Page 170 of The Perfect Love

“What is it?” Sarah asks as our steps slow.

“Probably nothing,” I say, hoping I’m right. But two random people hanging around the student center that’s been closed for hours is unlikely to be nothing.

Sometimes I truly wish I could go back to not assuming the worst in situations like this, but then again… have I ever? As women, we’re trained from a young age to be aware of our surroundings, especially at night. If only we taught men from a young age not to attack and assault women.

Now that we’re closer, I can make out that it’s two guys, both smoking, though they put their cigarettes out when they see us.

“Should we walk a different way?” Mackie whispers.

“No.” My voice is icy. Not toward her, but in anticipation of what’s coming.

I refuse to back down. If I were alone, it might not be safe, but at the same time, I know how to use my body to my advantage and how to protect myself. If I hadn’t been drugged that night, I could’ve gotten away. I’m certain of that.

That night I called Trevor because of that guy hanging around and acting sketchy after my class is a distant memory. The fear I remember, but I refuse to give in to it.

I’m done cowering from fragile men who try to hurt and control women to make themselves feel more powerful.

I’m done living in fear. Screw taking a bear over a man. Give me all the men. I’llbethe bear. Let them decide if they’d like to meetmein the woods.

One of the guys whistles as they both prowl toward us.

“Where are you ladies headed tonight?”

“I bet we could give you somewhere more interesting to go,” the second guys says.

“I can guarantee there’s nothing interesting about either of you,” Amanda says.

“Ooh, a mouthy one,” the second one says. “I wonder what else you can do with that mouth.”

“Besides tell you to fuck off?” I ask.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to swear?” the second guy asks.

“Nope. Just like your mother clearly didn’t teach you not to harass women.”

The first guy steps in front of me, and Hyla clenches her hand into a fist. God help anyone she swings at. She’s gained a lot of muscle back in the last few months and there’s nothing deadlier than a woman ready to protect someone she loves.

“My body, my choice. Hm. I was thinkingyour bodywould look good against mine.”

I shift a step closer as a dark smile grows on his lips.

“Funny. I was thinking my knee would look good against your balls. Let’s see.”

“Wha—”

I lunge forward, grab him by the shoulders and pull him down as I shove my knee up into his balls once, and then a second time, just for good measure.

The other guy rushes to his side.

“You crazy bitch!”

“I prefer the term mad woman,” I say coolly, even though my heart is beating a million miles a second.

Hyla stifles a laugh.

“What the fuck?” the first guy groans, holding his crotch as he tries to stand up.

“What makes you think you should ever approach a woman like that?”

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