Ditching Greek | editing

26| Not Yours

Clyde led me to a room set at the far end of the frat House with walls completely made of blue tented glass. I found a comfortable three person seat near a tall plant and relaxed back. Clyde took the chair across from me.

A moment of awkward silence thickened between us. I didn't know where to start or how to go with this conversation. I averted my eyes from him and looked at everything around the room, trying to buy time. But after a few minutes, Clyde spoke first.

"I'm glad you're here."

I sat up in my chair. "Did you think you'd never see me again?"

"No, I knew you'd come eventually."

"Oh." I scolded. "So you just knew I'd come running back to you?"

When he heard that, he instantly backpedaled a bit. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean this thing we're involved in right now is serious, too serious to mess around with. Tonight was only one of the many things that will be thrown in our path. Neither of us are safe if we don't align with one side or the other. Even after we do, we'll still get bribes to move to the opposite side. Not only that, but do you know what kind of hate will be thrown at Monica for killing one of her own tonight?" He didn't wait for me to answer. "She'll be lucky if she can even gets to class without a scratch on her now. Her boyfriend, Tony, isn't safe either now because of this mess."

My shoulders slumped. This entire thing was bigger than us, just like everyone had kept telling me. "What does that mean for my family? Are they safe?"

And what about my boyfriend, I thought to myself. I was too scared to say that with Clyde near.

Clyde nodded, "Yes, they are safe. I've got some of the best people keeping a close eye on them. Your father has a lot of training tucked under his belt from being allied with the Egyptian for decades now. So if worse comes to worst, I'm sure he can handle himself. " He hesitated before saying, "And before you ask, I've also sent people to watch that human of yours on the East Coast. The team left this morning, so they'll contact me once they've arrived and then report once more when they get sight of him."

I froze. Or maybe my heart froze because it sure as hell felt like my entire world had been put on pause.

He knew. He knew about Brandon. Well technically, I already told him that first night in my apartment. Only difference now was that he actually believed me this time. A small spot, deep inside of me, melted at this though. Maybe I liked it more when he didn't know.

I paused, collecting my thoughts. "Who told you?"

"You did. I still didn't quite believe it," he confessed, "so I got Gideon on it to see if it was true and he confirmed to me that it really was. It made sense. The first two that were chosen by the gods had something similar happen. There was another man. Confirming that you really did have a boyfriend only adding to the reason why you and I definitely are--"

"Don't say it," I threatened. "We are not them."

He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his thighs with a hard look on his sculpted features. "The girl was dating someone else. Just like you. She cheated on that guy the second she encountered her other half. He got in the picture, and she didn't stop herself from indulging in intimacy with a man who wasn't her partner. Just like you did. She had been with that guy for years. Like you, I'm assuming. That's why I couldn't believe it, it was just too shocking to think our lives would be so similar to theirs."

"I'm not her." I emphasizes a little too much on the last word. "You're not him. We're not two beings thrust together because of some old tale a hundred years ago. I'm my own person, Clyde. Which means I don't need to be a part of this if I don't want to."

"No, you don't have that choice." His saddened eyes lowered on me, "You can't write your own fate, Nabela. And the more you pointlessly try to back out, the longer these attack will happen. I can't keep that human safe forever."

"Brandon."

He arched a brow. "Huh?"

"His name. It's Brandon."

"Nabela, let me be honest here." He rose from his seat and planted himself down next to me where there was a vacant spot. "I don't care about his name, or what he wants to do with his useless life. Frankly, I never want to hear about him ever again. The only reason I sent people out for him was because I knew you'd worry about him; I did it for you. To keep your mind at ease. Now if it was up to me, I'd have left him in bad shape, sending some of the worst people I know to convince him to break up with you and stop seeing you all together. But I didn't. I didn't do that. And I'd do whatever it was you wanted me to do for him again if that's what you want. If it meant it would make you happen, I'd make sure to make it happen...even though the thought of that human being near you makes me want to punch my fist threw a wall."

I shook my head, "I'm not yours, Clyde. I was never yours to have anyway."

He scoffed, "I think there's quite a lot of people who would say otherwise."

"Forget what they say." I looked up at him, mimicking that hardness behind his sleep deprived eyes. "Because I love someone else."

He furrowed his brows at that statement, moving in closer to me and settling his arm over my knee. "If you don't believe me, then answer this for me then. You say you're in love with him right?"

I nodded.

"Well, if you really do love him, then why did you beg for more that night at your apartment? Better yet, why'd you kiss me back in the first place or tell me to stay? If you do love him, good for you." He said bitterly, "But don't sit here and tell me I'm crazy to think you've lost feelings for him. Be honest with me...the only reason you are bringing him up now is because he's the last bit of normality in your life. Your best friends are a part of this world, and your dad is, too. That guy reminds of your old life before all of this craziness was spilled into your world. That's only why you bother to keep him around."

He asked something I myself struggled to find the answers for. He had a valid point--as much as I'd hate to admit it.

"I...I don't know why I kissed you," I replied timidly. "I guess, at the time, it just felt... right."

"Exactly what I was getting at." The corner of his mouth twisted up into a side smile. He eased closer to me, touching his leg with mine. "You and I are right for each other. We've always been--"

"Wrong," I cut him off. "After I kissed you the first time, I felt guilty, wrong even, for doing it."

He pulled away from me, frowning, "Only because of that human."

"My boyfriend."

"Yes," he nodded, "the boyfriend you cheated on." He placed both his hands on either side of my waist and pulled me onto his lap. My thoughts went haywire at the sudden proximity. Despite us sitting down, my shoulders still hit his chest. He dipped his head, sat back, and looked at me with a softer expression this time, and a soothing voice to match in comparison to the husky one I had grown so accustomed to on him. "You can't possibly tell me what we have means nothing to you."

My eye met his. "I never said that."

Lightly, he settled his palm against my back. Once he got to the bottom of my shirt, he snaked his hand under the fabric, pulling it back to let his hand in. Cool skin met mine as his hand crept up and down my spine, prickling the flesh in its path. His full lips found my neck, sucking it gently.

I swallowed a shallow breath when his hand touches the hook of my bra. I should stop him, I thought to myself, this is the part where I'm supposed to stop him.

But I didn't. Perhaps it was because my last sliver of willpower was already fleeting. Or I could blame my hormones. Or I could blame how amazing felt having his hands on me. If anything, it was a combination of all those things, hindering me from pushing him away. Instead, I decided to sink in deeper and take that risk.