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Authors: Heather Topham Wood
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exhaled shakily and pushed down the desire to cry. “And the presumption that you know what I was like back then is wrong .”
“Then tell me,” he said softly.
Blake’s defenses were down, making me more confused than ever. Was he having the same feelings? Was it the reason he wanted me to open up to him? But why wasn’t he picking up on the obvious—that I didn’t want to return to the past?
“When someone meets you for the first time, what assumptions do they make about you because of football? Maybe that you’re a stupid jock? You could be going for your PhD, but because you’re amazing at football, you get slapped with an unfair label.”
“And what about you?”
“I was Whorey Dorey in high school and everyone believed the rumors about me because they felt I perpetuated them by wearing short skirts and being a flirt. I didn’t come to college to be Whorey Dorey, I came here to find out who I am outside of the labels.”
Blake’s face scrunched up in distaste. “That’s a lame nickname. I’m betting your high school didn’t graduate too many future brain surgeons.”
I managed to smile. “It is a lame nickname.” I sat back down and edged closer to him. I leaned forward with my elbows on my thighs. Our knees were inches apart and I stared at the closeness of our legs. “I can’t go backwards and keep talking about the assholes I went to school with. If we’re going to be friends, I need you to leave it alone.”
“Okay,” he said. His eyebrows pulled together as he regarded me. “I’m stubborn, but I’m not a total dick. If you don’t want to talk about high school, I won’t bring it up again. But remember, you can tell me anything and I’m not going to judge.”
I had the strangest sense of déjà vu at the moment, recalling a similar conversation with Hunter. He had begged me for the truth again and again, pleas that fell on deaf ears. When he confronted me with the rumors, my denials no longer mattered. It was my fault and I’d have to pay for my sins. He nominated himself as juror, judge, and executioner.
I focused back on the here and now. “Thanks for the offer. Now, can you do what you promised and get my mind off of my crap date by giving me a chance to blast you in Call of Duty ?”
“Bring it, Autumn.”
Chapter Seven
“You bitch! I waited for you, put up with your teasing act for months. And you were fucking someone else.” Hunter spat the words in my face and I spun my head to escape his vitriol.
“It’s not true , what they’re saying. You know me.” I tried to keep my voice small while wishing I could shrink away more and more until I disappeared completely.
“Dan said you blew him a month before we started dating. Why the fuck would he make something like that up?”
“Because he’s a piece of shit that always hated us together. This gives him the perfect chance to turn you against me. Hunter, please, I need you. Faye and the rest of my friends aren’t calling me back. I’ve been on Facebook, I know what they’re saying, but maybe if they see us together, it will go away.”
“Fine, then give me something in return. Fuck me right now. Take off your clothes and spread those legs you’ve been spreading for everyone but me.” Hunter reached forward and his fingers encircled my wrist. He yanked me roughly to him and I collided with his chest. Before I could protest, his hands were pulling at my pants.
***
Cowering beneath my blanket, I resolved to stop thinking about Hunter. He’d been on my mind way too much and somehow found a way to penetrate my dreams. I hadn’t seen Hunter since I stopped going to Newpine High School and finished out my senior year at home. At times, the temptation came to look him up online, but I refrained. Nothing good would come out of reading about Hunter’s charmed life after our breakup.
“Autumn?” Lexi whispered and turned on the light. She’d been asleep when I returned from Blake’s and I
“Then tell me,” he said softly.
Blake’s defenses were down, making me more confused than ever. Was he having the same feelings? Was it the reason he wanted me to open up to him? But why wasn’t he picking up on the obvious—that I didn’t want to return to the past?
“When someone meets you for the first time, what assumptions do they make about you because of football? Maybe that you’re a stupid jock? You could be going for your PhD, but because you’re amazing at football, you get slapped with an unfair label.”
“And what about you?”
“I was Whorey Dorey in high school and everyone believed the rumors about me because they felt I perpetuated them by wearing short skirts and being a flirt. I didn’t come to college to be Whorey Dorey, I came here to find out who I am outside of the labels.”
Blake’s face scrunched up in distaste. “That’s a lame nickname. I’m betting your high school didn’t graduate too many future brain surgeons.”
I managed to smile. “It is a lame nickname.” I sat back down and edged closer to him. I leaned forward with my elbows on my thighs. Our knees were inches apart and I stared at the closeness of our legs. “I can’t go backwards and keep talking about the assholes I went to school with. If we’re going to be friends, I need you to leave it alone.”
“Okay,” he said. His eyebrows pulled together as he regarded me. “I’m stubborn, but I’m not a total dick. If you don’t want to talk about high school, I won’t bring it up again. But remember, you can tell me anything and I’m not going to judge.”
I had the strangest sense of déjà vu at the moment, recalling a similar conversation with Hunter. He had begged me for the truth again and again, pleas that fell on deaf ears. When he confronted me with the rumors, my denials no longer mattered. It was my fault and I’d have to pay for my sins. He nominated himself as juror, judge, and executioner.
I focused back on the here and now. “Thanks for the offer. Now, can you do what you promised and get my mind off of my crap date by giving me a chance to blast you in Call of Duty ?”
“Bring it, Autumn.”
Chapter Seven
“You bitch! I waited for you, put up with your teasing act for months. And you were fucking someone else.” Hunter spat the words in my face and I spun my head to escape his vitriol.
“It’s not true , what they’re saying. You know me.” I tried to keep my voice small while wishing I could shrink away more and more until I disappeared completely.
“Dan said you blew him a month before we started dating. Why the fuck would he make something like that up?”
“Because he’s a piece of shit that always hated us together. This gives him the perfect chance to turn you against me. Hunter, please, I need you. Faye and the rest of my friends aren’t calling me back. I’ve been on Facebook, I know what they’re saying, but maybe if they see us together, it will go away.”
“Fine, then give me something in return. Fuck me right now. Take off your clothes and spread those legs you’ve been spreading for everyone but me.” Hunter reached forward and his fingers encircled my wrist. He yanked me roughly to him and I collided with his chest. Before I could protest, his hands were pulling at my pants.
***
Cowering beneath my blanket, I resolved to stop thinking about Hunter. He’d been on my mind way too much and somehow found a way to penetrate my dreams. I hadn’t seen Hunter since I stopped going to Newpine High School and finished out my senior year at home. At times, the temptation came to look him up online, but I refrained. Nothing good would come out of reading about Hunter’s charmed life after our breakup.
“Autumn?” Lexi whispered and turned on the light. She’d been asleep when I returned from Blake’s and I
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