The Checklist (Explicit Version)

Chapter 14

Nellie's jaw dropped at her audacity, but she wasn't the first to speak up. I surprised everyone in the room when I barked a loud laugh, shoving my pants back up.

"You went through something together," I repeated, deadly calm. Valerie stiffened in surprise, but I was already continuing, "He cheated on me. With you. You both brought this onto yourself, and you wanna act like victims? As if you guys having sex was all the alcohols fault? As if you have no control over yourselves? Just admit that he was hurt, and you took advantage of the situation. That you both fucked up. Own up to it, because this is freaking embarrassing, Valerie. You are a grown ass woman. You messed up. Just accept it. And stop acting like you inviting him isn't a way to get back at me. We all know it is."

She opened her mouth, but she was too dumbfounded to speak. So I spoke for her. "We have less than two months until our lease ends. So stop poking the bear and respect that you guys messed up and leave me alone. And tell that to Remi the next time you see him, please."

It took a few seconds for Valerie to find her voice. When she did, she hardened her expression and stepped back, not taking her eyes off mine. "You have to respect that we're friends."

"Then you have to respect that I don't want to see him in here."

Seeing me as a challenge, she pushed her shoulders back and glanced at Nellie with a malicious smirk before she drawled, "Then you stop bringing your fuck buddy here when I'm home. Just because we don't share a wall, doesn't mean I don't hear you."

Okay... definitely didn't want to know that.

In the corner of my eye, I caught Nellie frowning in my direction. "You're what? Since when are you sleeping with someone? You told me your rebound ditched you."

"Oh, he definitely didn't ditch her," Valerie deadpanned before I could conjure up a reply. "I guess they must be quiet enough that you can't hear them, huh? I wonder why that could be..."

"Okay, Valerie. Get out." I didn't wait for her to say anything else. I crossed the distance separating us and started to push her out, but she was already laughing gleefully, knowing that the information she exposed would put me in hot water. She happily moved out of the way before I slammed the door with an exaggerated breath.

We barely stood in silence before Nellie demanded, "What the hell, Althea?"

Full name. I'm in trouble.

Spinning around, I raised my arms defensively. "Listen—"

"What else have you been hiding from me?" Her tone was accusing before her eyes shot over my room, as if expecting to find another dirty secret. "Tattoo. Mysterious sex friend. Is this the same friend from the beginning? A new one? What the hell is going on with you, Althea? You were never this reckless—"

"What am I doing that's reckless?" I shot back, suddenly angry with her statement. "So what I have a tattoo? Who cares! Tattoos are a way for people to express what they like. What they feel."

"If this is about Myles—"

"It's not just about Myles!" I exclaimed, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. "Okay, it is. But you've been so hard on him, since the beginning. You don't even know him. You're just judging him just because of how he looks."

"You would have done the same," she stated harshly, and I flinched. "You were the same. We grew up in Detroit, Allie. Our parents told us how to be safe. School told us how to avoid becoming another fucking statistic. To people who look like him—"

"He's not like that!" I shouted, feeling so angry. Annoyed. Disappointed. Had I always been this judgmental before Myles? "He's kind. He listens. I just wish you would give him a chance."