The pain in my neck stops me from turning over when I get up in the morning. I massage it and close my eyes again. I'm tired and still very sleepy.
But the nagger that she is, Allyson comes to the bed beside me, saying, "Spill it, dickhead."
Dickhead? "We're back to name-calling I see," I roll my eyes at her, just like what she does all the time. Just last night, she was all over me. And now, she's completely turned 180 degrees, going back to her old self. I grumble at the pain again when I try to move.
"What's wrong with you?" With her tone and the expression on her face, for just even a second, I can see she's a bit concerned.
"Stiff neck!" I groan, moving slowly to move to my side.
But, that concern only lasts for a second. "Why are you in my room, Mark? Again!" she asks, looking annoyed now.
She still doesn't remember, does she? I shake my head in disbelief.
"Oh.." maybe upon realizing, she furrows her brows and I can see her cheeks turning red.
I huff, "Oh? That's all you can say after what you made me go through last night? Oh?"
I'm about to go full force on her, stating details of what she did. But, she buries her face on the pillow and I hear her sob.
Here we go again. I sigh.
When I hear her breathing hitching, I carefully get up and get her a glass of water. I want to cry, too, you know. Because I'm gonna lose my car, soon. Does she even realize that? She only cries for herself.
I go to my room and get a pill for hangover and go back to her room to let her take it.
"What's that?" she says between sobs.
"For your headache," I simply answer, pushing the pill towards her.
She sniffles a thanks. Then she narrows her eyes and looks at me suspiciously. "You're not drugging me, too, are you?"
Seriously? After what I've done for her, she thinks I'm gonna drug her? What kind of thinking does this girl have? Really? I take a deep breath, controlling my anger. "If you don't want, then don't." I try to grab it back from her but she puts it in her mouth before I do.
Her tears come out again when she says "Thank you." She looks down at her hands and all the anger leaves me. "And...I'm sorry!" She adds.
I just nod. She grabs onto my hand when I'm about to leave. I turn to look at her.
"How'd you know that he was gonna...?" She sobs some more.
I sit back down and sigh. "The bartender told me he saw him putting something in your drink." I tell her. "When I saw you going out and acting like you did, I followed." I look at her and all I see is hatred. Maybe not towards me, but to the guy who almost took advantage of her.
After I tell her about the whole story, she might look at me the same way.
"Why?" She asks, making me furrow my brows in confusion.
"What?"
"Why did you stop me?"
WHY? What does she want? "I just did, ok?" I want to point out to her that what I did was for the best. Did she prefer otherwise? "You should be glad I did." I snarl.
"Why didn't you...uhm...?"
Is she serious right now? I swear this girl asks the weirdest questions. "What do you mean? Why didn't I touch you?" I chuckle sarcastically. "What did you want me to do? Rape you?"
The fuck is this girl thinking?
"Look, Al." I'm really upset. What does she see me as? "I don't know what you think of me. Just because I sleep around doesn't mean I fuck whoever spreads their legs in front of me." That should shut her up. How dare her? I helped her, didn't I?
"I'm sorry," I feel her sincerity when she says it. But, that doesn't help the insult one bit.
I shake my head and leave the room, making a loud bang with the door behind me.
I know that she's angry and embarrassed. But, can't she just consider what I'm feeling right now? Does she have to rub it in my face that I fuck around? That I'm not the guy she wants? That I'm the meanest and most heartless person there is?
I lean my head on the wall, listening to her non-stop cries again. I've already predicted this. She'd be this way all week long, if not longer. I feel sorry, yet I can't do anything else. I've done my part.
I go to my room and call Dean. "Don't you even care about her?" I shout over the speaker.
"What?" The sleepy boy answers, shocked at my sudden outburst.
"It's high time you be a friend and come comfort Allyson, for Pete's sake." I say, gritting my teeth to avoid shouting again.
"Oh.." he keeps quiet. "Is she still crying?"
"What the fuck do you think? Do you expect her to be laughing right now? The hell's wrong with you guys? I thought you're her friends? Where the heck are you when she needs you. Get your asses down here right now!" The anger in me just comes out. I can't control myself any longer. I need somebody to watch her while I go out.
I have one other person to deal with before I talk to Allyson.
"Don't you tell her about the bet yet." I add. "I'll do it."
"Really?"
"Just come over here, you dumbass!"
____
I drive to my old apartment where I know I can find Alexander. I take a deep breath and hug my car one last time before getting out.
"Good bye, baby," I hit the hood and walk to the elevator.
Before I can even press the doorbell, the ass opens the door. "What do you want?"
I chuckle at his face. He has bruises all over and his lip has a small bandage over it. I roll my eyes and push him in. "Let's talk."
"Before you say anything," he starts as soon as we settle on the couch, "I was desperate, ok?" Although I want to shout, I keep quiet and listen. "I wasn't supposed to do that, but then....I heard..." he huffs, "you almost did it with her."
I look at him and glare. "You're crazy you know that?"
He smirks and looks down at his hands, "Yeah...I know. This bet has made me one. Allyson made me even crazier." He smiles then.
