“Why the fuck are you here?” he ground out, rubbing his jaw. There was a slight slur to his words and I realized he was drunk.
Crap.
I could deal with sober Jason, but drunk Jason… drunk Jason was what had landed me in this situation in the first place.
“I’m with Hailee. She invited me. It’s girls’ night,” I said as if it mattered. Of course it didn’t freaking matter.
Edging backward, my hands searched desperately for the door handle.
“You’re everywhere, like a recurring nightmare.” His words hit me straight in the heart.
“You came in here first—”
“It’s my fucking bathroom.” Anger blazed in his eyes as he stalked toward me, so close if he reached for me, I’d be right there.
“It’s Hailee’s—”
“I don’t give a fuck. You shouldn’t be here.” He dragged a hand through his hair, pulling at the ends in frustration.
“So let me go,” I whisper-hissed, done with his bullshit. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of this. Okay, so maybe I had a hand in blurring the lines between us, but he’d made it perfectly clear where we stood, and it wasn’t like I was begging him to give me a chance.
“Is that what you really want?” His hand came for me, splaying against the side of my neck, his thumb tracing up and down.
“Yes,” I said shakily.
“You sure?” Jason leaned in, his breath hot on my skin, his lips dangerously near the soft spot right beneath my ear. “Because I’m not so sure. I think you like this, like what I do to you.” He inhaled deeply, inhaled me, and my legs almost gave way.
“Jason, stop.” I fisted my hands at my sides, knowing if I touched him it wouldn’t end well.
“Stop?” There was a wicked glint in his eye as he lifted his face to me. “You think you get to say when this stops?”
“I’m not going to play this game with you, not anymore.”
He was drunk, his words crueler than ever, his touch harsher.
“Game? You think this is a game? This isn’t a game; it’s bloodsport, baby. And you… you couldn’t have made it any easier if you’d tried.”
Tearing myself from his hold, I stepped back, my body hitting the wall. “Get out,” I said, coldly. “Now.”
He blinked, confusion clouding his glassy eyes. “Feli—”
“Get. Out. Before I do something we’ll both regret.”
His heavy gaze lingered on me for a second before he staggered out of the bathroom, and I slumped against the wall, releasing the breath caught in my throat. Wondering how the hell I was ever going to survive Jason Ford.
Everything went back to normal after that. Whatever had happened between me and Jason in his car, was filed under ‘epic screw ups’, and I spent the weekend trying my best to forget our middle-of-the-night moment in the Ford-Raine bathroom. Of course, I didn’t breathe a word of it to Hailee.
It had hurt, a sharp pain splintering my chest, that he could go so quickly from kissing me, touching me, to being with Jenna. But it was just another reminder I needed to push all thoughts of Jason Ford out of my head.
At least, that was the plan.
“Felicity?”
“Huh?”
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Mom frowned. “I was calling you and you were completely zoned out.”
“Late night studying,” I said around a fake yawn. “You know how it is.”
“I know it’s senior year, baby, but I don’t want you making yourself ill. A good night’s sleep—”
“Makes for a healthy mind. Got it, Mom.”
“You know your grandma, God bless her soul, used to drill that into me every day.”
“I know, Mom.” Just the way you drill it into me.
“Senior year.” She slid a plate of pancakes toward me before helping herself to another mug of coffee. Apparently, once you were an adult, a healthy mind ran on a good night’s sleep and two coffees before eight. “It only seems like yesterday you were born.”
Silently groaning, I ate my breakfast while Mom took a trip down memory lane. By the time I was done, she was a little teary-eyed. “We’re so proud of you, Felicity, and to think you’re following in our footsteps.”
“Sure thing, Mom.” I regurgitated the same response whenever she brought up college.
“Although,” she went on, “I’m not sure how your father is going to cope. He barely slept when you were in New York.”
“It was one night,” I reminded her.
“I know, I know. But New York is just so...”
I filled the silence with adjectives. Big. Amazing. Inspiring. Alive. I should have known she would say, “Overwhelming.”
“I don’t know, I kind of liked it.” And it had absolutely nothing to do with giving a certain brooding Raider my v-card.
“Really?” Her nose scrunched up. “I found it to be so gaudy. Anyway, your father and I agreed, no more road trips until after graduation, young lady. I’m not sure his heart could take it, and you know Doctor Garrick said he needs to watch his blood pressure.”
“Mom, I don’t think my one-night stopover set off Dad’s blood pressure, I think his endless late nights at the office did.” He was rarely ever home and if he was, he brought his work with him.
“He just wants to provide for us, baby, for you. A strong work ethic is so important these days.”
“I know,” I murmured the words, suddenly feeling guilty. Dad did work hard for his family.
“One day you’ll understand.” Her eyes held nothing but warmth, as if she was doing me a favor. Protecting me. Keeping me safe from the monsters of the world. But what she failed to realize was, she was stifling me.
I was stifled.
But I couldn’t tell her that.
Not unless I wanted to break her heart.
So I pressed my lips together and smiled, hoping she couldn’t see I was already tainted by a monster.
A monster who wore a blue and white jersey and ate girls like me for breakfast.
“Miss Giles,” the gruff voice startled me. “Just the girl I hoped to find.”
My brows pinched as I gawked at Principal Finnigan, trying to rack my brain for any recent indiscretions he might be here to reprimand me for.
When the silence went on for a second longer than normal, I finally found my voice and said, “I’m sorry, did you want me, Sir?”
“Indeed.” He smiled faintly. “This is Mya Hernandez, a transfer student from Philadelphia. I was hoping you could buddy up with her and help her settle in.”
“Me?” I blinked, certain I’d misheard. “You want me to buddy up with her?”
“Well, I don’t know of any other students called Felicity Giles, do you?”
“No, Sir.”
“Well, then,” he said, “I’ll leave you girls to get acquainted. Mya already has her class schedule. If you have any issues, please see Miss Hampstead.”
He smoothed down his blazer and took off down the hall, leaving me and the new girl staring awkwardly at one another.