Page 75 of Dirty Roulette
“I’m always out with Noah. Right. I invited you every time. You are such a liar. I wish you were transparent about this instead of trying to cover it up. Why can’t you just say it?
“I’m not lying.”
“Bullshit!” She starts punching the center of the steering wheel, laying on the horn. A scream rips through her mouth as if someone stabbed her thirty times over without bleeding out and dying. She’s shaking the steering wheel, with the slobber and tears pooling down her face.
She turns to me as if I’m the ugliest human on the planet. “You’re my best friend! And you’re blatantly lying! Are you lying to him too?”
“Wearejust friends. Can I not be friends with him?” I ask.
“I want you off my brother’s nuts. Whatever you feel for him, you need to stuff it down your throat and forget it. Now get out of my damn car!”
“Charlie...”
“OUT!”
I shrivel up inside myself, open up the car door, and slip out. Frigid rain hits my skin, and in a matter of seconds, I’m drenched standing on the sidewalk staring at the headlights pulling out of the parking lot. The tires squeal as she hits the gas, peeling out to the main street and driving off.
There’s nothing anyone can say to me that I haven’t already told myself six inches from the mirror. I’m trailer trash, and I’ve never been anything more than that. No need to point out the obvious. I’m in no way deserving of Ryder, or any friendship for that matter.
Telling lies and hiding the truth has been my life since that stupid bottle landed on him. Might as well call it off. Let Brody post the damn picture of my tits, pack my things and leave. The scholarship isn’t worth it. Going to gymnastics and dance since fifth grade and the drop of hope I was Cheer Phi material was the stupidest decision of my life.
I let Charlie slip from my fingertips and I dunno how to salvage my friendship with her. I walk up the flight of stairs, with the sound of booming music getting louder as I reach the last step. Never in a million years would I nominate myself as the best friend in the entire world, but I can officially say I’m one of the worst. I don’t lie like this, not to her.
Several dorm rooms are wide open, with a crowd of people laughing, holding those stupid red plastic cups that screamI’m drunk.
I paw for the dorm keys out of my purse, jimmying the door to open, when someone jerks me back by the shoulder.
“Hey, sexy...” A hand runs over the wet fabric of the dress and gropes me in the chest.
“Stop!” I spit out.
“I hear that you’re easy,” he croaks, and a chorus of laughter fills the halls. I swing around, throwing my purse off my shoulder, and whack him in the face. My eyes stare straight at a Jeffery Dahmer look-alike, a creepy stalker if I’ve ever seen one. His pointed nose and fat ugly glasses need to be snapped in half. The dude is riddled with vibes of lotion and tissue boxes by the nightstand. I’m sure that’s all he’ll ever get.
It doesn’t seem to faze him as he runs a hand between my thighs, pulling up my dress and touching places he’s not invited to.
“Piss off!” I claw and push the guy in the chest. His weight is a thousand times stronger than my skinny, fragile bones, and it leaves me no choice but to ram a knee between his legs.
A loud groan ruptures out of his throat. “Fucking bitch!” He backs up with his hands cupping the dick that I bet is the size of a peanut.
I’m shaking as I swivel around, unlocking the door and slamming it behind me. Without hesitation I deadbolt the lock. My back meets the walls, and I stand in the darkness, trembling.
My entire body crumbles to the floor.
My phone vibrates in my purse and I tear it out, praying it’s Charlie. Begging to God for her not to be so angry with me, but it’s not her. No, it’s Brody texting from that stupid, anonymous number. Prowling like a lion hunting me down to devour his prey.
Brody: Where is my video?
Payton: Leave me alone.
Brody: You played the game, it’s time for you to pay up. Or I can come over right now and fuck you myself.
Payton: You’re disgusting.
Brody:Do you really think Ryder is going to stay with you?
Payton: Quit.
Brody: He already agreed once he films it, he’ll get back together with Brittni.
