by Casey Crisp
His friend, however, wasn’t convinced. “What do you want?” he asked.
I ignored the hostility in his tone, refusing to allow it to derail me any further. “Just to say hello,” I inserted smoothly, hoping to bypass formalities.
“How are you, Brynn?” Chrystian asked, averting his eyes to the ground when his gaze briefly locked with mine.
“I’m great,” I replied. “I came with Rose and Ryder.”
“I think we’re both aware,” his friend muttered, looking over at Chrystian. “Let’s go, man.”
Chrystian frowned, a dozen conflicting emotions crossing his countenance, resulting in a deep crease between his eyebrows. “I want to talk to Brynn.”
I brightened immediately while his friend seemed less than thrilled at the idea. “Chrystian, I don’t think you-”
“I’d like to talk to Chrystian,” I interrupted, glaring at the other boy from the corner of my eye. “Privately.”
“Chrystian is never alone!” His friend warned me, voice bordering on a low grumble as he started towards a group of students watching us with thinly veiled curiosity.
“You want to talk to me?” Chrystian asked, but only once his friend was out of earshot. His tone was eager, and it filled me with a smug triumph.
“I heard that you’ve been fighting with Alex.”
Chrystian glowered at the mention of Alex. “Where did you hear that?”
“From Aria,” I said. “Is it true?”
“Yes,” he replied, lips curling down into an unpleasant frown.
“Why?” I asked. “The two of you are close. It doesn’t make sense for you to fight?”
“Don’t be ignorant,” Chrystian said, tone somewhat condescending. “If you know that we’re fighting, then you can figure out why.”
“But I don’t really understand!” I sighed. “What are the two of you trying to say, huh? Why does it involve me?”
“I have a lot of reasons.” Chrystian sighed as he took a step closer to me. “I want you Brynn, and Alex insists that he wants you too.”
It wasn’t an unsettling admission, but I was justifiably furious when I heard mention of Alex’s supposed sentiments. “Alex made it clear that he doesn’t want me, and I would never agree to be with him.”
“But what about me?” Chrystian asked with a desperate tone, reaching for my arm to pull me even closer as if overwhelmed by the sudden urge to touch. “Tell me what I did wrong, Brynn,” Chrystian pleaded. “Whatever it was, I’ll do anything that I can to fix it.”
I trembled at his closeness, trying to remain unaffected by his blatant desperation. It was a difficult task because his hand had slowly drifted down to my waist, fingers teasing the low-cut of my dress. “Chrystian,” I said, proud that my voice still managed to sound controlled, betraying none of my hidden desire. “It’s not anything that you did.”
Chrystian pulled back, searching my eyes. “Then what is it? Tell me what’s wrong.”
I sighed, deciding to reconsider my initial plan since I was simply taken aback by the raw intensity evident in his gaze. “It’s because I can’t trust you.”
“Why?” Chrystian asked, a silent plea in his honey-colored irises. “Tell me why you can’t trust me.”
“Because of Isabella,” I replied hesitantly because I knew that I was being unfair with my short and vague answers, but hadn’t he and Alex offered the same confusing responses to me?
“What about her?” Chrystian prodded. “We’re not together anymore.”
“Exactly,” I told him. “You’ve shown me that you aren’t reliable when it comes to relationships. Listen to me, Chrystian, you were careless with her feelings.”
“She messed with me too!” Chrystian exclaimed. “I’m trying to get away from her because we’re bad for each other. One failed relationship shouldn’t demonstrate untrustworthiness. You have no reason not to trust me besides your own stubbornness.”
I shook my head because I hated the validity behind his claim. “We’d be bad for each other.”
“No we wouldn’t!” Chrystian immediately countered. “I would do everything to make you happy.”
“Why? What’s so special about me?”
“Everything,” Chrystian said with a surprisingly reverent tone. “Let me prove it to you, Brynn. Why don’t we talk somewhere quieter?”
