Page 6 of Unrecognizable Player

“Come on Stef, let’s go home.”

These guys are looking at me like they’re not gonna let me leave with Dorian. Like they think he’s about to beat me up or something. It’s ridiculous.

“I’m fine,” I tell them, making sure to make eye contact with them both. Mr. Marvel - the one who’s standing close enough for me to smell his aftershave - is the kind of guy Alice would describe as ‘dreamy.’ All big brown eyes and sharp cheekbones. They both look like athletes. With those shoulders. The one with his hand still on Dorian’s chest has one of those necks that are almost as wide as his jaw.

“Come on Alexei.” Wide-neck guy says. “If he says he’s fine.”

“I am. Thank you.”

Wide-neck drops his hand from Dorian’s chest and Dorian makes a big show of dusting off his jacket

Dorian doesn’t say a word until they’re out of sight. Putting his arm around my shoulders, he laughs and puts his cigarette back between his lips.

“Idiots.”

“I think I’m gonna go and stay with Alice tonight.”

His jaw drops, the cigarette falling out of his mouth onto the street. “Are you kidding me right now? You lure me away from my friends with promises of sex just to start an argument, almost get me beaten up by some huge jocks, and now you’re leaving me here?”

“I didn’t say anything about sex.”

“You’re my boyfriend, it’s implied!”

“That dick!That fucking dick! Just because you’re his boyfriend, does not mean you owe him sex!”

Alice is sitting on her bed in those super soft sleep leggings and a Slipknot t-shirt, her hair tied up in a bun. After twenty-fiveapologies for waking her up, she’s finally managed to get me to shut up so she can berate Dorian.

“I did drag him out of the bar.”

“Drag him? He’s the one who missed your performance to go and get drunk.”

“He is right though, there will be others. And I haven’t introduced him to my parents yet. It’s understandable-”

“No, it is not understandable, Stef, stop making excuses for him, you deserve better.”

“He’s going through a rough time right now.”

She rolls her eyes and flops back against her pillows. “He’s always ‘going through a rough time.’ Sorry, but it’s true.”

“He failed his last history assignment and his parents put a lot of pressure on him.”

“I know that, and I love that you see the best in people. But there comes a time when you’re not just cutting someone slack anymore, you’re letting them walk all over you.”

I flinch at the jab. Even though I know it isn’t aimed at me –ouch.

“Sorry Steffy,” she says, putting her arms around me.

“It’s okay. It’s been a long night, let’s just go to sleep.”

“Sure you’re okay?”

I nod. Biting the inside of my cheek.

After she falls asleep, I lie on my back, scrolling through book recommendations on Bookgeeks for over an hour, trying to lull my eyelids into getting heavy, but I’m too wired to sleep.

A message pops up just as I’m about to give up and log off. I know who it’s from. Only one person messages me on Bookgeeks.

Kelsier38: You’re online. Couldn’t sleep either?

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