Page 45 of Did They Break You

I try to step around her, darting my eyes to a tiny booth tucked away in the back of the orange-painted building.

But she sidesteps me.

I grind my teeth, take a deep breath, and meet her blue gaze. “Hi, Maya.”

She flashes a white, straight smile. Students jostle around us because I’m still by the register, but Maya doesn’t care. “You’re not looking so great, Remi,” she says, not bothering to lower her voice.

The café isn’t crowded—it’s a little early for the lunch flow—but a few heads turn our way. I feel the warmth in my face travel down to my neck. “Right, well, I’m just going to?—”

She takes a step toward me.

I inhale sharp through my nose, my pulse raising as I think of her on the local news, defending Cortland against allegations she wasn’t there to witness.“I was friends with the victim. She’s a weird girl. I think she’s just feeling guilty for sleeping with my boyfriend. They both made mistakes that night, but there was no crime committed.”

She drops her hands, glancing at my tray with disdain, then tosses her sleek, dark ponytail over one shoulder. “Haven’t seen you around, but I heard you and Cortland got reacquainted.”

My stomach twists into knots but I can think of nothing to say that isn’t damning either way.How does she know? Did he tell her?

She steps closer, and the tray I’m holding between us grazes her chest, the burnt orange wrap dress she’s wearing. “Don’t embarrass yourself, Remi.”

My palms grow slick against the plastic of the tray. “I don’t want him.”

But it’s like she doesn’t hear me. “He didn’t like you then. You were a pity fuck. The shy girl got thrown a bone. If he’d cared, he wouldn’t have passed you around.” She lowers her head so her eyes are inches from mine. I’m painfully aware of people watching us, and I feel sick. “He would never shareme.And he definitely doesn’t want you now, so don’t be desperate and throw yourself at him and his friends again.”

Anger and humiliation burn hot under my skin but she’s already straightening, her arms back over her chest.

“Leave my boyfriend alone. And do something with your hair. It looks horrible.”

Just as she goes to turn around, I see someone walking toward us. The only person who isn’t currently staring at us, this one is propelled into action. I hold my breath, shifting my gaze from Maya to this person out of the corner of my eye, only to see it’shim.Cortland’s hand slides down Maya’s back and over her ass, squeezing as he does.

I feel lightheaded as I lift my gaze to his and watch Maya lean into his chest, her palms splayed on his EU T-shirt.

His gray eyes hold mine.

I think of his hands on either side of me in that bathroom. His nose to mine. His blood on my mouth. My nails in his skin.

His big hand squeezes her ass again, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. But I don’t look away from his eyes.

“Hey, Rems,” he says softly, glancing down at my tray. “Not much of an appetite today?”

I see more than a few people still staring, and I wonder how many of them know who he is. Who I am. They can’t all beclueless. Ellicottville edges Aben. The case rocked the small town news. Silas made sure to tell me how embarrassed he was that he saw all four of these boys on the TV every day.

I grit my teeth and turn away from them, but Cortland’s free hand—the one not currently parked on Maya’s ass—comes to my tray, halting me. He yanks the tray close, unwinding his arm from around Maya to glare down at me.

I hear Maya laugh.

His eyes narrow.

But he isn’t looking at me anymore.

He’s staring at my wrist.

Mortification courses hot through my blood as I realize my hoodie sleeve must have ridden up when I put my ID in my back pocket.

I can see the red lines, stark against my white skin. Just over those blue veins at the base of my wrist.

“What’re you doing Remi?” he whispers, and when I shift my gaze back to his, I’m surprised to see anger on his face.

My heart thrums too fast.

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