A sin that I knew wouldn't go unpunished.
“You don’t happen to have any napkins on you, would you, Bambi?” he asked.
I swallowed hard. “Nope. Can’t say I do.”
He crooked an eyebrow. “What are you still doing down there, Bambi? Care to stand for me?”
I sat on the floor. “I’m good. Thanks.”
I gathered my books and my notebooks and shoved them into my backpack. I wanted him to go away. All I wanted was for him to disappear into nothingness. I zipped my backpack up before I reached for my thermos. I outstretched my hand, easing myself forward to get it.
Before I could, Benji kicked it over into a corner.
“Oops.”
I scrambled for it. “Shit. Come on, seriously?”
Benji snickered. “Why don’t you try getting up? Unless Max has you conditioned to be on your knees.”
I snatched up my thermos. “Max doesn’t have me conditioned for anything, asshole.”
He chuckled. “Whoa, ho, ho! Look who’s finally sticking up for herself. I give it a four for execution and creativity.”
“Do you even know what those words mean?”
“I’m in college, Bambi. Of course I know what those words mean.”
I stood, walking back over to my backpack. But, Benji snatched it up. I tried to take it from him. Mostly because I felt time passing us by much too quickly. I needed to be in class. I needed to be in my seat. I didn’t need to be out here, fielding Benji’s insane bullying tactics.
“Give it to me,” I said.
He grinned. “I don’t think Max would approve of that.”
I lunged for it. “Give me my stuff, Benji.”
He held it higher. “Or you’ll what?”
I stood on my tiptoes to try and reach my bag. And the second I felt a pressure against my stomach, I went tumbling backwards. I slammed straight into the wall, cracking the back of my head against it. And as Benji’s laughter filled my ears, something hard got tossed against my chest.
“Not so tough without your boyfriend, are you?”
I blinked. “He’s gonna kill you when he finds out what you’re doing.”
Benji snickered. “What? You think he doesn’t know? You should know Max better than that right now. He already knows, sweet cheeks.”
“That’s not true. You’re lying. I know how he operates. If he knew what you were doing--”
“He’d what?”
Benji took a step toward me and my vision finally focused. He was close. Much too close for my liking. I felt his breath against my neck. I felt the toes of his boots touching my own. I licked my lips, pressing myself further into the wall. Hoping the damn thing would swallow me whole.
“What the hell does Max see in a chick like you anyway?”
I winced. “What’s it to you?”
His finger crept up my arm. “No ass. No tits. No curves. Barely anythi
ng to grab on to.”