When I try to think more about it, all I can come up with is wet grass, a heavy weight on my chest, and bloody fists. The last component sends a chill across my neck.
“I’m shocked. Little Miss Prude doesn’t look so prudish. What’s the occasion?” Diana’s voice sends a chill ten times worse down my back.
I turn around and feel my heart jump out of place. On the couch is Tyler, joyfully rolling up a piece of paper on his lap, Diana, who wears a wicked smile while biting a piece of her fiery hair, and Grey. He looks worse for wear.
He shits his gaze away, but I can see the redness in his dark eyes. His black shirt is wrinkled, and his boots are scuffed. The closer I step forward and look, he has a deep cut on his cheek. It looks fresh, which means he just fought.
I want to walk over to him, grab him by the chin, and make him tell me what happened. But when those pitch-black eyes swivel over to me like he can sense my presence, I feel trapped in place, like in my nightmare.
He regards at me with pure disgust. I feel my heart sink to my feet. Why is he giving me this look? And if that wasn’t bad enough, he trails his eyes up and down my body. I try to cover my chest, suddenly more self-conscious than I felt when those frat guys looked at me. His gaze holds a deeper meaning, and the way his lips curve up into a nefarious smile, I feel beyond confused and exposed.
“Ha! You’re right. What happened, Princess? Did the realization hit you in the face that this is college and not church?” he drawls, pulling his mouth into a crooked smile as he takes a swig of the beer in his hand. His eyes don’t leave mine. What is wrong with him? He’s acting mean again and for no reason I can find.
“No…I just wanted to look…nice tonight,” I say, my voice unintentionally quiet.
He laughs dryly. “And for once, you got it right. You deserve a round of applause,” he taunts. Diana claps her hands and launches into a fit of laughter that mirrors raging thunder. Scary, deep, and annoying.
“Why do you have to be such a dick, Grey?” Jaimie steps up and glares at the dark boy.
“Why are you standing up for her?” he snaps. “Scared I might hurt the Princess’s feelings?” He pouts and laughs. The sound picks layer after layer off of my heart. What the heck made him change into such an…an asshole? Yesterday he was actually kind and funny, and now? Now he’s acting like I first met him. Rude and cruel.
“What is wrong with you?” I ask, knowing exactly the answer. Diana got to him. She’s the reason for this sudden change.
Whenever he’s with me, he’s actually tolerable. Either that or he naturally doesn’t have control over his emotions. And that’d mean he’s naturally messed up.
“Nothing,” he sneers, narrowing his eyes at me, shooting daggers at my fragile heart. “There is nothing wrong with me. This is who I am, darling. Take it or leave it.”
“I’d much rather leave it,” I seethe, watching as his lips twitch before dragging his eyes away and taking a long swig of his beer. I tear my eyes away and take a seat on one of the chairs facing the couch.
I already regret coming here. Pissing him off or making him feel how hurt I was obviously isn’t going to work. Apparently, he’s immune to girls who don’t immediately throw off their clothes for him. He disgusts me. Why did I possibly think he was better than that? Maybe because I was foolish enough to think he wasn’t just about sex. I was so stupid. And I still am, because I’m looking at his face while a part of me is begging to nurse his wound.
“Hey, I got you something to drink.” I look up and smile small, taking the soda can Mason got me.
“Thanks.” My voice is still small, but I want it to grow. I don’t want people to know that asshole got to me. Look at that—he has me cursing, even if it’s just in my head. I’ve never been so hostile before. He makes me want to shake him and forget him at the same time.
“You okay?” Mason asks, sitting on the right arm of my chair. I want to tell him how I really feel deep down toward Grey, but I know it’ll be in vain, because he practically just told me there’s nothing worth having feelings for. Again—stupid girl I am.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I offer him a smile and look down at the cold can to avoid his unbelieving stare.
“Ooh, another girl to join the bitch fest. How fun,” Diana purrs.
