“Fucking asshole,” I say, staring him down. “That’ll teach you to lay your hands on a girl. No means no.”
“You never…”
“I never said no? A woman can say no without using the word. I told you to let go of me. Don’t touch a girl who doesn’t want to be touched, and don’t give her bullshit compliments as if that makes you entitled to her body. Fuck that noise. You’re nothing but a pathetic loser, and that’s why you felt the need to try to force me to accept your unwanted advances, but that’s the keyword. Unwanted.”
I bend down. He’s still writhing in pain, one hand covering his groin, the other covering his nose. He looks as pathetic as he is.
“If you want, go ahead. Call the police on me, but I’m not the one in the wrong here. You are, and I think, deep down, you know that, or are you really that stupid?”
“I’m not stupid!” But the change in his voice from the possibly broken nose highlights how whiny he sounds.
“That’s up for debate,” I say dryly. “What’s your name?”
“You don’t—”
“Maybe I do want to know it because maybe I’ll be the one contacting the police.”
“Fuck you.”
I smirk and grab my phone. Yes, I do call the police, and it doesn’t take all that long for the campus cops to arrive. During the short wait, he tried to leave, but I wouldn’t let him.
“Joey Jackson,” the taller cop says. “Why am I not surprised you’re involved in this?”
“Oh, so you know him.” I cross my arms and glare at Joey. “He grabbed my arm—”
“I was talking to her, and she assaulted me!”
“That is not how it went down, and you know it!”
Joey and I go back and forth a few times, and finally, the cops separate us and get us to give our separate statements. Joey demands to be taken to the hospital.
And that’s when it hits me.
Rob broke a sophomore’s nose because the guy made a comment about me.
Joey’s walking with the cop who interviewed him, and I rush over to catch up to them.
“You had your nose broken recently, didn’t you?” I ask.
“As recently as when you assaulted me!”
“I mean not that long ago. Rob Blackwood.”
Joey shudders. “I don’t think so…”
“You came after me because you think I’m easy, didn’t you? You’re a slimy snake who can’t get a girl, so you thought you would target a girl who you think spreads her legs for any guy who pays her a compliment, isn’t that right?”
“Katie,” the cop who interviewed me says, her tone containing a warning note.
“Isn’t it?” I press.
Joey gives me the bird, and the cop guiding him away takes over, leaving me with the other cop.
“Are you going to press charges?” she asks.
I don’t have to think.
“Yes.”