15. Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Megan
K eeping my back pressed against the wall, I carefully avoid the drunken bodies stumbling through Walker’s apartment.
The place reeks of spilled alcohol and bad decisions.
My gaze sweeps the room, taking in the excess of it all. Nike gear littering the floor, a brand-new 80-inch Samsung TV mounted like a trophy, every single item in this space expensive and shallow, just like its owner.
Across the room, Elijah throws back a shot with some guy from his English class.
When they offer him another, he hesitates before nodding, but I can tell, the appeal of this place is already wearing thin.
"Megan!" Walker’s slurred voice cuts through the noise. "Where the hell is Ana?"
His tone is lighthearted, but I don’t trust it.
Glancing around the packed apartment, I scan for her.
Nothing.
"I guess she’s still at Elijah’s car," I mutter, reaching for my phone. "Let me just give her a call-"
"It’s actually good that it’s just you here."
Walker’s voice shifts to something too casual.
Before I can react, his hand wraps around my wrist, stopping me from digging into my purse.
My stomach turns.
"I don’t know what Ana told you about us," he continues smoothly, "but I can promise you, anything that happened was just a miscommunication."
Disgust curls in my chest.
The last thing I need is for this asshole to justify what he did to Ana.
Ripping my wrist free, I shove him back hard enough that he stumbles slightly.
"Walker, I promise you, this conversation won’t lead anywhere good with me." My voice is sharp, "Whatever relationship you think you had with Ana is over. The only reason she came tonight was to tell you she’s done. She’s done playing your little game of helping you get your dick wet."
His expression darkens.
"Any idea why she’s suddenly so disinterested?" he hisses.
I scoff at his ignorance, my eyes rolling before I can stop myself.
"I’d say assaulting her is a large factor," I whisper, my voice laced with venom. "And I’m sure there are plenty of people here who wouldn’t want to be associated with some pathetic little man who resorts to face-fucking a girl non-consensually just because his feelings got hurt."
Walker stills.
Then, he moves toward me, his posture shifting, his presence suddenly too close.
I don’t back down.
I won’t back down.
"Do you really think sweet Ana is being honest with you?" Walker murmurs, his gaze sliding down my body, lingering where it shouldn’t.
My skin crawls.
His fingers tug at the hem of my shirt.
"Now, I’m no detective," he smirks, "but I doubt you wore this pretty little outfit for any of the guys here. If I had to bet, I’d say you were trying to get Ana’s attention."
I swat his hand away, my chest tightening.
His words dig in, deeper than I want to admit.
We kissed.
That’s all it was.
She was just experimenting.
There’s nothing between us.
Right?
"Whatever happens between Ana and me is none of your concern-"
"So you did get a taste of her?" Walker sneers, his smirk widening. "Hurts when her mind is on someone else, doesn’t it?"
Rage boils beneath my skin, hotter than it should be.
Stepping forward, I close the space between us until we’re breathing the same air.
"At least I didn’t fucking assault someone when my feelings got hurt," I snap, my voice cutting through the music, loud enough to draw attention.
Heads turn.
Eyes land on us.
I don’t care.
"I can stomach the fact that what I feel might be stronger than hers." My voice lowers, shaking with fury, "But you? You’re just a worthless-"
"Calm down, crazy," Walker scoffs, rolling his eyes.
His gaze flicks to Elijah, a slow smirk curling his lips.
"We can always get back at her," he mutters.
His hand touches me, his fingers skimming over my bare waist.
Wrong move.
Very wrong fucking move.
Before I can think, before I can breathe, my hand flies.
CRACK.
The slap rings through the room, cutting through the noise like a gunshot. Walker stumbles back, his head snapping to the side, his cheek flaring red.
The room freezes.
Eyes widen. Conversations die.
Walker touches his face, blinking in shock before the anger sets in.
"Did you just fucking slap me?" he hisses, voice sharp, venomous.
Elijah moves fast, stepping between us, his body a solid barrier.
Walker’s eyes narrow, his temper boiling over. "Get the fuck out of my way, dick-licker-"
Elijah doesn’t hesitate.
He shoves him.
Hard.
Walker collides with the beer pong table, the wood groaning under his weight as cups of beer spill, drenching him in sticky liquid.
