Hard to Forget (Hard to Resist Prequel) (3 page)

After class was over, Bryson was in the parking lot standing beside his Jeep with a few football players. My spirit lifted when I
saw him but as I saw Sara step from behind to get to his side, I hesitated. Why the hell was I hesitating? He was my boyfriend, not hers. I had the right to go up to him whenever I wanted and shoo her away. Instead, I watched. Maybe some would think that it was a friendly gesture that he placed his hand against the small of her back. To me, it was way too close to her ass.

I could hear Sara’s giggling
from across the parking lot and the whole moment they seemed to be sharing was really getting to me. After the football players dispersed, I decided that it was time to go. He was my ride home. I had no choice but to face him.

As I got closer, that’s when Bryson looked up and took a small step away from Sara. “You ready, Nat?”

I ignored him and went straight for the passenger door. I yanked it open, tossed my books on the car floor, and then folded my arms. I forced myself to stare out of the passenger window as Bryson climbed in and started the car.

His Hip-Hop music flooded the speakers and for once I was glad that it was playing.
Putting the car in reverse, Bryson pulled out of his parking spot and revved his engine through the parking lot and to the exit.

“How you feeling, babe?” he asked.

My lips were sealed. I couldn’t get over how happy he was with Sara or that he was even touching her. It was probably worse in their Chemistry class. I was sure about that.

Bryson finally pulled up to my house and I grabbed for my books quickly before pushing out of the car. “Nat,” he called before I could slam the door in his face.

“What?” I hissed.

“What the hell is your problem?”

My eyes narrowed, disbelieving what he’d said to me. “
My problem
, Bryson? Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

He shrugged. “I really don’t know what I did.”

“It’s you . . .  and Sara! Why the hell can’t you just leave her alone?”

“She’s a friend!”

“Fuck that. Friends don’t talk and touch the way you two do. The only girl you should be touching like that is me.” I shook my head as I waved it off. “You know what? Forget it. I’m tired of it. Have fun with Sara. I really can’t deal with your shit right now.”

I slammed the door in his face before he could speak and hurried for my house.
He rolled the passenger window down and called my name countless times but I ignored him as I struggled to unlock my front door.

I barged in and slammed the door
behind me but I wish that I hadn’t because my dad was sitting in the living room, staring right at me with the biggest eyes ever. “What’s wrong Natty?”

I swallowed, squeezing
my books against my chest. “Um . . . nothing. I didn’t mean to.”

“Why do you look so flustered?” he asked.

“I’m fine, Dad. Seriously.” I stepped over to give him a kiss on the cheek as I always did and then hurried upstairs to my room. I slouched down on my bed and stared at the wall that was in front of me for what seemed like hours but nothing could rid my mind of what I saw. Nothing could get me to understand why Bryson was acting like it was no big deal. Where was his respect? I couldn’t figure it out.

Instead of
just dwelling on my bed all night, I reached for one of my notebooks and ripped a few sheets of paper out. Pulling the chair from beneath the desk, I sat down and immediately began to write. I let out all that I’d felt that day. The hurt. The betrayal. The aggravation. I couldn’t let it go.

Sometime in between my writing and wallowing, I had done my homework and then drifted off to sleep. My phone was tucked by my side in hopes that Bryson would at least call to apologize but
it remained silent, outside of Grace calling me.

It was around two that morning when the ph
one rang and startled me out of my sleep. Lifting my heavy eyelids, I read the name on the screen and my heart pounded somewhat ecstatically. I was still upset with him but to know that he was calling that late made me realize that he might have been up all night thinking about me.

“Hello?” I answered as I sat up.

“Nat, guess where I am,” Bryson said.

“Where?”

“In front of your house. Can you come with me?”

“Come with you where?” I asked as I pushed out of bed and hurried for my window. Sure enough, there was Bryson’s Jeep sitting along the curb. “Why are you out so late?”

“I was at Mark’s all day.” He paused on the line and I swallowed to prevent any dryness in my throat. “Look, Nat, please just come with me. I didn’t want to apologize over the phone.”

“Okay, Bryson. I’m coming.” I turned my phone off and hurried to get some clothes on. I ran a brush through my mangled hair and then swung my door open. I had to sneak past my parents’ bedroom but I knew even if I were to get caught, they wouldn’t have
said much about it. I was surprised that they were still sleeping together, considering the argument that I had heard bits and pieces of the night before.

Stepping out and shutting the door behind me, I rushed for Bryson’s mud-green Jeep and climbed into the passenger seat. He looked at me and smiled but that’s when I
took in how lazy his smile was. As he moved in closer, I could smell alcohol on his breath.

“You lied to me.
”

“What?” Hi
s eyes widened. “How?”

“You weren’t at Mark’s. You were at Moe’s. You’re drunk.”

“I’m not drunk, Nat. I’m fine. I made it here safely. See?” He raised his hands, as if that were going to prove anything to me.

A line formed between my eyebrows but I shook it off. I was tired of arguing with him. It was starting to become pointless. “I’m taking you to my house.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

He hesitated
but then put the car in drive. I felt him looking at me but I kept my gaze forward. “You know I hate when you’re mad at me, right?” he asked as he pressed the gas and pulled out of the neighborhood.

“You know I hate when you drink and drive, right?”

He laughed but didn’t respond. It was a good thing that his house was only a few blocks away because if it were any farther I wouldn’t have rode with him. Bryson turned the car off and then hopped out. I climbed out of the passenger seat slowly and he met me by my side to grab my hand. Surprisingly, after all of the crying and annoyance that I felt from the day before, I didn’t pull away. As he revealed one of those dazzling, jaw-dropping smiles, I just couldn’t. I wanted to be near him more than anything.

