"It has EVERYTHING to do with me!" I shouted and took a step forward. I noticed a glimmer of fear flash in his eyes, but he stood his ground.
"How can you defend him! No, how dare you break up with me and try to blame all of this on me just because you have competition now? They're using me? What does that make you? An angel? A fucking saint? You were my first, James. All those times you told me to stay home and not come to events with you. All the times you couldn't even give me a kiss or hold my hand in public, but you were sure fine with getting drunk and fucking me whenever it was convenient for you!" I snarled.
"That—" he began, but I cut him off.
"Stop with the excuses, James! Just stop. You want to break up with me, fine! I bet someone is telling you to ditch me, right?"
He froze and then looked away.
I laughed, rolling my eyes and ruffled my hair out of frustration.
"Let me guess, your parents, right? What did they bribe you with? A house? A promotion?" I’d known James long enough to know he wouldn't do something unless the end result benefited him in some way.
"I met someone else," he whispered.
"What?" I almost choked on the word.
"There's this girl named Emily that I sometimes go drinking with from my training class. My family adores her and our families get along really well. She's set to graduate with honors and is the top female of our division. She's from a well-off family and we get along...and so, my parents want me to stop dicking around and grow up." He spoke the words quickly.
I gawked at him. "And I’ll just bet she’s an awesome mage or shifter, or even both!" I exclaimed.
"She's a tiger shifter and has a high magic affinity. She's the whole package, Crim," he declared.
"Did you sleep with her?"
"What?"
"Did you sleep with her?" I repeated.
"...Yes, just recently," he confessed.
I couldn't believe my ears. I couldn't believe that the boy I'd asked out on a simple date, who I bonded with because of our family issues, stood before me now like a complete stranger. The man who never wanted me to betray him like his family always had over and over again, was okay with going behind my back and cheating on me with another girl just because she was better.
She was the one that he could take out and show off in public. They would get to go to bars and parties, not hide in the shadows of alleyways or wait underneath the lamp posts to walk home together. She would get the benefits of having supportive in-laws and would get to be with James when he began to move up in the world. And I would be alone.
"When?" I whispered.
"When...you were unconscious after the alleyway incident. I... I was pissed. I didn't see how it was fair that these guys came into your life and were taking care of you like you were theirs. It was my responsibility, but they stole you from me," he argued.
"They didn’t steal me, James. You left! You've always left me behind. Unless I was practically dead on the floor, you wouldn't show your concern in public or in front of anyone for that matter. You never wanted anyone to know that you cared about me. That incident was your chance to prove that you actually gave a damn. And yet, you just went and fucked some other girl? How does that sound to you, James?"
He swallowed and looked at the floor in shame.
"Doesn't sound very manly," he admitted quietly.
We stood there in silence and I had to clench my fists to keep from losing control. The weird sensation that was pooling inside me was different than what I had felt when I had confronted my dad. Maybe because it was my own pain gathering within. My own heartache that again, because of circumstances that were out of my control, were being used against me.
I was used and now it was my time to be discarded, just like always.
"So why are you here, James?" I asked.
He met my eyes before he pulled out the keys to our flat. "I wanted to return the keys. I've already taken all my stuff. My bedroom should be empty. Your 'guests' can stay there instead of in the living room. I paid my share of the rent this month and I'm off the lease," he whispered, placing the key on the table below the mirror.
"You...moved all your stuff? When..." I trailed off, already connecting the dots.
"I took my bed and the main furniture the week you were unconscious and the rest of the things I took throughout this month. I didn't want to tell you because I knew it would stress you out."
"And you think this isn't any different?" I replied back.
"Crim—"
"Don't call me Crim. You don't deserve to use that nickname anymore. In fact, why am I even bothering with you? You made this decision ages ago. Nothing I say will change it," I realized.
I heard little footsteps followed by a deep growl. I glanced over to see Urufu whose fur began to puff up in anger, her growls getting louder.
I quickly walked over to her and knelt down to calm her by stroking her fur. "Urufu," I soothed, trying to soothe her anger.
"It's for the best, Crimson. I can't hold myself back anymore. No hard feelings, right?" he said nervously.
No hard feelings. You partied and celebrated your soon to be freedom with another girl when I was on the verge of death. You made me feel like shit for taking in Storm's men who needed a safe haven, while you were off fucking someone else and introducing them to your family. You prepared for your future with another person because your parents said so, not caring if I was left alone to fend for myself. You didn't care...but you want this to end in a situation that benefits you. A situation where if everything you spent weeks planning got fucked up, I'd be your backup plan. I'd forgive you and let you move back in and continue to be the side chick in the shadows.
The words continued to flood my mind with all the things I wanted to say, but I knew it would all be for nothing. A waste of oxygen and time.
I let go of Urufu and got to my feet, taking a deep breath. He thought he could use me again after replacing me with another girl. I'd show him.
"No hard feelings. Right, Urufu?" I whispered in a monotone voice.
"WOOF!" Urufu charged from where I stood and launched herself onto James' crotch with twice the force of last time, pushing him to the ground.
"AH! Get this thing off my balls!” he screamed as Urufu began viciously pulling left and right. When she was finally satisfied, she let go and darted back to hide behind me.
James let out a string of curse words in Japanese as he tried to get off the floor, still holding his crotch.
"Oops? Now, Urufu, next time James dares to come close to me, you rip those balls apart and do enough damage that no one can heal them. Understood?" I instructed, looking over my shoulder at my familiar.
"WOOF! WOOF!" she agreed before she started growling again.
I hadn't realized James was already up and walking straight toward me. I unclenched my hand, ready to use what magic the guys had taught me to set his crotch on fire, but never got the chance because a figure moved to stand in front of me, protectively.
James came to a complete stop and I had to blink out of my blazing rage to realize Aki was the one in front of me. His long hair was down in all of its gold and orange glory and practically glowed with magic.
I didn't need to see his face to know how furious he was, his tense body that trembled confirmed that. James’ eyes went wide and he quivered in fear like my father had when I'd confronted him.
"Why don't we deal with this like men? Or, you could just get the fuck out of my girlfriend's house!" Aki snapped.
"Girl— girlfriend!” James stuttered. He tried to glare at me, but when he met my gaze, he looked even more nervous than before.
I bit my lip and continued to try and resist the power that bubbled inside me. I wanted James to feel how I felt. The pain that he'd caused and played off like it was nothing.
"Yes. Girlfriend. You broke up with her moments ago. So, I can now lay my claim on her as next in line," Aki announced, taking a step forward.