Page 88 of Twisted Heathens
When she speaks, I remember who she really is.
Dragging her to my room, I shove Britt up against the door and grab her body, craving the release I know screwing her until she screams will bring. Just as she mewls and begins to get my door open, there’s a gasp nearby. A noise that’s a razor-sharp dagger to my heart.
Brooklyn stands by her door, eyes trained on both of us with horror. Her face splinters with pain that she swiftly wipes away as soon as I look up. My hands fall away from Britt’s body, like I’ve been shocked with electricity.
“Brooke, wait!” I shout frantically.
She turns and flees into her room. I run to follow her and smash straight into the door as the lock turns. Kicking it and yelling for her to come back out does nothing. She’s gone, leaving me locked in the corridor with nothing but my regret and self-loathing.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Britt hisses.
She marches up to me and slaps me hard enough to sting. “What does she have that I don’t? You can’t keep using me, I will not be disrespected for a second longer!”
“Go then,” I reply cruelly. “Get the fuck out of my face and don’t come back.”
Eyes filled with tears, Britt sniffs and nods solemnly. “Fine, I will. That’s it, we’re done. Don’t you ever come back to me when you need someone to pick up the pieces.”
Britt runs away sobbing, leaving me alone and surrounded by nothing but the remains of my petty selfishness. All I do is hurt people, I’m no good for anything else. Brooklyn always managed to see the good in me, even when I broke her in the worst possible way.
Now there’s nothing good left to see.
Thirty
Brooklyn
Whatever Lets You Cope by Black Foxxes
Teegan hands me the black eyeliner, chewing on her lip as she inspects me. “Try this. You’ll look even hotter.”
“I’m not trying to look ‘hot’ when I don’t even want to go to this stupid party.” I roll the pen between my fingers, glowering at her. “Why can’t I just stay behind?”
“Because you’ve moped around all week long and I’m sick of watching it. Where’s the badass that socked Rio on her first day or broke those girls’ noses?” She raises a pierced eyebrow at me. “The only way to teach those idiots is to go to the party, looking drop dead gorgeous, might I add, and hook up with someone even hotter than them.”
I flop back on her bed, crumpling the stupid Halloween costume beneath me. “First off, I’m not moping. Second, I don’t give a fuck what they think and never have.”
Teegan snorts. “Yeah right. You’re so full of shit.”
With a frustrated growl, I stand and snatch up the bloodied nurse’s outfit. “Fine! I’ll go to the idiotic Halloween party with you if it’ll shut you up.”
I turn away from her smug, victorious face and go to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. This is the problem with having friends. They don’t know when to butt the hell out and leave you alone. I don’t want to fucking celebrate Halloween, because that means it’s two weeks until the anniversary emotionally assaults me. Two weeks to get my ass out of here, with zero leads and limited opportunities to do just that.
I’m screwed. Trapped and powerless.
Maybe I’ll go to the party and get absolutely fucked up to forget, if I’m lucky my body will simply give in to my broken mind’s demands. I unwrap the tacky costume and shake it out, staring down at the short, skin-tight dress.
The fact that Kade probably picked this out makes my palms sticky.
Despite me ignoring them all, he still left it outside of my door last night. All week I’ve been set on avoiding the shitty party and the confusing men that will undoubtedly be attending it. Just seeing Hudson with that slut wrapped around him has me in a tailspin.
“Do I seriously have to wear this?” I yell through the door.
“Yes! Stop fucking whining and get dressed already.”
Cursing under my breath, I strip off my jeans and t-shirt. My body is pale and slim in the mirror, my eyes instantly landing on the almost healed slashes on my right arm, peppered with angry cigarette burns. I haven’t seen Eli since the night of the storm, he’s retreated into himself and disappeared off the face of the earth recently.
I can’t keep doing this. Letting them close enough to hurt me. If I never met them, would I be dead by now?
“Hurry up before I come in there and dress you myself!” Teegan bellows.