2:29 AM

Chapter Forty-Two

It's Friday and Colton and I are going to a movie later. After school I hung out at his place and we ate dinner. Then he helped me get everything from his apartment so I could go and stay somewhere else. I'm not going home. I know that. I end up driving to the hospital. I can talk to Auntie, or I can probably convince Victoria to let me stay with her and Mason.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about Bryce. I don't know what it means for me and Colton. I feel guilty for what I've done, how I've been acting with Bryce, but the guilt isn't stopping me. I just...I don't know what it means.

Colton.

Prom is in three weeks. I have this bad feeling that I won't be going with Colton. I don't think we're going to make it.

I keep thinking about gym, flashing back to Bryce being in top of me. "Because sweetheart... the things I would do to you." Oh, God. I have no control when I'm around Bryce. Fuck, I need to get him out of my head.

I grab my backpack and two duffel bags and walk into the hospital, heading for my locker. There aren't any interns in the locker room to ask me questions. I could just stay with Auntie but I can't, at least not now. I think I need to be by myself. After I shove all of my stuff into the locker I sit down on a bench and let my head fall into my hands.

I sigh and look at my watch. I should probably leave soon. I stand up and walk over to the sink. I pull my hair into a high ponytail, adjusting my bangs. I stare at my reflection. My piercing blue eyes stare back at me, they look striking with my ebony hair and greyish-blue cami. I debate putting on lipgloss and end up with chapstick. I'm not sure why I care so much about my appearance.

I shake my head as I grab my phone and earbuds and my backpack, walking out of the locker room to my car. I turn on the radio and my mind drifts to Bryce, like it does all too often these days.

Ten minutes later I'm walking into the entrance of the movie theater. I scan the room and don't see Colton, so I pull out my phone.

Hey, where are you? I text.

sry. running late. u can go in without me.

Are you sure?

yeah, i'll see u later.

I shake my head and buy a ticket for the movie we're seeing. It's some action one, similar to James Bond or something. Colton was the one that wanted to see it. After I get my ticket I get a stuff from concessions: a large slushie, small popcorn with extra butter and a pack of Trolli Sour Worms.

I dangle the candy between my lips and find my way into theater 13. I walk to the up the stairs to the back row that's tucked into the corner. I smirk when I see a guy and girl almost doing it. There's three open seats next to them. I roll my eyes and make my way over to the open seats.

I'm about to tell them to let me through but for some reason I stop. The guy stops what he's doing with the chick at the same time that I freeze. He pulls away, looking up, and his eyes meet mine.

Oh, God no.

It's Bryce. I'm not sure what to do. He straightens up when he sees me and pushes the chick off of him. Fuck, I can't let him know that he's affecting me. I roll my eyes and walk towards the seat that I want.

I can't say anything to him without looking like a retard because of the candy that I have between my lips. I try to get past him, but he grabs my hip and takes the candy from my mouth.

"Where might you be going?" he asks.

"I was just trying to get to my seat, Bryce," I tell him. He shrugs and puts the candy in his lap, right by his junk. The girl next to him coughs. I look at her for the first time. Generic features, maybe a decent rack. There's nothing remarkable about her. "Can I have my candy back?" He shakes his head. I sigh and set my popcorn and soda down by the girl's feet.