Page 10 of Unrecognizable Player

“Thanks, but I think I’d better just get on with things.”

She groans. “You’re running back home to make up with Dorian aren’t you?”

Heat starts spreading from the base of my neck, crawling it’s way up to my face. “No! I’m not gonna just let him off the hook, trust me.”

She sighs and I hate it when she’s disappointed with me.

“Listen, I know you hate Dorian, and I know he can be a dick sometimes, I’m not blind, but I’m also not perfect, and neither is anyone else-”

“Steffy, I’ve been your best friend since freshman year and the guy can’t even remember my name.”

I sink down in the bed. “I know, I’m sorry. He’s forgetful, he doesn’t remember anyone’s name, he calls all his friends by weird nicknames.”

“And he barely ever talks to me any time we run into each other.”

“I think he’s just shy.”

She rolls her eyes. “You make so many excuses for that guy, he should start paying you as his P.R agent.”

“Alice-”

“It’s fine, you never listen to me anyway.”

“Yes I do.”

She looks away, so I put my hands on her shoulders and wait for her to make eye contact again.

“I love you,” I tell her, watching as her expression softens.

“Gah,” she sighs. “Love you too.”

I don’t letAlice see I’m in a rush to get home until I’m safely out of sight. Then it’s a mad dash to the subway station to try and catch Dorian before he leaves the house. I can’t wait a whole day without fixing this. I need to know everything’s okay between us so I can relax and stop stressing.

I let myself in with my key and call Dorian’s name, realizing too late that there’s a chance he went back to the bar last night, got wasted and is still sleeping it off in bed.

There’s a crashing sound from the bedroom, a voice, no…voices.Dorian saying something like, “shit.”

Just as I’m about to grab the door handle to the bedroom, Dorian appears, wild-eyed, his hair all over the place.

“Babe, you’re home!”

He’s closed the door behind him and he seems to be shielding it with his body. Behind it, more clattering sounds emerge. I can’t push past him, he’s bigger than I am and much stronger, but I’m able to push the door open behind him, revealing a half-naked man hopping around on one foot, looking for his other sock.

At first, I can’t quite believe what I’m seeing. In fact, Irefuseto believe what I’m seeing.

The guy in my bedroom looks up and offers a confused, apologetic smile.

“Stef, I can explain.” Dorian says.

So explain, please God explain this away.

But as I watch this strange man collect the rest of his clothes and shuffle past us, I smell Dorian on him. Aftershave, cigarettes, stale beer and sex. And I know no matter what he says now, Dorian won’t be able to explain it away.

I just stand there like an idiot while the guy leaves and closes the door behind him. I can hear Dorian’s voice, but the words are jumbled and don’t make any sense.

I’m only snapped out of my daze when I feel my eyes start to fill with tears. I sniffle and wipe my face, turning to face Dorian finally.

“How could you do this?”

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