Page 104 of Creep

“What the fuck? Where is this coming from?” I asked.

“That's enough.” A dark voice came out from behind me. I turned around to see Mael standing there, Theo not far behind him. Mael came up and wrapped his arms around me protectively. Victoria watched as it happened.

“You and this man?” Her voice was filled with disbelief as if it was such an improbable thing for Mael to be interested in someone like me.

“I suppose he likes mousy things.”

I had almost forgotten that Victoria had hit on Mael at the coffee shop, but he rejected her. And that had happened not too long ago. Was it before she and Leo had gotten together, then?

“What the fuck?” Mael asked, the anger unmistakable in his voice. His body was tense against me, and I knew he was close to losing it. “You want to say that again? You think insulting her is going to get you anywhere?”

He made a move to walk up to Victoria, but I pulled him back, watching as her expression paled. Mael planted himself in front of me as if he thought she might try to attack me.

I turned to her, hoping to diffuse the situation. “Why are you being like this all of a sudden?”

It wasn’t like I had come out and insulted her for being with Leo. She was right. She and Leo were both consenting adults, but it still had been a shock to see them together. I hadn’t expected such a big blowout to happen simply because I confronted her about it.

She scoffed. “We’re done.”

“What?”

“We’re done. I can’t be like this with you anymore. Do you know all the shit I had to go through to keep up with this friendship?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Have fun with this,” she called out to Mael before walking away, and I could do nothing more than watch her retreating back, wondering what the hell just happened to make her react like this.

Mael turned and wrapped his arms around me. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I don’t understand what just happened.”

“I do.” This came from Theo. I had forgotten he was here until he spoke up. He stepped up to my side. “Your friend’s a bitch.”

“You heard her,” I said, still reeling. “She doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.”

Years of friendship down the drain, and I didn’t even know what the hell happened.

My heart hurt.

I turned to Mael. He looked like he wanted to kill something.

I shot him a small smile I didn’t exactly feel.

“Thank you for protecting me.”

“You don’t ever have to thank me for protecting you,” he said, his voice gruff. “After all, it is what I was put on this earth to do.”

I didn’t say anything. Just looked at him and felt my heart stalling from his words. “What?” he asked.

I shook my head and gave a small smile. “Nothing.

28

LIA

“You don’t ever haveto thank me for protecting you. After all, it is what I was put on this earth to do.”

His words ran through my mind over and over again.

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