Trying to live

Chapter 31 (Edited)

I pointed at Henry and saw the scowl on his face out of the corner of my eye. I started to thank Dean and took off my apron, but suddenly, I felt cold fingers on my wrist. "No."

I looked back at Dean. "What?"

He pressed his fingers into my skin. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't comfortable. "I need to talk to you first."

I laughed awkwardly, glancing at Henry, who was watching us with a weird expression. His face was tight, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Look, Dean, we have all the time, but he doesn't."

"I don't care. He can wait." Dean looked at Henry, and I felt like they were having a silent stare-down. I tried to tug my hand free, but Dean's grip tightened, and he yanked me toward the backdoor. "I just need a few minutes, then she's all yours," he said to Henry, waving dismissively. Then he looked at Jenna, who was ready to intercept, and I was glad for that. "And you stay here. I'm going to come back for your speech."

But she just nodded, and Dean dragged me after him. The way he talked about me to Henry, like I was an object, made me angry. I wasn't anyone's property.

"Don't talk about me like that. I'm not an object," I said tightly.

Dean ignored me, opened the door to Rhonda's office, and pushed me inside with force. I braced my hands against Rhonda's desk to avoid crashing into it.

"Are you out of your mind? I could've gotten hurt," I shouted, whirling around.

Dean laughed humorlessly, giving me a cruel smirk. "Oh, I'm sorry."

The sarcasm and lack of genuine apology made me bristle. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you?" he shot back. My confusion must have been evident because he pinched his nose. "I trusted you, but now I can't believe how blindly I trusted you!"

"Wh—"

Suddenly, Dean was in my face, pointing a finger at me. "Don't play innocent with me. I can't take it. I can't believe I never listened to the rumors about you. You're seriously not trustworthy."

This statement shouldn't sting as much as it did. Why did I need Dean's approval? Yes, I had done bad things. I had misused the trust of my former friends. I had humiliated Priya and started rumors about her. It was bad and unforgivable, but I was in a self-destructive phase, and she wouldn't leave me alone.

I had to cut out all my friends, even if it meant destroying someone's reputation.

I scoffed, pushing his finger away. "It's fine if you found out now that I'm not what you think I am. If that's all," I stated and pushed past him.

I didn't even take one step before he grabbed my arm and pushed me against the desk. "No, that's not all."

Dean was seething, but I didn't know why. "What do you want from me? An apology?" I threw my hands in the air. "Fine, I'm sorry."

He shook his head and laughed. "I trusted you. I shared something personal with you, thinking you'd understand. I didn't want to drive you home; you begged me. I had other matters to attend to, but I didn't want to leave you alone. So, I said yes, but I should've never said it."

"Excuse me, I didn't beg you. I was just—" I started but was cut off by Dean.

"I took you to the Pit because I thought you'd understand, and you promised you'd keep it a secret. But now your friend is snooping around a dangerous area!"

I blinked, unable to comprehend my part in this. "I don't have any friends! Who would I tell?"

Dean slapped a hand on his forehead and then was dangerously close to my face. The anger in his eyes could burn me alive. "You don't," he whispered, a dangerous edge in his voice. "Then what about the rich girl with the shiny hair and the play? Is she not your friend?"