The entire foundation of my plan was quickly crumbling around me, but Chrystian’s unexpected honesty was preventing me from picking up the pieces. “I need a drink first.”
“I can do that for you,” Chrystian said, holding up a hand. “I’ll get us some drinks, wait right here for me.”
I watched Chrystian’s receding figure before I decided to look for my older sister. If I was going somewhere with Chrystian, then Rose needed to know as well. I had been far too unpredictable considering my sister’s desire for regularity and control. Unfortunately, my cursory sweep of the gymnasium led me to the wrong person, and my eyes narrowed when I saw Alex standing with a group of unfamiliar girls.
He was definitely drunk, especially considering the noticeable sway to his regular stance. I was disgusted by his behavior, and I turned back around in search of Chrystian because I wanted to leave the gymnasium after any previous semblances of my plan laid in utter ruin. However, ignoring Alex proved to be a failing strategy when I heard him scream my name like a barbarian. I let out a harsh exhale as I confronted him while he approached on unsteady legs.
“Brynn!” Alex slurred his words, and I was annoyed by his careless drunkenness. “You look really beautiful in that dress.”
I scoffed, hating how I practically beamed at his compliment. Yet, I also knew that I couldn’t really take anything he said for granted considering his condition. “What’s wrong with you, Alex? How much did you drink?”
“I needed to take the edge off,” he offered vaguely, giving me that hubristic grin of his that always managed to compliment his eyes in the best way possible. “Did you do this for me, Brynn?” he asked, eyes scanning unabashedly over my body. “You’re practically begging for my attention. Is that what you want? My attention?”
“How can someone be this arrogant?” I wondered aloud. “Don’t you remember, Alex? You’re the one who said that you didn’t want me.”
“I said that?” He seemed perplexed by my statement, cocking his head to one side as if in deep thought. “I don’t remember.”
“Well, you did,” I went on insistently. “Mission accomplished. Do me a favor and go back to your cheap blonde and leave me alone.”
“Brynn!” Alex laughed, an ingratiating sound. “I forgot how funny you are.”
“Yes, I’m a riot, now go away.”
“But we’re just talking,” he said, suddenly taking a provocative step in my direction, catching me around the waist before I could slip away. He brought me flush against the front of his chest. “I should’ve asked you to come with me instead.”
I rolled my eyes. “You said you didn’t do relationships.”
“Is that right?” he asked, ducking down to brush his cheek against mine. “I said that?”
“Yes,” I gasped, closing my eyes as his breath haunted the skin of my collarbones. “That’s the explanation I got for why you didn’t want me.” I knew that I sounded bitter, but I also didn’t care. I wanted my current state of mind to riddle Alex with guilt, to the point where he would suffer too, but my plan was falling apart.
“That’s not right,” Alex mused, hands briskly moving down my back. I jerked forward at his touch, feeling my face redden at his bold action, especially given our public setting. He forced me even closer to him, bringing me in contact with the unexpected tightness forming in his fitted dress pants. “I definitely want you, Brynn,” he said with a husky voice, just like how I remembered it that night at the club.
“Alex,” I hissed his name, aware that several eyes were looking in our direction. “You need to stop. You’re totally drunk.”
“Come on, Brynn,” he whispere
d into my neck as he nuzzled the skin there. “I know you don’t want me to stop.”
His admission was confusing, and a tear fell from the corner of my eye on its own accord. “Alex,” I said, hating how much I was shaking, “I don’t understand what you want.”
“You,” he murmured into my ear, “I want you, Brynn.”
“But what you said before-”
“Forget it,” he interrupted, “I was stupid to say anything different. What proof do you need?” My breath hitched in my throat as Alex grabbed my hand and led it to the front of his dress slacks. I blushed profusely, and Alex’s returning moan only added to my flustered state. “I’ve imagined you touching me so many times,” Alex continued with a whisper. “I’ve thought about you in my bed.”
“Alex!”
“Come home with me tonight. I can make you feel so good.”
