Page 208 of Fragments
“W-well,hekissedme,” Lex stammers. “I didn’t initiate it. I never would have… But he was having some kind of episode… At first, I thought maybe it was, like, a split-personality type thing. But now that we know he’s Schizophrenic, I guess that explains it better…”
“Hold on… wait,” I let go of him, rubbing my eyes. “Go back to the kissing, please.”
“Right, right.” He shakes his head. “He was acting like someone else. He said he was thisofficer… And he thoughtIwas him. I was Dash… And the officer started kissing me—Dash, I mean.”
“Am I in a K-hole right now??” I blink.
“Babe, be serious.” He gives me a look, and I scoff.
“Oh, I’m sorry! AmIbeing crazy?? You’re telling me your friend kissed you while acting out some role-play fantasy!”
“You’re not listening to me,” he grumbles. “I’m telling you, it happened in a fit of his psychosis. He thought he was theofficer… Officer Kemper, I assume. And I was Dash, and it kind of just… started happening.”
My chest is caving in so hard it hurts, ribs cracking and puncturing my lungs.
The jealousy is rising in my throat like bile, and I hate it. But I have to just keep reminding myself not to be a hypocrite.
This is what he feels when I hook up with other people…
God, no wonder he hated me for so long. This is awful.
“Please tell me it was just a kiss…” I whimper while my face falls into my hands.
“I swear, it didn’t go any further,” he says sincerely, and some minute relief soothes the ache. But then he adds, “I mean, it was a solid few minutes of making out…”
“Ugh!” I bark, and he flinches. “And he has the nerve to givemeattitude about cheating, that prissy little shit!Well, I’ve got some words I’d like to share with Dascha next time he calls from convict paradise!”
Lex grabs my face. “Babe, please. Youcan’tsay anything to him.”
“Why the hell not?!”
“Because! He doesn’t even know he did it!” He pins me with those round, sparkly green eyes. “He’s sick, Ren. The poor thing… I can’t even fathom what he must experience. What he must see in his head that isn’t really there…” He pauses while I gulp. “I’m sure he’s still trying to wrap his head around everything that happened while he was in here, and I don’t want to embarrass him, or make him feel awkward around me.”
My lashes flutter. “So you’re just never gonna tell him?”
“Maybe someday,” he sighs. “But not yet. Not now, when he’s only just getting some clarity.”
“You’re too fucking sweet for real life,” I huff while he brushes my hair back gently with his fingers, calming me, almost like he’s hypnotizing me with his affectionate touch. “Sometimes it makes me nuts.”
“It only seems that way because you don’t care about anyone else’s feelings.” He smirks, fingertips dancing down my jaw.
“Not true,” I grumble, and he kisses it. Over and over. He’s kissing the stubborn frown right off my lips. I grab a fistful of his shirt, and he hums. “So you’ve literally made out witheveryonein our group of friends…” He smirks, nipping my lip. “Unless you wanna count Darcey, I guess.”
“Give it time,” he teases, his beautiful grin all wide and wicked. “I could cross kissing a serial killer off my list…”
I growl as Joy barks behind us. “Dammit, you horny squirrels! Say goodnight already! Jesus…”
“Joyful, may we please be excused to my cell for a few minutes?” I plead with her, though I’m still glaring at Lex. “For once, my boyfriend needs to do the groveling.”
He brushes his smile over my mouth. “I’m not your boyfriend…”
“I will eat you alive,” I snarl.
“No bullshit right now!” Joy snaps, shoving my cell open. “Luth, get over there before I spray you with the hose.”
“Gotta go, jealous flame.” Lex presses one last peck on my lips before Joy rips us apart.
Shoving me into my cell, she slams the bars in my face, and I grab them, watching Lex leave.
