“Before you tell me nothing, you should rethink that, because I know it’s something.” She played with the label on her coffee, refusing to look me in the eyes. “Did he hurt you?”
I hated the idea of Darcy dealing with something of that magnitude alone.
“No.” She smiled but it never once reached her eyes, it was forced. “I was just a stupid girl who thought a guy could like me for more than just sex.”
Reaching out, I placed my hand over hers and she paused, pulling on the sleeve around her coffee.
“The thing was he never promised anything,” she continued. “I knew going in that it was a hook up, but I did it anyway. Hoping maybe, just maybe, I’d be enough to change his mind.”
“Darcy.” My heart ached for her.
“Don’t feel sorry for me, really.” She squeezed my hand. “I hold a grudge, but in all truth it’s unfair. Isaac is the quiet one of the group but he hooks up a lot with a lot of different girls. He just doesn’t publicize it. After our night together,” she paused and sat up a little straighter. “I hung around, went to all their events, tried my hardest to get noticed by him. Problem was the only thing I managed to do was look pathetic. Everyone knew, which is humiliating.”
I didn’t speak for fear of her thinking I was pitying her, but inside my heart felt as though it was cracking.
“It was easier to be judgmental and categorize them all as players. I’m sorry I allowed my bitterness to cloud your judgment of Jay. He didn’t deserve that, neither did you.”
There was a long silence as I waited for her to collect her thoughts before she cleared her throat and regained control.
“So tell me about your night.” A brightness returned to her eyes, but she still seemed wounded. I knew it took a lot for her to admit her wrongs and share with me what really happened. So maybe this meant she was finally letting go and healing. “Tell me all about Jay Grady and his kissing skills.”
“Who said we kissed?” I teased, feeling my cheeks heat.
“You’ve got that look, girl, now spill.”
So for the next hour I told her all about the many kisses and the way he held me while I slept. I even told her about the abrupt wakeup and the stink bombs that we had to endure until the smell subsided. She didn’t seem surprised at all by the crazy antics, apparently that was mild compared to most of the things she was lucky enough to witness.
***
I was fully invested in the books sprawled out before me. Researching information, looking for the perfect facts to support my argument.
I’d felt the pressures weighing down on me of acing my paper. I hated that my father was friends with most of my professors and he watched over me so closely. He preached almost daily that I’d better not be an embarrassment to him.
I hated going home now, especially after sleeping in the arms of Jay for two separate nights now and feeling so safe. I’d never slept more peacefully than I had in his bed. He made me feel like I was enough…actually he made me feel like I was everything and that alone made my heart feel as though it was overflowing.
I’d been at it for more than an hour, lost in the depths of old case files that I was using as reference that I didn’t notice I was no longer alone. It wasn’t until a set of strong arms wrapped around me from behind that I was pulled out of my haze.
“Hey babe.” Jay leaned around me, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth, and I closed my eyes, absorbing everything he offered. “I’ve missed you.” It had been three days since he’d seen me. We had just had a nightly call where I’d end up falling asleep on the opposite end of the line.
“You too.” And I had missed him.
He paused, looking me over, and he frowned, his brows creasing. “You sleeping at all?”
Yes, but not enough.
“I’m good.” He didn’t look convinced. “Honestly, I’m okay.”
I looked away from him because his accusatory eyes made me feel awful for lying. I was hanging on the edge of exhaustion. I couldn’t remember that last time I’d slept soundly. Okay, that’s a lie, it was three nights ago when I fell asleep with my head on his chest while watching shitty reality TV in his room.
“Ruby.” He brushed the hair away so he could get a better look at me from the side. “Baby, you can’t keep going like this.” The words on the paper before me blurred as I tried to focus. “Come on.” He reached over my shoulder and closed the book.
Spinning around, I glared at him, but he was completely unfazed by my irritation.
“Let’s go.” He didn’t wait for me to agree before he started gathering my things and stuffing them into my bag.
“What are you doing?” I tried to grab for my things but he held it out of my reach. “Jay…” My voice rose and I received a few hushes from fellow students trying to study.
He snickered and started to walk away, hooking my bag on his arms and holding it securely. He looked pleased with himself, which only pissed me off more.
Once he was
