Page 31 of Dash

“Fine.” I push myself off my bed. “Who sent you back here?”

“Are you sure? You can barely walk.” She ignores my question.

I glare at her. “I’m really fucking tired of being asked the same question, Val. I said that I’m fine.”

She lowers her eyes to the floor and sighs heavily. She’s so submissive that it’s almost funny. She has always been that way. “I just worry about you,” she whispers. Sure, she does.

I pull the hospital gown tighter around myself. “What were you doing up at the track?” I remember thinking ‘oh shit’ when I looked over to see her standing by Tabatha and Mr. Knight. That was when I brought the bike in. I saw Tabatha start to walk away, and I knew that Valerie had opened her mouth. I just didn’t know what all she had said.

“I text you and told you that I was coming to the track.”

“No, you didn’t,” I say remembering her text. “You text and said you were back in town from your Spring Break vacation. You never said anything about the track. And I didn’t tell you that I was there. How did you know that I was there?” I demand, getting pissed all over again.

Valerie and I go a little deeper than I’ve let on. We have been on and off since our senior year in high school. And at one point, we were gonna be together forever. Thank God, plans change.

She swallows nervously, and my jaw tightens. “I called my father. He said that he had spoken to your dad and you were gonna be there.”

I turn away from her and fist my hands by my side. “Why do you continue to do this?” I say between gritted teeth. Our parents are friends and that’s what makes getting rid of her so hard. They all think that we are a match made in heaven. If they only knew what a little vindictive slut she is and how deep my hatred goes for her... “You know where I stand.” She’s known since the moment I broke off our engagement. Our parents just think I wasn’t ready. They don’t know that I caught her fucking a guy in his parked car outside of her parents’ house. I learned a lot that day. She was the slut everyone said that she was, and I really didn’t love her as much as I thought. I turned around and walked away without as much as a swing at the guy. She wasn’t worth it.

I feel her hand on my back, and I spin back around to face her, afraid she may hit me where I’m already sore. That’s one thing about Valerie. You don’t turn your back on her; she will stab you then blame it on the person standing next to her. I learned that the hard way as well.

“How can you continue to say that?” she asks as tears start to fill her black eyes. “I love you.”

I place my hands on her shoulders and give her a little shake. “I don’t love you, Valerie. Not anymore.”

Her bottom lip trembles, and she sucks in a deep breath. She pushes me off her and I sway. God, I’m gonna fucking hurt for weeks. “Is it because you love her? Because we were just together a week ago,” she cries. That has been my weakness with her in the past. Sex. She’s willing to give it however I want, whenever I want.

“Dash…?” We both know exactly who she’s referring to and I can’t let her think that. Tabatha is great, and yes, I have feelings for her, but I wouldn’t call it love just yet. If Valerie knows that I like her, then she will run with that information. I won’t allow that to happen.

“No,” I say softening my voice. “I don’t love her. I don’t even know her.” I run the back of my knuckles down her cheek how I know she likes. Her skin feels ashy and her makeup is chunky from her tears and from her wiping her face with her hands.

She gives me a weak smile that makes my stomach flip in agony. You just gave her hope, you bastard. Take it back. “I just don’t have time for this. For us. I need to work on getting a new bike built and getting back on the track. I can’t race for Mr. Knight if I’m not a hundred percent in the game.”

“I guess that makes sense.”

Bingo. Stupid bitch! She was always easy to manipulate. And it helps that I always know the right things to say to her. Whether I want her to storm out of my house and leave me alone for days or spread her legs when no other bitch is around. That part of her is a plus.

“My parents want you to stay with us.”

“What?” I can’t do that. That would piss Tabatha off.

“They spoke to your parents. They can’t come home for another few days, and they want you to stay with us. Make sure you are all right. My parents agreed to take care of you.”

I sigh heavily. Everyone is working against Tabatha and me. Will she go to her dad and try to get me kicked off? Will she tell him what we did the night of my party and what we have continued to do over the past week? What will Mr. Knight think of me? He will probably think the same thing that Tabatha thought in the beginning—that I used her to further my dream. I don’t know her well enough to know what plan of action she will take. But Valerie—I know exactly what she will do; she will try to ruin my life. She will destroy what I have with Tabatha and my dream of racing for Knight. I know what I have to do, but for the time being, I will tell her what she wants to hear.

“Okay,” I say, and she gives me a huge smile. “I’ll stay with your parents, but only for a few days.” Lie.

She throws her arms around me, knocking us into the wall. “Fuck,” I curse loudly before shoving her off me. I bend over wrapping my arms around myself.

“I’m so sorry,” she screeches.

“Goddammit, Val,” I hiss trying to take in a breath. Pain shoots up my back and my side. My head pounds harder than it did before and my vision starts to fade in and out.

“I forgot,” she cries.

I stay silent as I take a few deep breaths. Once I’m able to control my racing heart and the pain subsides, I straighten and narrow my eyes on hers. I refrain from cussing more as tears run down her face. “Just stay away. Don’t touch me,” I bark, and she nods her head quickly.

“I truly am sorry. I just…”

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