Page 38 of Envy

Zipping my bag, I grab my hoodie. “No. Thanks for the heads-up.”

I walk out and head to my car. The powerful engine roars as I press on the gas, but it’s not loud enough to drown out the different ways this will end. They all have one thing in common: they end with me murdering someone.

I drive up the sidewalk, not caring if I fuck up my car. I park on the grass, over the pathway leading to the front door, and jump out, ignoring the gasps and wide eyes when they see me.

“Nice car, man,” some idiot shouts.

I push open the door and scan the crowd. The moment I see her, the air grows thick. Her hands rest on the quarterback’s shoulders. His fingers press into her small waist. Somethingsharp twists under my ribs. Clarity slices through the noise. I should leave. Pretend this never happened.

Instead, my vision clears. His hands don’t belong on her. They should be pinned to the wall so the next asshole knows exactly what happens when he touches something that isn’t his.

He says something to her. She tilts her head back and laughs. A knife lodges itself in my gut. It takes me a moment to recognize what I’m feeling. Something I should have buried with the rest of my mistakes.

Jealousy is a poisonous thing. Envy is the vine that feeds it, curling under my ribs, constricting until I can’t breathe.

It’s why she didn’t answer my calls or texts.

“Hey, Garret! My man . . . you made it.” Billy walks up, slapping me on the shoulder like he always does, oblivious to the way I’m feeling. “You check out my man Spartan? Since that night at the diner, she’s all he talks about. The one that got away. The girl of his dreams.”

He laughs. I want to deck him in the throat, but I don’t. What would be the point? He has no idea what’s racing through my head—how dangerous he and his friend are from being cut to pieces.

“I saw some of the girls out back.”

He means the ones I mess with, but there’s only one I have my sights set on. And I’m the last person she wants to see.

“I’m not here for that.”

Billy follows my line of sight, then his eyes widen. “Shit! Hey, man. Listen—in his defense, he didn’t know. We don’t want any trouble.”

I can’t blame Leo or Billy. This is my fault. I should’ve noticed the signs. But I failed. The same way I failed with Jess. With Veronica. And now with Rose. My pulse pounds as I watch her.

Still laughing.

Still touching him.

I flex my fingers and count.

One.

Two.

Three.

Then I move.

“Your name, Rose. It fits.”

“How come?”

I can’t stop smiling. My face hurts from doing it so much. But I don’t care. The things he says… No one’s said them to me before and I don’t want it to end.

“You’re small. Delicate.” He leans in like he can’t get enough. “And you smell like flowers.”

“You can thank the dollar store.”

He leans back, giving me a funny look. “You’re kidding?”

I shake my head. “I wish I was .But it’s what I could afford.”

---