Page 92 of A Lab Rat's Guide to Fated Love
“Oh… you didn’t know.” Ryan bit his lip. “It was me who gave Hina your location.”
“You what?”
“It was wrong of me, I know. But I was so mad. And I was worried about you being all alone with that—withhim. I thought if they dragged him back here, you wouldn’t… I’m sorry, Nor.”
“I trusted you,” Nori whispered after a pause.
“I know. Nor, I’m—”
“I TRUSTED YOU!” She didn’t know where all the rage suddenly came from. But it poured out of her like crazy, sputtering lava, making her want to lash out at him in the most hurtful ways possible. “When are you going to grow up? You risked someone’s life just because you weremad? You fucking child!”
Nori wanted him to hurt. She wantedeveryoneto hurt as much as she was hurting. She wanted to physically reach out and crumple their happy faces so they matched her raw, festering insides.
But she did no such thing. Her jaw clamped shut while her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap, nails digging into her palms. She glared at her lunatic of a best friend, whom she’d trusted like a brother. A brother who hadn’t even flinched before betraying her, as if her trust meant nothing to him.
Ryan stared at her quietly, his face impassive. “This is exactly why,” he said, his flat tone irritating her even more.
“What?” she spat out when he didn’t continue.
“I’m not a child,” he replied. “I grew up. And so did you. But you still refuse to see me as anything more.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I want you to look at me, Nori!” Ryan yelled, dragging a hand through his hair. “As a man, not as a little boy. When I told you how I felt about you earlier, you said you couldn’t see me that way. Because you were never going to see anyone that way. But then you met that asshole, and youdid. I saw how you looked at him. And it fuckinghurt!”
Nori’s fists unclenched as she stared at him.
“You never even gave me a chance.” His voice was barely more than a whisper when he spoke again. “From the day you first sat next to me in school, Nor, I’ve only ever seen you. And I’ve been waiting for you to see me.”
“Ryan…”
“How much longer do you want me to wait?” His voice cracked.
Nori breathed through her nose, trying hard not to let the dam she’d built around herself crack. She couldn’t afford to let go just yet.
“Don’t wait,” she whispered. Her eyes stung. “Don’t waste your time.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not worth it.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I’m not—”
“Shut up!”
“No, you shut up!” she snapped. “I’m so sick of hurting people I love. You’ve been hurting because of me. And Vir—” The moment his name touched her lips, her breath hitched, and the dam cracked.
For a brief moment, Ryan looked confused as he watched tears stream down her face. Then slowly, as if decoding things Nori hadn’t even spoken out loud, his eyes widened.
“Did something happen?” he asked quietly.
She didn’t respond.
“Did he touch you? Nori, did hehurtyou?”
“It was all m—my fault,” she managed between sobs. “I was horrible to him. Oh Ryan… I hurt him so much.” Words poured out of her, some coherent and others a jumbled mess, as she told Ryan how she’d practically tortured the man she loved. Tortured him, and broken his heart repeatedly. Till finally, she’d hurt him one last time and stripped herself from him for good.
