Page 74 of Play Dirty

“Yeah, but I don’t know if things are just different for us.”

She looks sad or maybe guilty. Pushing her hair behind her shoulder, I notice the bruise. Hickey? On her neck, that ugly feeling wraps its tentacles around me, squeezing my heart with a mean vice. I stab the fork into the piece of pancake, my eyes staring into the purple mark.

The sound of a loud knock pulls me from the memory.. I groan softly, wondering who is banging at my door other than Tatiana right now. It takes a sheer amount of willpower to get out of bed, my feet dragging as I open the door. “Who is it?”

Nothing.

“Who is it?” I ask, already annoyed. I unlock the door and swing it open, only to find my favorite snacks at the door. Strawberry Pocky sticks and shrimp ramen, my heart throbs a dull ache as I bend down and grab the contents. The sound of whistling catches my attention, and there’s Brad hanging out with some of the new players. One of them stares at me like a dog wanting a bone.

“Don’t mind us, princess. Just admiring the view.” Wesley taunts, inhaling a vape before putting it back into his pocket. I roll my eyes, making sure to grab everything before heading back inside, noticing that maintenance has already covered up the red graffiti tag. I’m smiling when I hear something that makes the hair on my body rise from the feeling of the words.

“Nice ass, baby doll.” The nickname rings bells in my head—the way he says it. I turn around, looking for the source. The memory slams into me, causing my heart to sputter.

“Stop calling me that.” I hear June hiss into her phone as she steps into the bathroom. Shoulders tense, as she tucks brown strands of her hair behind her ear. “Baby doll. Stop it.”

I look up just as she slams the door, and the sound of flowing water fills the space. Standing from the couch, I walk toward the bathroom door, “June, are you okay? Did that asshole do something to you?”

“No,” she sniffles. “It’s not Nico.”

Thenwho?

I want to ask, but I don't. I hear her crying in the shower, wondering what the fuck is happening to my friend.

Shaking off the memory, I turn my head. “Who said that?”

“Who said what, princess?” Brad coos, licking his lips.

“Baby doll.”

They all shrug, a smile appearing on Wesley’s face. From the corner of my eye, I spot Michaela, carrying a box of things, looking at us as if she’s trying to piece together something. It’s too early for all this. I step back into the comfort of my home and lock myself inside. I immediately notice the small piece of paper attached to the large bag of the Pocky sticks and recognize the handwriting immediately.

Nico.

I smile,holding the piece of notebook paper with shaky hands. I walk over to my phone and quickly realize I don’t have his number, but I know someone who does.

Hi :)

The bubbles appear immediately.

Thiago

It’s Sunday morning, what can you possibly need?

I smile as my fingers type.

Nico’s number.

The reply is immediate.

Thiago

No.

No.

Jealous?

Bubbles appear and then disappear.