Out in the Wind

Chapter 27

"Why not?!" I almost scream as I yank the jeans Patrick gave me up before pulling the shirt over my head. "You are the most complicated person I have ever met! The one moment I think you like me, and the next you push me away. But then you tell me you had sex with Jaycee, who's a prostitute!"

I look at Patrick with as most hatred I can muster even though I can see his face fall completely with the mention of Jaycee's name.

"What did you say?" he asks steadying himself against the shower door.

"I said I can't believe you won't have sex with me, but you would do Jaycee. Some cheap slut that gets paid for sucking off other men," I say. I know I am sounding like a child, and I know this is not my business, but a part of me wishes that Patrick will take this story and tell the entire school, the same way Jaycee did with my big secret.

"That can't be the truth. Jaycee... Jaycee might be flirty, but he's... No, he can't be..." Patrick mutters, walking out of the bathroom, me following right behind him.

"Yes it can Patrick. Where do you think I came from before I came here? From Jaycee. He offered me a job," I answer. "And I'm thinking about it, okay? I'm actually thinking about it, but I still want my first time to be special. To be with someone I love."

And as the last word slips over my lips I want to kill myself for saying it in the first place. Why would I say something like that? Do I actually love Patrick? Sure, I care for him. I like him. I'd love for him to be my boyfriend, but do I actually love him?

"You love me?" he asks taking a step closer to me.

"I don't know. I'm not sure," I answer as he takes another step toward me.

"Do you love me Cory?" he asks again closing the space between us to the point where our noses is touching.

"Yes," I breathe the only answer that feels right.

Patrick doesn't even answer. Before I know it his hands are in my hair and his lips are on mine and I part my lips to allow his tongue access to the inside of my mouth.

Patrick pulls back after a few seconds, making me reach forward with my mouth but he takes one step back, putting him safely out of my reach.

"Stay with me tonight. We can't do anything now, but please Cory. Stay with me tonight," Patrick breathes heavily before he takes another step back, as if he didn't do it he would not be able to hold himself back at all.

"I can't," I whisper.

Dumbledore's face appears in front of me. The way he had given me some of his food. Probably the only extra mattress he had and would have slept on to make the bench more bearable he had given to me. He asked only one thing in return. I had to finish the book.

"Why not? It's not like you have somewhere to be," Patrick says, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Actually I do. I have a debt to pay," I answer.

"You don't mean Jaycee? Seriously Cory. His offer means nothing. You don't owe him anything," Patrick says taking a step closer to me again before taking another step back. This time it doesn't look like he wants to rip my clothing off. This time it seems like he wants to grab me and shake me.

"No. Not Jaycee. Someone else. Someone who did something wonderful for me last night," I answer. "There's this man. I owe him. He gave me food. He kept me safe."

"So you want to go back and give him what? Your virginity? It does seem like you are offering it up a bit too easily," Patrick says, but this time I see his meanness for what it really is.