Passion's Crossfire

Chapter 3

Matt

"What the fuck, man? Why are we even here?" Nick asks me but I don't answer. 

I don't know the answer. It has been three months since I broke up with Mallory. It was my decision, I wanted to be free. Mallory is the kind of girl that you take home to your parents, that you end up getting married to, but we are both too young for that. I want to experience life, not be tied down. I am only twenty years old after all, I can't spend my whole life with just one person. Right?I make my way through the crowd at Kylie's house. I scan the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mallory. She must be here, and I just have to see her once and I will leave.

"I thought you were over her" 

"I am over her!" I snap back, though my words feel unconvincing even to my own ears. 

Am I really over her? 

"Then why are we here?" Nick retorts, his brows furrowing as he questions my motives and I turn around to face him.

"Because I am over her, but she can't be over me!" I reply, my voice tinged with frustration. "I expected her to beg for me to come back, and she didn't." 

"Male ego" Nick smiles coyly and I roll my eyes. "Got it, let's go!"

I keep my true emotions buried deep inside. Nick has always been there for me, but I can't bring myself to admit that I still have feelings for Mallory. The feelings will go away sometime and eventually everything will be okay. No more sleepless nights, no more questioning the decision I made. It was rational I remind myself, and I am reacting with emotion. I will be grateful to myself for that decision one day. I will...

"What the fuck?" I mutter as I see her in the arms of another man. She looks like a goddamn angel, wearing a champagne dress that makes her full breasts and perky little ass look even sexier than they already were. Her plump lips are red, I always loved that lipstick on her. My heart races as I watch his hands caress her and hold her hands to his lips. I scowl as I realize that she looks at him absolutely smitten. Jealousy courses through me, how can she look at him like that? Has she ever looked at me like that? 

Well, she is not looking at me like that right now. She finally notices my presence, and her smile fades, but I am not satisfied with the effect I have on her, not even a tiny bit. My attention is fixated on the man who was holding her, and it turns out he's returning with drinks in hand.

"So much for satisfying your male ego, huh?" Nick says, a wry grin on his face as we watch her turn to face the man who brought her the drinks. He's still smiling at her, and I can't stand it. Without thinking, I find myself moving towards them, my mind racing with no clear idea of what I'm going to say.

As I stand in front of them, Mallory locks eyes with me, and her smile is once again replaced by a look of surprise and discomfort. I can sense the tension in the air but try to maintain a charming demeanor, ignoring the presence of the man beside her.

"Let me guess... gin tonic?" I say with a slight smile, attempting to break the awkward silence. My gaze remains on Mallory, and I avoid acknowledging the stranger by her side.

Mallory responds swiftly, her voice clear and a touch colder than I expected, "Nope. Vodka soda." Her gaze shifts to the man beside her, signaling her preference for his company over mine. I decide to be polite and extend my hand towards the man. 

"Matt McCormick, so nice to meet you," I introduce myself with a friendly tone. The man hesitates for a brief moment, then shakes my hand and responds, "Adam Christensen." 

"So, did you get her order wrong? That's okay, man, I hope you don't beat yourself up, it's just a drink" I continue, attempting to maintain my cool demeanor.

"He didn't get it wrong, Matt. I asked for a vodka soda." Mallory's response caught me off guard, she's never confrontational.

"Since when..." I start questioning her response but Mallory interrupts me. 

"You will have to excuse us, Matt. We were having a wonderful conversation and I am afraid you can't be a part of it" 

Without giving me a chance to respond, Mallory takes Adam's hand and leads him out of the room. I'm left standing there, watching them as they disappear into the crowd. My mind races, and I try to make sense of the situation. What the hell just happened? 

"Matt!!" I groan as Kylie approaches me furious as hell, Sean following closely behind her. That poor bastard, she has him wrapped around her finger, blindly obeying her whims.

I try to maintain a façade of charm despite the awkward situation. "Hey, Kylie. Happy birthday, doll," I say, flashing her a smile that I hope will defuse her anger, but it's clear that she's not having any of it.

Kylie's anger flares as she snaps back, her voice sharp and piercing, "Save it, Matt. You weren't invited, why are you here? You know what? I don't care why, just leave now!" She practically shouts the last part at me, making sure her point is heard throughout the entire room. The guests at the party can't help but turn their attention to us, their curiosity piqued. 

"Who is that Adam guy anyway?" I can't help myself; I have to know. My voice carries a hint of defiance, and I press for an answer, wanting to know who has captured Mallory's attention.

"Wouldn't you like to know? Leave, Matt! NOW!" Kylie's voice is laced with anger, and her guests are forming a circle around us. Suddenly, I feel exposed and humiliated. I turn to leave, but I can't resist having the last word.

"Tell Mallory to drop him, or else," I say menacingly, my voice laden with a thinly veiled threat. It's an empty threat, but it's all I have left. I turn on my heel and leave the house, trying to regain some semblance of composure while my ego has taken a major hit.