Page 31 of Released from the Sin Bin

It’s all coming to a head. My suspension that Vic barely acknowledged, the constant accusation that I’m cheating on him, and him pushing for me to go on this stupid ski trip they go on every year.

I can’t take it anymore.

“He came in here,” Vic ignores me, “scaring the shit out of Deanna.”

“Deanna?” I snap. “What was Deanna doing in your room, Vic?”

“What?” Vic stands from the bed, going on the defensive. “Nothing. She came to say hi and talk about Drake.”

“That’s such crap.” I knock his open suitcase on the floor, ruining the time I spent putting it together. Every moment I spent with Vic has been a waste of time. “Do you think I don’t know? I have never cheated on you, but you’re constantly sleeping with whoever you please, and I don’t say anything.”

I grab my coat and head for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m done hoping one day you’ll change. We are so over.”

“Willa,” Vic pulls me back and slams the door shut to keep me from leaving, “let’s talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” I throw my hands up. “I do everything for you and you couldn’t even come to my game. I’m done being walked all over.”

“Please.” Vic rubs my shoulders for me to put my arms down. “Please, let’s talk about this. I thought you loved me.”

My heart breaks for all the good times we had together. Every experience we shared, and all the dreams we talked about, but that all feels like another lifetime ago.

“I do love you,” I sigh and step back into the room. “But it needs to stop. I can’t do this anymore.”

“I love you, Willa.” He wraps me in his thick arms. “I drink and I barely know what I’m doing. I’m so sorry I’ve been unfaithful.” His body shakes against mine as I rub his hard back. “I promise it won’t happen again.”

“I said, enough is enough,” I regale Jocelyn with how I finally stood up for myself. “I told him I’m done being a pushover and we’re over.”

“Finally.” She pumps her fist in the air, taking a moment from making piña coladas for our celebration. “I am so proud of you.”

We’re celebrating our team’s victory they got yesterday without me and the semester that’s coming to an end. The Kappa’s big charity ski trip starts tonight, but the local news is calling for a huge snowstorm. The school can’t ban the entire student body from going up the mountain. Technically, the coaches can’t ban us either but if we go, we get benched.

It’s not worth the risk to miss more games.

Our sorority consists of mostly hockey players, and to make the sting of missing out on the ski event, we’re having an indoor beach party. Jocelyn and I went all out getting decorations. Beach chairs, blow up palm trees, tropical flowers and even those tiny umbrellas for our drinks.

“Let’s toast to being single and free of that jerk.” Jocelyn passes me a glass and holds hers up.

“Well, um,” I stutter to think of a good way to say this. “I'm, I’m not exactly single.”

“Oh, Willa.” She lowers her arm and her smile disappears.

“He apologized and begged and—”

“Willa,” Jocelyn stops me. “He’s cheating on you!”

“He admitted he has been unfaithful.”

“Unfaithful?” She scoffs at the word and flips back her long, blonde hair. “That’s a nice way of putting it.”

“He promised to change. He promised me he wants to change, and he loves me. I love him, Joce. I love him so much and I want to believe he’ll change.” I take a deep breath to settle down and stop myself from crying again. He cried too. “I’m giving him one more chance. If I suspect anything, we’re done.”

“I hope so.” She rolls her eyes and chugs down her drink without toasting me.

I take a small sip and fix my bikini top before checking my phone. We turned up the heat and dressed up in our bathing suits to complete the theme. Jocelyn and I found grass skirts for a Hawaiian look. I sent a picture to Vic, and he responded with his own picture of him fully covered in his ski jacket and pants.

---