Page 4 of Nash

I hate Chad, but now I love myself more.

So, with my last gulp of beer, Alena joins me, and we high-five before signaling for another round. Minutes later, to my sickening surprise, Chad slams down two sloshing pints before us.

“Bottoms up, mybitches.”

That word? From his mouth?

He sinks his claw in, and I glance away, fighting the instinct to murder and cry at the same time. The stench of his cologne brings it all back: how Chad hissed that slur in my ear, how he wouldn’t stop, how it hurt. It’s every reason I feel numb inside.

“Happy Birthday, Alena,” Chad sneers with a threat dripping from his tone again, and I whip around.

“Get her pretty name out of your ugly mouth before I punch it out.”

Chad stares at my threatening lips, his eyes swimming with evil delight, I don’t know why, but this isn’t about me.

I’d kill for Alena.

“Now, now, Vale.” Chad looms. “Don’t be jealous. I’ll shove my cock back inyourmouth, too.”

My eyes narrow. “When I want to bite a Tic Tac again, I’ll let you know. It’ll be right around go-fuck-yourself o’clock.”

“Yeah,” Blair jumps in, “that’ll be right around the time they find the cure for your little dick energy.” She flips him off. “You’re aware your Tesla Cybertruck is its first symptom?”

She knows. Alena does, too.

My secret lives with them and in Chad’s dead blue-eyed stare. It’s been locked on me since we were eighteen. I just wanted to go to my senior prom, but he turned it into my nightmare. That was five years ago, and I still can’t wake up from it.

“Just leave us alone.” Alena plays peacemaker. “Thanks for the beer and birthday wishes.” She shoos. “Now, bye-bye, Chad.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He presses into me. We’re standing at a beach bar, but my sobbing memory is in the back seat of a Mercedes. “Right, Vale? Give me a kiss. You know it belongs to me.”

I was too young and scared to do anything back then, and lately? I’ve tried filing stalking charges against him, but he’s a corrupt judge’s son. The law can’t touch him. Nothing will stop him. Chad’s everywhere I turn, even in my mind.

But I’ve grown since then. I’m stronger now.

Unfortunately, so has he, so I tell the guy behind him, “Conner, call off your dog. No one invited your Chihuahua and his pathetic micro pecker to the party.”

I like Conner and the guys we went to high school with. We invited them to come tonight. They’re like brothers to us, while Chad’s a virus infecting our circle.

“Come on, bruh.” Conner grabs Chad’s shoulder. “Give her space. Go take a piss.”

Chad steps back, eyeing me, while my twin snickers, “Need some tweezers to pull it out?”

I can’t help it.

Blair makes me laugh as I absent-mindedly swig my beer. Beer that Chad brought to the table, but I don’t focus on it. I glare defiantly at him. He looks so creepy, wearing his Aviator sunglasses like a headband as he watches me swallow before he sneers, acting pleased with himself before turning away and disappearing into the crowd.

For a moment, I’m relieved.

He’s gone.

Then, dread floods my veins again because, like always, he’ll be back to torment me. I’ll never be free of him.

So, I get black-out drunk and don’t remember the rest of the night.

But I can’t forget; I can’t stop wondering why…

I never saw Chad again.

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