“Oh my God,” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock before she immediately turned and fled.
“Stephanie!” I called after her, but it was too late. She had already bolted. Oh shit!
She was Marco’s cousin, for goodness’ sake. This was a disaster.
I turned to Cyrus, my anger flaring. “I told you to leave me alone! What part didn’t you get?” My voice shook with frustration and fury.
“Well… she saw what she needed to see. No big deal,” Cyrus said nonchalantly, making me gasp in disbelief at his callousness.
“You’re so self-centered,” I snapped, glaring at him. “You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
“True, but I do care about you,” he replied with a smirk, as if his words could erase the mess he had created.
I shook my head, rage and hurt boiling over. “Just shut up. I don’t want you touching me again,” I spat. “All you want is my body. Even if we hooked up right now, you’d still go around sleeping with other girls because you think with your dick, not your brain.”
I tried to push past him, but Cyrus grabbed my arm, pulling me back forcefully. His grip was firm, his hand sliding to my neck, holding me in place. “Don’t you dare say that again,” he growled, his eyes darkening with anger.
“Let me go!” I hissed, my pulse quickening as his fingers tightened around my neck, making it hard to breathe. I could feel the panic rising in me, but I refused to show fear. I met his gaze with defiance, my heart pounding as I tried to pull away.
Cyrus’s face was inches from mine, his breath hot against my skin. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “You think you know me? You don’t.”
I struggled against his hold, my mind racing. “I know enough to see that you’re toxic,” I shot back, my voice strained but steady. “You don’t care about me. You just want to control me.”
His grip tightened for a moment before he abruptly released me, shoving me away. I stumbled but caught myself, glaring at him with a mix of anger and fear.
“You’re wrong,” he said, his eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite decipher. “But if that’s what you want to believe, fine. Just remember, you brought this on yourself.”
I backed away, my heart still pounding, trying to catch my breath. “Stay away from me,” I said, my voice shaking but firm. “I’m done with your games.”
Cyrus didn’t reply, just watched me with a cold, unreadable expression as I turned and hurried out of the room, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible.
~~
It seemed like people were already leaving, but a few lingered, talking, laughing, and eating. My heart raced as I scanned the crowd, trying to spot Stephanie. Panic gripped me-if she spread what she saw, it would be a disaster.
As I pushed through the remnants of the party, Eva suddenly appeared at my side. Her eyes were filled with concern. “Selena, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she said, her voice soft but insistent.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. “I’m fine, really. Just needed some air and to clear my head.”
Eva’s eyes narrowed, her worry deepening. “Are you sure? You’re acting really off. Did something happen?”
“I promise I’m okay,” I lied, forcing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I just… need a minute to myself, you know?”
Eva studied me for a moment, clearly not convinced but unwilling to press further. “Alright,” she said quietly, “but I’m here if you need me.”
“Thanks, Eva. I appreciate it,” I said, giving her a grateful look. But as soon as she stepped back, I continued my search for Stephanie, my anxiety growing with each passing second.
I wove through the thinning crowd, my eyes darting around desperately. The knot in my stomach tightened as I realized how much I needed to find her, to explain what she had walked in on. The thought of her misunderstanding everything made my chest ache. I needed to fix this before it spiraled out of control.
I finally spotted Stephanie near the front door, walking out with Mia and Rachel. Relief and dread washed over me simultaneously. I hurried to catch up, weaving through the remaining guests.
“Stephanie! Wait!” I called, breathless as I reached them.
Mia and Rachel turned, their faces lighting up when they saw me. “Selena, this party was amazing!” Mia said, grinning. “We had such a great time.”
“Yeah, we don’t really want to leave,” Rachel added, laughing. But their smiles faded as they looked at Stephanie, who was staring at the ground, clearly agitated.
Stephanie glanced up, her expression conflicted. “I think we should go,” she said quietly, her eyes avoiding mine.
I forced a smile, though my heart pounded with urgency. “Can I talk to you for a moment, Steph? Just you and me?”
Mia and Rachel exchanged curious glances. “Sure,” Mia said, though she looked a bit puzzled. “We’ll wait by the car.”
As they walked off, I turned to Stephanie, trying to keep my voice steady. “Steph, I really need to explain what you saw. Please, just hear me out.”
“‘Hear what?’ That you don’t like Marco, and instead, you’re hooking up with your brother’s best friend?” Stephanie exclaimed, her voice sharp and cutting through the evening air.
“Please, keep your voice down,” I said, glancing around anxiously to make sure no one else heard. I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts. “I really do like Marco. I swear I do.”
Stephanie’s eyes flashed with anger. “And you just want to use him. Just stay away from him, okay?”
“You don’t get it,” I pleaded, my voice desperate. “I used to like Cyrus. We had a fling, but it’s over. Marco made me forget about my feelings for Cyrus.”
“Oh, so Marco’s just your toy boy for now?” Stephanie retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“That’s not what I meant, Steph,” I said, frustration seeping into my voice. “Cyrus and I are over. He wants me to himself, but I don’t want him at all.”
“Who wouldn’t want that hot guy?” Stephanie shot back, her eyes narrowing.
“Me!” I said, my voice rising. “I used to want him, like every other girl, but he used me and dumped me like a trash. He didn’t treat me the way Marco does. Marco doesn’t forcefully kiss my neck like Cyrus did. What you saw… That’s what Cyrus does .”
Stephanie folded her arms, looking unconvinced. “Then tell your brother about it. It’s obvious Cyrus is crossing boundaries.”
“It’s not that easy,” I said, feeling a lump form in my throat.
Stephanie shook her head. “Then it’s obvious you still have feelings for Cyrus.” She pointed past me, and I turned to see Cyrus across the yard, casually sipping from a cup, his eyes on us.
