Forget Me Not

6. Bets and Regrets

Derek's POV

Two weeks. That's how long it's been since I've heard from my father. Well, directly anyway. Marcus won't stop calling. I'd even gotten a new number two days after the surprise phone call when I got my new phone, but of course Marcus is one of the best. I know because if I really wanted to, I could be better.

The only reason I quit fighting was because of Kennedy. She knows me well enough to know when something is up. She just doesn't know me enough to know my past and I'll do everything in my power to protect her from that. I won't let her end up like that Addison girl. She was sweet but Marcus hated her and her boyfriend, mostly the boyfriend, Kale I think?

I don't want her to be afraid to be with me. I don't want her to be afraid of my past because that's all it is. It wasn't even my choice. It was his.

My fathers.

~

"Derek. Babe. Wake up. Come on you've got class in twenty minutes."

"I'm awake." I mumble back to her curling into the couch.

"Then get your lazy ass off the couch." she says, hitting me with a pillow from the chair.

Reaching out, I find her beside me, pulling her on top of me.

"I can't I have this extremely wonderful girl on top of me who just can't seem to keep her hands off me." I say mockingly.

"Derek. You literally just pulled me to you. I think you are the one who can't keep their hands to themselves."

Rolling to the side, pinning her to the back of the couch I chuckle out "Mm that may be true."

I feel her body tense as I slide my hand up her thigh. A sly smile crossing her face when she looks at me as her eyes filled with mischief.

Shit.

"Oh babe you wanna play that game?" she says slipping a finger into the waist band of my sweats.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I whisper squeezing her right ass cheek.

"Yeah. Sure you don't." she says rolling her eyes, her hand traveling farther south. "Loser makes dinner." She adds palming me through my sweats.

Shit. Fuck. Shit. Should not have started this game.

"Sure thing babe. What are you making?" I ask her running my fingers on the inside of her thigh, letting my fingers graze where I know she wanted my touch.

"You're delusional if you think I'm losing and you still have class." She says pushing me backwards from the couch. "Fifteen minutes big boy." She adds getting up from the couch.

Damn it.

~

"Well, well, well. Look-ie who I found. Your father will be so proud."

Hearing his voice for the first time in eight months sent ice through my veins.

"What are you doing here Marcus?"

"Oh just checking in on an old friend, and damn that girl you got..." he trailed off letting out a low whistle, sending fire through my veins.

"Don't even go there Marcus." I growl.

"Oh don't worry Der...that's what she calls you right? Oh it's just so precious. Now if I remember correctly she was a total prude back in high school...but seems like you broke her of that...haven't you Derek? So I guess the question is, did you finally swipe her v-card or am I gonna have to take care of that too? You know the boys thought you would've had it done by now considering they gave you the extension on the bet, and how cozy you two were on the couch this morning. You were only supposed to have what, six months? Then of course you kinda went AWOL. Dodging meetings not staying at your parents, avoiding phone calls. Let me ask you something. Did she suspect anything when you had your number changed three times in two months? Because that's just suspicious to me." He says flippantly.

The more he talks the angrier I get. That bet never should have happened. Hell, I was high when I agreed but of course with those guys it doesn't matter. With them you know your limit and you stay in control. Whatever agreements you make are yours to keep.

"Now, enough about those childish games, although I'm still waiting on an answer, you father wants you home." He continues.

"Well too bad. On both accounts." I spit at him as I turn to walk to my car.

"Oh. Don't think you'll get away that easy."

"Watch me."

"Hey Derek! One more question, actually make that two."

"What Marcus? What could you possibly want other than to be my father's mindless minion?"

"Ouch. 'Mindless minion'? I don't think so. I'm basically running things now. But my questions. Why doesn't cute little Kennedy know we were friends once? You ashamed?"

"Actually yes. Next."

"Again ouch Der." He says with mock hurt.

"Oh yes Marcus you look so torn up about it. Now ask your last question and get the hell away from me." I spit back at him, now in his face.

"How does it feel to know that at any moment I could take that tight, fine ass bitch away from you with four words?"

Now as I'm being pulled from his body I realized I should've walked away. As campus security pulls me from him he lifts himself up, spitting blood into the grass behind him.

"Sir, you need to calm down." One of the cops say to me.

"Let him go. I'm fine. It was a misunderstanding."

"Are you a student here? Would you like to press charges?" the other cop asks Marcus.

"No and no." he replies looking me in the eyes with a smirk plastered on his face.

"You aren't a student?"

Marcus shakes his head in answer, finally turning his attention from me.

"Then you need to leave campus. NOW!" the cop barks at him.

"What about you?" the first one, Joe, asks me.

"Yes I'm a student. Can I go home now?"

"Where do you live? What dorm?"

"I live off campus. My car is there." I tell him jerking my head towards my car that's ten feet away.

"Yes. You can go." He tells me pushing me towards my car.

"Thank you." I mumble hitting the unlock button on the remote and throwing myself into the car, breathing heavily.