When Best Friends Kiss

Before the 2nd Kiss - Part 4

"I thought you liked me." Vic's voice sounded a bit sad.

"I do like you. I never said anything about breaking up."

"Oh, good. As long as you like me, that's all that matters."

I frowned. "No. It's not that simple."

As Vic stood up and walked over to me, I wondered if he was going to try to silence me with sex like Reed had. Instead, he kneeled beside me and ran his hands along my wrists and palms. "You like me, that's all that matters. Don't make things difficult."

The fear faded as I shot back, "I like you, that's all that matters?"

"Yeah, we like each other."

"That's not what you just said." I tried to rip my hands away, but Vic's grip was tight on my wrists.

"Alex, calm down. Is something going on? Is that why you're so sensitive?"

I stared at Vic wide-eyed, wondering what the hell was happening. He was the one being sensitive, wasn't he? It wasn't me. Was it? Was it me?

Vic kissed my hands and I thought he must be right. He was being so calm and sweet, I was the one getting worked up, I guessed. I opened my mouth to apologize when he asked, "You're sleeping over tonight, right?"

Something was keeping me from agreeing. Vic's grasp on my wrists tightened again and I found myself nodding. We kissed. He led me to his bed and we continued, but I was in a daze. I'd experienced something like this before back in high school, but now it was worse. Right now, I couldn't even remember what the problem was that Vic's touches were trying to make me forget. And right now, I wasn't accepting those touches because I was weak to pleasure; I was accepting them out of fear.

How was I able to escape last time? That's right, Liam came. It was by coincidence, but he saved me. Who would save me now?

"Say my name," my boyfriend whispered against my lips.

What was his name again? My mind was completely drawing a blank.

Li―no. Brad―no... As I shifted my eyes, trying to recall, I caught him glaring down at me. "You're not even paying attention to me. Who are you thinking about?"

And those words made me remember. I recalled everything leading up to now that verified that the man on top of me was manipulative, egocentric, and probably unstable.

I sat up, pushing Vic off. "I can't do this. Sorry, Vic, we just aren't right for each other."

"What?"

I grabbed my shirt off the floor and threw it on as I made my way to the door.

"What the hell?" I heard Vic call over the thud of his footsteps following.

I sped up. "It's me, not you," I lied.

"Don't give me that bullshit line. You're doing this out of nowhere. What the fuck is going on?"

Having just reached the door, I turned around. "You terrify me," I admitted, throwing out my hands. "You're insanely manipulative and you just..." I blinked, flustered, the floodgates of my feelings bursting open. "Earlier you said all that mattered was that I liked you. And you didn't even realize. You're busy unless I act clingy and send hearts, what even is that?"

"Alex, you're misunderstanding and twisting everything. What is wrong with you? This is about another guy isn't it?"

"No, Vic! It's about you and your egocentricity and your... emotional puppetry." I jabbed a finger at him, low-key proud of my creative phrasing. "All you want is someone to mindlessly cling to you and stroke your ego. It's not going to be me," I huffed, frowning deeply, then opened the door.