Page 158 of Did They Break You

For a second, I don’t know where I am as I sit up, blinking my eyes open in the darkness. Panic lights through me, my heart racing as I yank the covers up to my chin.

Then I remember, and I breathe just a little easier, reaching for my phone from the nightstand beside Cortland’s bed.

I came home with Van last night.

Cortland was waiting outside of my dorm room, his arms folded over his chest as he stared at me making my way down the hall. Told me to pack a bag and he took me here.

Since Sloane is still with her sister, I skipped class today.

He did too.

And as I strain my ears, listening while my phone lights up in the room, I notice it’s Storm’s dark rumble of laughter coming from downstairs.

I smile to myself in the dark and check my phone.

Van

Miss you, meet me tomorrow for lunch.

Sloane <3

My sister snores like a freight train. You never do. I wanna come home.

My smile widens, and despite the fact I know this is all a dream that’s going to end with me waking up in a nightmare… everything feels light.

Like I needed to face him before I could move on. Before I could stop replaying that night in my head. And maybe something is wrong with me for wanting to be anywhere near him, but it’s like whatever he did to my head that night, now my crazy matches his crazy.

I toss my phone down on the bed, and think to go back to sleep, but I hear Cort’s easy laugh and I want to be near him.

It’s just after midnight. I was exhausted after our sex marathon throughout the day, but now I want him again. The first few times in his bed, with the light streaming in, they were nerve wracking. But he was gentle. And sweet. And now…I want him.

I fling my covers off, bare feet hitting the wooden floors.

For a second, I think about grabbing my hoodie slung over the back of his chair at his desk. I’m in a white cami, black shorts.

And Storm is down there.

“You like him looking at you?”

Storm Leary. Who would have thought he’s not so scary after all? But then again, CortlandandStorm have seemed a little on edge since camping, and I know that Cort said he wasn’t talking to Maya at all anymore.

He said that was over.

I walk to the door, pull it open and head down the stairs quietly, my hand gliding along the railing. I see the flash of theTV screen, and I’m momentarily grateful I didn’t actually break it.

I reach the bottom of the stairs and turn to face them both, sitting with enough room for me to sit between them on the couch, their feet on the coffee table, food in their laps, beers on the table.

Storm exhales smoke through his nose then sets his vape down on the side table, his eyes on me.

My heart picks up speed in my chest as I stare at Cortland.

I’m not sure what’s playing, a conversation between a family about skeletons in closets.

“Come sit with me, baby,” Cortland says, running his hand down his thigh. Both of them have their shirts off, both in black basketball shorts.

Cortland is more muscular, they’re both about the same height, and Storm has a darker shade of hair and bluer eyes. But they look alike in the dark, and I imagine what it would be like to touch them both again.

I swallow that down, cross my arms over my chest and walk around the coffee table, sliding past Cortland. He slaps my ass as I do, and I laugh, slowly sitting down on the couch between them, tension heavy in the room.

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