Page 62 of Dirty Roulette
“That’s not what I’m saying. Are you disgusted with me too? Is that why you won’t talk to me?” She asks.
“That will never be a thing. No.” She attempts to pry her fingers out of my grip. It drags a knife through my chest, not understanding a damn thing she wants. “Stop running away from me. I’m not going anywhere.” I fist the back of the towel and pin her against my chest. Her sopping wet hair soaks through my shirt, and it’s cold on my skin.
“I dunno why I feel this way... I rarely give a shit and I give some kind of shit.” She sniffles, her hands fist my shirt. I’m sure I reek of pizza and grease, and she still clings on to me.
“I’m sorry, if there was more time in the day I’d give it to you.”
“Sure...”
“I’m sorry. This is college life, it’s classes, practice, and more practice and I’ve worked closing all week. I didn’t have a lot of time for anythingelse. Jared invited me to go paintballing this afternoon, so I did.” I lick my lips, and huff. “Come back with me?” I ask.
“Why?”
“Let me make it up to you.”
“Fine.” She says, and it’s not convincing at all.
I unlock the bathroom door, step out into the hall, and head back to the kitchen where everyone huddles over the pizza and wings, devouring it like a pack of wolves.
“Hey,” I grasp Charlie on the shoulder.
“Yeah?” she asks.
I look at the time on my cell. “It’s late. I’m gonna head out.”
“Is that Payton as your wallpaper?” Charlie cocks a brow and ignores what I say. She snatches it right out of my hand and chuckles. It must be the middle finger and Payton’s pissy expression. “What is going on between you two?”
“I’m too tired to have this conversation with you. I will tell you I’m driving her back to the dorms. She says she’s tired.”
“Okay, but Brittni keeps talking all this shit and you guys are being weird.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “Can I talk to you about this tomorrow?”
“Can you stop avoiding my question?”
The option isn’t available on the menu and like any friend, I’ll respect Payton’s wishes. “What do you want me to say?”
“That you have a thing for her.” She coughs up a laugh. I can see it ingrained in the gray eyes we both share, she’s aware of the truth. “You’re dating, you’re banging her. Something?”
“And what if I do?” I shrug with my hands inside my pockets.
“Tell me... She’s my best friend, and suddenly my brother is...” She pauses, biting her bottom lip and shaking her head.
“I’m what?” I ask.
“I dunno. You’re literally a drunk and always pissed off,” she says.
“What’s your point?”
A frown snaps between her brows. “I’ve never seen her like how I did today.”
“Neither have I. Why do you think I was calling her? As much as you think I’m some heartless son of a bitch, I give a shit too. I care about her more than anything.”
“So, you like her?”
“I don’t know exactly what I feel, but I know I liked one person, and that really went smoothly,” I reply, sarcasm dripping from my words.“Payton is different, I dunno what else to say.”
She scoffs. It’s not what she wants to hear. “I wish you’d give me a straight answer...”
