After 2

Chapter 102.

"Yea, of course I can do it. I just hope she doesn't go all psycho and clingy." Hardin laughed.

"Doubt it." Nate teased his friend and Hardin agreed.

"She isn't going to go for you, she doesn't seem that stupid." Zed spoke.

"Yea, so we need proof when you hit it." Jace laughed loudly.

"I've never fucked a virgin, this should be fun." Hardin smiled and rolled his lip ring between his fingers.

......

"It took longer than a month." I sob as Zed finishes explaining.

"I know, he kept coming up with excuses and he kept asking for more time and he would lower the amount he was supposed to get. It was weird. We all just thought he was obsessed with winning, like to prove a point. Once Steph found out, she was pissed and wanted Hardin to call it off but he wouldn't. It was all he talked about, then that day when I invited you to the movies he flipped out. After he dropped you back off, he totally flipped shit on me and said I had to stay away from you but I just laughed it off because I thought he was drunk." Zed stops talking for a second and his eyes scan my face.

"Did he.. did you tell you about the stream? And the.. other stuff?" I hold my breath as I ask.

The pity in his eyes answers me wordlessly.

"Oh my god." I put my hands over my face.

"He told us everything.. I mean everything.." He says in a low voice.

I stare out the window, letting the betrayal seep into every crack that Hardin has worked his way into.

"Where is your new dorm?" Zed asks and I notice we are near campus.

"I don't live in a dorm, Hardin and I .. " I can barely finish my sentence. "He convicted me to move in with him, just a week ago."

"He didn't." Zed gasps.

"He did. He's so beyond.. he's just.. cruel." I stutter.

"I didn't know it was going this far, I thought once we saw the she...you know, the proof.. he would be back to normal seeing a different girl every night. But then he disappeared, he has barely came around us at all expect the other night he showed up at the docks and was trying to get Jace and I to agree not to tell you. He offered Jace a shit load of money to keep quiet."

"Money?" I say. Hardin couldn't be lower.

"Yea, Jace laughed it off of course and told Hardin he would keep his mouth shut."

"And you didn't?" I ask, remembering Hardin's busted knuckles and Zed's face.

"Not exactly.. I told him that if he didn't tell you soon I would. He didn't like that idea, obviously." He says and waves at his face.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think he cares about you."

"He doesn't. And if he does, it doesn't matter." I say and lay my head against the window.

Every kiss and touch has been shared amongst Hardin's friends, every moment on display. My most intimate moments. My only intimate moments, aren't mine at all.

"Do you want to come back to my place? I don't mean that in a pushy or creepy way. I just have a couch you could stay on until you.. figure things out." He offers.

"No, no thank you. Can you just take me to my car?" I pray to god that Hardin is gone, or not outside at least.

Zed nods and for a moment my mind wanders to thoughts of how things would be different if I had not blown Zed off for Hardin after the bonfire. I would have never made all of these catastrophic mistakes.