“Okay, fine. I wasn’t going to tell you,” she admits with a grimace. “I just thought it was for the best.”
“How is me accidentally getting into bed with my ex for the best?”
“I’m sorry, okay? It’s just… you already have so much going on. I was worried it would do you more harm than good.”
I can’t argue with her on this one. If I’d known Finn was back, I would’ve spent the last month constantly looking over my shoulder, terrified to run into him on every street corner. As much as I hate that she kept this from me, I understand why she did it.
“Please don’t be mad. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to hurt you,” she begs, and for the first time since Xavier and Vee walked inside the room, I glance at Finn. I drink him in. He’s just standing there, staring at me with his hands in his pockets. At first, seeing him again hurt. But then the initial shock wore off, giving way to the memories.
He left.
After I almost died.
After he let me drown.
He might be back now, but it doesn’t erase what he did.
And when I look at him…
All I feel is rage.
“Just don’t keep anything from me again, okay?” I grant Vee my forgiveness, and she heaves a sigh of relief.
“Not to be a dick, but we don’t have a couch. Unless you’re willing to share the bed, one of you has to go,” Xavier states.
I shrug. “It’s fine. I’ll just grab the bus back to the dorms.”
“Hell no. You’re not going anywhere. We’ll figure something out. Plus, it’s past midnight. The buses aren’t even running anymore,” Aveena counters.
Shit, she’s right. I can’t grab the bus at this hour, and there’s no way I can afford a cab all the way back to campus.
“I’ll walk, then.”
A deep voice slices through the air. “Not a chance in hell.”
I whisk my head to look at Finn, his authoritative tone sending a wave of shivers up my spine. I convince myself that they’re shivers of disgust, despising the electricity zapping through my body.
“No fucking way she’s walking alone at night,” Finn adds.
“He’s right. Our area’s kind of shitty,” Xavier agrees.
“I’ll just call Chance then,” I say, even though it’s the last thing I want to do. I know if I call him, he’s going to want to know why I needed a place to stay and insist that I spend the night at the party house where he lives.
I’m not sure I’m ready for the “sleepover” part of our relationship just yet. We’ve been going out for three months now, and we still haven’t… done it. We’ve done other things, sure—mostly over-the-clothes action—but spending the night with him might create certain expectations, and I don’t want to have to turn him down.
I really do like him, but I want to take things slow. The last time I got into bed with a guy, my whole world imploded. I’d like to be sure that he’s here to stay before letting him in—literally.
“Who the fuck is Chance?” Finn’s voice is dripping with venom.
We all turn to look at him, but his eyes are strictly on me. I’ve imagined this moment before. I’ve fantasized about the day when I’d get to shove the truth in his face. Show him that I’ve moved on, that I’m over him, but now that the opportunity is presenting itself, I can’t make a sound. Aveena and Xavier glance at me, waiting for me to clear things up.
Tell him, Dia.
“I… He’s…”
What’s wrong with me?
“He’s her boyfriend.” Aveena comes to my rescue, shooting Finn the “fuck you” smile I so desperately wanted to give him. I don’t have it in me to peek at his face for a reaction, but I do notice his fists rolling into tight balls alongside his body.