Page 22 of Playing By Their Rules

“Heck,” I mutter. “Heck! This was a mistake.”

“It didn’t turn out exactly like you wanted, but that doesn’t mean it was a mistake,” Bradley says.

“I feel like an idiot.”

“Don’t,” he says. “Don’t do this to yourself. I know you feel rejected, you’re trying to get their attention and it didn’t work. Maybe move on?”

I shake my head. “I can’t. I want to, but I can’t. They…they have what I want. They are who I want. Honestly, I thought maybe I’d step into their classrooms and the spell would be broken, that I’d worked them up into these…these gods in my head, and the reality wouldn’t compare. But they’re still who they are, and I still…. Ugh, this is embarrassing, Bradley, but I still want them.”

“Do you want them, or their dominance?”

“I—” Did I ever tell him about the dominant, freaky stuff? I didn’t. “I never told you about that.”

He gives me a get real look. “I can guess.”

“How?” I’m mortified. “Am I walking around with a sign on my ass that says spank me?”

“Relax, it’s only because I’ve known you for so long, and I see them, and I see you, and it’s just…I don’t know. I have a lot of sex. I can tell, I guess.”

I cover my face with my hands. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Maisie. Dude. We’re best friends. We just pretended to fuck in a classroom to piss off your crush. I don’t think you should be embarrassed, okay?”

“Well, I am,” I mumble.

“Look,” Bradley says slowly, “you’re kinky. I get it. Come to terms with what you need, and ask for it.”

“But they won’t—”

“You’re right, they won’t. These assholes aren’t going to give you what you need, and you probably shouldn’t try to find it with a random dude here at school. And apps are risky, especially for noobs.”

“Well, then, I guess I’ll remain a virgin forever.”

“Nah. Something else will happen for you if these guys can’t pull their heads out of their asses.” He gives me a reassuring smile. “There is a place for kinky people like you, though.”

My face is hot because he just came out said I’m kinky, but he isn’t wrong. “You—you know of a kinky place?”

“I heard a rumor once, from one of my regular hook-ups. She let something slip about Vice.”

“We’ve been there,” I say. “It’s just a club.”

“One side of it is just a club. There’s another part to it, though, behind the public club. Possibly. It’s just a rumor, but we could go check it out, see if we can get in.”

“But what is it? A place for kinky people to hang out?”

“Exactly. I mean, my imagination ran wild when she mentioned it and I’m picturing a massive sex club, but it’s probably just a bar where, yeah, kinky people go to socialize.”

“Let’s go,” I say, giving a little hop on the sidewalk. “Let’s go right now.”

He shakes his head with regret. “I can’t tonight. Friday?”

“I work on Friday,” I say.

“Sucks, but that’s your best day for tips, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I can’t blow off a Friday night. Saturday?”

“I have a family thing. How about Sunday?”

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