Blue // Daniel Seavey

Chapter 28

Tori

My chest tightening in complete shock, horror and dread, I blink multiple times, hoping that closing my eyes will make all of this go away - hoping that this isn't currently freakin' happening. All of that is futile as the two boys with the undeniably shocked expressions remain standing there, their mouths still agape, their bodies stiff. Glancing up at Daniel, I find his expression abnormally neutral, his gaze only flickering between the boys and I, only to realise that my hand is still placed at the back of his neck. I rapidly retrieve my hand.

Taking a petrified breath, I open my mouth to speak, before I'm interrupted by the voice of Corbyn. "Don't you dare even say 'this isn't what it looks like', Tori, because I for sure as hell know what I'm seeing right now." he says as he approaches us, his tone indecipherable.

"I--I just--" I falter, nervously looking up at Daniel. He stands close to me, his gaze on Jack and Corbyn.

"You're just casually kissing the guy that's an absolute asshole? The dickhead that beat me up?"

I instantly feel ashamed.

"What is this, Tori?" Jack questions, his eyebrows furrowed as he also walks over to where we're all standing. I open my mouth to answer, but nothing is able to come out. "Are you together?" Jack continues.

I vigorously shake my head.

I look at Corbyn to see how he is handling all of this, to find his gaze quickly switching between all of our faces. "Is he using you?" Corbyn asks, crossing his arms. "Is he forcing you to be like... his fuck buddy?"

"No!" I instantly bellow in disgust. "What the hell do you think I am, Corbyn?! You know I'd never do that," I take a breath, discreetly taking a glance at Daniel. "He-- he-- Daniel wouldn't do that to me anyway. He's not like that." I add, my voice growing small while I look at the ground.

I hear Corbyn let out a soft laugh, but it doesn't sound like genuine amusement - sarcasm. "Seriously? He isn't? This isn't the same Daniel that fucks ten different girls every week?"

For some reason, I quickly become agitated by Corbyn's response; I oddly don't like him speaking about Daniel like this. I look at Daniel to see his jaw suddenly clench.

"No, he's not like that." I say, my nostrils slightly flaring. "At least not to me."

Corbyn's eyes narrow in response to my answer, before I look at Jack. His expression is absent, but his eyes seem slightly pitiful.

"What makes you think you're different from the other girls, Tori?" Corbyn questions. "Do you not think he'll toss you aside when he gets bored just like the others?"

That's exactly what I'm afraid of.

Will he toss me aside when he's done?

But if that is the case, if he only wants me temporarily, then why is he investing so much time and putting in so much effort for me? He could easily get any other girl with a flick of his finger, but why isn't this the same matter? Like Corbyn said, why am I different?

"I'm... I'm sorry, Corbyn..."

"Corbyn, don't be so harsh on her." Jack says, rolling his eyes. "Look, Tori, we're not mad at you, or at least I'm not; we're just really... shocked. I did not see this coming. Right, Corbyn?"

The uneasy feeling in my body quickly diminishes due to Jack's reassuring words. Thank you, Jack.

Corbyn's chest rises as he takes in a deep breath, contemplating, before letting out an over dramatic sigh. "Yeah, I guess so." he says calmly with an added eye-roll. "We're just shocked. But like, what is actually going on then?"