Mason’s jaw locks together, and he looks away. I feel my blood boil. How dare she talk about him like that? The urge to slap her grows so much, I clutch the can with a hard grip. I normally wouldn’t lose my temper, but with Grey’s sudden foul mood and her antagonizing comments and obnoxious attitude using Grey against me, I just can’t help it.
“He is not a girl! He went through something life changing to match how he felt on the inside. There is nothing funny about it. The fact that you and Grey continue to tease him about it is disgusting and vile. So why don’t you choke on your fucking hair, or Grey’s dick like you’re supposed to, and leave us alone?” I gesture to Mason and me.
She blinks rapidly, shocked at my outburst. Jaimie and Julia also look at me with wide eyes. I glance at Grey’s raised eyebrows and roll my eyes. I’m done with them both. She can have him. I don’t care anymore. And I definitely don’t want to be friends with him, not if he’s just going to be nasty and mean.
“Let’s go, Mason,” I say through gritted teeth, standing from the chair and grabbing his hand. He gives Diana a smug look, and I blush, the realization of what I just said smacking against my stomach like a freight train.
“Gladly,” he mutters, hopping off the chair.
I pull him through the crowd lingering in the hallway and into the kitchen. There, I finally open the can of soda he gave me and down half of it out of nerves. I’ve always been able to keep my emotions together and stay cool, calm, and collected. But ever since I met him and that wretched girl, I’ve had nothing but negative thoughts and curses swirling through my mind.
Why do I even try? I once told myself that I wouldn’t get caught up with him anymore. That I wouldn’t come here anymore. I was supposed to focus on my studies. But he’s blurred the line of stability for me, and right now I’m feeling dangerously unstable.
“Can we have fun tonight?” I ask Mason. I sound desperate and whiny, but all I want is to actually enjoy myself. Not as much “fun” as the last time I was here, of course. But enough so tonight won’t be a total waste. Aren’t these things supposed to be entertaining? Epic? How come every time I come I just end up angry and controlled by that…rude boy? I want him out of my head.
Mason gives me a look of concern but nods after I give him the puppy eyes. “Fine,” he says, and I clap my hands and round the counter as he pulls out wine coolers from the fridge. “But just one. Jaimie told me how fucked up you got last time. I don’t want that happening again.”
“Okay, but if I’m only going to have one, I want it to be stronger.” What is wrong with me? I keep the question lingering in the back of my mind and slide a finger down the granite counter until I make contact with a bottle of vodka. I grab it and flash him a smile.
He breathes out, “Okay, okay. But one shot.” He plays the concern card, but I can see it in his eyes that he wants to have fun too. It must be hard for him to always be teased about his altered gender. A frown makes its way to my face.
I don’t understand how anyone could ever make fun of who he identifies as in the first place. He’s kind to me, and funny, and a generally good person. He doesn’t deserve any hate.
“You know I think you’re amazing, right?” I don’t know where that came from, but I don’t regret it. I want him to know how much he means to me. He’s always here for me, and I want to be there for him too. Especially if disgusting people such as Diana and Grey continue to attack who he truly is.
“It’s amazing how drunk you’re acting, and you haven’t even had anything to drink yet,” he says around a smile as he hands me a shot glass filled with the vile but shockingly soothing substance. He holds his own at his chest.
“Yet being the operative wo
rd. Bottoms up, Wellington,” I exclaim, using his secretive last name I pried out of him, clinking my glass with his. He laughs and throws the glass back with a tilt of his head. I mirror him and slam the glass on the counter. He does the same and wipes his hand across his mouth. The sting in my throat makes me wince and shudder. “That will never get easier.”
“Let’s go dance while it kicks in,” he suggests, taking my hand. A sense of weight has left his shoulders. I can tell by the lazy smile curving his lips and the brightness in his eyes. I laugh, feeling the liquor pound out the sound, and nod ferociously. I like to see him like this: happy.
He grabs my hand and gently tugs. I squeal as we weave through the countless people in the hallway and end up in the mob of dancing bodies.
