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“Sounds like your consolation prize is a non-profit. Is that what you asked for?”
I flew on the defensive then.
“It wasn’t like that,” was my protest. “They really like me; we talked. They feel something for me. It’s real, I swear.”
But suddenly, I didn’t know if I was trying to convince Elaine or myself. The air in the room grew heavy, invading my lungs and making it difficult to breathe. Was this the Twilight Zone? Was I in some nightmare where waking up was impossible?
But my buddy shook her head slowly, casting a sympathetic look my way.
“Katie, Katie, how many of the other girls do you think said the same thing? You’re not the only one.”
My head fell into my hands, defeated and lost. But Elaine continued, trying to make things better.
“This was your first experience with men, you’re so innocent and don’t know how ruthless certain alphas can be. How could you have known? It was all so sudden, they basically breezed into town and steamrolled an unsuspecting virgin.”
The words made me curdle inside. Because she was right. As much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t, it was true. How many times had Mason, Kane and Tyler pronounced that my innocence was one of the things they adored most about me? My head swam painfully, overcome with the implications.
But Elaine was on a roll now, intent on helping me, even if all it did was hurt.
“Katie, they used you. Those guys don’t care about you. They don’t care about anybody other than themselves. If it makes you feel better, it wasn’t you, per se. It’s just the way they are, women are a playthings and nothing else. And unfortunately, you were their target this time.”
Elaine stood up and began to gather up clothes from around the room as she continued.
“I’m so glad Bobby hasn’t had much contact with those douchebags since college because they are definitely not husband material. Can you imagine bringing someone like that home to meet your mother? I think not.”
My lip quivered as I tried to hold my tears at bay. Was this really happening? Oh god, oh god. But Elaine continued, not looking at me.
“They’re a bunch of playboys who love gangbangs and screwing chicks. They used you Katie, and now they’re buying you off. It wasn’t real. It was never real, don’t blame yourself.”
She dumped some items in her suitcase then, still proclaiming this and that.
But I couldn’t believe it. Swiping at an errant tear, I willed it not to be true. Please God, please. Everything these past few days was just a lie to get me in bed? But there were so many other women! Stacy, Linda, all the other bridesmaids, heck, all the other women at the wedding if it came to that. They could have used any of them.
But after everything Elaine said, I could no longer deny that she was probably right. After all, who sets up a non-profit on five minutes notice? Who says, take all this money, it’s yours to do with as you wish, have fun? And besides, the men made no mention of sticking around. I was gonna be on my own in Knox, just me and their parting gift.
So I shook my head, sorrow coursing to my core.
“Oh my God, I think you’re right.”
Elaine swung back around in surprise.
“You’re joking right? Have you been listening anything I’ve said? Of course I’m right!” she exclaimed indignantly. “Bobby is their best friend, he would know. And besides, I wouldn’t make something like that up to hurt you. My husband will be home soon, why don’t you stay and you can ask him for yourself? He’s known them since childhood Katie, I bet there’s a string of women they’ve loved and left.”
She crossed her arms over her chest huffily, glaring my way.
Because Elaine had a point. I had no reason to be angry with her. Don’t shoot the messenger and all that.
I apologized even as my heart broke.
“I’m so sorry, Elaine. You have to understand this is just a shock to the system.”
But my apology fell on deaf ears, Bridezilla showing her monstrous face again.
“I’m not sure I do,” the blonde snorted, on the offense now. “I’m not sure where we stand in all this.”
I sighed. Trust Elaine to make this about herself, taking the focus off me. But there was no sense in making the situation worse.
“It’s just the things they said, the way they touched me,” I mumbled sadly. “It couldn’t all have been a lie.” My insides trembled, still refusing to fully accept that I may have been a pawn in their sex game.
