Chapter 42
CHAPTER
FORTY-TWO
Mascen
I knew this day was coming, the one where Rory would have to return to her dorm for good and classes would resume, and we’d be forced to go back to a life where things are normal.
“Do you have to go?” I wrap my arms around her from behind as she zips up her bag. Cole is supposed to return tomorrow morning so Rory insisted on heading back to her dorm this afternoon to get settled.
“Yes,” she giggles, wiggling out of my hold. She turns around, the back of her legs resting against the bed. “If you keep whining about me leaving I’m going to start thinking you like me.” She pokes my chest.
I grab her finger, biting it playfully. “Nope, definitely still hate.” I kiss the outside part of her hand.
“I hate you too.” She reaches up, snatching my baseball cap and planting it on her head backwards.
“I could have lice you know.”
“I’ve had your dick in my mouth. I think I’ll take my chances.”
“Stay longer,” I beg pathetically. “We can order pizza or I’ll make dinner if you want and then you go home.”
She shakes her head. “Li’s coming back tonight and I don’t want her to be alone.”
“Fine.”
Hoisting her bag on her shoulder she reaches for my collar and tugs on it. “Don’t worry by tonight you’ll realize what an annoying pain in the ass I am and never speak to me again.”
“It’s possible,” I agree.
“Hey.” She playfully swats at me. “That was only a joke.”
Squeezing her waist in my hands I bend down to kiss her cheek. “You better leave before I change my mind on letting you go.”
She rolls her eyes and pushes my shoulder. “It’s cute you think you can tell me what to do.”
I take a step back from her, watching her head to the bedroom door. An ache fills me I’ve never experienced before as I follow her downstairs and then out to her truck. The old rickety thing looks like it needs to be in a junkyard, not on the road, but I tried telling her that and she nearly chewed my head off.
She opens the door and it groans in protest like a cranky old man getting woken up from a nap. She tosses her bag on the passenger seat and turns around to face me.
“Where do we go with things from here?” Her lower lip starts to tremble like she might cry. She bites down on it clearly not wanting to let her emotions get the best of her.
We’ve been avoiding this topic the entire time. Both of us too scared to put a label on things.
I stuff my hands in my pockets, lifting my shoulders slightly.
“I don’t really know. I guess take it a day at a time and see what happens.”
She nods in agreement. “I hate you for making me feel like this.”
I reach out, twirling a piece of her shiny dark hair around my finger. It’s soft and smooth. “Yeah, well I hate you for it too, Princess. I guess that makes us even.” I wink at her and let the piece of hair go.
“I have to leave,” she says more for herself than me.
“I know.”
“I don’t want to.” Her voice is soft, like she doesn’t want to give volume to her incriminating words.
“I know.”
“Stop!” She breaks into laughter.
I grab her face between my hands kissing her deeply but keeping it short before I haul her over my shoulder and convince her to go home in the morning.
“See you later, Princess.”
“Promise?”
I nod, taking a couple steps back as she gets in the truck. She gives a small wave before putting it in reverse and backing out.
I stand on the driveway until her truck is gone from my sight.
Fuck, it’s harder watching her go than I thought it’d be.
Back inside the first thing I do is schedule a pizza to be delivered later for her and her roommate. I’m fucking whipped and I don’t know how it happened.
I throw my sheets in the washer and put a clean set on, then wander around the townhouse picking up shit and trying to get things back in decent order. I’ve never been able to tolerate trash lying around and things out of order.
Flopping down on the couch once I feel like the place is clean, I grab the controller for the Xbox and start playing
Twenty or so minutes later I hear the garage door go up. Pausing the game, I get up, looking out the window to see Cole’s car parked in the driveway. My heart drops and I say a prayer that Rory did insist on going back to her dorm today.
The door leading up from the garage opens and Cole steps inside dropping his bag on the floor.
“Hey, man,” I greet, more pep in my voice than usual. I hope he doesn’t notice the forced sound. “You came home early.”
“Yep.” His tone is somber, face angled to the floor.
“Did something happen?” The way he’s acting I’m wondering if someone died or some shit, but if that were the case I wouldn’t think he’d be returning home early.
He nods, eyes still downcast, and I’m starting to actually get concerned. “Yeah.” He rolls his tongue in his mouth. “I think I lost a friend today.” The goldish-brown hue of his eyes is glossed over. There’s a pissed off set to his lips that I’ve only ever seen him wear on the basketball court.
“What the fuck, dude? What happened?”
He cocks his head to the side. “You’re seriously gonna play dumb with me right now?” He shakes his head back and forth, a coarse laugh filled with disbelief sputtering out of him.
“I’m not playing dumb, I’m fucking concerned.”
“Concerned? Concerned?” He thunders, suddenly right in my face. The vein in his forehead pulses. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this pissed off. “Are you for real right now?” He shakes his head harshly, turning away.
“I literally have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about.”
He stands there, fists clenched at his sides staring at me. “You really don’t do you?” He looks shocked by the revelation.
“How could I possibly know what you’re talking about?” I try to keep my tone calm and neutral.
He takes a measured step closer. “Rory.”
My heart drops. “What about her?”
“Fuck, man.” He looks away for a second before getting in my face. “Don’t play dumb with me. I saw her truck here.”
I’ve always been good at lying, probably a little too good, so I blurt, “She was picking up something here that she realized she left.”
Cole cocks his head to the side, laughing incredulously. “You son of a bitch. You really think you’re slick and can get away with anything. The great Mascen Wade is untouchable.” He spreads his arms wide. “I saw you kiss her.”
Ice slithers down my spine and I grind my teeth together.
“Nothing to say now?” He arches a brow. “No words of defense?” I stand there, letting him say what he needs to. “You know what the worst part is? I’m not even surprised you’d move in on her. This is just who you are and I should’ve known one of these days your dickish behavior would turn to me. You sabotage yourself every step of the way and that’s the real reason you’re such a selfish bastard—because it’s easier to ruin things and blame it on that than to be a goddamn decent human being and maybe someone just doesn’t like you. You want everyone to hate you and I’ve been nothing but a good fucking friend to you.” He takes a couple steps back and bends to pick up his bag. “I hope you’re happy.”
I don’t say anything as he heads up the stairs. I don’t defend myself, or explain my past with Rory, my feelings for her, or how conflicted I’ve been over them because of him. I just let him go, because all he’s said is true. I am an asshole, one who brings this upon himself. I don’t deserve friends and I certainly don’t deserve Rory.