Chapter Six #2
At first, it felt nice but as he got more aggressive, I just felt like I was being pawed at and became uncomfortable.
When his hand slipped under my dress and he started trying to get into my panties, I gripped his hand and stopped him. “Come on, let’s go and look at the stars.”
He pulled back; his face twisted in confusion. “The stars?”
“Yeah, it’s such a clear night, I bet they’re beautiful.”
“Maddy, I don’t want to look at the fucking stars. I want to keep doing what we’re doing. And then take it further. Finally.” He spoke the last word softly, almost biting it out.
I reeled back at the bitterness in his voice. “Finally?”
He wiped a hand over his mouth. “Yeah, finally. I thought I might finally get laid! Lord knows I’ve been patient enough!”
Tears pricked my eyes. “I told you, I wasn’t ready.”
“Then what the fuck are we doing out here, Maddy?” he shouted. “I thought you wanted to go get some air?”
“I did!” I cried. “Some fresh air and I wanted to spend time with you.”
“But you don’t want to have sex with me?”
My denial lodged in my throat and the silence stretched between us but I stood my ground.
“Kyle, I’m just not ready yet.”
He huffed and shook his head. “Well, I’m not waiting any longer.”
My stomach sank. This was it; he was breaking up with me. There was an air of defeat about him that felt too real to ignore. “You would throw our love away just because of this?”
“Love?” he snorted. “I don’t love you, Maddy. I didn’t say it back. If I’m honest, the thrill of the chase was keeping me around but if you’re not going to give it up then I’m done.”
And with those parting words he left me alone down that little wooded path. I waited for the heartbreak to crash into me. I sat down on a dead tree stump and the tears began to fall. I did care for him. I thought I loved him and didn’t want it to end like this.
“Kyle, wait!” I cried but he was long gone. I needed to find him and make things right.
I wiped my face and smoothed down my satin dress and hurried back to the dance.
I ran into the gym, Bruno Mars’s Just The Way You Are blared as I looked through the crowd for Kyle.
I spotted Leo dancing with Melissa and his eyes lit up when he saw me.
Then his expression sank into a frown and he released Melissa and stalked over to me.
“What’s the matter?” he demanded.
“Have you seen Kyle?” I asked, peering around.
Leo ignored my question. “What did he do?”
“It’s nothing. It’s me, it’s my fault.”
Leo wiped a stray tear from my cheek and held up his thumb for my inspection. “Whatever caused this, I know it wasn’t your fault. He’s an ass.”
“I just want to find him.”
“So do I,” Leo replied, his voice sounding less than friendly.
“Leo!” Peering over his shoulder, I saw Melissa with her hands on her hips glaring at me. “You left me alone on the dancefloor. I looked like an idiot!” she snapped.
“Sorry Melissa, it was my fault,” I began, feeling awful for interrupting them.
“It’s always your fault, Madison,” she hissed, grabbing Leo’s hand and tugging him away.
I stared at my best friend, his expression suddenly exhausted.
“Maddy, please,” he sighed.
Melissa whirled on him. “What did you call me?”
I didn’t even notice what he’d said, I’d thought he was talking to me, but he’d called her Maddy.
Leo didn’t say anything as he looked at her, but I could tell he was trying to think of something.
Melissa dropped his hand. “I’m over whatever this is. Find me when you know what you want!” She stormed off and Leo groaned, his head falling back.
“I’m sorry, I feel like that was my fault.”
Leo shook his head. “No, she’s been like that for months. Come on, let’s find Kyle so I can fix whatever that was with Melissa.”
He took my hand and tugged me off the dancefloor. We checked by the drinks table and couldn’t see Kyle. We left the gym and went down past the lockers but he wasn’t there. He wasn’t outside either.
“Where could he be? He couldn’t have left, his car is still here,” I said.
“Let me check the guys’ locker room. Wait here,” Leo said, dropping my hand.
I checked the girls’, which was stupid, there was no reason he would be in there.
When I came back, Leo wasn’t waiting for me.
I lingered for a moment but he didn’t appear.
I knew it was the boys’ locker room but surely there would be no one in there at this time of night? I pushed the door open.
“Leo?” I called, my eyes adjusting to the dark.
I heard voices and I walked towards them, around a row of lockers to where the showers were.
“Leo?”
The voices quieted, then, “I’ll be out in a sec, Maddy, just stay there!” Leo called back but his voice was strained and weird.
I kept walking. “Leo, are you okay?”
Rounding the corner, I saw Leo standing there, his chest heaving, shaking his hand out. He was standing over Kyle whose tux was unbuttoned and his lip was bleeding.
My eyes bounced between them. “What the hell happened?”
Leo glared down at Kyle. “Keep your mouth shut.”
I looked at Kyle who continued glaring up at Leo as he dabbed at his bleeding lip.
“Did you hit him?” I asked Leo, horrified.
“Yes, he did!” Kyle snapped.
“Why?” I demanded.
Kyle opened his mouth but Leo shook his head. “Don’t you dare tell—”
“He found me in here with Alison. She’s not afraid of sex and she proved it.” Kyle’s smug expression turned my stomach.
“Oh God,” I moaned.
“You asshole!” Leo shouted and lunged for him again and I leapt between them, not scared for a moment that I could get hurt.
I tugged Leo off Kyle, a monumental effort given how muscle-y my best friend had become.
Not to mention how angry he was; he was cussing Kyle out as he tried to get to him again.
I tugged on Leo’s arm, getting his attention. “Take me home, please?” I whispered.
His warm eyes found mine, running over my face before he nodded. He shot Kyle a withering look before he wrapped his arm around me and led me out of the locker room.
“I just need to tell Melissa where I’m going. Go to the car, I’ll be back,” Leo said, handing me the keys and pressed a kiss to my forehead. My eyes closed at the comforting feel of it and then he was gone.
Tonight had held such promise. Now I sat in my best friend’s car, single and crying. I watched through the windshield as Leo left the gym and then as Melissa came after him, screaming. He didn’t turn back to her though, just shook his head and made a beeline straight for me.
And a small, secret part of me felt a thrill that I was still his number one girl.