“I was embarrassed, Layken. I mean, who wants to admit their first time happened while they were drunk with someone who doesn’t even love them,” she cried. Her eyes shot up to the crack in the door and I thought for a minute she had seen me but I wasn’t sure. She returned her eyes to Layken, evidentially not seeing me.
I needed to leave. It wasn’t right to listen in on their private conversation. I started to knock again and then heard the words that tore me in two.
“Did Brent ever explain himself?” Layken asked, with anger in her voice.
I must have heard incorrectly. As wrong as it felt, I leaned closer and continued listening.
“Brent told me it was a mistake and he didn’t mean for it to go that far. He said he was in love with someone else,” Mandy wailed, finishing her story.
Layken’s voice was loud and very clear. “Brent was in love with someone else but he had sex with you? Girl, I hope you smacked the hell out of him!”
I froze. Brent lied to me. Anger and hurt surged through my body like a lightning bolt. The walls started to vibrate. I tried to control my thoughts so that I wouldn’t destroy Layken’s house. I knew I would have way too much to explain if I let things go too far, but rage was pouring from my broken heart, driving the storm. The house seemed to sway and I felt dizzy. Layken’s door flew open and she stood gaping at me with a terrorized expression.
“Claire, what’s going on?” she screamed hysterically.
Picture frames were falling from the walls, crashing to the floor and then I heard his voice.
“Claire, what is it? Calm your thoughts, Claire.” Usually when Brent spoke, I could calm my thoughts and rein in my anger, but it wasn’t working since he was the very cause of my anger. My head was pounding and my nose was gushing blood. I tasted the combination of metal and salt as the blood mixed with tears and slid into my open mouth.
It was Logan’s voice that brought me back this time.
“Claire, sweetheart, are you okay?” He put his hands on my shoulders and locked eyes with me, the warm amber tone, soothing me. “Calm down, Claire. Everything is going to be fine.”
Logan’s words were working. I started to relax until I heard Brent.
“Leave her the fuck alone, Logan.” Brent exploded.
The room stilled instantly, halted by my anger.
“How dare you,” I shouted at Brent.
Brent looked over my shoulder to where Layken and Mandy were standing. I knew he read my thoughts. I was more than a little upset. I guessed my thoughts were screaming in his head. I sniffed tasting blood in the back of my throat. Layken brought me some tissues and I wiped my nose, handing them back to her.
“Do you like what you heard Brent?” I chastised.
“Claire,” he reached for me. “It’s not like that.”
“Don’t even think about touching me. Do you hear me?” I shouted, angry tears blurring my vision. Brent ran his fingers through his hair groaning and moved closer to me.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You heard what she said,” Logan spoke firmly as he stepped in front of me, blocking Brent’s path.
“Get out of my way, Logan.” Brent hissed.
“Not happening, Brent. You wanna beat the crap out of me go ahead, but she doesn’t want you near her right now,” Logan replied, standing his ground.
Brent glared at me over Logan’s shoulder. “Claire, please let me explain.”
“Explain Brent? What is there to explain? It’s pretty clear. You lied to me, you lied right to my face, twice. The first time was just a while ago when you said she was ‘nothing’,” I reminded him pointing to Mandy. “And, the second time was last night when you wanted me in the worst way, so, you told me you had never been with anyone that way. How do you think you can explain any of this, Brent?”
“I wasn’t lying. Listen to me please. I wasn’t with her like that,” Brent claimed, also pointing at Mandy, speaking softly, and pleading with me to understand.
Mandy finally spoke. “It was like that for me. God, Brent, you’re an asshole,” she remarked, running back into Layken’s room.
“Yes, I agree!” Layken spat, following her friend, slamming the door behind her.
I looked straight into Brent’s icy blue eyes, stained with pain and regret, and didn’t believe him. I should never have allowed myself to trust him.
“How could you do this?” I asked, feeling my heart deflate.