3. Harper #2
“He’s taking me back to his room for Seven Minutes in Heaven,” she says.
I’ve heard of the game. Though I shouldn’t care, it makes me sick to think of Felix doing anything with this girl. “Felix, you can’t do this.”
Finally, Felix acknowledges me with a lazy glance. He raises his drink to his lips, smirking around the rim. The way he looks at me sends shivers down my spine. Something in his eyes is dangerous yet beautiful at the same time. I hate that he has such a hold on me.
“Want to take her place instead?” His voice is deeper than Tyler’s and filled with cruel amusement. “I’ll happily bring you back to my bedroom.”
I glare at him, hating how he mocks me. Hating that deep down there’s a part of me that wants to forsake my beliefs about waiting for marriage and be the girl in Felix’s bed.
“Your dad may not care what you get up to, but my mom will,” I say. “She’ll be here soon to pick me up. Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in when she sees this party?”
The girl laughs. “Felix, who is this kid?”
His focus remains on me with that same lazy gaze and amused smile, like I’m some little doll he can bend and break for fun. “She’s no one.”
Those words hurt more than they should. I’m so mad at Felix for dismissing me, I can feel myself burning up.
The girl keeps laughing. “Oh my god, look how red she’s turning. Does this kid have a crush on you or something?”
“Watch out,” Felix says to her without taking his eyes off me. “She looks sweet but she’ll scratch your face if you get too close to me. Go to my room. I’ll meet you there in a minute.”
More humiliation floods me, remembering the ridiculous ways I acted as a child. The worst part is I feel that familiar urge within me right now, to rip this girl away from Felix and claw at her face. I want to see her bleed. But I’m not that girl anymore.
I’m not that girl. I chant the words in my head, afraid of how I need to convince myself.
I’m a good person and my parents are proud of me. Violence is never the way. Felix is trying to bring up the past to embarrass me.
As soon as the girl leaves, all amusement vanishes from Felix’s eyes. His gaze is harsh upon me. Even vicious. I used to trust that he’d never hurt me. Now, I don’t know what he’s capable of. I step back to get away from him, gasping when I bump into the wall.
Felix places a hand on either side of my head, trapping me.
The music is so loud I can feel it vibrating through my body, yet the sensation is overridden with fear.
Felix is so close I can smell the alcohol on his breath.
His voice is low and sharp. A hiss. His green eyes have never been more frightening.
“Listen closely. I don’t give a shit about what your mother walks in and sees.
What’s the worst anyone can do—ground me?
Yell at me? I don’t give a fuck about consequences.
I certainly don’t give a fuck about you . ”
“I know.” I hold eye contact, trying to sound fierce despite how fast my heart is racing. “You used to care about me. That’s clearly changed.”
His gaze roams my face, searching for something. Whatever he finds makes his lips twitch. His voice shifts into something smug. “That girl was right. Look how red you’re turning over me. I care about that. You’re so flustered. You sure you don’t want to take her place in my bed?”
My heart pounds faster at the thought. I’m sick for wishing the invitation was genuine. I don’t know what would happen if I went with Felix to his room. Part of me wants to find out. The other part is too scared. I try to push him away but he’s too strong and laughs.
“Get away from me,” I say. “You can’t talk to me like this.”
“Oh, but I can, Red.” He flicks my hair—the same hair he used to adore but is now taunting me for. “I’m starting to learn there are no real consequences for anything I do.”
“Don’t call me Red.”
He licks his lips, mocking me with a laugh. “Why stop when you look so pretty blushing over me? The way you get worked up over me might be my new favorite obsession. Last chance to meet me in my bedroom. You’re far prettier than that other girl.”
I hate that he’s teasing me. Felix doesn’t really want me to take the girl’s place. “Why do you have such an issue with me? What did I ever do to you?”
He meets my gaze, and a chill runs through me at the coldness in his eyes.
“I’m not the one who started this. You pulled away when I met new people you didn’t like.
You decided you were too good for me. You’re a judgmental piece of shit, just like your mother and father, and it pisses me the fuck off. ”
“I want the old Felix back.”
“So we can play cute little kissing games and hold each other’s hands?
I’ll pass. You and I don’t have anything in common anymore.
You’re prancing around life, believing everything is rainbows and butterflies.
Some people have fucked up lives, Harper.
You don’t realize how lucky you are. You have two parents who would do anything for you.
My mother is dead. My father doesn’t give a shit about me and my brothers. ”
“You know my mom loves you?—”
“Don’t fucking go there,” he snaps. “I did one thing wrong with that fucking weed and she didn’t give me a chance to fix it.
She took you away from me, the only good thing in my life, and you went along with her, turning against me.
Everyone in my life abandons me. Well, you know what, I don’t want you back. You’re nothing to me anymore.”
My chin wobbles as I hold back tears, refusing to let Felix see me break.“How could you be so cruel? I hate you for everything you’ve said. I hate everything about you.”
He flicks a strand of my hair and smirks, stepping back from me. “The feeling is mutual, Red.”