Page 101 of Foul Territory

I type up one last parting message before I begin gathering my things around his room and throwing them in my bag. I’m almost ready to leave when I hear footsteps behind me.

“I grabbed us a few snacks,” he says.

My body shakes and tears pool in my eyes. I refuse to let him see me cry. I swallow hard and take a few deep breaths to steadymy nerves.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” He spins me around. “Syd, talk to me. What happened? I was gone less than ten minutes. I come back and you’re crying.” He wipes the tears off my face to prove his point.Dumbass tears. I told you not to fall.

When he’s had enough of my silence he glances around the room trying to figure out my sudden change of demeanor. He flinches when he sees the open book on his bed. “Let me explain.” He reaches for me but I step out of his grasp.

“No. I’m getting my stuff and I’m leaving.”

“I guess that means you’re taking me with you because I’m yours too.”

“You don’t know how much I wish that were true,” I say before walking out the door.

20

KOA

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I scrub my hands through my hair as Sydney marches out the door. Why didn’t I tell her earlier? I should have fucking told her the minute she walked into my room, but my dumbass didn’t do it.

I rip my phone off the charger and scroll through the messages until I reach the last one.

FaeAtHeart

Fuck you for making me believe in us again.

I’m not letting her go without giving me a chance to explain why I did it. I need her to hear me out. I snatch a shirt out of my closet and throw on some shoes. Grabbing my keys off the dresser, I race out the door.

I’m grateful the drive to her dorm is short. The more time I spend in my head, the worse I imagine the outcome of this conversation. If she even gives me a chance to tell my side of the story.

I release a deep exhale when I reach her door. It does nothing to soothe my nerves like I hoped it would. I knock a fewtimes but no one answers. It’s eerie how silent the hallway is.

I knock harder and give the door knob a try. Of course she remembers to lock the door today. “Sydney!” I knock again. “I know you’re in there. Please open up. Let me explain.”

The silence is deafening. I lean my head against the door. “I’m not leaving until you open the door. If that means I’m sleeping in the hallway tonight, I will.” I press my palm against the door. “Please, baby.”

The lock on the door clicks and I stop breathing for a moment. Sydney opens the door and my heart shatters seeing her puffy, bloodshot eyes.

“I opened the door. You can leave now.” She pushes on the door to close it, but I move in front of the door jam, blocking her.

“Five minutes. Give me five minutes. Please,” I beg.

She spins on her heel and stomps over to the back of the couch. I close the door but leave it unlocked. As much as I want her to be trapped with me forever, I don’t want her to feel that way right now.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“Not good enough.” Her arms wrap around her middle as she leans against the couch.

“I know it’s not. You need to understand that my intentions were never to hurt you. I was going to tell you the truth. I tried to confess a few times.”

Her laugh is wicked. “I guess the moment passed and you what? Forgot to mention it before my hand was wrappingaround your cock? Fool me once…” she says, her voice trailing off into manic laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” she says, sobering. “Just thinking about something Charlie said.” Her eyes narrow. “You’re running out of time.”