We made our way to the front door and as soon as he unlocked it and we stepped in, he pulled me against him and kissed my neck. I groaned lightly from the feathery touches he was placing just at the crook
of my neck. He groaned as he brought his lips up to mine and he started taking steps forward, causing me to step backwards. The back of my legs bumped against the sofa, causing us to collapse but he didn’t pull away.

“You love me, right?” he asked then kissed my collarbone.

“Yes,” I breathed.

“Then stop trying to leave me. I’m sorry for making you mad. It’s just how I am.”

I sighed, tired of the same old excuse. He leaned up to pull his shirt off. His carved abdomens glistened in the light from the moon that was spilling through the window beside us. His lazy green eyes flickered as he looked down at me and as I stared up at him, I really couldn’t be mad anymore.

His fingers st
arted at the hem of my shirt, moving beneath it to get to my breasts. He cupped them with a groan and then sat me upward to pull my shirt over my head. 

My lips pressed as he started kissing me again.

“Nat, I love you and only you. You know that right?”

“You’re drunk,” I muttered as he kissed my neck again.

“I’m not. It’s true. Only you, Nat.”

“Well if you love me so much, do me a favor and leave Sara alone.”

The room stilled as he stopped kissing me. For a moment, it seemed as if he had stopped breathing. “Okay,” he finally said before going in for a hard kiss on the lips.

We made love that night . . . at least it was love to me. Maybe it was just a quick fuck to him. Maybe he only brought me there to get some and nothing else. I slept at his house that night but I couldn’t drift off as
easily as he could—in fact I only caught an hour of sleep that night. I couldn’t figure out why he hesitated on answering me about Sara. If he really did love me he would have left her alone in a heartbeat just to keep me happy. I kept questioning myself if I was being selfish but I knew deep down that I wasn’t. I just didn’t want her in our way and I damn sure wasn’t sharing him.

I didn’t know how to take it
when he acted like he didn’t care. How could I smile when he was more worried about his rep than our relationship? My eyes were never open to those kinds of things. I was so blinded by love—blinded by what I thought was real. I never really wanted to face the truth of it all.

Chapter Five

That Thursday, Bryson had hit my last nerve.

Grace and I were on our way to her house to hangout and catch up. Bryson said that he was going to hang out with Mark so I
gave him his space.

“Is Bryson still being a selfish dick?” Grace asked as
she pulled the fridge door open.

Sighing, I dropped my bag on top of the marble counter and then dropped my hands in my lap. “He didn’t talk to Sara much today so I guess that’s a sign.”

Grace frowned as she pulled out of the fridge with some white-chocolate covered pretzels and milk. “You are joking, right? I saw him talking to her after school. Seriously, Nat, I don’t like the way Bryson runs all over you. I think you trust him a little too much. I can understand that you two have been dating since freshman year but he should have more respect by now.”

“He’s not doing anything with her, Grace,” I said with a forced laugh.

“Yet.” Her hazel eyes glared at me before she dropped on the stool beside me and opened the bag. She grabbed the empty bowl that was sitting on the middle of the counter and dumped the pretzels into it. “I’m just letting you know how I see it. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt.”

I pressed my lips
together, reaching for a pretzel. I didn’t feel like talking with her about it because I knew that Bryson wasn’t trying to hurt me so I changed the subject. “So, I see you hanging around Dustin Welch a lot now.” I smirked, raising an eyebrow.

She grinned as she bit into her pretzel. “He’s hot, right? He’s in my Psychology class and we sit beside each other. I didn’t tell you, but the first day he asked for my number. We’ve been texting constantly for the past few days. I think he’s really into me.”

“Yeah. I can see that,” I noted with a giggle.

“He’s going to be at Bryson’s party tomorrow. We should definitely go shop for something cute. I’ve been looking forward to that party all week.”

I nodded my head in agreement while digging into my satchel. “My mom gave me money last night. I say we go buy something cute now?”

“Seriously?”
She pushed from her stool and grabbed the bowl of pretzels. After shoving the bowl into the fridge and grabbing her purse, she came to my side and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go. We really have to look hot.”

“Yeah.
Bryson wants me to wear something that will make him crazy—whatever that means.”

“It means that when he first sees you, he wants to take you
into a bedroom and hump the shit out of you.”

We laughed as we trailed our way out of her kitchen and hit the garage. Gracey had a blue convertible BMW and she always drove it with the hood down—unless it rained. Even when it was cold, she would have it down. She was crazy that way and I didn’t find it surprising during the winter when she would always call me and tell me that she was sick.

Grace and I shopped for a few dresses and in between I sent Bryson a text saying that I was going to meet up at Mark’s house with him when I had found myself a hot pick. I didn’t get a text back but it didn’t bother me much since I had Grace by my side, telling me what dress to wear and how hot I looked in it. We tried on dozens of short dresses and heels until we finally made our decisions and then went for something to eat.

After eating, I told Grace to drop me off at Mark’s house. As we pulled up, I didn’t see Bryson’s car. I only saw Mark’s.

“I’ll be right back,” I told Grace before stepping out of the car.

I hurried to Mark’s door and knocked and it took him a while to answer. He finally
swung the door open, covered in a mist of sweat. “Sup, Nat?” he asked, his eyebrow raised.

“
I’m sorry. Were you working out?”

“Nah . . .
um . . . I have company.”

My eyes narrowed.
“Who?”

“Madison
Brewer,” he whispered with a wink.

“You just couldn’t wait until tomorrow, huh?”