AllFreeNovel
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“Since when do you give a damn about rules? Especially ones that you didn’t make?”
He pulls one hand from his pocket, a piece of gum pinched between his fingers. His eyes narrow as he pulls out his other hand and slowly unravels the wrapper. “Since things just got interesting.” He pops the gum in his mouth and balls the wrapper until it’s almost nonexistent.
Riley lets go, her cheeks stained with tears that have streaked her heavy foundation. Her eyes are painted with smears of mascara, and one look shows that her black tears have made a wet circle on my dress.
I glower back at Neo, who raises his hand with the balled-up wrapper. He flicks it away, grinning. “Are we done here?”
Growling, I roll my eyes, take Riley’s hand, and walk back to the dance. “What are we gonna do about this?” I ask Riley, leaving our next move up to The Guardian of this place.
"Girls’ bathroom. Stat.”
I’m thankful for that response because she needs a mirror and a napkin before she faces the crowd.
The annoying sound of Neo’s boots smacking against the pavement rings in my ears, and when it comes closer and even closer, I know he’s hot on our trail.
It’s no surprise when he follows us down the hall in the opposite direction of the dance. Riley and I enter the girls’ bathroom, and Neo follows. I stop in the doorway while Riley continues inside. My hands brace on either side of the open frame, pressing firmly against the white-painted brick. “You can’t come in here.”
Neo slaps my arm down and steps past me. “Try and stop me.”
“Neo!” I shout, unsure why I’m even bothering. Neo does whatever the fuck he wants.
I round the corner and spot Riley with her hands pressed to the freestanding porcelain sink. Her head is hung low and her blonde curls cascade around her face. “Ry,” I say, placing a hand on her shoulder, while ignoring Neo’s unwanted presence behind me. I lift my eyes, looking into the mirror, and see him with his foot kicked up on the wall. He’s wearing a shit-eating grin that says,knew you couldn’t stop me. In my defense, I didn’t even try, so I glower back at him. This is all a game to him. He pushes my buttons for a reaction, and I’m slowly learning not to give him one—though sometimes he makes it impossible not to react to his bullshit.
I squint my eyes, my brow furrowed.Quit staring at me.
Neo returns my look, tilting his head slightly toward his left shoulder.
He’s challenging me! God! What are we, children?Regardless, I won’t lose. I won’t look away first.
I curl my lip, refusing to blink. Neo is stubborn, but I am, too.
With a lift of his chin, he bites the corner of his bottom lip, and my breath shakes. The perk of this staring contest with Neo: he’s fucking beautiful. Like a piece of art you pass by in a museum and can’t help but backtrack to it, just to steal another glance. And once you do, you’re lost in it. It’s grungy with torn corners and splatters of nothing—but everything at the same time. Alluring and dark. You can’t make out the story of the piece, but you know it’s been to hell and back. The only difference is, Neo’s been to hell, but I’m not sure he’ll ever get out. He enjoys living in misery. He’s comfortable there.
Riley lifts her head and my heart jumps into my throat. My cheeks flush red and it’s a strange feeling. Like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t. Three solid minutes of staring right into the eyes of my adversary and for some strange reason, I want to look again.
Neo drops his foot from the wall and takes three spacious steps toward us. My chest quivers when his eyes come back to mine. Still watching me, he swoops an arm around Riley’s shoulder, which is odd considering Neo hates everyone, including Riley. “Come on, girl. Let’s get you out on the dance floor.”
Sniffling, Riley peers up at him. “You wanna dance?” She looks at me, as bewildered as I am.
“Fuck no,” Neo chortles. "But if I have to watch the waterworks, then everyone else should be forced to watch this shitshow, too.”
Riley dips out from under his arm, and before he can move, I shove my hands to his chest, pushing him to the wall he was just perched on. “You’re an asshole!'“
His head drops back and he stares at the ceiling in boredom. “Put me out of my misery already. If I see one more fucking tear, so help me—”
In one swift motion, I slap him hard across the face. I didn’t plan to and the sting in my open palm has me wishing I hadn’t.
Neo rolls his neck, jaw clenched. “Bitch!” he seethes. His fingers spiderweb and he grabs my wrist, squeezing so tight that I fear he’ll snap my bone. It’s not often Neo scares me, but his hold on me, paired with the wrathful look in his eyes, has my breath hitching.
How did we go from a lustful staredown to this in only a matter of minutes?Hormones.Those fucking bitches are always rationalizing Neo’s behavior and forcing me to fall under the spell of his toxicity. As long as I think with my head, I hate him. I despise him. I fuckingloathehim.
My heart races as Neo’s fingernails claw into my skin. One glance at his face displays proof of my slap. Widespread fingers and a palm print on the left cheek. After the way he’s been manhandling me, I’m not even sorry. “Let me go, jerk!” I tug my arm, trying to free it to no avail.
“You fucking slapped me, whore!”
“I’m not a whore! Dickhead!”
“You’re fucking my two best friends at the same time. I think whore is the appropriate title.”
