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“Rory, wait.” I don’t realize Lexi has followed me until I hear her calling after me. Seconds later, her hand lands on my shoulder, halting my steps. “Hey.” Her voice is soft.
“You wanted your answer so badly,” I spit, barely able to make out her face through my tears. “Now you have it. Archer Copeland is, and will always be, a disgusting human being and all of these idiots out here that blindly flock to him because of his talent are just feeding his arrogance. He does this because we let him. Well, I’m done letting him.”
Without giving her a chance to say anything at all, I turn and resume walking. To my surprise, she doesn’t follow me, and I’m grateful. Some things just need to be handled alone and this is one of them.
I need to go home, have a good cry, maybe break a few things, and then tomorrow, I will get to work on piecing my life back together. You know, the one I had before Archer came in and blew the whole freaking thing to smithereens.
It’s crazy to think that just last night I was lying in his arms feeling happier than I’ve ever felt before. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, I feel like I’m experiencing an intense case of whiplash—that’s how quickly it all changed.
But then the question still lingers... Why?
The way he kissed her, making sure I was watching. He wanted me to see him. Why?
All the things he said to me last night. The way he made me feel—only to do this the very next day. Why?
Why go through the trouble of wearing me down just to discard me the second you do?
Then again, I think this might be a question I can answer myself.
What does a man who can have anyone he wants do when he wants a challenge? He chases the one woman on campus who wants nothing to do with him. And I played right into hands—like a puppet on strings, I did exactly what he wanted me to. I gave him a chase.
But now the chase is over. He’s had me. So what more is there to do than to discard me—which he just did in epic fashion. No doubt everyone on campus will be talking about this by tomorrow. About the girl who assaulted Archer because he didn’t want to be with her. They’ll spin it that way. I’ll come out looking like a crazy person and he’ll walk away being looked at as he always has been—like a god who can do no wrong.
“Shit!” Alina throws the covers over herself when I shove the door open so hard it hits the dresser positioned behind it.
I don’t piece together her reaction right away, until I see a pair of hairy feet sticking out from beneath the sheet.
For some reason, walking in on her and Enzo doesn’t mortify me the way it normally would. In fact, it only serves to further splinter the organ inside my chest that’s barely holding it together at this point.
I thought I knew love. And I thought I knew heartbreak. Turns out, I really am as inexperienced and naive as people believe. A fact Archer used to his advantage.
Alina gets one look at me and her expression completely changes from one of surprise, to one of concern.
“I’m sorry.” I quickly begin to back out of the room.
“Rory.” Alina leans down, snagging her robe off the floor.
I pull the door closed, feeling like the walls are beginning to close in on me. Taking off in a full sprint, I exit the building seconds later, but I don’t stop there. I run until my lungs burn, until my feet ache and my heart has worn a hole inside my chest cavity. When I finally stop, I find myself standing outside of the art lab. The place where it all began.
I know I shouldn’t go inside. No doubt there are classes currently in session, but also because what good does it really do to return to the scene of the crime?
Even still, that doesn’t stop me from entering the building. It doesn’t stop me from walking down the hallway. And it doesn't stop me from enteringourclassroom when I realize it’s empty.
Walking to the back of the room, I pull out a chair and take a seat, letting the memories held within these four walls wash over me like a tidal wave, pulling me under.
That’s where Alina finds me two hours later.
That’s where I tell her everything.
And that’s where I finally let myself accept the fact that Archer didn’t do this to me. I did. Because Ilethim. And that will be a mistake I will regret for the rest of my life.
