3 - GOOD GIRL

“Hello Tiny” I heard the voice before I saw the face and it felt like I had been transported back in time, to where I was still in high school, and this voice taunted me all through. I paused, stepping back a little and I saw his face – I took a sharp intake of breath. It was him quite alright – Aiden Scott.

“What – what are you doing here?” my voice came out squeakier than I intended it to be and I cleared my throat.

“It’s my house silly – turns out you’re my roommate” he flashed a smile and I felt my stomach churn. He stretched upwards to retrieve the pots and placed them in the sink “I shouldn’t have kept them so far away – anyways what are you making cus I’m starving tiny”

I couldn’t breathe – I placed a hand over my chest and my heart beat felt off the charts. It was him – and he hadn’t changed at all. He still had the sharp jaw with his reckless blue eyes, I could still feel his wicked charm ricocheting off him and he still had the face that looked like it was carved specially by God the only thing was that his heart was made out of ice and of course only the wicked bullies get hotter and richer and we the good ones get a cheating husband and our high school bullies as our roommates.

“My name is Cheryl , not tiny” I said, my foot rooted to the ground and unable to move from the sheer shock of this whole situation.

“I know” he countered, then he took a step towards me, I could almost smell him – it wasn’t the same but it felt rather suffocating all the same. He took a lock of my hair and curled it around the finger “But you’re tiny and I don’t think you grew at all since high school – look at you still a tiny little smidgen but you cleaned up pretty nice. Who knew the ugly duckling was going to turn to a pretty swan”

I knocked his hands away from my hair, the hotness of my skin colliding with the coolness of his and he didn’t seem to like that because the grimace appeared immediately, he grabbed my hands and I gasped, his eyes boring deep into mine as if searching for something hidden in the depths of my soul.

“You know what Tiny, I think we’re going to have just the right amount of fun, I mean high school was fun right?”

Something tingled in my stomach and it was red hot fury. I had never been able to stand up to Aiden in my life and I felt absolutely useless that a few years later he still terrified me and made my voice sound all squeaky. I wanted to punch him, I wanted to punch him so bad but I knew I couldn’t – I didn’t have the balls to do so but I could talk back.

“Maybe it was fun for you, but it was a living hell for me and you made it so Aiden Scott so forgive me if my idea of fun is not torturing and taunting someone. So maybe you should stay the hell away from me and I would fucking leave but I would rather dine with the devil than go back to fucking Aunt’s Joan house where I have to eat slop for food!!!”

It was a nice speech but it had only happened in my head and I couldn’t bring myself to voice them out of my mouth. I stood instead, staring back at Aiden, too bad he wasn’t a mind reader.

“I guess – ” I was going to say but he cut me off.

“Speaking of fun, there’s a party in town at Reece’s, you remember Reece right? Popular bar downtown?”

I scoffed lightly “I don’t think I’m interested, I need to unpack”

“Bullshit” he called “You’re going to pick folding some stupid clothes over having a good time out there, you’re coming with me and that’s final”

I balled my fist but I managed to keep my expression neutral  “Who’s going to be there?”

“The whole gang you know – Tobias, Mickey, Anika, Pearl – ”

“Did any of you leave this town at all?”

“I did” he said with a bit of reservation “I’m only back here because – you know what it doesn’t matter, just be ready by 8 and hurry with dinner already”

***

It was a few hours and Aiden was still insistent on taking me along, I threw on a simple jean and top I perceived as flattering enough and the moment we stepped into the bar I was gobsmacked – they were there – the gang – the ones that made my life a living hell.

What was I doing here? I could fake a stomach pain and just turn around and get the hell out but I couldn’t stomach the words and Aiden was urging me forward already.

“Everyone look who it is – it’s Tiny!” Aiden cheered loudly as we approached the group.

“Oh damn, Cheryl?” Tobias was the first one up, stretching his hands out to me and I hesitant to take it but I did still. He seemed a bit older than the rest of us, we were all in our mid-twenties but Tobias looked like he was pushing thirty already. There was no ring on his finger, and he definitely needed a shave. I didn’t hate Tobias, he was okay enough but he was guilty by association. Now the real demon was Anika, whose eyes hadn’t left me for even a second, I could feel a tremble on my fingers from her intense stare on my face, I stared at her back and she pulled her eyes away.

“Are you guys like – together?” she asked

“She’s my roommate” he said settling down on a chair and I did the same, nodding at Mickey who didn’t really seemed phased by my presence, he had always been the laid back one.

“I remember you from high school” Pearl said now “You used to have those ugly braces that really used to creep me out but I guess your teeth is okay now” she shrugged, and there was no better way to describe Pearl other ditsy and a little airheaded.

“Drinks for everyone – on me” Aiden announced “Unlimited shots of tequila over here”

“Uh – I don’t drink” I announced and the moment I did, I regretted because an awkwardness settled around the table and they all stared at me.

“Still a prude?” Anika jabbed

“Oh come on Tiny, you’re not in high school anymore and even in high school everyone drank except you – live a little come on”

“But – ”

“Take the goddamn drink Tiny” there was a fierceness in his voice that didn’t match the playfulness in his eyes and who was I kidding? Who was I being a good girl for? He was right, everyone drank but I had this intense need to seem righteous that I refused to take even a sip of wine and it’s not like my life was any better than them.

I watched as Aiden slipped the drink to me, his eyes meeting mine. I didn’t say anything, I took the glass from him and I downed it, the hot liquid burning my throat and I grimaced

“Good girl” he whispered.