My Brother's Playboy Best Friend

15

"Oh, Stiles," he says.

I flinch. It's Vince. No. Why did the other silhouette leave me with him? He places a hand on my wrist and I remove it from his grip. I don't want him touching me. I don't want to forgive him anymore. He doesn't deserve it. Why is he here anyway? Did he finally realize how much he has wronged me? Did he realize I didn't deserve this?

"Let's get you up, okay?" he says gently.

I don't want to speak to him. I don't want him there. I want Parker, or Neil, or Aaron even. Aaron is a sexist misogynistic son of a bitch, but he never hurt me. I let Vince pull me up. I can't help how limp my limbs are. Vince brings me closer to the street. A streetlight shines in his face. He looks like he's about to cry. I don't get it. Why is he helping me?

"I didn't know, Stiles. I swear," he tells me.

Oh. My hazy mind is slow but I get it anyway. Eve tricked him. Okay. It doesn't matter. I'm too tired for this. Vince tries to help me walk and I almost fall.

"God, why didn't you tell me?" he asks dumbly, somehow not realizing he's not making any sense.

I don't reply, trying to keep myself together. I feel like I might faint any minute.

Vince keeps rambling. "You really thought I did this to you," he asks, his voice hot with newfound anger.

I think he's angry at himself, mostly. At Eve too probably. Maybe even at me. Just a bit.

"I can't believe you thought I'd hurt you." I shudder.

His eyes harden until he's glaring at me. There's the Vince I know. There's the Vince I'm afraid of. The one who can't control his emotions. The only Vince who would hurt me.

"You're ignoring me?" His voice now trembles with fury.

I hold my breath. He's going to take it all out on me if he keeps angering himself this way. I'm too weak to stop it. Too weak to stop him.

"I bet you enjoyed seeing me suffer. You thought I deserved it didn't you! You thought you could fuck around with Neil to try and get to me! Didn't you Hazel!"

I whine, crying harder. His grip on me tightens. It hurts. Why does he always hurt me?

"You're just a fucking—" There's an impact, right in Vince's face and he stumbles to the ground.

I lose balance too but a hand wraps around my shoulders and keeps me steady.

"You really can't be fucking trusted with her, huh?" Neil screams.

"I didn't do anything!"

I want them to stop at once. There's sharp pain deep in my chest. Neil sets me against the wall and walks over to Vince. They both have their fists out, about to fight. Vince's nose is bleeding. My heart squeezes at the sight. It's all my fault. I limp up to them with urgency.

"Don't hurt him, please!" I yell as loud as my weak body allows me, my eyes squeezed shut.

There's a surprised silence. I open my eyes to see Neil's hurt expression. I'm standing in front of Vince, shielding him. Neil takes a few steps back.

"It's always him, isn't it?" he asks me ever so softly, his voice raw and honest.

I bite back a new wave of tears. I didn't mean to hurt him so much. Neil leaves after slipping a word about the cheerleaders being brought to the authorities. A hand slips on my waist slowly. Vince chuckles proudly in my ear.

"I see you've made your choice." He sounds so happy and proud and fucking shallow.

Am I just a price he wanted to win? Am I just an object he wanted to steal from Neil? Am I just another trophy to add to his collection? I feel sick in my stomach. I want to throw up. A few minutes ago, he was ready to curse me out and, hell, maybe even hurt me because I reacted accordingly to the threats of his girlfriend. He was ready to hurt me because I liked another guy. He was ready to hurt me. To hurt me. The one he pretends to like right now. I only now realize what an awful guy he is. Behind that perfect smile and lighthearted behaviour, he's prideful, vain and such an hypocrite. I can't believe I have ever loved him. I must have been blind. I push him off weakly, walking out of the alley.

"Leave me alone, Vince." My voice cracks. "I mean it."

I keep walking. My whole body hurts. I want to go back home. I take my phone out. Thankfully it still works though the screen has been broken. I call a number and the person picks up almost immediately.

"Hazel?" Parker asks.

"Please. Come get me. Please," I cry out a plea.

"I'm coming."