“Alex!” I floundered, searching for the right words, but they never came, and a scream tore itself from my throat when I was suddenly ripped away from the subject of my most intimate desires. I finally re-focused my attention on Chrystian, and I shivered at the rage in his eyes. They had lost their normal color, dilating completely black.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Chrystian’s actions and words were a sobering combination for Alex. His eyes drew together in a hostile glower. “What does it look like?”
“It looks like you’re forcing yourself on Brynn,” Chrystian replied, words surprisingly smooth considering how much his body was shaking. “I didn’t think that you were desperate for girls, Alex. Don’t you have whores at home waiting on your front steps?”
I hesitated as I noticed a circle of students slowly gathering around us. “Jealous?” Alex boasted, puffing out his chest.
“No,” Chrystian bit back. “Because I know that the one girl who you think you want would never agree to sleep with you again.” Chrystian’s hand tightened around my shoulder, drawing Alex’s attention to the movement.
“You think she’ll sleep with you?” Alex arched one perfect brow, returning Chrystian’s aggression. “She doesn’t think you’re good enough.”
“Brynn and I were getting ready to leave before you showed up, but since when are you so desperate to get laid? Wasn't one time enough for you?”
I was expecting Alex to deny it.
Because we didn’t sleep together that night, we only danced and kissed before he brought me back home. But the truth didn’t stop a sardonic smile from spreading across his features. “Brynn had such a good time that night. I’m sure she wouldn’t complain about doing it again.”
I fought to keep my mouth shut, even as I wanted nothing more than to scream at Alex to watch his mouth. Was he going around and telling people that we had slept together? Were those nasty school rumors more than just my unfortunate mistake with Jonathan? “You always seem to think that you’re better than me,” Chrystian growled, pushing me behind him as he stepped forward.
“Run back to Isabella, Chrystian,” Alex said, spreading his arms out nonchalantly. “Isn’t she enough for you?”
“You know that isn’t true,” Chrystian insisted. “I guess you still don’t understand! You knew that I liked Brynn, but you decided to ruin everything for me. You betrayed me and you betrayed the group. You’re an asshole, Alex, and you don’t even respect your own friends.”
“I have no respect for you,” Alex said carelessly. “You’re pathetic and Brynn doesn’t deserve someone who will only break her heart.”
Chrystian let out a strangled yell as he violently swung his fist, connecting with the side of Alex’s skull. I let out a reactionary gasp, but I was also rendered immobile, and I couldn't do anything but stand there shell-shocked as Alex and Chrystian started fighting. From the scene that had started to develop, it would be difficult to convince anyone that these two guys were best friends. Especially given the light trickle of blood forming down the side of Alex’s upper lip, but it only seemed to strengthen his resolve as he launched himself at Chrystian, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and shoving him up against the wall. His strikes were calculated, meant to inflict as much damage as possible. However, Chrystian was just as forceful, retaliating with kicks and hits of his own, finally freeing himself from Alex’s hold only to turn around and deliver a resounding slap to the dark-haired student. “I hate you,” Chrystian shouted, voice hoarse from overuse. “Why would you do this to me?”
“You aren’t innocent,” Alex panted, reaching for Chrystian again who only dodged out of his grasp. “You’ve always gotten what you wanted.”
I watched the exchange with horror because everything was falling apart around me. When I arrived here tonight, I had a plan with every intention of making both boys suffer. However, after considering the outcome of their confrontation, I finally realized that I had never really wanted that in the first place.
“You need to stop!” I practically screamed, but they both ignored me. In fact, they continued to engage one another in a hostile staredown, and the fight was only forgotten once Venir intervened, and he appeared nothing short of distraught. “What the hell are you two doing?” V demanded, grabbing Chrystian by the back of his jacket and pulling him away from Alex. There was also another student who shoved himself harshly against Alex to force him away from Chrystian.
“Why would you do this here?” he hissed at Alex, reprimanding him in a harsh tone, almost like he was speaking to a child instead of a classmate.
Aria stepped closer to me, grabbing my upper arm. “Are you okay, Brynn?”
