Page 63 of Begging for Mercy
Now, all I think about is her and how badly I fucked up.
“Sam? Is that you?”
I try not to flinch as Abby bounces over from the sorority house, cheery despite our last meeting. “I thought so! Walking home?” She links her hands behind her back and leans towards me, pushing her tits in my direction. I blink as her cleavage comes into view, frowning at how tan she is compared to Mercy. Tanned and freckled. Nothing like Mercy at all.
Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. “Yeah. On the way.” The last thing I want is another girl butting her head into my business, but thankfully, Abby doesn’t bring up Mercy at all. She falls into step beside me, content with walking the few blocks to the frat house in silence. I didn’t want company, but now that she’s here, I don’t have the heart to turn her away.
“The boys said that you’ve been really stressed lately.” Abby’s shoulder brushes mine. “Is it about the Championship game? Everyone knows that you’re going to win.” With a smile, she loops her arm through mine and leans into me. “I’ll cheer you on, okay? Better look for me.”
“Yeah. Okay.”
Her smile falters. “Hey, did something happen with…” After a few seconds, she stops trying to guess Mercy’s name. “You and that girl?”
I guess the peaceful silence was short-lived.
Confiding in strangers has become normal ever since I started therapy and group counseling, but confiding in Abby is new territory. Still, I’ve been cagey with the rest of the team and everyone in the frat; they’re walking on eggshells around me because they can tell something’s up. If they’ve brought up my sour mood to Abby, they’re probably trying to hook me up with a rebound.
Everyone knows that I’ve got a thing for The Dead Girl.
I stare at the sidewalk. “You could say that.”
“Sooooo…” Abby perks up. “You need a date to the party tonight?”
The party. Shit. I completely forgot. I’m supposed to pick up the President’s beer order with my truck. I turn around so fast that Abby stumbles, nearly toppling the two of us over. She catches herself by wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face in my chest, giggling the entire time.
“Oops, sorry! I’m really clumsy.”
Yeah, okay. A varsity cheerleader isclumsy.
“Look, I’m not interested?—”
“If you need to unwind?—”
We both stop talking at the same time, but she’s the only one of us smiling. “You’re a good guy, Sam. I know you have a thing for that other girl, but if she’s not interested in you, then it’s her loss. You need to move on. We had fun Freshman year, didn’t we?”
I’d nearly forgotten that Abby and I dated for a semester. If I’m remembering right, she dumped me for not taking her out enough or paying for her manicures every few weeks.
“I don’t really remember,” I answer honestly, “and I’m not in the mood, Abby. Sorry.” I detangle from her octopus arms and walk faster down the sidewalk, the sound of her annoyedhufffollowing me.
“At least try it before you say no!” She jogs to catch up to me. “If you want to make her jealous, I can help!”
Thelastthing I want is some other girl clinging to my arm, especially at a party that Mercy won’t attend. I know that technically we’re not dating, but it still feels like cheating.
“Go away, Abby.”
“If you take me to the party?—”
“No.”
“It’syourfrat’s party! You can’t go alone! I’m doing you a favor!”
A laugh bursts from my chest. Abby just won’t give up. “I can do whatever the hell I want,” I snap, grabbing her wrist. Letting out some of my frustration, I squeeze until she whimpers. “If I wanted to fuck you, Abby, I would, because you wouldn’t hesitate to get on your knees, would you?” As much as I have a reputation for being a nice guy, Abby has a reputation for being a pretty girl —a slutty one. “But I already told you, I’m not interested, so back off.” Releasing her, I turn around and pound the pavement, eager to get the fuck away from here.
I don’t even care about the frat or the parties or the women. Hell, I hardly care about mydegree.
Once I’m around the corner and Abby’s out of sight, I pull my phone from my pocket and check everything again.
My texts and calls. Zero.
