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Story: Before & After You

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I said, and took my first full breath of air in what felt like minutes. I was smiling, too.

“So, why are we pounding Jaymes’ face in?” he asked.

I looked out the window. We’d already pulled up to his house.When did that happen?“Because he stood me up when I didn’t want to go to prom in the first place.”

He nodded, amused. “Understandable.”

I opened the door. “Thank you for the ride.”

“You’re welcome. Should I wait for you?”

I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. You’re already late. Go ahead and go.”Go be with whoever you dressed that heartbreakingly beautiful for.

Even after everything, a small bit of jealousy stirred inside me.

It still felt like he was supposed to be mine.

“See ya, Grey.” I closed the door, and he waved. Most of my anger had already dissipated, but I was still going to march into that house and give Jaymes a piece of my mind.

Fifty-one Before

WHEN I WALKEDinto his house and turned the corner into his hallway, though, I was assaulted by a sight I didnotexpect to see:

Jaymes and Sara. Up against the wall. Pants swimming around his ankles; pink, puffy dress lifted up to her waist as he thrusted into her.

Over, and over, and over again.

I cleared my throat, deciding right then and there that this wasn’t going to be one of those scenes where I quietly snuck away and dwelled alone in my own hurt.

No. I wasn’t that kind of girl.

Anger simmered in my veins, my fists aching for physical contact. I charged at them, tearing down the hall. Naked or not, I was going to beat the shit out of whichever one of them I could get my hands on first.

I didn’t care that my feelings for Jaymes didn’t run very deep. He was still my boyfriend. And my friend, or so I’d thought. I thought they both were. Butthis?This bullshit? This was exactly how much they cared about me, how much they respected me and valuedmyfriendship.

Before I could make it even halfway towards their startled expressions, though, Greyson hauled me up and into his arms.

“Are you kidding me?!” I screamed. At the two half-naked traitors in front of me, and the boy behind me with a firm grip around my waist.

“It’s not what it looks like,” Jaymes said stupidly, quickly pulling himself together.Seriously, what kind of idiot did he take me for?

“Oh, please. It’s exactly what it looked like,” Sara said with a level of calm and disdain that stunted my speech for more than a few seconds. She smoothed her dress down. “How long was he supposed to wait for you to spread your legs, Jess?” She laughed, the Sara I thought I knew long gone.

I fought to break free of Greyson’s arms. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I spat at her.

“You don’t even like him!” she screamed. “ButIdo! I always have; you’re just too wrapped up in your own stupid drama show to see it!”

Wow.I almost laughed. Almost.

So much for two people I thought were my friends.

It didn’t even hurt my feelings, really. I expected these kinds of things from people. That wasn’t anything new—the lies, the deceit, how fake they were. The world was sprinkled with bullshitters like them. So, no, I wasn’t angry or upset withthem. I was pissed at myself. Because I thought that after everything I’d been through, my bullshit-o-meter was a hell of a lot fucking better than that.

“You two can have each other.” I smiled sardonically. “I’m happy for you both, really. You can go rot in hell together.” I lunged forward.Just one punch.One punch would feel so damn good. Or a slap, a scratch.Anything.

But Greyson pulled me back and hauled me outside where I proceeded to kick and fight and push against him.

I worked my way out of his arms and shoved him away. “Don’t touch me,” I said, taking my anger out on him since he’d dragged me away from the two who actually deserved it.