HOW DARE HE PLAY ME FOR A FOOL AND RUB IT IN MY FACE?

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

I’d tossed and turned in bed, unable to get any sleep. My finger wandered back to my lips for-- how many times was this again? The zillionth time ? I don't know.

My fingers traced the softness of my lips. It was still a bit swollen and tender from how rough Kieran had been. It didn’t matter how many warnings, and ceaze and desists I placed on myself mentally. I kept doing it.

Kieran had held my hand and dragged me out of the building and I didn’t complain as I sat in the car and he drove us back. We both were quiet, refusing to talk about what just happened.

We just fucking kissed OMG

His kiss was nothing like Andrew’s. It was harsh and passionate and violent.

Just like him

Just like his basketball

It was a tornado laced with desperation and I was swimming in it. Andrew’s kiss was sweet and calm and a promise of a perfect guy to bring to my parents. It was so opposite to the rawness of Kieran’s kiss and it scared me when I realized whose kiss I liked more.

Whose kiss I craved more….

Wait, Andrew.

How did I even forget about him totally at that moment? I think I barely mentioned him when Kieran and I were together. Kieran had somehow managed to erase him from my memory yester night. How could I forget him so easily?

He was in the hospital and I had no information on how he was doing or how bad his injuries were, and I had the nerve to say I wanted him? I was literally locking mouths with the guy who placed him in the hospital just a few hours later.

He had every right to push me away. I still liked him, Andrew- I mean but, I also wasn’t sure I totally hated Kieran to the gutters of hell either. He had called me out on my bullshit, crashed the walls I built to conceal my weaker self and challenged her to be strong.

The truth hurt, but maybe I just needed some tough love.

I’d have liked Kieran a whole lot but he just had to ruin it again.

When we got back home, Everything was chaos. We were both questioned.

When they asked what happened, I spoke first, using the project lie Kieran had told back there.

“Let’s see the project then” Mom asked, and I showed her an old work. I managed to convince them that nothing suspicious was going on and dad was even beginning to calm down, but when Dad asked Kieran, he threw every single one of my lies away.

“I kissed her, sir.” He admitted

Yeah, it’s just as you guessed, hell broke loose.

I was ordered to my room as yelling filled the house.

I got angry that he’d said the truth when I had lied, discrediting me and making me lose everyone’s trust, so I texted him and told him to not bother me again and the kiss meant nothing. That was why I hid it.

Lies

For the next few days, I managed to avoid him. I left the house only after his car wasn't in the garage. It meant he'd left home. I even skipped classes we shared together. Yeah, it’s that bad.

Like right now, we were in last period with our math teacher and I skipped because Kieran was in class. I didn’t intentionally skip classes. It’s either I go in before him or I don’t go at all and it turns out he’s never late to class. If anything, he’s too early.

I sat in Chloe’s car, waiting for her class to end so we could head to the mall. We were going shopping.

A few minutes later, I saw Kieran coming out of school. I almost duck to hide but something stops me. He’s walking with the new girl, Tatum. They are leaving before the bell rings. And they are leaving together.

What business do they have together? Kieran put his arm around her shoulders and led her to his car, allowing her into the seat where I sat just a few days ago.

She says something and he laughs. It’s not the cruel, sarcastic ones he gives me and everyone else. He’s actually happy and smiling.

The window rolls up and it feels as if my stomach comes up to my mouth along with it . Bile rises up my throat. I literally feel like throwing up.

They looked like a happy couple and I was the home-wrecker. He kissed me that day and I kissed him back.

Turns out, I’m the only one who was losing sleep over it. I was the only one who was shaken by it.

Were they going somewhere together?

She’s talking to him excitedly and he doesn’t look pissed or annoyed or irritated, like when I’m talking to him. An ugly feeling starts to bloom inside me.

He zooms away, taking Tatum away, unsuspecting that I had just caught him red-handed.

I texted Chloe that I'd be taking the lead and pick an uber home.

I don’t take an uber, I pick the bus instead. There are only a few kids in it, as expected. Even the driver looks at me funny.

I considered going to see Andrew but I just couldn’t face him after what I did.

I didn’t want to go back right now. I wanted to use the longest route possible so I didn’t have to see his car there.

I don’t know what I’ll do if he brings another girl to his place. Especially one I don’t like.

I had no right to ask him not to bring a girl over. I saw him with girls in the past and never looked twice, but after he called me out on my bull shit, forced me to cuss at him, and then kissed me like I was his, things have changed for me. No matter how hard I try to hide and suppress it.

I hated that fact but that’s exactly what it is, a fact.

With all that stalling, even when I managed to get back home, Tatum was still there. She’s lying down in a bikini on the sun lounger in the shallow part of the pool, tanning. That was my tanning spot. Everyone in the two families knew it and no one used it except me, else they knew I’d throw a tantrum.

But Kieran lets her use it. He’s even standing beside her, handing her a drink with those smiles I never get.

I don’t think I’ve really been jealous. Before. Like ever

But right now, I know that exact feeling.

How dare he play me for a fool and rub it in my face?