Page 29 of Sweet Temptation

It's been six days since Damon's spoken to me, and I don't understand. All I asked for was friendship and now I'm being ghosted. I opened my phone for the third time today, but this time, I send Damon a text.

Me: Is everything okay?

There isn't even a response. Shoving my phone into my back pocket, I follow Scarlet out to her 2006 Chevy Silverado. Once I'm belted into the truck, Scarlet pulls away with a smirk. ''He'll come around. He's Damon. He has to,'' she replies, turning onto the road toward campus.

She says that, but then again, she still hates him—Damien, too. I've seen the way her eyes narrow at the mention of their last name. Saint.

Nodding, I check my phone again. And of course, no messages. He's toxic. Fucking with my head and making me think things, just to turn around and ghost me for six damn days. Scarlet practically screeches as she turns up the radio. I let out a groan as "Good in Goodbye" by Madison Beer fills the speakers.

Scarlet doesn't catch my mood as she sings along to the music, her red lipstick twitching as she practically screams out the lyrics. Mustering up a giggle, I watch my friend as she pulls the truck into a parking spot in the university student parking lot. She's still chanting the lyrics. She blares the volume as sorority girls walk through the parking lot.

She turns off the radio and the truck with a grin as we make our way to Bailey. She must feel those lyrics somehow, but I don't ask because she hasn't opened up about it. Maybe she doesn't want to, and that's okay because we all have our own trauma. Like me with my confusing heart and feelings.

I don't love him. I wouldn't even know what that feels like, but I do have some strong feelings for Damon. And with six days and no texts, I feel like he could be mad. I mean, we can still be friends, can't we? I follow my friends through the doors, my thoughts still swirling through my mind.

Smiling, me and Bailey wave goodbye to Scarlet as we walk to creative writing. Planting ourselves in our regular seats, I watch the door for Damon, but when the professor shows up and closes the door behind her, I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding. He's skipped six days of class, and if he isn't careful, he's going to end up failing.

Why the fuck should I care? He isn't returning my texts or calls. He's being a complete fucking asshole. Opening up my computer, I type up the assignment for the day. I'm so focused, I jump as the door to class files opens and none other than Damon Saint struts in. Avoiding my eyes at all costs, he walks up to the seat he used to sit.

Frowning, I pop ear buds in and blast the song Scarlet reminded me existed as I type up my assignment. When the professor announces class is over, I propel myself out of the room with Bailey on my heels till we meet up with Scarlet on the lawn. Scarlet eyes the movement behind us.

Turning my head, I see Damon standing on the edge of the grass. Scarlet growls in his direction and turns on her speaker, blasting the chorus to "Good in Goodbye" by Madison Beer. When Damon hears the 'cause your toxic boy' part of the song, his dark angry eyes return and he glares at me.

A snarl pulls at the corner of his lips as he stalks toward us. He slams Scarlet's speaker to the ground and glares at me. His eyes are dark as a dead soul. ''Funny, you wanted to be friends? Maybe even fuck buddies? Well, guess what, sweetheart? You mean nothing to me, so stop fucking texting me,'' he snarls in my face.

Shoving him out of my way, I head to my next class. I hear Scarlet yell behind me as Bailey trails after me. When I enter English lit, I see Scarlet scurrying after me as we take our seats together. Bailey doesn't share this class, so it's just me and Scarlet. ''What did you say to him?'' I whisper softly.

Scarlet turns to face me and grips her textbooks with deadly nails. ''I told him to get his fucking head out of his ass before I shove a hockey stick down his throat,'' she replies with a satisfied smile. A burst of laughter bubbles from my throat as I hear the words leave her lips.

When the professor dismissed class, me and Scarlet scurry out in search of Bailey. ''I'm right here.'' Bailey's voice comes from behind me as we search the lounge. Scarlet chuckles before we head to our table and get settled. ''He's not worth your time, Han Han. Nobody deserves to be treated like that,'' Bailey says softly as I take a bite from my sandwich.

''Yeah, I give up," I reply softly. And honestly, I should have done that a long ass time ago.

Scarlet nods, picking at her poutine. ''What the hell. I wish I could eat carbs like the two of you and still be skinny,'' Bailey huffs. Our friend isn't heavy as one would call her, but she's got curves coming out her ears.

Curves I wish I had.

''You're not fat." Scarlet glares at Bailey. Giggling, I take another bite and shove the last piece of my sandwich into my mouth.

I feel a pain in my heart when I glance over at the hockey table and notice Damon is nowhere to be found. Sighing, I collect my books and get to my feet. ''I'm not feeling it. I think I'm going to go home," I say softly as I head toward the exit. I actually believed he felt something for me, but I was wrong.

I have my extra key to Scarlet's house so I can go whenever I want, and right now that's what I need. I need to be out of here. Damon is more than toxic; he's an absolute mind-fuck.

My heart can't take the pain of his rejection. Climbing onto the city bus, I hug my textbooks. I'm officially broken, but I won't allow anyone to fix anything this time. I'm better without him, and he's obviously better without me.

A tear escapes my eyes as I look out the window. Maybe in another life we would have worked, but not this one.

Getting off the bus, I head straight for Scarlet's door and quickly unlock it before disappearing into the spare bedroom I've been staying in before I flip open my notepad. I don't even feel like writing. I slap the book closed as I stare at the ceiling.

I curl up on my bed with my now cleaned and white book blanket. My gramz had bought this for me on my eighteenth birthday, and in one day, it became another bad memory. Checking my phone again, I refresh the messages with Damon.

Me: I don't know what you're going through, but nobody deserves to be treated the way you treated me. Have a great life. It was nice knowing you.

Turning off my phone screen, I close my eyes. Maybe in another life… I think to myself. I'm almost asleep when my phone goes off. Scrambling to pick it up, I answer the phone quickly.

Looking again, I realise it's an unknown number. ''Hello?'' I whisper into the line. The voice on the other line makes my entire body go cold.

SEVENTEEN

---