Page 33 of Swamp Princess

“He is one of the best football players and received a scholarship here for sports.” Felicity smirks. “My daddy was the one who got him one, isn’t that right, baby?” Her blue eyes train on Blaise again as his remain on mine.

“Yeah.” Is all he says, and Felicity leans up to kiss him and my vision blurs. I carefully turn and put the tray down, my appetite no longer there. I refuse to run out of here. I nod once at Blaise and stiffly turn to walk out of the dining hall.

I feel numb as I make my way to my first class. I have loved Blaise for as long as I can remember. I have based my future around him being with me. He was the one bright spot in a fucked up world that I lived in.

I can almost see all the dreams, wishes, and prayers being torn apart, and every single one of Blaise is being forcefully ripped out my heart, leaving my heart colder and colder until I fear nothing else will be left.

I sit on auto pilot and start to unload my bag. My first class is college level writing and since this is my easiest class, I know I can go through this without too much thought going into it. I didn’t realize I could be so numb so quickly, but I am.

As the class fills in around me, it takes me a moment to realize that someone has been calling my name. “Brin, please answer me.” I turn my head and see Blaise sitting next to me.

“Go away, Blaise,” I whisper, feeling my soul trying to reach out to him.

“I need to talk to you. Please, just listen.”

“No.” I can’t even bring myself to say his name. He fucked me and told me he loved me and then showed up to this school on scholarship with a fucking girlfriend. “Fuck off.”

“No, not until..” His hand tries to reach out to me again and I snatch it away, glaring at him.

“She said, ‘leave,’” A deep voice says to my left. I turn and see Kingston. He’s not even in this class.

“Fuck off, asshole.” Blaise snaps. “This is between her and I.”

“Actually, it’s not. Why don’t you go find my ex-fiancé and talk to her, you fuck.”

Shock hits me, and I turn to Kingston. “She’s your fiancé?”

“Ex-fiancé.” Kingston leans forward, closer to me and I get a whiff of his scent, which sends me into a panic. It's the same smell from the other night. The dream I had, or so I thought I had. Leaning closer and slowly, so he doesn’t know what I am going to do, he leans forward as well.

I snatch his shirt and yank. There on the left side of his neck is a hickey. A very deep purple hickey in the process of healing.

“Oh, my fucking shit; it was you!” I snap. The entire night comes back to me in full clarity. No wonder he didn’t feel like Blaise.

“Brinley, I can explain.”

“Brin, what happened, are you okay.”

“Go fuck off, swamp rat.”

“Fuck you, rich fuck.”

I listen to the guys throw taunts at one another as my mind swirls and my heart cries. The other night, it was Kingston. I told him I missed a few days on the pill, and he still fucked me anyway. Then the next morning, I fucked Blaise, thinking that it was him. He let me believe it was him.

Slowly, I turn to Kingston. “You knew.. you heard what I said. How could you?” He doesn’t say anything. No apology, no remorse. I turn to Blaise. “You told me you loved me and you lied to me, but right now, I think your lie hurts even more.”

I can’t handle anymore today, and I just got started. I need to get out of here. “I’m leaving, and don’t follow me.” I turn to glare at both of the guys, knowing one of these assholes will try to, so I do what I never thought I would, and I pull my phone out when I leave the classroom.

He picks up on the first ring. “Well, hey there, pretty girl, aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

“Can you come pick me up, please?”

“That bad, huh?”

“Yes.” I listen for a moment while he chuckles and tap my foot impatiently. “Well?”

“Well, you’re in luck. I happen to be in your part of town and can be out front in five-minutes.”

“Thank you.”

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