Page 87 of Twisted Minds

“Stop moaning like I weigh a lot. I’m light as a feather.”

“You weigh a ton!”

“I do not!”

“Noah, get the fuck off me!” He lifts off me, letting air rush back into my lungs. “Why can’t you let me be miserable in peace?”

“That’s not what friends are for, and I am the best friend you will ever have.” Noah pushes me off the bed, knocking me onto the floor.

“The fuck!”

“Come on. Get up. Go shower, for the love of god. Let’s rent movies, get junk food, drinks, I do not care. We’ll forget that asshole who dumped you.”

“He’s not an asshole. I deserve this.”

Noah sighs, sitting on the bed. “I think the situation you got yourself into is a hard one that I don’t think I’d have handled well either. I get it, and I’m sorry. I should have listened about Derrick. Then maybe Hunter wouldn’t have found out that way.”

“No, this is on me. I should have told him what was going on.” I’m just happy it’s finally over. Derrick has been arrested on arson charges, and since then a bunch of women and men have come forward with allegations against him. It just takes one domino for the stack to fall. Some even had video proof but were too afraid to come forward with their stories. Daddy dearest isn’t going to buy Derrick’s way out of this one.

It’s been two weeks since I visited Hunter, and yeah, it fucking hurts that he hasn’t come to see me after I talked to him. Part of me knew this would happen, though. I’m nowhere near good enough for him anyway. I just hope he gets over me quickly and finds someone amazing. He deserves it.

Sawyer told me he needs time, and that he’ll be out of school for a couple of weeks, but still, it hurts all the same. I barely sleep, barely eat. Okay, yeah, I also haven’t showered much. Lifting my arm, I flinch. “Okay, I’ll shower.”

“Thank god.” Getting up, I go to my drawer and grab some sweats and a tank top. “You know, if it uh . . . will make you feel better, we could um . . . I mean, if you wanted to, we could . . .”

“Don’t finish that sentence. Holy shit, Noah. No. Absolutely not.”

“Oh, thank god. A little bit of throw-up came up. I just wanted to be nice. I mean, you used to love my ass. I’m just trying to help!”

“I think I’m actually going to be sick if I think about it.”

“Oh, please! You are literally as sexually attractive to me as a cactus.” His face screws up. “You know what, that’s not fair. If it were between you or the cactus, I’d take the cactus . . . and I’d let it top.”

“You’re an asshole.”

Noah gets up, latching to my back and wrapping his arms around my waist, squeezing me tight before planting a kiss on my shoulder. For a moment he holds me, and I hate to admit it feels nice. “Hey, Mark,” he whispers through the moment. “Call my phone.”

I grab my phone, humoring him, and honestly that is right where I fucked up. I press his number and call. A moment later an eagle screech sounds from his phone. “Special ringtone.”

“I hate you.” I refuse to give in to the tug of my lips.

“What? I know immediately who’s calling.” He puts his phone back down. “So I can instantly ignore it.”

“Hey, Noah.”

“What?”

“I fucking love you. You know that?”

Face softening, Noah smiles. “I am going to throw up.”

“I’m taking a shower.”

Walking back to my dorm, I have to admit I feel better. Maybe I’ll get some sleep tonight. With my head a bit clearer than it’s been in weeks, I’m going to allow myself one more day. I can’t change what I did, but I can change how I live going forward.

With Derrick gone, I’m finally free and it feels like I can breathe. I have my watch back thanks to Sawyer too. After talking to the police he asked for it to be released since it had nothing to do with the investigation. Now his family is on theirway to healing. I don’t deserve his mother’s kindness, but I’m so grateful for it. So I’m going to focus on what I still have. Noah has been here on and off for me, and I’m so grateful for where we’re at. I’m going to focus on my game. I have to start working toward things instead of letting life just happen to me. I can’t change what I’ve done to Hunter, but I can focus on being a man who is worthy.

I towel dry my hair as I turn the corner down to my hall. I freeze, seeing Hunter sitting by my door just as defeated as the first time I’d seen him by the vending machine. Only this time I’m the cause.

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