Quentin's Way

Chapter 22

            "This is all my fault," Demi said to me as he paced back and forth in front of me. "Your future may be in jeopardy because of me."

            "It's not your fault, baby," I said back. "Demi, Malcolm did this. He posted that thread on Twitter and there's just no denying any of it, especially not after the accident and how it was reported on the news. Had the accident not happened, we could have fought back and told everyone that Malcolm made it all up. Everyone knows and there's no goin' back. And my coach..." I shook my head and assured him, "It's gonna be okay, baby."

            "How can you say that knowing what you're going to have to go through? This is a nightmare. I honestly wouldn't blame you if you wanted space from me right now."

            When he said that, I carefully stood up from my wheelchair and stepped over to him. I put my arm around him and looked directly into his eyes as I told him, "That is the last thing I would ever want. Boo, I'm really not mad at you. I don't blame you for any of this."

            "I don't understand how you're this calm."

            "Demi, a handful of people already know about me. My dad, your folks, your best friend; I guess it was bound to get out to everyone else. I was the one who wanted to take you out to eat tonight, so I don't wanna hear you blame yourself again for any of this. Okay?"

            He nodded as he agreed, "Okay."

            To say I wanted to kill Malcolm would be a huge understatement. I wanted to completely erase his existence after what he'd done. He'd spent over two hours posting a long and detailed thread on Twitter about his relationship with Demi, my past brief relationship with Demi in high school, and my rekindled relationship with Demi. Some of the stuff was embarrassing for Demi because he'd posted screenshots of text messages that Demi had sent to him over the course of their relationship. Once again, Demi's business was put out there as the result of somebody being scorned. Out of everything, that was what pissed me off the most.

            "I really wanna snap that nigga's neck," I said angrily as I carefully sat down on Demi's hospital bed. "How can he claim to love you but put those screenshots up of your conversations?"

            He sat down beside me and admitted, "I don't even care about that."

            "You don't?"

            "Quentin, people have already seen my naked pictures so I don't care about them seeing text messages of me telling Malcolm I couldn't wait to rim him and swallow his cum. He was my boyfriend at the time and I only said stuff like that because he liked to hear it. I bet he wouldn't like it if I made a thread telling everyone that I had to get tested for STDs because he fucking cheated on me. I bet he'd lose his mind if I went on a rant about how homophobic his fraudulent ass father is. I should've known better thinking I could be in a meaningful relationship with a preacher's kid. PKs are all the same."

            "I keep thinkin' about all the shit you went through with Sasha because of me and now this. I'm more upset about that than havin' to come out this way."

            "He got both of us. That sick bastard got both of us." His phone vibrated so he picked it up and unlocked it. After a few seconds, he told me, "My dad wants me to call him when I'm ready to talk."

            "Go ahead and call him. I'll be quiet."

            "I don't feel like talking to either of my parents right now. It's so embarrassing because I went to war with my mother after she blackmailed me into dumping Malcolm. And then Malcolm and I got back together only for this to happen."