Page 43 of North

His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it. A test. He was waiting to see if I’d snap. I met his gaze, my hands curling into fists.

“Shut the fuck up, Victor.”

Another voice chimed in—Derek, his smirk lazy, amused. “What’s the big deal? She was just a game, right? Your little slut.”

Something in me snapped. I didn’t think—just moved.

My fist connected with his jaw, the impact sharp and satisfying. Derek stumbled back, caught off guard, but he recovered fast, shoving me hard. The room lurched, bodies pressing in, but I didn’t care. He swung, his fist cracking against my cheekbone, sending me sprawling onto the floor.

The pain barely registered. I deserved worse.

Someone tried to pull Derek back, but I was already pushing up, lunging again, the rage a wildfire in my veins. His next hit landed harder, and everything tilted, the world dimming, slipping away beneath me.

Good. Let him hit me. Let him knock me out. Maybe I’d wake up and forget her face.

***

The next morning, my skull felt like it was splitting open, the sharp ache radiating down my spine. My jaw throbbed, my ribs sore from where Derek had gotten a lucky shot.

I groaned, rubbing my face, wincing when my fingers grazed the bruises forming there.

Voices filtered through the haze of my pounding head.

Summer and Victor. Arguing.

Fuck, I was still at their place.

“You didn’t think?” Victor’s voice was sharp, cutting through the dull roar of my headache. “You were part of it, Summer. You don’t get to feel bad now.”

“I didn’t know it would go that far!” Summer’s voice cracked, and fuck, that just pissed me off more.

I pushed myself up, the movement slow, dragging. “If you’re feeling guilty, Summer, maybe don’t cry so loudly. It’s fucking annoying.”

She turned, her face streaked with tears, her eyes red-rimmed and furious. “Don’t you dare act like this doesn’t bother you, North. You’re just as guilty as the rest of us.”

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound grating, hollow. “Guilty? Sure. But you don’t get to sit on your fucking high horse, crying about it now. You knew exactly what you were doing. Don’t act like you’re better than me.”

Her lips trembled, her hands balling into fists, but before she could say another word, Victor stepped between us. Protective. Defensive.

“That’s enough, North.”

I stared at him, but he held my gaze, unwavering.

The room went silent, tension thick enough to suffocate.

I pushed to my feet, ignoring the way my body screamed at me to sit the fuck down. I grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the table, pouring myself a drink despite the way Victor’s jaw tightened. “You’re all upset because it wasn’t fun anymore, huh? Because it wasn’t just a game?”

No one answered.

I laughed again, but it tasted like ash. “Grow up. You can’t feel bad about what you helped make happen.”

Summer turned on her heel and stormed out, her sobs echoing down the hallway. Victor watched her go, his expression unreadable before shaking his head.

“You’re a mess, North.”

I smirked, but it felt wrong. Forced. “Yeah? Tell me something I don’t know.”

I sank onto the couch, the whiskey burning its way down my throat as I took another long swig. The bottle was half-empty already, but it wasn’t enough. Not even close.

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