"I want to give you all the love you deserve."
___
Hadley Carter has struggled with her sexuality ever since childhood. She keeps her feelings hidden out of fear of judgement and not being accepted by oth...
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An hour passes.
I become more comfortable, calming my nerves by telling myself that I'm getting in my head and psyching myself out over nothing; of course Delaney isn't going to show up tonight—she doesn't even know where I am. Regardless of her threats, she won't actually do anything. I try my best to have a good time with my friends, refusing to let Delaney ruin my fun when her presence isn't near.
I down my drink and then move onto another, soon nursing a third. I laugh with my friends and make an effort to join the conversation. I lean into Devon as she wraps her arms around me, resting my head in the crook of her neck as she plays with my hair. I release the uneasiness that has been eating at me, trying to live in the moment.
I sense that Devon is still wary, though she seems to have moved past worrying about me. She makes jokes with the rest of us and teases me with her touch. I revel in her sweet kisses, as just being next to Devon paints a smile across my features I feel that nothing could possibly take away.
I'm blindsided when I glance across the room to find Delaney standing in the doorway. My jaw goes slack, limbs shaking as nerves course through my veins. Delaney smirks as she extends the face of her phone toward my direction. I can just barely make out the picture on her screen, squinting to see a blurred image of my lips locked with Devon's. The photo could have only been taken a few seconds prior.
I rise from my seat in a fever-like daze, unable to believe this is real. I don't bother to set my drink down or tell my friends where I'm going. I walk on autopilot, closing in on Delaney until I'm suddenly in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" I snap. I have to blink quickly to keep the tears welling in my eyes from escaping.
"I should be asking you the same thing," Delaney retorts with a raised eyebrow. "I warned you. I'll always know when you're lying, Hadley."
I lose it.
I know playing my cards wrong will ruin everything, yet I'm sick of Delaney's twisted games. I can't control my anger as I glare at Delaney, hidden from the sight of the others as we stand on the outskirts of the party.
"What is wrong with you?" I blurt. "Why the fuck do you care so much about what I do? Why are you so desperate to control me? Is your life really so pathetic you have to fuck with mine to make yourself feel better?"
Delaney's expression is one of shock brought on by my outburst, though she is quick to regain her composure. She conceals her feelings with a look of stone, green eyes glassy as she peers at me through narrowed lids.
"Fuck you, Hadley," she spits. "I hope you rot in hell. And you know what? You will. Because you're disgusting. This? It's wrong." Delaney waves the photo she took of me and Devon in my face, wrinkling her nose. "I don't want to hang out with a fucking dyke. I thought after I helped you over the summer you'd realize what you were doing was seriously messed up, but I should have known better. I don't know why I gave you a second chance in the first place. Everyone is going to see this picture. The first person I'm sending it to is your mom."
