Still Jaded (Jaded #2)

"You tell me about Corrigan first," he shot back.

"Really? We're playing this game?" Again.

"We really are."

I let out an exaggerated sigh and went back into the room. I didn't know where to go so I sat on the edge of the bed. Bryce followed me and waited. I felt his presence loom over me. He wanted answers I didn't want to give. I wiped at an annoying tear and started, "I know you think Corrigan and I had sex, but we didn't."

Bryce waited a moment. "But…"

"But…we almost did." A part of me cared and a part of me didn't care. I didn't know my insides well enough to discern which part cared more. So I figured I'd explain it all, or the parts that made sense to me at least. "He left Spain because his mom had cancer. That was fine and dandy, but I missed him. I missed him a lot, more than I should have. For a long time I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, why would I miss Corrigan so much when I had you? Then I realized it was because I didn't have you. You played soccer. You were always playing soccer. I got it. I get it now. It's what you do, but I wasn't ready for it." Not then, not after what had happened.

I waited a moment for his reaction, but I didn't hold my breath. "I realized that I needed a friend, and since we all know I suck at making those, I was having serious clinging issues with Corrigan. When he left, we both know I went crazy. You told me to go home so I did. I felt a little better when I got back, but I didn't go straight to him or anything. I wasn't sure what I was going to do if I did, so I didn't do anything. It wasn't until a few months ago when I saw him again."

"That's when it happened?"

I nodded. I'd become numb again. "Yeah. I'd been missing you both so much and I was drunk. Corrigan heard from someone that I was back and came over without telling me. Things got…heated, but we stopped before anything serious could happen. I didn't see his penis, if that makes you feel better."

"I have a great girlfriend. That's such comforting news to share."

I shot back, "Well, I wasn't your girlfriend at that time. It'd been a few months, and I hadn't heard from you. Remember? You called the next week and acted like nothing happened. I took my cue from you, Bryce, and figured I didn't need to say anything. Are we even together now?"

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Why are things so weird between you two?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because something almost happened? Normal people would feel guilty, right? Maybe Corrigan's always had a thing for me? I don't know. I don't really care right now." Someone trashed my place. "Where'd you stay last night? A deal's a deal."

Bryce froze and then jerked forward. "I…"

I closed my eyes. I already knew. "Who was it?"

"I didn't cheat on you, but thanks for the vote of confidence." Bryce jerked up from the other bed and started to pace the room. "I left the hospital, and I meant to go find Corrigan. I thought it'd be much more work to get the truth from you so I was going to beat it out of him instead. I was halfway there when I got a call. Savannah saw me on the news and threw a fit."

"Your spoiled twelve year old sister threw a fit at four in the morning? What convenient timing."

"It's the truth." He glared at me. "You can call my mom if you don't believe me."

I batted his phone away. "You and I both know I would never call your mother." Not willingly, anyway.

"Then you're going to have to believe me."

"Like hell." I stood and started to get dressed.

"Where are you going?"

I grabbed my purse. "There's a restaurant here. I need to eat."

Bryce caught my arm. He pulled me back and touched my face. "You need to get your dressings looked after. What did the doctor say?"

I cursed and shoved him away. "I have pain medication, and he said to have someone re-dress the wound two times a day."

"So let me."

"Hell no."

"Sheldon," Bryce sighed as he raked his hand through his hair again. It was what he did when he was frustrated. "Come on. Just sit down. Tell me what I need to do. This doesn't have to be so much work."

"I'll get Grace or someone else to do it. Don't worry."

"You're just going to leave? At least tell me you'll take a cab?!" Bryce yelled after me, but the door shut on his words.

I wanted to sprint down the hallway but knew I would've looked even more ridiculous than I did. My face was cut up with sunglasses over my black eyes. Add running to the mix, and someone would think I was being chased by the person who had beaten me up.

Once outside, I caught the first cab I saw. "Drive. Just drive."

Soon we were on our way to nowhere. I ignored the smell of rotten bananas and sweat and closed my eyes for a moment. I felt my way through my purse and brought out the pain medication. When I got a pill free, I grabbed a small bottle of water out of my purse. After I'd swallowed the pill, I knew things would get a little better. I needed things to get better.