Page 51 of Only When We Fall
“Youdruggedme,” I say accusingly. My voice echoes off the alley walls, sharp and unforgiving. “You took advantage of me. You violated my trust. Then tonight, you tried to humiliate Kai using somethinghe told me in confidence. What the hell is wrong with you?”
He smirks as though it’s all one big joke. “Look, don’t get so emotional. Girls love a tragic Romeo. It’ll work out well for him. Besides,” he leans closer, his breath sour, “you seemed pretty comfortable at my place. No complaints that night, as I recall.”
I don’t flinch. I take one step forward and I kick him,hard, right between the legs. He lets out a strangled noise and doubles over, hands between his knees, face contorted in pain.
“Trythaton someone who doesn’t know exactly what you are,” I say, voice ice. “You come near me again and Iwillreport you. I don’t care who believes me. Iwillmake sure everyone knows what you did.”
He groans but manages a laugh, it’s breathless and bitter. “You really think your little boyfriend’s any better than me?”
I stiffen. Landon straightens slowly, still wincing. “He ran off to that bar by the viaduct. Full of freshers. Word’s out now, howsadandbrokenhe is. Poor little Kai. Girls are flocking.” Something sharp twists in my gut. He grins. “You should’ve seen him. All wide-eyed and miserable with that tragic backstory. Honestly? Never seen him pull so much attention in one go.”
“Liar,” I whisper, my voice cracking.
“Am I? Go and see for yourself. But don’t come crawling back to me when he turns out exactly like his dad. A drunk.”
I don’t say a word. I spin on my heel and head towards the bar.
Kai
I don’t even remember walking here. One minute, I’m choking on the heat of that room, on the looks, on the silence. The next, I’m in a bar, surrounded by sticky floors, cheap neon and music that’s too loud for the size of the place. My hoodie’s half-zipped and someone’s already handed me a shot I didn’t ask for.
Word travels fast, I guess.
Girls keep looking over. Smiling. A couple drift close like moths to a flame. They think they can fix me. I snort a laugh, knocking back another drink.
“Are you okay?” one of them asks, her hand lightly brushing my arm. “That poem, was that really about you?”
I shrug. “Does it matter?”
She giggles. “Just didn’t expect someone like you to be so . . . deep.”
Another girl slides into the booth beside me before I can reply. “You want to talk about it?” she coos. “We can be sad together.”
I don’t even know their names. I knock back another drink and force a smile. “I’m good, thanks.”
I’m not.I feel hollow. Stripped. Like someone cracked me open in front of a crowd and now people are crawling into the mess, trying to make sense of it. Ofme.
More girls join. Laughing. Tossing hair. Dropping words likebraveandsweet. It makes me want to scream.
Because none of them know me. They just want to be seenwithme. Like grief is fashionable now.
I close my eyes and rest my head back against the booth. I didn’t come here to be found. I came here to disappear.
Emmie
The moment I step inside, I spot him. He’s slouched in a booth near the back; head tipped against the wall like he’s trying to disappear into it. A few girls hover nearby, smiling too brightly, laughing at things he hasn’t said.
He’s not laughing. He’s not even really there.
My chest tightens at the sight of him, at how tired he looks, how wrecked. Like tonight ripped him wide open and he’s still bleeding from it.
One of the girls leans in, touching his shoulder. Another nudges a drink closer to his hand.
I walk up without a word.
They look at me, mildly confused, a little smug. One raises a brow like she’s already gearing up to dismiss me. I don’t shout. I don’t lose it. I just say, calmly, “Can you leave us alone, please?” There’s something in my voice that makes them blink with uncertainty. “He’s with me,” I add, for clarification.
The first girl straightens. “We were just being nice –”