Laughter ripples through the room, but the tension skyrockets.
Walker’s friends step forward, their bodies stiff, their faces set with something dangerous.
My stomach twists.
I cling to Elijah’s arm, bracing for whatever’s coming next-
"What the fuck is going on?"
Cole’s voice booms from the hallway.
I whip my head toward him as he stumbles out of one of the bedrooms, his blonde sleaze, Erica, practically glued to his side.
Lipstick smears her mouth.
His pants are barely buttoned.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what we interrupted.
Walker shoves his wet sleeves up, shaking beer from his clothes, fuming.
"Your ex’s fucking friends came in here to start shit," he seethes, turning to Cole. "I should’ve listened to you about that whore."
Elijah moves before I do, his jaw tightening, as his hands curl into fists.
"I know you two are not the ones shit-talking Ana when she’s not here to defend herself," Elijah snaps, his voice edged with rage.
The tension snaps, the room teetering on the edge of something bad.
Please don’t have liquid courage now.
My fingers fly across my phone screen, firing off text after text to Ana, begging her to show up before Elijah’s temper gets him into a fight he won’t win.
The pulse of the party feels suffocating, bodies pressing in, the room spinning slightly from too much alcohol and far too much adrenaline. Backed into a wall, as far from the front door as possible, nausea claws its way up, threatening to bring back every drink from the night.
Across the room, Cole steps forward, voice laced with venom.
"Yeah? And what do you know about Ana?"
Walker stands beside him like a fucking guard dog.
Then, it clicks.
A sharp breath punches through my tight lungs.
"You two plotted this." The realization slams into place. Stepping in front of Elijah, the accusation comes out louder than intended. "You planned a way to fuck with Ana. That whole act, pretending you weren’t close? Bullshit."
Their smirks confirm everything.
Fucking pigs.
Cole scoffs, shaking his head. "You think someone would go for her willingly?" His tone drips with mockery. "That whore deserves nothing but what we’ve given her-"
A sharp voice cuts through the room like a blade.
"Now, boys, don’t you know it’s rude to talk behind someone’s back?"
The air shifts.
Ana leans into the doorway, hip against the frame, eyes cold, makeup streaked, hair slightly disheveled.
Something dark lingers in her expression, something dangerous.
Cole’s smirk falters for a split second.
"Glad you could make it, Anastasia," he sneers.
Without missing a beat, Ana’s eyes flicker downward before she scoffs.
"Glad to see you still don’t know how to button your fly. Your little friend’s making an entrance."
Cole stiffens, fumbling to fix his pants, his face flush with embarrassment.
Taking the opportunity, Elijah and I slip past the tension-thick crowd, weaving toward Ana.
But Walker isn’t done.
A rough grip latches onto my arm, halting any escape.
"She’ll fuck you over-" Walker starts, voice thick with something almost desperate.
The response is immediate.
"Go to hell," Ana hisses.
Ana moves without hesitation, prying his fingers off with ease.
"I’ll expose you-" Walker tries again.
Ana doesn’t flinch.
"Go ahead," she snaps, eyes flashing. "Let’s see if anyone believes you. You’ve pissed off some powerful people, Walker. Daddy’s money won’t hide your little track record with women."
Walker’s face twists, but no words come out.
Ana’s attention shifts.
Cole.
The shift is instant, her posture stiffens as her voice lowers.
"You both should tread carefully." Her warning is lethal. "I’m done being your goddamn punching bag."
No one stops her as she turns, dragging Elijah and me through the crowd, leaving no room for either of them to speak.
No more threats. No more games.
Ana has finally won.
"Ana, what the fuck? Where were you?" My voice comes out harsher than I intend, but I don’t care.
She lingers in the hallway, arms crossed, looking as if she’s already bracing for a fight.
"Meg, I got caught up with other things-"
"No way," I snap, stepping closer. "Is he here? The guy who’s been consuming your every thought?"
Ana’s silence is answer enough.
Guilt flashes across her face, and before I can push further, Elijah finally speaks up.
"I think maybe we should take this back to the dorm-"
"Then go," I cut him off, the words laced with frustration. "I’m not leaving until Ana and I are done with this conversation."
Elijah’s jaw tightens as he looks to Ana for confirmation.