I rolled my eyes and sighed deeply, trying to shake off the anxiety that settled over me.
“Don’t tell Marco about this, please,” I said, looking at her, my voice cracking.
Stephanie’s gaze softened slightly. “I won’t.”
I exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness.”
“But you will,” she murmured.
“What?” I exclaimed, my heart racing again.
“If you really care about Marco, you owe it to him to be honest,” Stephanie said, her voice firm but not unkind. “He deserves to know what’s going on. If you don’t tell him, you’re just setting him up for more pain.”
I stood there, stunned, as her words sank in. She was right. I needed to tell him by myself.
~~
“Bye,” I murmured into the phone, ending my call with Marco. We had talked, but I hadn’t told him about Cyrus. I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Today should have been a happy day, but it was anything but. I felt a hollow ache inside, knowing I’d lost Stephanie’s trust and fearing I might lose Marco too, all because of one person. One stupid person.
The door creaked open, and Grey stepped in. I frowned, not wanting to see any of my brothers tonight. They’d probably think I was upset about having another brother instead of a sister.
“You’ve got broken hands now that you can’t knock?” I asked, rolling my eyes at him.
“Yeah, I think so,” he said, his tone light but his eyes serious as he sat on the edge of my bed. He watched me closely. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.
I nodded, avoiding his gaze. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Come on, Selena,” Grey said, his voice gentle but firm. “I know you. You’re definitely not okay.”
I tried to hold it together, but his concern pierced through my defenses. “I said I’m fine,” I insisted, though my voice wavered.
Grey’s expression softened. He reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay to not be okay.”
His words broke the dam inside me. I suddenly burst into tears, all the emotions I’d been holding back flooding out. Grey pulled me into a hug, and I buried my face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. His arms wrapped around me, solid and reassuring.
He held me close, his hand gently rubbing my back as I cried. “I’ve got you,” he whispered. “It’s going to be okay.”
I clung to him, letting out all the pain and frustration I’d been bottling up. For about fifteen minutes, I cried, and Grey just held me, murmuring comforting words. He didn’t push me to talk or ask questions. He just let me feel what I needed to feel.
Eventually, my sobs subsided, and I pulled back, wiping my eyes. Grey handed me a tissue, and I took it gratefully, trying to compose myself.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice hoarse from crying.
Grey smiled gently. “Anytime. You don’t have to go through this alone, Selena”.
I nodded, hugging Grey even tighter, finding solace in his warmth.
“There’s this boy,” I said, my voice muffled against his chest. He nodded, patting my hair gently, encouraging me to continue.
“I really do like him,” I confessed, not daring to pull away. “But there’s something I should’ve told him, something from my past. His cousin found out about it, and she might tell him soon if I don’t. I’m so scared, Grey. What if he stops liking me and leaves me because of it?”
Grey took a deep breath, his hand still soothingly stroking my hair. “Listen, Selena,” he said softly. “If a boy really likes a girl, he won’t judge her by her past. Everyone has things they’re not proud of, but those things don’t define who we are now.”
I looked up at him, my eyes searching his for reassurance. “But what if he doesn’t see it that way?”
Grey’s gaze was steady and comforting. “If he can’t accept you because of something you did in the past, then he’s not the right one for you. You deserve someone who sees you for who you are now, not who you used to be. And if he leaves because of it, then it’s better to know now than to be with someone who doesn’t really value you.”
His words sank in, easing some of the fear that had been gripping my heart. “So, you think I should tell him?”
Grey nodded, his expression sincere. “Yes, I do. Be honest with him. If he cares about you as much as you care about him, he’ll understand. And if he doesn’t, it’s his loss, not yours. You deserve someone who loves all of you, past and present.”
I hugged him even more tightly, feeling a sense of clarity and courage I hadn’t felt before. “Thanks, Grey. I really needed to hear that.”
“Anytime,” he said softly, holding me close. “You’ve got this, Selena. Just be yourself. That’s more than enough.”
“And one more thing,” I said, locking eyes with Grey. He nodded, signaling for me to continue.
“Do you think it’s okay for a guy to choke a girl he cares about, claiming he’s protecting her from another guy?” I asked, my voice tinged with frustration and confusion.
Grey furrowed his brow, trying to understand. “What kind of choking? Like, is it angry choking or something more… intimate?” he questioned, his concern evident.
“Not the intimate kind,” I chuckled nervously.
“Like violent choking? Has someone done that to you? Who the hell did?” he demanded, his protective instincts kicking in.
“No, no, not violent choking. If I wasn’t angry, I might have found it flattering, but I was mad, so… it was unsettling,” I admitted, my voice trailing off.
“Hmm… so guys are choking you now. I better not catch him doing that,” Grey remarked, and i rolled my eyes jokingly
“Well, I don’t support violence in any relationship, but if it’s that ‘rated 18’ kind of thing, then no problem,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. We both chuckled, but underneath, I felt uneasy.
“Thanks for the advice, you’re still my favorite brother,” I said, a genuine smile spreading across my face.
“Will forever be,” Grey replied, chuckling softly. I trusted Grey enough to confide in him about some things, but when it came to my other brothers, I treaded carefully.
If only Grey were the eldest, but being the third meant he didn’t have much authority in these matters.
“Goodnight and please leave my room,” I said with a playful tone, though I meant it.
“I will,” he said, standing up. Before leaving, he leaned down and kissed my forehead gently.
“And don’t let any motherfucker treat you like trash,” he added, his voice firm with brotherly protectiveness.
I nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude for Grey’s understanding and support. As he left, I settled back onto my bed, contemplating everything that had transpired.
I just hope Stephanie doesn’t tell Marco for now and allow me grow the balls to do that.
TBC