The Bet: A Bully Romance(13)

Cally’s frown deepens further and it’s painfully obvious she doesn’t want to talk about her roommate with me. But being the asshole I am, I couldn’t care less what she wants.

“She didn’t say anything last night, not really. We kind of had a falling out. I guess she wasn’t as good of a friend as I thought she was.” She sighs, shrugging her shoulders as if she’s disappointed.

Don’t I know how that feels. I don’t say shit though. My beef with Jules is mine alone, and if anyone gets to hate her, it’s me.

“It’s just shitty since we even let her stay for free with us. I should kick her out, but I would feel horrible doing so since her brother and father just died…”

Wait, what? That catches my attention and I slowly blink, trying to comprehend what I just heard. Cally continues talking, but I can’t understand the words that are coming out of her mouth, not after what she just said. For a moment I’m frozen in my seat, and everything around me blurs.

Jackson. Her father. Dead.

“Are you okay?” Cally drags me back to reality after a moment. “You look a little pale.”

“Did she say that?” I almost yell at Cally, but somehow keep the tremor out of my voice. She doesn’t need to know the effect Jules has on me.

“Say what?” She wrinkles her nose.

“Did Jules tell you that her brother died?” I clarify, speaking slowly so she can understand me better.

“Ah, yes, that’s why she moved here after the semester started, at least that’s what she told me. Wouldn’t be surprised if she’s lying though, since talking to her yesterday...”

“Do you know where Jules is right now?”

“Bio lab, I think, why?”

I slide out of the seat and start walking away.

“What…what are you doing? What’s wrong? Did I say something? Don’t tell me you called me here to get closer to her,” Cally calls after me, frustration coating her words, but I don’t bother turning around. I’ve got all the information I need from her. She’s Cole’s problem now.

As I walk out of the diner, all I can think is that she is lying.

Jules is lying, she has to be. Jackson isn’t dead…he can’t be. I hated them both equally when they left but finding out your ex-best friend might be dead. Yeah, that’s a kick to the fucking balls, and because of this little stunt, Jules has earned herself another session with me. I jog across campus to get to the biology building. I need to confront her right fucking now I don’t care if she’s in class, fuck I don't care if she’s in the middle of her fucking final.

No one will pay me any attention. I do what I want when I want. The professors turn a blind eye to all the bad shit I do, and believe me, I do a lot of bad shit. But what teacher in this school wants to lose out on all that extra cash my dad is pouring into this place.

By the time I get to the lab, the anger inside of me has built up and I’m damn near ready to explode. I rip the door open and stomp into the lab. I scan the classroom. I can feel eyes on me, but I only care about the big blue ones, connected to a heart-shaped face, framed with blonde curls in the last row.

“Why would you fucking lie about something like this?” I curl my lip and stomp through the classroom heading straight for her. Her eyes go impossibly wide and her expression holds nothing but confusion. Always lying...always playing innocent. One day it’s going to get her hurt… one fucking day.

“Telling people your brother is dead? What kind of sick fucking joke is that? Why the fuck would you lie about something like that?” Steam is billowing from my ears, and I want to smash my fist through something, destroy the room, break a desk or three. This woman brings out the worst in me, the absolute worst.

She gets up, gathering her things, ignoring me as if I didn’t just yell at her in front of an entire classroom full of people. Hushed whispers fill the room as silence blankets us.

“Answer me,” I shout, slamming my fist down on the first desk it connects with. Gasps fill the room and I see the professor out of the corner of my eye watching me. If she’s smart, she will keep her fucking mouth shut.

Jules starts walking toward me, and I have to remind myself to calm down. Breathe. Don’t react. Just breathe. She pushes past me and walks out of the building and I let her, afraid that if I grab her now, things might end badly. Following behind her, my feet slap against the pavement.

Who the fuck does she think she is?

She makes me insane, with need, with anger...I’m losing my damn mind because of her. It doesn’t take long for me to catch up to her and when I do, I can’t stop myself. I grab her by the shoulders, my fingers wrapped so tight around her slender arms I’m sure I’ll leave bruises.

I don’t want to hurt her, not physically at least, but she’s driving me mad. She closes her eyes as if she can’t fathom looking at me, but I need her to fucking look at me. I need to see the look in her eyes when she tells me the truth.

“Open your fucking eyes and tell me why you would lie? Why would you make up something like that? It’s fucking pathetic, even for someone like you.” I shake her small body, her silky blonde curls escape from behind her ears and her big eyes blink open.

Her gaze locks with mine and that’s when I see it. The pain, the anger, and loss all staring back at me. It’s heartbreaking the way she’s looking at me and I want to pull her into my arms, kiss her and tell her everything is going to be okay.