“Look.” He grabbed my wrist and I squirmed, trying to get out of his hold. “I should’ve told you before. I know it makes me look like a jackass…especially because of what happened in the past….” He trailed off, and I wiped at my eyes with my other hand, the situation being way too similar, and bringing up way too many bad memories that I just wanted to forget. I didn’t want to relive another heartbreak from Justin Parker. That was not going to happen.
“Della, don’t cry. Please.” His thumb swiped across my cheek, and I sniffed loudly, straightening my shoulders.
“I’m not crying. I have something in my eye. There are no more tears left to waste over you.”
“I never meant to make you cry. Ever. Just hear me out. Please.”
I stopped my struggle, but looked away, determined to avoid his eyes. “Fine, get on with it, and quickly before I start screaming rape.”
He snorted loudly, but knew I was serious so he began talking. “It’s nothing serious, we’ve just been on a couple dates. I should’ve told you before…but we kind of got caught up in the moment. I needed to tell you, though, because I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. I know I messed things up the first time around because I didn’t tell you the truth. I don’t want that to happen again.”
“And who exactly said we were giving things another try?” My eyes snapped to his, and he blew out a loud breath.
“Della, I’m not trying to assume anything. But will you at least think about it? Things are different this time.”
“I don’t know. Are you still going to continue to date your little girlfriend?” I spit out, and he actually had the nerve to smile at me. Smile at me. Really? He didn’t say she was his girlfriend, but the fact that he said he was actually dating someone felt like a knife had been pushed into my stomach, and it kept twisting, deeper and deeper.
Sure, I knew Justin was no angel. I figured he had been man-whoring it up since I broke things off. But I never thought he would be dating. The thought never really crossed my mind. Why, in my twisted head, did I think dating was worse than him screwing his way through a line of girls? Oh, well I guess that really was a simple one. Dating meant there were actual feelings. He needed to know her name, get to know her and go out places, probably held her hand and took her to nice restaurants, whispering sweet nothings into her ear like he used to do to me. A couple dates could mean anything.
“You’re jealous, aren’t you?” I snapped my attention back to Justin who dropped my hand, standing there all smug, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Jealous? He really had some balls to even imply that.
“Oh. My. God!” I shrieked loudly. “You have the biggest freaking head of anyone I have ever known. Why exactly would I be jealous? I’m not jealous of anyone.” My throat felt raw from the anxiety that he was causing, and I just needed to get out of there before my head literally exploded. I gripped the door handle, glancing over my shoulder before exiting. Why, I have no idea. I should’ve just left his ass standing there, not wasting any more of my breath or my time.
“So, does this mean you’re gonna think about it then?”
“Fuck off, Justin. Leave me the hell alone.” I whipped the door open and quickly slammed it shut, smiling triumphantly as I made my way down the hall. Let’s see how full of himself he was when he figured out his sorry ass was locked in there. It felt good to know that I had at least one-upped him, until I got into the locker room and realized that my head was even more screwed up than when I first came into the gym. I was supposed to have figured things out during my run, and all I managed to do was confuse myself even more. How in the hell did I keep getting myself into these situations?
I SLAMMED THE front door shut behind myself, my whole body still shaking with built up anger that I just needed to take out on someone. Justin really had some nerve to just show up, do crazy things to my head and body, and then drop a bombshell that he was dating some girl.
Did he think I was still on a high from his magic tongue, so I would just applaud him for telling me the truth upfront or something? Damn him for screwing with my head. I wonder if that was his intention all along, really. Did he even want to make things work between us anymore? Sure, he didn’t want anything from me in return today, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t eventually, and there was no way I was going to be his dirty little secret while he continued his dating. Whoever she was, she was most likely clueless to whom the real Justin Parker is.
I opened up the fridge to grab out lunchmeat to make a quick sandwich before heading into work tonight. I was so not in the mood for that, but I had to pay the bills somehow. I shut the door after taking out the mayo, cheese, and ham, and jumped when I saw Mia standing there.
“Jesus, Mia. Creepy much?” She took a step back as I brushed past her and laid out all of my items on the kitchen island.