For as Sick as it May Seem

6 - I Will Break You Carefully

"Totally. But, while this all is a very big component to the issue, I don't think it's your main problem."

"You don't?"

"No. Now, I'm not defending Chris. I'm not saying that he should have said what he said or that what he did was right; but you and I of all people know that nobody's perfect. What I'm trying to get at is, while Chris certainly could have taken a bit of a...nicer approach, you did tell him that everything was fine. Again, not defending Chris in any way shape or form, but you're both at fault here. There has to be some sort of communication which clearly is not happening." Mandy says, "Have you talked to him since Friday?"

"No. He's tried calling and texting me and messaging me on social media and shit, but I've sort of been avoiding him. I don't really know what to say to him."

"What about Starbucks?"

"He wasn't there."

"Well the only advice I can give you is talk to him and be honest with him."

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, I mean, we were playing 'Strip Mortal Kombat'. I had him in his underwear for God's sake and I had told him earlier that day that he could feel free to 'over-step his boundaries' whenever he wanted."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"How can it not mean anything?" Cory asks. She sighs, "God, the one time someone tells me that they want me physically and I shoot them down. Maybe I should have - "

"Nope! Uh uh. No."

"But he said he wouldn't make me do anything I was uncomfortable with..."

"Cory, you're making it sound like his words alone made you uncomfortable, what the fuck makes you think you could do anything else? Do you even know what you want?"

"No, not really."

"Well you said so yourself. You want to be in love for your first time and you aren't even sure you're in love with Chris!"

Cory sighs, "Why does sex have to be so complicated?"

Mandy is about to respond, when she looks up and passed Cory.

"You sleezebag!" She exclaims.

Cory turns around to see who she said that to.

"Should I start running now or...?" Chris asks.

"You no good, low life, sick minded," Mandy starts, walking up to Chris, "mother fucking, self-centered, arrogant, perverted son of a bitch!" She exclaims, shoving him.

Cory runs over and grabs Mandy's hand, pulling her away, "Down, girl."

Mandy rips her hand away, "Let me at 'im!" She yells before running up to Chris.

Chris lifts Mandy up and over his shoulder. She begins to pound on his back with her fists and kick her feet. Chris walks over to Cory.

"I believe this is yours?" Chris says, putting Mandy down.

Mandy goes to pounce again when Cory grabs her.

"Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope." Cory says, dragging Mandy off.

"I can take him! Let me beat his scrawny ass!"

"No." Cory says, pulling out a five dollar bill, "Go to the candy store and buy some skittles to calm yourself down."

Mandy locks her jaw. She pauses, then snatches the five, "Fine." She mutters.

Cory walks off. Chris follows her to the back of the store.