The Second Worst Love Story Ever (+18)

25. Mr Asshole

After I had finally stood up to Val, I started sleeping like a baby. I would spend my nights and mornings in bed with my gorgeous, smart and awesome girlfriend. Bree was so serene. I was always in peace. There was no drama, no fights, no boiling pot of emotions, no... nothing. There was nothing. Even when guys hit on her -- and that happened a lot -- I was as cool as a popsicle. I didn't give a damn. Zero. Fucks. Given. What the hell was wrong with me?

"Dude, There's a guy hitting on your girl," Misha told me one weekend at the bar.

I looked over my shoulder and saw exactly what he said. This average guy was leaning against the counter, too close to my girlfriend. His face was unmistakably the one of a predator in action. His body language was fully engaged, and I, as a man who practically invented the fucking game, saw he was playing from over a mile away. Bree, on the other hand, seemed way more interested on the complimentary peanuts than on this tool.

"Leave her. She can handle it." I looked back to my friends.

"Wow, how confident," Noah said.

"Wait. Back the fuck up." Val made the hand sign for time out. "How come you're so nonchalant about Bridged--"

"Brianna."

"Whatever ... And when it came to me, you were the ultimate buzz killer?"

"Are you seriously comparing this to you living under the same roof as a guy who used to fuck you?"

Ethan sat straight, eyes popping. "I think I just went back in time,"

"Well, you could have trusted me," Val said. "You trust her."

"This is wildly different, okay? A whole other situation. Besides, you've always had a particular fame."

Val pierced me with her dark eyes. She didn't say anything, though. Bree and Lena had just come back to sit with us, so the only thing going on now was a heavy and uncomfortable silence. They looked from Val to me as we faced each other with hurt and regretful expressions respectively.

"Is everything okay?" Bree asked.

Valentina looked down, then away, then shook her head and got up without a word.

"Fuck, Ash. Seriously?" Misha got up to go after her.

I looked at Noah for some kind of back up, even though I knew I had gone too far. He confirmed my suspicion by just shaking his head and going to dance with Carla.

"What happened?" Lena asked.

I buried my face in both hands. "I think I just called Valentina a slut."

Lena started to curse in Russian, and it was not pretty. Lucky for me, she got up and away while doing it, so I didn't take the full blow of her fury.

"Well, I guess it's safe to say the night is over." Ethan got up, leaving his share on the table. "Night, guys."

I looked at Bree, and even she looked disappointed in me, but she could get in line.

***

"Ash, did you talk to Val already?" Bree asked me for the millionth time that week.

"No.''

''Baby!" She slapped my arm, startling me. "It's been three days!"

"Did you come to my work for that? Cause I pass."

She just brought her hands to her waist, staring me down. I felt like being scolded by my own mother, even though Bree was just a couple of years older than me.