The other person grabbed her by both shoulders this time, hands heavy and determined. “I told you, this isn’t a joke. I’ve felt like this for as long as I can remember, and I can’t hold it in anymore. I can’t keep watching you run around with all these fucking guys when I’m right here!”
Lindsay felt the blood drain from her cheeks, and she swallowed hard. “Oh my god. You’re actually serious?” she murmured, hand fluttering at her chest.
“Yes.”
“You want us to be together. Like… together together.”
“Yes.”
“Oh, god….” Lindsay took a small step backwards, stomach churning as she shrugged off the unwanted hands. “This can’t be happening.”
“I get it. It’s a bit of a surprise.”
“Are you kidding? This isn’t just a bit of a surprise!” Lindsay shot back. Her voice had gone up an octave. “It’s just… no! What the fuck are you even trying to do right now? I don’t want to be with you!”
Her admirer didn’t relent. “We belong together. We’re both fucked up, because bad shit has happened to us, so we understand each other. Can’t you see how that makes us perfect for each other?”
Lindsay felt her insides quivering like jelly. She hadn’t expected this to happen. Not tonight. Not in a million years.
“Look… I love you, okay?” she said. “But I don’t love you like that. I never have.”
“But you can! Just give us a chance. I can show you how good we’d be together.” The other person had fallen to their knees now, eyes wide and pitiful. “I can prove it. Just let me try.”
“No. Stop,” Lindsay said, voice rising again as her upper lip curled. “You shouldn’t have to talk someone into giving you a chance, and you definitely shouldn’t beg them when they aren’t even remotely interested. Not ever. Besides… how could you ever think I’d want you?”
Her admirer winced. “You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do! A billion times over. I honestly can’t believe you even had the guts to approach me with this bullshit!”
“Linz, I’m sorry. But I love you. I can’t change that.”
A loud crack of thunder made both of them jerk with surprise, and droplets of rain began to fall at the same time.
Lindsay barely even registered the cold pitter-patter against her skin. She was still too shocked and appalled by what was happening.
Someone she deeply cared about… someone she trusted… it was all total fucking bullshit in the end. Just another manipulative asshole who only wanted to sleep with her.
“Please leave me alone,” she said in a hollow voice.
“No.”
“Yes. Go away.”
“Don’t be like this.” The other voice was even more pitiful now. Even more pathetic.
“Like what? I’m not doing anything wrong here. You are. Now leave me the hell alone,” Lindsay shot back. “I don’t want to talk to you anymore. In fact, after this, I don’t want to talk to you ever again. Fuck whatever relationship we used to have; it’s over now. You’ve killed it.”
Her would-be lover got off their knees and rose to their full height again, shoulders thrown back and chin lifted high. “I won’t give up on you.”
“Wow. How romantic. I’ve gained a new stalker.” Lindsay adopted a sarcastic lilt again, tilting her head to one side. “Or am I confusing romance with total debasement? I guess it’s hard to tell in this town.”
“I’m serious. I’ll keep trying until you finally realize we belong together. You have to see it eventually.”
Lindsay narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. “You really don’t get it, do you?” she said. “Even if we were the last two people on the planet, I still wouldn’t sleep with you. That’s how much I don’t want you. That will never change.”
Sorrowful eyes met her stony gaze. “You think this is just about sex? Because it isn’t. This is real. I said I love you. I’m in love with you.”
“Wow. You’re actually insane.”