She hesitates, then whispers, "Go. I’ll see you tomorrow."
He doesn’t move right away, gaze flicking between the two of us, something unreadable in his expression.
"I don’t know what the hell is going on between you two," he mutters, shaking his head. "But you better fuck or fight. Either way, whatever this is? It ends tonight."
With that, he turns, sulking away into the night.
His words cut deep.
"Why would he say that?" Ana exhales, rubbing her temples.
I ignore the question, my voice sharp with demand.
"Answer mine first. Does he live here?"
She hesitates, then slowly nods.
Something burns in my chest.
"Great," I scoff, anger boiling over. "So you left to go fuck-"
"Meg, he’s not home," she snaps, her own frustration surfacing. "And I don’t think we should talk out here-"
"That’s not why I’m upset, Ana!" my voice cracks, my chest tightening. "I lied to you."
Tears burn at the corners of my eyes, but I keep going, voice thick with emotion.
"And then I had to stand there and face your two cock-sucking exes, knowing damn well that every single word they threw at me was just more fucking torture." My throat tightens, and the words tumble out before I can stop them.
"Ana, I love you."
She flinches, but I push through.
"But I need to know if what I’m feeling for you is more than that. That kiss earlier? It didn’t help. And now, after dealing with Cole and Walker, and this mystery man, I just can’t-"
My voice breaks.
Ana’s lips part, something pained and unsure flickering across her face.
"I can’t give you what you need, Meg," she whispers. "When I barely understand what’s happening myself."
A breath shudders through her.
"You don’t deserve to feel like this. And the last thing I need is to lose you."
The words slam into me like a punch to the gut.
Silence stretches between us.
I swallow hard, my voice barely above a whisper.
"What do you mean?"
"I need to figure out what it is I want, Meg."
The words hit like a hammer to the chest, knocking the air from my lungs.
Reality settles in, sharp and unforgiving.
Pain swallows me whole.
A choked sob pushes past my throat. "Well then, next time," my voice wavers, but the anger burns through, "don’t use me to experiment on."
My fists clench.
"I hope you have a great fucking night with whatever asshole is locked behind that door."
The moment the words leave my mouth, regret twists in my stomach, but the pain is louder, hotter, more suffocating.
Once again, I let myself get played. I let my feelings be toyed with by another straight girl looking to fool around and call it nothing.
Ana grabs my hand, desperation in her grip.
"Meg! Please-"
I rip away from her touch like it burns.
"Fuck off, Ana!" The yell bursts out before I can stop it. "Other people need time to work things out, too."
The fight drains from her immediately.
She stands there, staring, looking… broken.
"I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone."
A bitter laugh scrapes my throat.
"Look how well that worked out."
I turn on my heel, fingers shaking as I viciously scroll through my contacts, searching for Elijah’s number.
This isn't just Ana’s fault.
I know where this is stemming from.
She was curious. I am not.
Right now, all I want is to crawl into bed, drown myself in greasy food, down an entire bottle of water, and pretend this night never fucking happened.
I force myself forward, not looking back.
The crisp night air hits my face the moment I step outside, cooling the heat burning beneath my skin.
A shaky breath slips past my lips.
"How far could you have gotten, Elijah?" I mutter, eyes scanning the parking lot. "Damn it-"
"Rough night?"
The grating voice sends a chill down my spine.
I freeze.
Slowly, I turn.
Cole leans against the wall, a cigarette dangling between his fingers, watching me like he’s enjoying every second of this.
His cold, dark eyes meet mine, the satisfaction curling at his lips making me want to slap the smirk off his face.
"Piss off," I snap.
Cole exhales a slow drag, blowing a cloud of smoke into the night air.
"Shame," he drawls. "Thought you might want some insight into Ana’s mystery man."
My blood turns to ice.
The smirk deepens, smug and knowing.
My stomach twists.
"Why would you tell me anything?" My voice is sharp, but beneath it, something shakes.
Cole takes another drag, exhaling lazily.
"How I see it, Megan," He tilts his head, gaze gleaming with something dangerous, "I help you. You help me." He pauses, watching me closely.
"And trust me, you’re going to want to hear this."
In any other situation, I would have walked away.
But pain has a funny way of swaying rational thinking.
And right now?
Rationality is the last thing on my mind.