makes me feel comfortable and stylish. I roll my eyes. Whatever. I don’t care what they think of me or what I wear. Whatever makes them feel better about themselves.
“Guess that’s what he’s into. Maybe that’s what you’ve been doing wrong. Got to downplay it a little. Makes sense with how quiet he is. You should try it and see how he reacts to you.” I don’t recognize the other girl’s voice. I shake my head. I can’t deal with these girls. Not that I blame them for wanting Ren’s attention. It’s consuming and intoxicating and I’m addicted to it myself.
I hear a huff of annoyance. “Maybe I should cut my losses. I mean, did you see the bruises on her face? Looks like Ren likes to smack girls around, and I’m not letting anyone fuck with this perfection.”
I’m out of the bathroom stall before I can even stop myself. “You can talk all you want about me, but don’t you dare talk about Ren like that.” I point my finger at Kristen, and both girls stand there in shock with their mouths open like fish. I don’t know if they’re more shocked that I’m pissed and calling them on it, or that they’ve been caught gossiping and spreading lies. “Ren is the sweetest, gentlest man in the world and he’s never laid a hand on me.” I glare at her. “Well he’s laid some, but I promise they didn't leave a mark. They’ve all been ones I’ve enjoyed, but you wouldn’t know anything about that, because my Ren barely gives you the time of day.”
Kristen’s eyes narrow and she opens her mouth to speak.
“Don’t,” I cut her off. “I don’t know what your problem is, but Ren doesn’t want you. That doesn’t make it okay for you to say that shit. Talk about me all you want, but leave Ren’s name out of your mouth.”
“Or what?” Kristen snaps.
I pause for a second, unsure what the what is. Not like I’m going to hit her or something. I’ve been on the receiving end of a few blows myself and I wouldn’t ever do that to someone. Kristen is nothing more than a sad girl lashing out at the world. It doesn't make it right, but different people react different ways, and I suddenly feel sorry for her. Who knows what’s going on at her own house or why she’s so desperate to latch onto some guy to go away to college with.
“Or I’ll make the last few months here hell for you.” I turn at Ren’s voice and see him standing in the entry to the girls’ bathroom. “You know I can, Kristen.”
I think she’s going to say something else, but his words must hold some weight. I know Ren doesn’t do all the social stuff at school, but I can tell he’s popular, even if he doesn’t like that he is. Kristen grabs her bag and stomps out of the bathroom, her friend following her.
“What did she say?” he asks as I make my way to him.
“Said you left the bruise on me.” I absently reach up and touch my cheek.
“I don’t mean about me, babe. You said, ‘You can talk all you want about me, but don’t you dare talk about Ren.’ I want to know what she said about you and how come it’s okay for her to spread her shit about you but not okay for her to do it about me.”
“Doesn't matter what she said about me.”
“Yeah it does, and it pisses me off you don’t think it matters. It fucking matters. You matter.” My eyes water at his words, because I know how much I do matter to Ren. He makes me feel like I’m his whole world, and if something hurts me I know it will hurt him. I need to heal from my past so we can move on together.
“That fucker made you feel like you don’t. Made you carry guilt about your own mother dying. So much so you don’t think you matter or that you’re worth fighting for. He did that to you so that when he’d lash out at you, you wouldn’t fight back.”
A tear slides down my face. “She was coming to pick me up from school. I stayed late to work on a project in the library and she didn’t want me walking. If I’d left sooner before it got dark,
“Guess that’s what he’s into. Maybe that’s what you’ve been doing wrong. Got to downplay it a little. Makes sense with how quiet he is. You should try it and see how he reacts to you.” I don’t recognize the other girl’s voice. I shake my head. I can’t deal with these girls. Not that I blame them for wanting Ren’s attention. It’s consuming and intoxicating and I’m addicted to it myself.
I hear a huff of annoyance. “Maybe I should cut my losses. I mean, did you see the bruises on her face? Looks like Ren likes to smack girls around, and I’m not letting anyone fuck with this perfection.”
I’m out of the bathroom stall before I can even stop myself. “You can talk all you want about me, but don’t you dare talk about Ren like that.” I point my finger at Kristen, and both girls stand there in shock with their mouths open like fish. I don’t know if they’re more shocked that I’m pissed and calling them on it, or that they’ve been caught gossiping and spreading lies. “Ren is the sweetest, gentlest man in the world and he’s never laid a hand on me.” I glare at her. “Well he’s laid some, but I promise they didn't leave a mark. They’ve all been ones I’ve enjoyed, but you wouldn’t know anything about that, because my Ren barely gives you the time of day.”
Kristen’s eyes narrow and she opens her mouth to speak.
“Don’t,” I cut her off. “I don’t know what your problem is, but Ren doesn’t want you. That doesn’t make it okay for you to say that shit. Talk about me all you want, but leave Ren’s name out of your mouth.”
“Or what?” Kristen snaps.
I pause for a second, unsure what the what is. Not like I’m going to hit her or something. I’ve been on the receiving end of a few blows myself and I wouldn’t ever do that to someone. Kristen is nothing more than a sad girl lashing out at the world. It doesn't make it right, but different people react different ways, and I suddenly feel sorry for her. Who knows what’s going on at her own house or why she’s so desperate to latch onto some guy to go away to college with.
“Or I’ll make the last few months here hell for you.” I turn at Ren’s voice and see him standing in the entry to the girls’ bathroom. “You know I can, Kristen.”
I think she’s going to say something else, but his words must hold some weight. I know Ren doesn’t do all the social stuff at school, but I can tell he’s popular, even if he doesn’t like that he is. Kristen grabs her bag and stomps out of the bathroom, her friend following her.
“What did she say?” he asks as I make my way to him.
“Said you left the bruise on me.” I absently reach up and touch my cheek.
“I don’t mean about me, babe. You said, ‘You can talk all you want about me, but don’t you dare talk about Ren.’ I want to know what she said about you and how come it’s okay for her to spread her shit about you but not okay for her to do it about me.”
“Doesn't matter what she said about me.”
“Yeah it does, and it pisses me off you don’t think it matters. It fucking matters. You matter.” My eyes water at his words, because I know how much I do matter to Ren. He makes me feel like I’m his whole world, and if something hurts me I know it will hurt him. I need to heal from my past so we can move on together.
“That fucker made you feel like you don’t. Made you carry guilt about your own mother dying. So much so you don’t think you matter or that you’re worth fighting for. He did that to you so that when he’d lash out at you, you wouldn’t fight back.”
A tear slides down my face. “She was coming to pick me up from school. I stayed late to work on a project in the library and she didn’t want me walking. If I’d left sooner before it got dark,
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