched again. Jordan pulled his cock out and I grabbed his ass in my hands. “God damn it, Jordan! Fuck me already!” I demanded.

  Jordan threw his head back and laughed. I harrumphed at his amusement. “So demanding. Can't I have a little fun first?” he teased, his fingers replacing his cock between my legs. My thighs trembled as another orgasm started to brew in my belly.

  “Please, Jordan,” I begged, not caring how breathless and desperate I sounded.

  Jordan lifted my leg and put it over his shoulder, his hand kneading my breast, his fingers still fucking me as he gazed down. “You are so damn beautiful,” he whispered. Then he withdrew his fingers and suddenly his hard length was plunging deep inside my body. I groaned as he lifted my lower body off the couch so he could angle me just right. With one leg draped across his shoulder and the other wrapped around his middle he slammed roughly into me, over and over again. I gripped his arms, my head thrown back as the waves of my orgasm rippled through me.

  Jordan shifted my hips slightly so that he could hit the sensitive spot inside me and I tightened around him just as I exploded. “Maysie!” he yelled as I came. His thrusts became wild as he pumped into me. I could barely hold on and we called out each other's names. His fingers dug into my hips and I briefly wondered if he had bruised me. I felt him grow thicker inside me and then just as another orgasm cascaded through my body, Jordan tensed and released himself.

  I felt his body shudder and his chest was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. The room was dark but I could see the satisfied smile on his face. Fuck, he was fantastic. He leaned down and kissed my mouth tenderly before pulling out. I lay there, unable to move as he got up to go to the bathroom. He came back with a wet cloth and tenderly wiped between my legs, cleaning me with a gentleness that made my heart ache.

  “What a way to wake up,” I said smiling, my chest still rising and falling rapidly. Jordan dropped the cloth on the table and climbed over top of me, settling against my back. He placed a kiss on my naked shoulder and then pulled a blanket over both of us as he snuggled into me.

  “Why didn't you answer my calls and texts?” he asked after a few minutes. I tensed beside him. The euphoria of really awesome sex was starting to subside and the evenings events started crashing back into me. And with it came my anger.

  I couldn't help it, I pulled away from him. Jordan realized what I was doing and wrapped his arm around my middle, holding me still. “What is it?” he asked, his voice low. I tried to move against his iron grip. His arm tightened and I started to get pissed off.

  “Let me go, Jordan,” I said, pushing at his arm.

  Jordan yanked me back and pushed me down onto the couch. He came up over me and looked down into my face, his eyes boring intensely into mine. “What the hell is going on, Maysie? I had my dick inside you ten minutes ago and now you're acting like you want me to get the fuck out!” he growled, leaning into me.

  I wiggled underneath him. “Just move, okay. You're crowding me,” I pleaded, not liking the way this was going. My mind was still muddled from the sex and the crazy emotions I had been feeling all evening. And being with Jordan made it impossible to think straight.

  I remembered what Riley said about not pushing him away but right then, I needed space. Jordan sat up and lifted his hands. I slid out from underneath him and grabbed my clothes, quickly yanking them on. I pushed my hair off of my face with shaky hands.

  Jordan grabbed my hand. “Maysie, please. Tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if you won't tell me,” he said softly, his earlier irritation gone. Now he just looked confused and really worried. I let out a deep sigh.

  “You can't help me, Jordan. It's gone way passed that,” I said cryptically. Jordan frowned.

  “What happened?” he asked me again.

  “I've had a shitty day. There was some stuff that happened earlier, some posters that someone had put up about me...” I started but Jordan cut me off.

  “Posters? What kind of posters?” he asked in a dangerously quiet voice. I looked at him and saw that his jaw had tensed. He looked scary and sexy and damned if I didn't want to jump his bones again.

  “Posters of me during pledge week in a bikini. And there were these ratings for different parts of my body. And then it had my number at the bottom for guys to call if they...you know...” I couldn't even finish. I was too embarrassed. Jordan's fist slammed into the coffee table making me jump.

  “WHAT THE FUCK?!” he roared and I flinched at his anger.

  “Do you know who did this?” he demanded. I took a tiny step backwards. His vibe was seriously angry and more than a little scary. I swallowed thickly and felt myself wobbling.

  “Doesn't matter,” I mumbled. Jordan got to his feet. He was still naked but his muscles were taught as though he were ready to do battle.

  “The hell it doesn't matter! Who did this?” he
demanded again. His anger made me angry and I glared at him.

  “IT DOESN”T MATTER!” I screamed and Jordan went silent. But I went on. “Because then tonight I was voted out of Chi Delta. They kicked me out!” Jordan's rage melted away and he reached for me.

  “Mays, I'm so sorry,” he said, trying to grab a hold of me. I evaded his grasp.

  “Yeah, well that came after I almost beat the shit out of your ex-girlfriend,” I said darkly. Jordan's eyes widened in shock.

  “You almost beat the shit out of Liv?” he asked, as though he hadn't heard me correctly. I smiled without humor.

  “Yeah, she's sporting a wicked bald spot, I'm sure,” I said a little too gleefully.

  Jordan frowned again. “Mays, what the hell? Why would you do something like that?” he asked as though speaking to a child. Then I snapped. All of my anger, hurt, betrayal. Every horrible feeling I had had in the last few weeks came bubbling to the surface. And it all focused on one target. Jordan.