Some song I don’t know but like because of the beat and crooning words blasts through the air. I swing my head from side to side and push my hands through my hair. I laugh and cover my mouth as I watch Mason bop his head to the beat and hop around. He can’t dance, obviously, but neither can I.
I’m pretty sure I look like there’s a spider in my hair and I’m trying to shake it out while a crab snaps at my feet causing me to jump, but I don’t care, because I’m having fun. This. This is the college experience I wanted. Dancing to a cool song with my friend. Having fun with my friend.
However, a sliver of me wants to question what I’m doing. It wants me to wonder about how this will affect me for classes tomorrow. And I worry if my mother is going to pop up in my dorm room like she did last night. That small part of me is stressing out. I want her gone. The last time I listened to her, I ended up in the hospital. The hospital. For once in my life, I just want to enjoy myself and not have to worry about the repercussions.
“Are you having fun?” Mason screams over the music. He steps closer while still moving around. I admire the flush of his cheeks and the glimmer in his eyes.
“The best!” I scream back. And I’m not lying. I feel my cheeks tense from the burn due to my wide smile, but I don’t care. I can smile like this all night. Hell—I want to.
He smiles in approval and slings his arms around me. I can feel butterflies in my stomach and laugh a liquor-induced laugh and throw my arms around him, still hopping and throwing my head around. I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun before. It’s an exhilarating feeling.
“What the fuck is this?” a deep voice nearly growls. Before I can get away from the drunk idiot messing with my good time, I am abruptly pulled away from Mason.
“Mason!” I call out to him, but I am pulled back and the people mingle into the spot I once stood in. I look down at the arm wrapped around my waist, feeling my heart beat against my chest. Who is this maniac? I am about to scream for help when my eyes land on a familiar bird on the guy’s wrist. I whirl around and push at his chest. “Grey! What the hell?”
Grey glares at me like I did the unthinkable, when really, it’s the god damn other way around.
“What was that?” He ignores my question.
“I was dancing with my friend!” I snap, balling my hands into fists. How dare he yank me away while I was having fun, minding my own business?
He snorts. “You call that dancing?”
“I call that having fun,” I answer, still not understanding why he pulled me away in the first place. “Now stop questioning me and leave me alone!” I turn around to go find Mason, but I am spun back around. I look up and find two charcoal eyes ignited with flames and bared teeth. “Let go of me, you psychopath!” I push away from him using my other hand, but he also grabs that wrist, effectively holding me captive. “Grey, let me go!”
“Fuck no,” he spits. “I don’t want you ‘dancing’ with her.” His eyes are red, and the vein in his neck throbs erratically. He looks absolutely enraged and frightening, but I let what he said sink into me, and something close to fury flashes through me.
I suck in a sharp breath. Rage flourishes within me, filling my veins with fire. “I fucking told you to stop talking about him that way!” I push and tug at my hands. I want to pull away and smack him until he finds some sense, but his hold on me is firm like steel. He makes me so damn livid! Why can’t he just leave me be? He and that Diana chick made it clear that I shouldn’t have anything to do with him. And trust me, I don’t either.
“Let her go, man!” I hear Mason’s voice shout with pure vexation lacing each syllable.
What happens next occurs in a flash of a minute.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mason runs over and swings a fist out, connecting with Grey’s jaw. I think a gasp leaves my mouth, but I can’t focus on myself. Not when this is happening. Grey pushes my hands away, and I fall on my bottom. I don’t think he meant to, but he isn’t in his right head space. His nose flares, facing Mason with blood dripping down his chin.
Grey launches forward and tackles Mason to the ground. He raises his fist and pummels it into Mason’s face. He does this again and again, and that’s when the liquor hits. I cry out, pleading for him to stop before he kills him, but it gets lost in the encouraging shouts from the crowd closing in around them.
I’m kicked to the side several times, screaming as they rush forward to watch the fight. I flip over and get on all fours in time to see Mason grab Grey’s fist and knee him in the ribs. Grey howls out, and Mason takes his pain as momentum to punch his jaw and push him off him before jumping onto his waist and punching him back.
