Page 122 of Deliverance

“I didn’t break up with her,” she says.

I feel a twinge of hurt ripple through me as I prepare myself for what comes next when she speaks.

“I tried to, and she almost slit her goddamn throat!”

I pause for a moment. “What?”

“Yeah.” Maggie laughs bitterly. “I calmly explained that we just weren’t a good match, and she freaked out. Going on and on about how she doesn’t want anyone but me, and then she grabbed a knife and put it up to her neck. She said that if I broke up with her, then I had to live with killing her too.”

My mouth drops open. “Are you serious? How fucking disgusting. To put that kind of guilt, that kind of manipulation on someone? Yeah, no fucking wonder you want to break up with her. Who could handle that psycho bullshit?”

“Thank you.” Maggie nods before shaking her head. “I still didn’t give in, and she nicked herself, started to bleed. I panicked.”

“Where is she now?” I ask.

“Asleep. I made her take two sleeping pills, and she passed out after I patched up her neck. I just…fuck, B. What do I do?”

My initial thought is let the bitch kill herself. No love will be lost with me, that’s for sure. Is that too harsh? Maybe.

“She can’t just hold you hostage in a relationship,” I protest.

“It feels like she can, that is, if I don’t want to live with her death on my conscience.”

“That’s bullshit!” I shout, blowing out a heavy breath. “If she is truly suicidal, she needs a therapist. She needs help. You staying with her isn’t going to make her better, it’s only going to pacify and encourage this level of manipulation.”

Maggie shakes her head. “I just don’t know what to do. I’m going to push her to get help, but for now I feel…”

“Trapped,” I say.

She nods, exhaustion taking over her face. Then her eyes come to mine before closing the distance between us. Her hand lifts up to cup my face as she frowns.

“I’m sorry I missed our date, baby. I’ll make it up to you.”

I give her a sad smile as I nod, leaning into her touch.

“I know you will.”

My eyes move to my bed with the takeout boxes still sprawled out.

“Feel like Chinese?”

Maggie smiles softly and nods as I pull her down to the bed, curling up with her as we eat, laugh, and try to forget about the crazy bitch that is Maryia Sewall.

* * *

I’m weaving my way through the hall, heading to my next lecture, when I pause. Just around the corner, out of sight from any typical bystanders, is a couple kissing. Not just any couple, though. It’s Maggie and Maryia. What the fuck.

Maggie pushes away harshly, whispering aggravatedly to Maryia, and the bitch in me just can’t help but come out.

“Looks like you two are cozy,” I sneer.

“Oh, we are,” Maryia claps back with a nasty smile.

I roll my eyes at her, my judgmental gaze landing on Maggie who looks fucking miserable. Scoffing, I shake my head as I storm off. I feel anger brewing inside me as I push into the bathroom, bracing my hands against the sink as I breathe through the violent tempest of my emotions. What the actual fuck.

The door opens seconds later, and Maggie steps inside, her thick red hair flipped over to one side in a way that is effortlessly sexy. I’m fucking pissed with her right now, though.

“Not now, Maggie,” I say through clenched teeth.