22
Valentina
Iget why people go to so many parties in college. Not only are they an opportunity for you to make new friends, but they also open you up to new experiences, socializing with people your age, and learning more about yourself as a person.
All that being said, I’d rather not be here.
Unfortunately, Birdie and Ava are more open to the whole party scene.
As soon as we walk into our usual party house, both of them take off in different directions, finding classmates and other friends that they can talk to.
Meanwhile, I’m on the search for one person and one person only. If he still wanted me to come tonight.
Oh god, what if he didn’t want me to come after our fight?
No. That’s crazy. He would have told me not to come if that were the case.
I only make it to the front room in the house when I catch my name being whispered with Huxley’s. I knew some people might have something to say about us “dating”, but I’m not really sure how I feel about being a hot topic around campus. Hopefully, the buzz dies down soon.
Hurrying off to the next room, I find Huxley talking to some guy I don’t know. His back is to me, so I try to approach slowly so I don’t interrupt their conversation. I just hope he’s happy to see me and we can put our fight from earlier behind us.
The guy he’s talking to looks at me, causing Huxley to turn around.
“Hi.” My voice is quiet, but luckily, there isn’t much noise in this room, so I know he heard me. But he just stares at me.
I wait for my smile to spread on his face, but it doesn’t. And regret slowly starts to seep into me the longer he stares.
His eyes slowly lift over me as he looks at someone else. “Mark. How’ve you been, man?”
The new guy, Mark, comes around to the other side of Huxley so they can talk. I look at the other guy Huxley was talking to, but he also turns in Mark’s direction.
I never should have come. I should have… Stop. Just get out of here.
I turn away from Huxley and his friends, leaving the room. I honestly didn’t think he would still be this upset with me. I don’t remember our fight being bad enough that he wouldn’t even talk to me.
He doesn’t want you. The deal is over. He only asked you to come so you could witness him with another girl.
I stumble in the hallway, nearly throwing up at the thought that he wanted me here so I could see him with someone else.
He’s not a bad guy. I try to counter in my mind. You don’t know a damn thing about him. Another part of my mind screams back.
My back leans against the wall while I catch my breath.
He didn’t even say hi. Hell, he barely even acknowledged my existence. He was more interested in Mark than he was in me.
I knew I should have stayed home. Or at least texted Huxley and asked him about the party. Maybe then he would have told me not to come anymore, and I wouldn’t have to get embarrassed the way I just did in front of a stranger and Mark.
I scan the hallway and see a room a few feet away that looks relatively empty. Pushing myself from the wall, I head in that direction. I’ll just stay in here until Birdie and Ava are ready to leave.
I should just go home now, but I’m a woman. And being a woman means you don’t walk home alone at night. No matter how unwanted your fake boyfriend makes you feel.
I glance around at the faces in the room, trying to find someone I recognize, but no one jumps out. Looks like that corner over there is about to be my friend for the night.
“You Huxley’s girl?”
I turn to the guy who came out of nowhere as he waits patiently for me to answer.
I want to say no, and honestly, I’m not even sure if I am anymore. But instead, I say, “Yes.”
I never realized Huxley had so much attention on him. It made sense when girls stared at me last week when Huxley and I were supposed to have sex. And I even sort of understand the girl whispering about me earlier. But why would a guy want to know if I’m with Huxley or not?
The guy looks me over slowly, lingering on my chest longer than he should. “You must be pretty wild in bed for him to want to hold on to you.” He takes a step closer to me, and my feet stumble back.
Oh. That’s why he’s interested.
“It’s not like that.” I try to clarify, but the look in his eyes tells me that it only excites him more.
“Oh, I see,” he says, taking another step. “You’re a virgin that he’s turning into his own little sex slave.”
What?!
He takes another step towards me, and when I try to escape, I bump into someone else. Where did all these people come from?
With nowhere to go behind me, the guy grabs my arm and pulls me closer to him. “I wonder if he’ll share.”
No, no, no, no, no.
“Get off of me.” I shove him as hard as I can, and surprisingly, he lets go.
“You fight back. Interesting.”
Interesting? How is that—what—no.
Run.
Just get out of here. Now.
I don’t even make it a full step when another guy stops in front of me, and my eyes widen at the familiar face.
