Page 8 of The One I Hate
My cocky response only seems to frustrate her more. Good. That’s what I was going for. I always loved riling her up until her cheeks flushed.
“Why are you the way you are?”
“We’ve been asking that question for years,” Shane remarks.
“Oh, stop. You love me,” I say to Shane before turning back to Bug. “Now, what are we eating? I just had a mean chicken piccata that it’s your job to beat.”
The two of us lock eyes in a standoff. If someone were to walk in here and see this, I’m guessing they would be very confused. There’s Charlie, taking visible, deep breaths in what I’m assuming is her futile attempts to calm herself. Then there’s me, sitting back in my chair, my foot now resting on my knee, my hands relaxed on the chairs next to mine like I don’t have a care in the world.
I do, but she’s not going to know that. Because I want her angry. I want her mad. I know it’s petty and I should be a bigger man, but I’m not. This woman broke my heart without a care in the world, so I don’t feel bad for a second.
Charlie turns to Shane, doing her best to keep her voice even. “Shane, I think it would be best if we rescheduled. Maybe when you can come with your fiancée. Or I can have one of our servers bring you out the courses for you to choose from.”
Ha! Victory. Simon 1, Charlie 0.
Just as I start relishing in my small win of getting under her skin, I see Shane shoot a look to me.
“Can you just fucking stop it?” he asks.
“What? I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re existing.”
Shane grits out those last two words, and since they were accompanied by a death glare, I’m guessing I’ve pushed this as far as I can today.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
“Fine.” I stand up and toss the napkin back to the table, but make sure to lock eyes with Charlie. “I’ll leave. Because I’m arealgentleman. I know where I’m not wanted. I don’t lie. I don’t lead people on. I’m not a douchebag who leaves or lies to you, even though that’s how you’ve decided to treat me. I’m apparently just another asshole who leaves you crying. Isn’t that right Bug?”
Charlie’s face goes from mad to horrified in a second, and I realize that I did it. I crossed the line.
Because I’m a fucking asshole.
And not my normal lovable brand of asshole. A true one. One that intentionally hurts people I care about. Or did care about. Or still do. Fuck, I don’t know. I just know that Charlie is on the verge of tears.
And I put them there.
“Please leave, Simon.”
I nod and don’t fight her. In fact, if she wouldn’t have asked me to leave I would have showed myself the door. Because the moment I said it, I knew I went too far. I give Bug one more look, this time one of apology, though she doesn’t see it. She’s too busy turning away, trying to fight back tears.
Without another word, I walk out of the dining room. I hear Shane say something to Charlie, but I don’t register what it is. I can’t hear anything over the voice in my head chastising me for hurting her.
And because that’s not good enough, the second I step into the hot August air I let out an actual scream I’m sure anyone in a three-block radius can hear.
It still doesn’t make me feel better.
What the fuck is wrong with me? Did I mean to be a prick? Yes. Did I want to get under her skin because every day for the past four months she’s been under mine? Also yes. But I don’t hurt people. Unless I hate you.
And as much as I want to, I’ll never hate Charlie.
I’ll hate how she left.
I’ll hate how she’s made me feel.
I’ll hate that I still care about her.
But I’ll never hate her.
