Page 18 of Make Me Mean It

I get to the end of the sentence before I hear what I’ve actually fucking said, and every word seems to hang there between us, impossible to take back.

Oh, God.

No.

Theo goes completely still.

The change is so immediate that my stomach lurches. Every trace of amusement disappears from his face, his eyes turning cold enough that the apology is already pushing up my throat.

“Bold choice of words, princess.” There’s nothing playful in his voice now. “From where I was standing, you needed the help.”

The apology catches.

Because I did need his help. I know I did, and somehow having him point it out makes everything already twisting inside me pull that much tighter.

“I could’ve managed,” I argue instead, hating how weak it sounds even to me.

Theo scoffs under his breath and yanks the hoodie properly into place, muttering something I don’t catch.

“What?”

“Nothing.” His voice has gone completely flat. “Have a great night, Reid.”

Reid.

The name sounds wrong coming from him, stripped of all the amusement that usually makes me want to strangle him, and by the time he turns away, the argument dies on my tongue.

Shit.

“Theo.”

He keeps walking.

The apology is there. I know what I need to say, but somehow getting the words out feels impossible when my chest has pulled painfully, and every version of them sounds worse than the last.

I swear under my breath and hurry after him, catching his wrist before he reaches the door.

Theo stops.

The easy looseness he carries everywhere is gone, his shoulders rigid beneath my fingers. He looks back at me, then down at where I’m holding him.

I let go, shoving my hands into my pockets, not knowing what else to do with them.

“I didn’t mean—”

“What?”

My head lifts, and the rest of the apology disappears. Theo has turned fully towards me, his eyes fixed on mine, every trace of that lazy amusement from earlier gone.

“Huh?” he presses, stepping towards me, and I take one back, my shoulders pulling up when he follows.

“You think what?” Theo snaps, shoving a hand through his wet hair. “Because I’m gay, I’ll force myself on any guy?”

My stomach drops so violently I feel sick.

“Theo-” His name catches on the way out. “Fuck. No- I wouldn’t-”

I shake my head, trying to get the words into the right order, but they keep tripping over each other.