A Part of My Memory

Zara

"What are you doing?" Serena growled at Jonah.

"Nothing," Jonah said simply. "She's just being a little bitch."

"Don't you dare call her that!" I boomed.

"What are you going to do about it?" Jonah challenged and before I could do something that would get me hurt a hand caught my arm.

Kyle.

"Jonah, why's the lady crying?" Kyle asked.

"The lady and I have been flirting for years and yet," Jonah looked at Ally. "She doesn't want to join me in bed."

My mouth dropped open. He wanted to sleep with her, he'd insisted even after she refused and now he wasn't letting her go and was calling her a bitch because of that. What a bastard.

I looked to Ryan, waiting for his response and my jaw only dropped further when he said, "that's what this is about? Let her go, Jonah, you can literally sleep with anyone you want, there's no need to chase the poor lady, you can find someone who's better, willing and less emotional."

"What did you just say?" I demanded, removing my hand from Kyle's grip.

"Better, willing, and less emotional?" Faizah echoed, her voice full of barely contained rage.

"There is no one better than Ally!" Serena proclaimed. "And that's why this punk is so desperate."

"Are you seriously downplaying my friend and defending this prick?" I questioned.

"I didn't mean it like that," Kyle said.

"You meant it exactly like that," I retorted then groaned. "I thought you came to defend her but you're just an asshole."

"You girls are just babies," Jonah butted in. "I bet if you knew that the only reason Kyle invited you here was to charm you to sleep with him, you would break into tears as well."

My gaze slowly shifted from Jonah to Kyle, "is that true?"

"Zara..." Kyle sighed, and he didn't need to say anything now, the answer was obvious.

This whole night, he was only being kind because he wanted to get with me. Not because he really liked me. I felt a sting behind my eyes but I was not about to give Jonah—or Kyle—the satisfaction of seeing me cry. This was why I stayed away from guys. This was why I stepped back before they got too close. This was the reason why I didn't date, I wanted to avoid the familiar and painful feeling that came with being rejected, but in this case, used. I had actually started to take a liking to Kyle, and this was what I got for it.

"This is the part where you leave," Reed broke through the crowd and moved Kyle out of the way and away from us. "Now."

Kyle glanced at me before mumbling, "whatever," and descending back to the basement.

Rather than leaving like Kyle had, Jonah didn't let go of Ally and continued talking to her. "I thought you would have changed the last time I saw you, but you're still just a..." he shot me a pointed glance when he said, "bitch." I sneered but Jonah only let out a long sigh and looked back at Ally. "Don't you say you like to have fun? Then why won't you have fun with me?"

"I can't," her voice broke. "I promised myself that I wouldn't."

Despite Ally's wild nature, she was still a virgin, like all of us. She had almost given in to the temptation but when she found out that her boyfriend of three months was only with her to sleep with her, she ended it and we all made an oath that we wouldn't sleep with anyone until we were married. Ally had almost broken that oath several times, but with our help, she had managed to walk away each time.