“Good thing I don’t have a pulse anymore,” Saylor mutters, making me sputter a laugh.
“You think that’s fucking funny?” Nash takes a step closer, getting even more agitated.
“It is, considering you basically described yourself,” I say flatly, turning to leave, but Nash grabs my shoulder, spinning me around again.
“Don’t do that,” he pleads, his eyes earnest.
“Do what? Call you out?” I ask, my tone cold.
“Hang out with him just to get back at me or us,” Nash explains, his eyes searching mine as if to find a weakness he can pull on.
“I don’t like to say it, but he’s right. Don’t do it,” Saylor pleads.
Hunter adds, “We were just trying to protect you, Sloan. Adam isn’t the kind of guy you should be getting involved with.”
I cross my arms defensively and glare at each of them in turn. “I do nothing because of you. You’re not that important. And Ican go out with whomever I want to go out with. Better get used to the fact it’s none of you. You had your chances.”
North’s frustration is palpable as he runs a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t believe you. How could I have?”
“Oh, Thundercunt.” Saylor shakes his head.
A surge of anger hits me, and I form my hands into fists. “You could have just chosen to trust me. Shocker, I know, but I would hear people who mean something to me out and give them the benefit of the doubt. You knew me enough to finger fuck me against a fucking glass wall but not enough to believe me, to listen to me when I begged you to.” Angry tears well up in my eyes, and I hate myself for them.
Both Nash and Hunter’s heads turn to look at North, disbelief in their eyes.
Well, it seems that was news to them.
“I… fuck.” North’s eyes search mine before he lowers his gaze to the floor.
“Come on, let’s just walk away,” Saylor urges when he sees how much this affects me.
I’m struggling hard to keep from crying.
“You have to see. How could we have believed this just like that? With what you said? We couldn’t—” Hunter starts, but I cut him off.
“You had a choice. There’s always a choice to trust somebody, and you chose wrong.” I’m trembling now, hugging myself and trying hard to keep my chin up.
“Girl, Mac needs you in the kitchen, please,” Tally’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn to look at her, finally letting a tear fall.
“Thank you,” I whisper as I step around the corner, not looking back so they don’t see me cry, but as soon as I’m out of sight, I stop in my tracks, needing a second to breathe, tears running down my cheeks, my hand on my chest.
I’m only a few steps away from them, so I can still hear Tally say, “You guys are the worst. You’re banned! Remember?”
“We were also invited to your party,” Hunter replies.
“That wasbeforeyou broke my best friend’s heart. Lio can stay and continue to play with the other kids. I’m gonna text you when it’s over, but you three…leave.Please.”
“We just want to make things right, Tallulah,” North tells her softly, ripping my heart apart.
“Unbelievable! You guys share one brain cell, and none of you use it! Give her fucking time to feel hurt! Because youhurther. You said sorry so quickly that you didn’t even give her a chance to express how much she’s been hurt. Or take time to think about what you’re even sorry for. And now you make her look like the asshole for expressing that hurt after you guys said you’re sorry. Don’t make all the empty promises you know you can’t keep, and don’t think materialistic things will make up for how gigantic assholes you were. Listen to what she’s fucking saying! She doesn’t want you in her life anymore. Maybe she isn’t interested in dealing with you apologizing and making her feel like she needs to forgive you. Her telling you guys to fuck off doesn’t automatically mean you have to apologize harder or more sincerely. Maybe it just means she wants you to leave her the fuck alone. Give her some fucking space!”
I could kiss her on the mouth for that lecture.
There is a beat of silence before North mutters, “Over my dead fucking body.”
FOURTEEN
“Fuck, I miss my bed,”Saylor says as he lays down on mine in the van, prompting me to lie down beside him.