Has he...??
"Here," I throw him the keys to my car.
"Huh?" His shocked face turns to me. "What?"
"I concede. No rules, you said." I sigh. "Let's end this. I don't want any part of it anymore. We've hurt her more than I expect. This is going too far."
"But..."
"Don't you ever show your face in front of me, or Allyson ever again," I threat before storming out his unit.
The boys meet me up in a bar. I'm surprised to see Ashlie with them. What's she doing here?
"Why's she with you?" I ask Bam, whispering so she can't hear.
He shrugs his shoulders. "She said she has something to say."
Ashlie takes the seat beside me, giving me a smile and a peck on the cheek. Jackson, Bam and YG looks at me with furrowed brows. I just shake my head.
After getting our drinks, Ashlie turns to me and whispers, "Now that the bet's off, I guess you'd have more time with me, right?" Her hand goes to my legs and it moves further up. I grab on to it, stopping it from touching. "What?" she raises an eyebrow.
"Ashlie, please," I heave a sigh. "Not now. I'm tired."
Bam keeps on looking at us, maybe trying to understand what's going on. When he stands up to go to the bathroom, he pulls me up with him.
"Mark," he says, once we're out of ear shot. "Ashlie? What's going on between the two of you?"
"Please, Bam. I'm not in the mood to talk about that." I say.
"And what about Allyson, huh?"
"What about her?" I furrow my brows, looking annoyed.
"You like her, Mark."
"I..."
"Shut up!" He pinches my lips together. "You better admit it. She's changed you and you know that."
"I..."
"Ssshhh..." he glares at me angrily. "Just listen."
I swat his hand away from my mouth and cross my arms in front of me, ready to listen to what he has to say.
"Mark. I'm sure you don't feel anything for Ashlie. She's just a sex toy. But Allyson. Do you even realize you've had many chances on her but, why didn't you?"
"I..."
"Sh..."
Don't ask questions if you don't want answers bozo.
He continues. "Because you like her. You always protect her. You worry about her. That's when you know you like someone, Mark."
"She's my friend, Bam. My housemate. Of course I worry about her because we live together."
"Denial!" He scoffs.
"Whatever!" I roll my eyes and stomp back to our table.
I'll show him I don't like Allyson as more than a friend. I've never liked anyone before more than just that. I don't know if I can even start now. What I feel for Allyson is plain pity and sorry and guilty.
I immediately take the bottle from the table and tip it in my mouth, gulping as much as my mouth and throat would allow.
"Woah," Jackson pulls it down. "Chill!"
"I bet he's just angry because he just lost yet another car," JB comments. "Let him drink."
Junior chuckles. "He's lost his car. And tonight, he's gonna lose his girl."
Why are they all assuming that I like Allyson?
"Not for long," Ashlie chimes in, "Lose one, win one." Then she leans over to me, locking my head with her hands and kissing me like there's no tomorrow.
"What the fuck!" I push her, not even minding if it was too strong.
I get up and walk out the bar, leaving Ashlie and the boys behind to talk about me. I don't care. I still have one mission to accomplish tonight. That is to tell Allyson about the bet. After that? I don't know. Whether she kicks me out of the house, I really don't know.
But you would miss her.
Damn it! Here goes my crazy self talking to me again. Shut up!
You like her.
I don't. I'll show you, you fuckin' son of a bitch!
Let's see you go up the apartment where the girl is. I bet you won't last a minute without wanting to kiss her.
Wanting to kiss her is different from liking her. She said so herself.
See? You even sound like her now.
Fuck!
What's wrong with liking somebody anyway? You're single, she's single. What's stopping you?
I'm not the right man for her. I'll just hurt her.
So, you're admitting that you DO like her.
I get in the apartment, and the first person I see is her. Why does she have to look so damn beautiful at a time like this. Even though her eyes are puffy from crying and her hair a mess, she still looks like a fuckin' goddess.
"If it isn't the hero!" Dean greets me, getting up and giving me a fist-bump. "You've been the talk of the club after you've beaten down Alexander. He was so mauled up, man." He laughs.
I know...I've seen him just earlier. I just smirk. "He deserved it," I say. I look at Allyson and she's still staring at me.
Don't do this, Allyson. You don't deserve me. You don't like me even.
So, I sit beside Tara, grabbing the chance to show her and to myself that I'm an ass. I turn to face the girl beside me and smirk. I put one hand over her shoulder and she seems to be liking it.
I see Allyson closing her eyes. I continue with Tara. I can already hear her breath hitching when I run my fingers on her shoulder.
Tara takes at it, putting her hand on my thigh and squeezing it. She bites her lips.
If it were any other time, I would've pulled her to my room already. But, I don't feel anything. There's nothing there...only frustration. I feign a weak laugh before I stand up and head to my room.
The talk with Allyson would have to wait then until tomorrow. She seems to be getting over the incident quickly with her 'friends' supporting her. I just hope they stay with her until she sleeps. I don't want to be hearing any crying again tonight.
I like her....but I don't. Confusing? Don't worry. I'm more confused that anybody else.