Stay With Me ✔

22.

Rave

"You did it on purpose didn't you!" I stare accusingly into her eyes as she motions for me to quieten my voice, her brown eyes are wide and fearful - not of me, but of her dad. I know it's late but I'd spent the last couple of hours driving around aimlessly thinking of nothing but the past twenty four hours. If Lexy's dad hears me shouting at his daughter in the middle of the night, I know it won't end well for any of us, but I don't care right now - I need to hear her admit it, I need her to prove me right. 

"Rave, please, be quiet." I can't believe I ever loved her. Standing in front of me in her pajamas with her hair pulled back and no make up, she looks so much like the girl that I used to have so much faith in - I used to believe that one day she would grow out of this spiteful, petty, mean girl act. But she won't, maybe that's who she really is, maybe Lexy Jordan is actually a bad person and I was always too blind to see it. 

"Why did you do it?" I lower my voice, but I don't soften my expression or tone. I don't think I could if I tried, it's like I'm radiating anger and rage right now. I can feel my anger vibrating in my veins, begging to be released in some way, to be taken out on something or someone. I've never needed a cigarette so badly - or a drink. 

"Come upstairs." 

She reaches for my hand and I jerk it away, "Are you crazy? I'm not going upstairs with you." 

"We can't talk here, Rave." Her eyes dart down the hall to where her dad's bedroom is. I know she's right, the doorway is nowhere to have this conversation, especially when I don't know if I can control myself right now. 

"Fine." I step inside the house, and start towards the stairs, making sure to be as quiet as possible. I've snuck into this house so many times before that I know the creaks in the stairs and floorboards like the back of my hand. I hear Lexy quietly close and lock the front door before following behind me. 

Once we're in her bedroom, I lean against the wall with my arms crossed, as far away from her as possible. Now that we're a safe distance from her dad, Lexy is more confident and more like the conniving girl everyone knows her as. "What exactly are you accusing me of, Rave?"

"I'm not accusing you, Lex. I know you did it." My arms are crossed over my chest and my hands grip my arms tighter as I prepare for her to deny everything. 

"Okayyy." She stretches out the word as she walks over to me, stopping a few steps away, "What did I do?" 

"Stop playing dumb." I push off the wall and step around her, creating more space between us and she turns, her eyes walking up my body as she bites her lower lip. I know what she's about to do, she's going to try and turn this around on me and get what she wants, but it's not going to work. It's never going to work again. 

I've fallen for her tricks and lies too many times before and I'm done. I'm done apologizing for things that weren't my fault and letting her get away with things just because she bats her eyes at me and fakes an apology. I'm no longer afraid of losing Lexy, and I know that's what scares her. 

"I'm not playing dumb, baby. I have no idea what you're talking about." She bats her eyes and I resist the urge to roll my own eyes at her. How did I put up with this for years? 

I decide it's best to just cut to the chase, there's no way she's going to say what she did, not without me mentioning it first. "So you don't remember texting me yesterday?"