“Where you going, Princess?” he asks, giving me a nickname that makes my skin crawl.
“Carson?” I swore after our run-in on campus, he would leave me alone. But maybe that was just the start.
A wide smile spreads on his face when I say his name, sending a shot of fear running through me. “So you do remember me.”
I try to make a break between them, but Carson pulls me back again, shoving me into a bookshelf. “Oh no no,” he taunts. “I’m not letting you go this time.”
“Please stop,” I beg, gripping the bookshelf behind me to keep myself up. Carson steps closer, and I press harder into the shelf.
“What’s the matter, Valentina?” He tilts his head in mock concern. “As Huxley’s girl now, you should want to have some fun.”
I’m not his girl. I’m not anyone’s girl. And even if we were dating, that doesn’t mean that I reflect his actions in any way.
I want to say this, but something tells me that talking back isn’t the right choice with these guys. My best option is to keep my mouth shut and try to get out of here. I push Carson back a step, and he actually moves. Not enough for me to run, but enough to give me some space.
“Don’t be scared,” he says in a voice that only frightens me more. “Mike and I will take good care of you.”
Mike moves closer to me after his introduction, but I don’t focus on him.
My eyes do a quick search around the room, hoping someone will look over and help me.
But they don’t pay attention to us. Even the ones that glance over just go back to their conversations.
They all know Huxley, too, and now I’m tied to him whether I like it or not.
Mike takes another step closer to me, sending my brain into fight mode. I grab something from the shelf behind me and throw it at him, hitting him in the chest. With the distraction, I find my chance to run.
I’m not short, but my height of around 5’4” allows me to duck into the crowd and try to blend in as I weave through the hallway.
Huxley. Find Huxley.
Sure, he wasn’t happy to see me when I got here, but there’s no way he’d ignore this.
I duck through groups and glance into rooms, searching for the guy I was supposed to be here with.
Then I see him.
And my heart launches into my throat.
Guys like Huxley have their usual spots at parties. Places where you’ll always find them, and they’ll probably be doing the same thing they always do.
Drinking a beer, playing a game with their friends, or even sitting in the corner reading the random magazines in the house, like that one guy.
This time should be different for Huxley, but it isn’t.
A pretty blonde sits on his lap with her mouth on his ear and her hands on his chest. He doesn’t look like he even notices she’s there, talking to some other guy in the chair adjacent to him. He doesn’t stop her either.
He’s letting her touch him while he completely ignores her. That should ease my mind even slightly, but it honestly hurts me more. My eyes fill with tears as I rush out of the house.
God, why did this have to be the thing I was right about? I thought my mind was coming up with the worst scenarios possible just to make me feel worthless. But no. I had to go and think up something that actually happened.
I stop myself on the railing outside, trying my hardest not to crumble to the ground completely.
I should have known that he wouldn’t be faithful to me.
He said all these girls wanted to have sex with him, and in a normal situation, he would have said yes.
That’s who he is. And that’s not going to change because of me.
God, I’m so glad he never kissed me. Because now, I can live with this heartache and move on. Forget about Huxley Adams and try to find someone who actually cares about me.
“There you are.”
Shit.
I turn around as Carson walks out the front door. Why did I stop? I should have run home.
“Please leave me alone.” I nearly break into tears from how weak my voice sounds. Why is every shitty possible thing happening tonight?
“What’s the matter, Princess?” I knew I hated that name when Huxley said it on our date. But hearing it out of Carson’s mouth, along with the other words he’s throwing at me, makes me want to curl under a rock and not exist. If that’s dramatic, I don’t care.
“Where’s your boyfriend?” he continues to taunt. “Does he not love you enough to help you?”
I hold back a scoff in my throat.
Love.
That damn name Huxley calls me. Will I ever think of it without it being tied to him now? Or was that what he wanted all along?
I try to take a step away from Carson, but my foot fumbles on the step behind me. Seriously? Can’t I catch a break? My thousandth misfortune of the night allows Carson to grab my arm and pull me back up to the same level as him.
One of his hands moves behind me and squeezes my ass. “I bet I can fuck you better than he ever will.”
“Too bad that’s never gonna happen.” I shove him as hard as I can and take off running down the steps. I maybe make it five feet before Carson wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into him.