“Take my hand!” A girl with wide eyes holds her hand out for me. I gladly grab her hand and pull myself up. The liquor suddenly hits me full force, and I stumble into her. “Whoa there! You’re okay, you’re okay.” I push myself to straighten up and look toward the fight still going on. It hits me that if I don’t break it up now, they’re going to kill each other. They already have prior motives to snatch each other’s throats out.
“Thank you so much,” I thank the girl, and she nods, looking at me with a confused expression. I smile at her before turning and pushing myself through to the excited fight. How come not one person decide this is going too far and step in to break it up? Everyone here is freaking insane! Except that girl, she was nice.
When I finally get to the front of the crowd, I lurch forward and grab Grey’s fist before it can connect with Mason’s face. He swivels around and raises his other fist, ready to punch me. But once his wild eyes connect with mine, he drops both hands, panting slowly while still on top of Mason. There are a few boos because the fight has stalled, but they cheer again when Mason takes Grey’s advantage of the pause and swings his fist against Grey’s jaw. Grey falls back, and I gasp. He scrambles to his feet while Mason does, ready to swing another fist at Grey.
“Stop!” I scream, holding my hands out between the two bleeding men. “Just—fuck—stop fighting!” I look between the two as they try to catch their breaths. How did this happen out of nowhere? I was having fun, enjoying myself, and Grey felt that was breaking the rules of whatever messed-up guidelines are in his head and got physical. Too freaking physical.
The crowd breaks away from the circle, and whispers of what just happened circulate the room.
“Mason, are you okay?” Jaimie breaks through the crowd and wraps her arms around Mason, causing him to wince but hug her back. I shift my eyes over to Grey. He’s staring at me like a wild beast. Blood is smeared all over his face, his t-shirt is torn, and his hair is all over the place.
I look down at his held-out hand and twist my face in anger and confusion. He wants me to go over to him and comfort him after what he just did? After he insulted then beat up my best and only friend and ruined my entire night? He must be insane!
I narrow my eyes and inwardly cower when a look of sadness flashes through his eyes. But I couldn’t give a damn. He messed with my friend after messing with me. He doesn’t deserve my sympathy.
I tear my eyes away from him and rush over to Mason, throwing my arms around him. He is weak, but I hug him just enough to make up for what he can’t do. “I am so sorry,” I a
pologize for Grey’s animalistic behavior. I never thought this would happen, but the fact that Mason would literally fight for me makes me appreciate him a million times more.
“It’s okay, I already know how he is,” he says, rubbing my back. “I saw he was hurting you and just jumped in.” He pulls back and examines my wrist. There’s a light pink ring around my wrists from Grey’s hold on me a while ago. They don’t hurt, I’m okay. Physically, that is.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” I give him a sympathetic smile. “We should get you back to the dorms. I’ll help clean you up there.”
“What about the party?” he asks, his voice cracking. I frown and watch him rub the back of his neck.
“Forget the party. Grey ruined it for me.” I turn to Jaimie and ask, “Can you bring the car around?”
She nods, rubbing Mason’s arm. “Already on it. Julia left to get it, but it’s really far away. Maybe eight blocks or more. I didn’t think this would happen.” Her face looks pained as she looks over her friend’s bloody face. It hurts me too, just looking at him. My own hands ball up with the intention to hit the guy who started this whole damn mess.
“That’s okay,” I tell her. “Just take Mason out front and sit on the porch until Julia gets here with the car. I’m going to go find a medical kit and paper towels to at least get started patching him up.”
“Got it. Come on, buddy,” Jaimie coos with a broad smile, slipping one of Mason’s arms around her shoulder. He hops and turns with her, but he turns to look at me.
“Be careful,” he says, referring to Grey, who is still loose and probably fuming in the house.
“Don’t worry, Grey wouldn’t hurt me,” I assure him. I know it may be hard to believe with what just happened, but I truly feel he wouldn’t hurt me. Not intentionally, at least. “Just go. I’ll be there soon. I promise.” I rush over to him, seeing his hesitance, and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be fine.”
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