Page 86 of Riot

I had no idea Jackson was such a prick. He ignored me for years, kept me dangling on a string, feeding me morsels of hope, and now, he’s mad I don’t want him?

No… he doesn’t get to make me feel this way. I’m not a scared little girl. Maybe I should have thanked him for the flowers, but he doesn’t get to demand that from me.

I swipe my fingers over the screen in jerky motions, my anger boiling. Fuck him. Who does he think he is?

I’m rude? The things you said to me were beyond obnoxious. And you’re being obnoxious now. When did you become such a prick?

I wait for a response, but none comes. Dickhead. I send a message to Dayna and Katie, my anger boiling inside me.

Katie

Nice guys are always pricks.

Dayna

You want me to talk to him?

I consider my answer. If Riot sees the messages, he’ll gut Jackson, and as pissed as I am at him, all I can think about is the little boy I met on the first day of school. Wherever this anger is coming from, it’s not who he is… or was.

No. Just ignore him. He’ll get bored.

Unease prickles along my skin.Men like that don’t get bored.They get more persistent. They get more furious.

I ignore that voice, burying it deep and clinging to the happiness fluttering in my gut. Why should I give Jackson any space today? I don’t want him to ruin my glow.

Riot tossed the flowers anyway. He was so pissed. And then…

He kissed me.

Both Katie and Dayna are typing back instantly. I wait, nervously biting my lip. I don’t need their approval—I meant that when I said it to Riot—but I want them to be excited with me.

Katie

He did not!

Dayna

How the fuck was that not the first thing you said!

Dayna

I bet he kisses like a god.

Katie

Fingers in hair, searing. HOT!

Dayna

Tell me he has a huge cock. I need to believe it. For humanity. It wouldn’t be fair to be that attractive and hung like a chipolata. That’s how hope dies.

We are not talking about Riot’s manhood.

Katie

Manhood? Babe, if you’re touching it, you need to be able to call it what it is.

Dayna

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