Page 25 of Forbidden

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You’re never here. You’re out here in the middle of the morning talking about death and you just hoped someone would attack you!”

“Not a big deal.”

He got up, standing right in front of me. “You got a boyfriend? Is that why you have disappeared altogether from the club?”

As if my life would ever be that simple. I wish I only had boy problems. Not the fact I was staring down radiation come Monday.

“No.”

“Where are you when you aren’t here? And don’t give me the bullshit excuse you give your parents. I know you aren’t in your room.”

“How could you possibly know whether I’m in my room or not?” I would like to hear him say otherwise because everyone else believed me.

“I see you walk down that driveway not giving a fuck who sees you or not.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” I picked up the packet of cigarettes, lighting up another. “And stop watching me.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

“What was?”

“You not going through a rebellion stage.” He ripped the cigarette from my fingers. “I thought you had skipped it, and if anything, had entered adulthood early. Clearly I was fucking wrong.”

Why did he sound so angry about it? I wasn’t rebelling. I was facing down any woman’s worst nightmare!

I got up, pushing him back. “If anyone should know better, it’s you!” He should see that this was a front I was putting up, which wasn’t even a good front tonight. He should see right through it.

He knew me. Did he really think I would rebel? Why did I expect him to be any different? He couldn’t see through my walls. Because he simply didn’t want to. And why should he want to? I wasn’t his daughter. I wasn’t his girlfriend and I sure as fuck wasn’t his problem.

“Night, Brad.” I began to walk off. Then I felt his hand lock around my arm and he brought me to a stop. “What do you want, Brad?” I glanced to my side and looked up at him. Did he want to yell at me some more?

“You’re right. I do know you better. Which is why I know for a fact you are lying to me right now. Something is going on and I was going to let it slide, but I want to know what it is.”

I smiled dimly. “You know when I kissed you early in the week?”

He nodded his head, looking pulled back to it for a second. “Yeah. I haven’t forgotten it.” He said that like it had been on his mind. I wondered if it had been on his mind as much as mine. Doubtful.

“I’m not sorry about it.” It was the truth. I didn’t care what he thought about it anymore. I kissed him because I wanted to. And I wasn’t sorry about it.

He was shocked. His eyes wide, just staring at me.

“I don’t expect you to feel the same. I get you regret it. Still doesn’t mean I’m sorry, though.” I pulled my arm from his grasp. “Night, Brad.”

I walked for the gate. At least the gates were still open. Meant I didn’t have to use the stupid exiting door.

“Where are you going?”

I turned to look back at him. “A friend’s.”

“You aren’t fucking walking there!” He stormed toward me rather quickly, so quickly I was surprised. “It’s after three in the morning and you want to wander the streets? For a smart girl, you are being fucking stupid.”

“I walk the streets all the time. I’ll be fine.”

“I wasn’t talking about that,” he snapped at me like whatever he was trying to say was obvious. “I’m talking about you kissing me! You should regret it. You should be feeling fucking disgusted about it. Not…”

“Not what?”