Borrowed Time Part 2

Chapter 224

She was always scared that she was gonna take it one step too far.

"For someone who has been in love for months, you really hate the idea of it." That was a good point, but there was one thing that she was more than anything else in the world, and that was a major hypocrite.

She grinned, resting her head on Carly's shoulder as she did.

"Yeah, I'm a paradox, aren't I?" She asked, and Carly chuckled, patting her cheek softly as she rested her head on top of Juliette's, making her smile.  Even if she knew beforehand that Carly wasn't mad or annoyed, her being openly affectionate like this never hurt to remind her that she was fine.

"I guess." For a beat, neither of them said anything, instead choosing to exist in each other's space... And then Carly cleared her throat.  You're ruining it. "So... What put you in a bad mood?" She asked, and Juliette grimaced, sighing as she lifted her head from her shoulder, crossing her arms across her chest as she did.

She didn't wanna talk about it, because talking about it felt like she was digging a dead horse out of it's grave just to beat it all over again, it just wasn't productive, because everyone knew who the fucking problem was, it was the same man who had been the problem since day one in Chem class.

History?  Could be Ethan.  But Chem?

Always Bryce.

"Bryce Benedict." She felt Carly stiffen next to her, which was fair, because who wouldn't stiffen at the mere mention of him?  He was the fucking worst. "I don't understand why me having a hickey on my neck means it's open season for him to say the bullshit that he so easily says." Her statement, she knew, did nothing to quell Carly's anger, if only enhanced it.

She grabbed Juliette's hand, giving it a soft squeeze as she traced over the skin gently.

"What did he say to you?" Carly asked, her voice growing cold with anger as she pulled away.  Juliette shrugged, sighing as she rubbed her temples... Honestly, what didn't he say to her at this point?  She was pretty sure if she made an outline of all the disgusting, heinous things that he felt that he was entitled to say to her at random and put it on a spreadsheet, it'd fill the whole thing.

Today it had been focusing on her hickies, on how his 'theory' that religious girls go slutty had proven correct, he had just forgotten that they become dykes too, and he'd been whispering it all while she was frantically trying to pass her test.

It was fucking rude was what it was, but she didn't know exactly what Carly wanted her to focus on.

"Does it really matter?" She asked, hoping that Carly would get the hint that it really didn't do her any good to recount it, because at this point it was par for the course, it just made her feel shitty when things were said because there was nothing she could do to stop it.  Admin didn't care, no one ever wanted to call him on it, so all she could really do was grin and bear it.

That was what she always did.  She felt Carly's hand on her shoulder, rubbing softly as she rested her forehead against it.

"Yes. It matters, of course it matters." Carly rested her chin on her shoulder before pulling back, clearly wanting her to go deeper into it. "Jules, what did he say?" She asked gently, rubbing her hand up and down Juliette's back as she did. She sighed, hanging her head. It felt stupid being worked up over it, that was what he wanted, obviously he wanted to have such control over her that shit like that bothered her, and she didn't wanna give it to him.

But it did bother her, it bothered her a lot... Because what had she done wrong by falling in love? Why was being in love something that made her a slut? Showing her love for her girlfriend, letting them do the same, why was that something that he had to sully with his fucking words?