I nodded, but the question drew V’s attention and his rage was suddenly directed at me. “What did I say?” V shouted, pointing an accusing finger in my direction. “I told you not to get involved anymore. You’re nothing but trouble.”
“Don’t talk to her that way!” Alex snapped, and his unexpected defense of me was completely shocking. “I told you to back off.”
“I hope that you don’t expect that anymore,” V said, glaring right back at Alex. “Especially when you and Chrystian decide to fight like you have no control over yourselves.”
Alex paused to look around as if suddenly aware that the whole school was watching the exchange with greedy eyes. He finally allowed a defeated sigh. “Come on, Brynn. I’ll take you home.”
“The hell you will!” Chrystian practically spat from where he was blocked behind his friend. “You aren’t any good for her.”
“Who made you the expert on that?” Alex’s voice was staggeringly cold as he jerked away from his student guard. “She doesn’t want you either.”
“That’s enough!” V bellowed, and even Aria took a hesitant step back at the power behind his command. “You two have been testing my patience for weeks! Can’t you see that it's drawing a line between us? This isn’t meant to be a war where we have to choose sides. The two of you need to get your shit together!”
Aria ran a soothing hand through my hair and I realized that I was crying. “I think the party’s over,” Alex said gruffly, looking over at V for affirmation.
“Aria and I will take Brynn home,” V declared. “I’ll send someone to take care of the two of you.”
***
The ride home was quiet and I came to the realization that V’s domineering silence was far more oppressive than his angry words. On the other hand, Aria kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror, and I felt ashamed when I saw the sympathy in her eyes. Because I didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for me, especially when it was obvious that this was a mess that I had helped create. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I opened the message from Chrystian with hesitance:
Chrystian: I’m sorry, Brynn. Let’s talk soon at school, okay? Just reach out to me when you’re ready.
I took his words to heart and didn’t reply immediately, chewing on my bottom lip in nervous indecision. What was the right thing to do in this situation? Because I had barely caught the attention of the nerdy boys in our last high school, and this time I held the
affections of two of the most popular students at Arlington Academy. Unfortunately, there were no life books on how to deal with this sort of problem, but somebody really needed to get on that right away.
When my phone received another notification, I figured that Chrystian was pestering me for an answer. However, I was genuinely surprised when I saw Alex’s name displayed across the screen:
Alex: Brynn, you saw the worst of me tonight and for that I’m sorry. I want to make it up to you. Let’s talk soon, please?
My choice might not resolve the conflict between the two frustrating boys, but it was a necessary start. I leaned back against the seat as images of their fight flashed through my mind. Chrystian Bowman, a soft-spoken and elegant writer who was so much like myself. He made me feel comfortable and that was always welcomed. In opposition, Alex Vonderheide was powerful, arrogant, opinionated to a fault, and the complete opposite of Braelynn Starr. He forced me out of my comfort zone, bringing an unexpected air of danger to my life, and that was also nice because it was different.
Me: Okay, Chrystian.
Nicole
“How grandeur,” I remarked snarkily to Beckett as we walked up the steps of Stone Ridge Academy, and it was, perhaps, even more impressive than Arlington. I was left feeling flustered, with my arm tucked through his, while I wondered what exactly my services entailed for the evening.
“It’s not that impressive.” Beckett shrugged dismissively. “I thought you liked pretty things.”
“That’s sexist of you to say to someone born with a basketball in their hands.”
Beckett chuckled. “How could I have forgotten? Nicole always manages to have the best of both worlds.”
I rolled my eyes at his comment. “So what’s the plan here, Beckett?”
“I don’t have a plan,” Beckett said breezily, reaching for the door. “Just stay by my side and act like the perfect lady that you pretend you are.”
I huffed in annoyance as I allowed him to lead me inside. Immediately, I heard music filling the empty hallways and we followed the sound to its source: the school’s gymnasium. “You’d think a rich academy could afford to have a better place for their formal.”