Page 36 of Pretend
I don’t stop. I keep walking, grabbing my bag off the kitchen counter, ready to hop into my car and head to an unknown destination.
I can’t go to Winter’s place. She’s probably dead asleep. I don’t want to worry her. And I definitely don’t want to wake up my mother or Ravenmore.
What is my luck lately?
“Babe, stop!” Jack pleads again.
“Fuck you!” I spit.
“Alessia!” He trips over the couch, falling on the floor.
Serves him right.
He gets on his feet again. He managed to pull on his white underwear from the bedroom, too.
I grab the lock on the doorknob and turn it but then stop. The door slams again with a loud thud.
“Damn it. Stop it, now!” He yells, grabbing my arm tight and pulling me back. I inhale sharply, hissing from his forceful yank.
“Let me go!” I snap, trying to get away.
“What do you expect, huh?” His brown eyes are shades of manipulation. “You’ve been a shitty girlfriend. You’re never home.” He tightens his grip on my arm, and I wince in pain. “And now you’re going to deploy?”
“Asshole!” I break free from his grasp. “You know what’s going on! I can’t do anything about falling on orders, you insensitive jerk. I’ve given everything to this relationship, and you’ve only taken. I’ve taken care of you! Even when you’re out of a job, I’m the one taking care of everything, making sure you’re always okay. That my friends are okay, my mother is okay,my sister is okay. Everyone before me!” My throat tightens, and my eyes start to water. I refuse to cry in front of him. I won't let him win. “We’re over, Jack. Don’t ever come near me again. Get your shit out of my apartment by the time I come back home in the morning.”
He grabs my arm again, holding it so tight I feel another sharp sting.
“I’m not leaving this place. Bailey and I are happy. I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but then again, I’m not. This makes us even. You have a man buying you flowers. I don’t think any guy would just do that if he’s not getting pussy in return. Bailey rides me good. She lets me fuck every part of her body, and she blows me better than you ever fucking could. Good job on paying the bills, but I’m tired of your insecurity issues.” He’s emotionless—a full-on narcissist. Nothing is ever his fault.
Jack claws his hand harder into my skin like he’s the one mad at me for busting the affair open. One tear falls out of my eye, and I scrunch my nose full of rage.
He’s hurting me. I’m tired of men thinking they can touch me withoutconsent and there won’t be consequences.
The next thing I know, my leg swings forward, full of wrath, and I kick him in the balls. Hard. He finally lets go of me as his eyes widen full of pain, and he immediately stops breathing. Holding his breath, he falls to the floor in agony, turning red as a tomato.
“I warned you. Don’t ever touch me again. Both of you need to leave my home, and all of your stuff better be gone by the time I come back in the morning.” I repeat myself, making sure he gets it through his head. “Goodbye, Jack.” I slam the door on a teary-eyed Jack cradling himself on the floor.
I don’t knowwhere I’m going. It’s been two hours, and I don’t have a destination in sight. All I know is I just need to keep driving until the ache in my chest is gone, but the more I speed, the more miles down, and my path to nowhere gets clearer, the more tears fall down my cheeks.
I clutch the steering wheel so hard that my blood circulation halts, and my skin rubs against the leather harshly until it burns.
I haven’t blinked, and I’m holding the storm inside me at bay. The chaotic storm of betrayal and the unknown brew, and I haven’t been able to let it out. I refuse to let it escape.
I guess I’m stubborn that way.
Even though I’m alone, I refuse to let myself fall apart over them.
Bailey and Jack are happy…while I’m crying?
Each second that passes, I look at the amount of gas, and it’s all the way down to E, but my Sedan keeps pushing forward. I was so distracted by catching my boyfriend in the act that I didn’t notice I’m almost out of gas.
Come on, just a couple of more miles, and we’ll be at the next gas station.
Rain hits my windshield hard, lightning lights up the sky, and my eyes are so tired that I swear I’m starting to see things.
Every time I blink, the swelling around my eyes greets me with pain.
Then my car starts to slow.
