Page 66 of The Sound Of Silence

Instead of focusing on his truthful words, the ones that hurt the most, I hone in on the lie. “You can’t use Pippa as an excuse when it’sfake.”

“Is it?” he counters immediately and my stomach drops. “You barely know me and yet you were so quick to trust me.”

“Because I knew the two of you were lying.”I should just tell him Pippa told me, but I promised her I wouldn’t, and I want to see how far he’ll take it.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he says, making my insides squirm. “You know nothing. This was just a sick little game to me. Wanting to test how far I could push you. To see if I could make you betray your sister.”

Tears prick the back of my eyes, but I hold strong. I can’t believe he’s lying. He’s purposely trying to hurt me. To push me away.I know there’s no love between them.

There’s no love between us either.Jesus.

I want to scream. To beg him to tell me the truth. But it’s pointless. If he wants me to believe he just cheated on his girlfriend, that means hewantsme to feel like shit. Hewantsme to feel the pain. Hewantsme to hate him.

“Was it all a lie?” I whisper, my eyes penetrating his, needing to see his expression when he undoubtedly lies again.

“No,” he rasps, his emotionless state locked in place.

“Was any of it?”

“Yes.”

Oh God.Which part?

My body heats again but for an entirely different reason. I’m angry, I’m nauseous, but mostly, I’m embarrassed. I’ve never trusted someone so blindly like I did Jesse, and he ruined me.

“Do you kiss her?” I ask, even though I know the answer.

“No,” he states plainly. And while he remains mostly stoic, his nostrils flare ever so slightly as he adds, “but Ifuckher.”

“You’re lying,” I cry out, hiding none of my emotions so he can feel the hurt he’s inflicting. “You’re fucking lying.” My voice breaks as a foreign pain radiates through me.

Jesse’s expression wavers as his fists clench at his sides. “Don’t push me on this, Willow.”

“Why?” I say, needing him to spell it out. “Why?”

“Because you don’t know me! You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

“You’re right. I don’t. It hasn’t even been a week. I can easily move on.” I lie through my teeth. “Iwilleasily move on,” I add, hoping for some kind of reaction. And I get it. It’s just not the reaction I wanted.

“Good,” Jesse says, his cocky facade back in place. “Consider yourself one and done like the rest of my hook-ups.”

Without looking at me again, he leaps out of the water and grabs his towel as he walks away. He shoves the door as if to slam it shut, but catches it at the last second, closing it softly, and the action is like a metaphor for his personality.

I wait a second to make sure he’s not coming back before I sag under the water again, immersing myself in the warmth. Hoping like hell I can wash away the remnants of everything that just happened. His words, the look in his eyes, histouch. Mostly his touch.

Five minutes ago it set me on fire; now it burns me inside.

When I’m almost out of breath, I push to the surface and drop my head in my hands. Allowing Jesse to get that close couldn’t have been more stupid. Allowing anyone to get that close to me is stupid. But his reaction might very well break me. I need the full story.

Drying off my hands, I grab my phone to text Pippa, but stare at the screen for a few minutes before pulling myself together enough to actually type out a message. I need to know the whole truth, and what better way to find out than by going to the source. Releasing a breath, I click on Pippa’s name.

Willow: Are you still coming home for that walk and chat?

I should be honest with her, but I’m not ready to face what happened, so how do I explain it?

Pippa: Mom and I are still chatting. I feel bad leaving since I’m going home tomorrow. But I can come back now if you need me?

The reminder that they’re leaving tomorrow is the last straw, and tears fill my eyes. I tell Pippa I’m fine before disappearing back into the water, only dropping my phone at the last second. I’m not fine. In fact, I’ve only ever beenlessfine once in my life. And that event is currently haunting me.

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