Page 537 of Filthy Elites

I’m just fishing my keys out of my bag when the door opens in front of me. I look up with a smile, expecting my mother.

Then I groan.

Great.

Just fucking great.

ChapterThree

“What are you doing here?”I ask Vince.

We used to be friends. Great friends, in fact. He knew all my secrets and I knew his. We played videogames together and got sick on candies and booze when we were fourteen.

We also explored each other, as heterosexual kids of opposite genders tend to do.

I guess our situation is partially my fault thanks to the time we kissed at twelve, to practice on each other. A few years ago, when we were bored, he shoved his hand in my pants and fumbled, presumably looking for my clit. I didn’t like it much, seeing as I did a better job of that myself. That’s when I figured out I wasn’t into him. I told him so and thought the matter was settled.

Last year, he made a big declaration at homecoming. I explained I didn’t feel the same way. And then he was a dick.

Chase’s insults roll off my back. I quite simply don’t give a shit about him, so his opinion of me is irrelevant. But Vince had been myfriend. His betrayal stung.

“Pauline told me you lived here now. I couldn’t believe it.”

“That’s not an answer, Vincent.” I purposely use his full name, because the guy who was Vince to me is gone, as far as I’m concerned.Buried under a year of lies and duplicity.

“Your mom let me in. She told me to let you know she won’t be home until midnight.”

Naturally.

“She shouldn’t have. You and I aren’t friends. I’m not comfortable having you in my house. Please get out.”

I’ve heard my friends say I can be a cold bitch, and I haven’t seen my Ice Queen mask for a while. I’m too sassy to be cold toward Chase. I like to toy with him, if only to show him that his bullshit isn’t affecting me. But speaking to Vince, I see it. I also feel it. Ice. It’s all around my mind, my body, and my heart, like a protective shield.

He hurt me once. He won’t get the chance again.

“Please, Erica. We’ve been friends forever.”

“Then you blew it. The end. Get out, Vincent.”

His jaw ticks. “Why are you like this?”

I can only laugh.

Because he called me a slut when I was a virgin simply because I didn’t want him. Because he’s turned half our friends against me and made the other half appeal to me on his behalf, as though I owed him a chance. It’s like he believes he bought the rights to my body with years of friendship.

I think I might have fucked Damian simply to make a point. And then, I was officially the slutty bitch who broke the good guy’s heart.

Funny to think that Damian, a dude known for only doing casual hookups and moving from girl to girl, is one of the only three friends I had after that mess. Sure, we fucked, but we also chatted, in and out of bed. I didn't feel used or objectified by Damian. We fucked because we wanted each other. If my mother taught me one lesson, it was not to be ashamed of my desires. And to wrap it up.

Damian and I might not have been serious, but we were on the same page, honest and open. To Vince, I was only valuable as a person so long as I was willing to spread my legs for him, regardless of my feelings. I didn't want him, and he didn't care.

Lesson learned. I’ll take a Damian over a “nice guy” any day of the week.

"I didn't blow our friendship, Erica, you did that when you kissed me."

Oh, for Christ's sake. That argument again? "We weretwelve."

I honestly don't remember ifIhad been the one to initiate the awkward kiss, but I sure as fuck know I was the one ending it when I realized it didn't feel all that nice.

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