Page 72 of Redemption
An involuntary gasp escapes my lips, and with the music thrumming through the air, there’s no way Hayes heard it, but he must sense me staring at him because his head jerks up, and his eyes meet mine.
Swallowing hard, I don’t break eye contact. I can’t. I’m frozen there like an idiot, heartbroken over a guy who, just like everyone else, found me easy to forget, all while I wear his shirt.
I’m such an idiot.
That thought is all it takes for me to finally get my butt in gear. Giving him a watery smile, I spin on my heel before he can see the tears drip down my face. I hear him call my name and pray he won’t follow me.
Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
That’s what I am—too dumb to realize that while I had been waiting on him to call me, he had been here finding girls that weren’t too much—that wouldn’t strain his friendship with my brother.
That anger I felt earlier in his dorm room returns.
The front door looms ahead as I push through the bodies blocking me from it. I’m almost there when a hand reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me back into a hard chest.
Opening my mouth to scream, I stop when a voice that is like gravel and honey and heartbreak all mixed in one says next to my ear, “MJ, it’s me.”
Like that should give me any kind of comfort.
He’s still holding my wrist, so I yank it out of his grasp and spin to face him.
My hands are shaking as I glare at him. “Don’t touch me.”
Hayes’s brows dip, concern drawing his brows together. It nearly makes me laugh. He’s concerned now. How ironic.
“Let’s talk,” he yells over the music and the voices.
I’m jostled from the side by someone dancing to their own beat, and he starts to reach out to move me out of the way, but I slice him with my glare. He reluctantly pulls his hand back.
“I don’t have anything to say to you. You let me down, but you know what, Hayes? I’m used to people letting me down.”
His eyes grow sad, and that hurts more than anything because no matter how embarrassing and heartbreaking this moment is for me, I’ve never wanted to hurt him.
“That back there is not what you think,” he says, stepping closer.
I shrug. “Honestly, Hayes. I don’t care what it was. I’m just mad you couldn’t be honest instead of just ghosting me. Have you even noticed that something is wrong with Langston? Forget about us. What about him? I trusted you to take care of him. But I guess you aren’t the guy I thought you were.”
“Let’s go somewhere, and I’ll explain. I swear, I can explain,” he says, stepping closer, but I step back, running into someone. I don’t look back to apologize. I keep my eyes on Hayes.
“Fine—but the only explanation I want is about Langston,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. I might not like it, but I need to know what Hayes has to say about my brother—everything else, well I’m determined not to care.
He nods, and we walk towards the door leading us outside. The night air has gotten chillier, and I shiver once we are out. Hayes notices and takes his jacket off, placing it over myshoulders. I almost shake it off, but he touches my shoulder and says, “Please.”
The sadness in his voice has me keeping it on. I think he knows that whatever we could have had isn’t possible now. But that decision is on him. He made it without me, and I refuse to feel sorry for him—not when I already feel sorry enough for myself.
I’m talking to him for the sake of my brother, and that’s all.
His cologne surrounds me, wafting through the air and smelling like spice and leather.
I’m tempted to hold my breath because that smell has always smelled like comfort. Now, it’s tainted with lies and betrayal.
“The library is this way. It will be quiet there, and we can talk,” he says, dipping his head toward a path to his left. I follow, staying silent, but my heart screams, “Run. Run. Run. Only heartbreak lies ahead.”
But my body ignores that warning and keeps moving forward until we are inside the library, our footsteps echoing across the tile.
Hayes leads me over to a small alcove with two chairs sitting side by side. I take one, but Hayes remains standing, pacing back and forth in front of me. I stay quiet, letting him pace.
Suddenly, he stops in front of me and shoves his hands through his hair. “Why are you here, MJ?”
