Bittersweet Hate (3 page)

“Oh is that right? Because he clearly looks enthused by her and her extremely loud and annoying laugh.” I say a little louder than needed attempting to draw a reaction from her. She looks up at me from where she’s sitting. Her face is that of someone clearly saying… na, na, boo, boo look at what I have that you don’t. Keep taunting me bitch, keep taunting me.

“It doesn’t matter, look at me Mimi.” She says grabbing my cheeks and pulling my face in to look at hers.

“He’s not fucking worth it. I fully believe Corey can change, but just remember everything he’s done.” She releases me, and I wipe the angry smirk from my face not wanting to show Corey that whatever scheme he has created is getting to me. Never look weak in the presence of the enemy.

I take a seat directly in front of him.
I can’t stop my eyes from honing in on the well-manicured hand griping his arm or the dirty look that I shoot at both of them.

“Whoa,
bad kitty.” Rex says smirking at me, as he lands a hand on my shoulder trying to distract me from the train wreck occurring before my eyes.

“You’re up.” Jenn
a says, handing me my ball. God, never again, if they’re going to invite their ‘dates’ to go out on group nights I’m fucking done.

I take the ball, slipp
ing my fingers into the holes. But because I’m too focused on Corey, the ball slips from my hand to early and ends up going into the gutter. Fucking, fucking, fucking, fuck. God, stay focused. A cackling ensues behind me and it takes everything in me not to turn around and chuck this ball at her damn head.

“She
threw a gutter ball.” Bridget proclaims and continues to laugh, as if it’s the funniest fucking thing on the earth.

I grip the
ball harder than needed, gritting my teeth. I must not go to jail. I must not throw this ball at her head. I release the ball from my hold, and watch it roll down towards the pins. Just when I think it’s going to hit something, it goes into the gutter. Again. Psh. Fuck bowling. Fuck socializing right now.

“Oh my
God, like, does she even know how to bowl?” Bridget practically yells, her voice squeaking like a cheese curd. I turn around sneering at her.

“Knock it off Bridget
, at least she’s bowling what the fuck are you doing?” Corey barks at her. I stop, my steps wavering, shock coursing through me. Did he just stick up for me?

“I’m spending time with you silly. I was just wondering if she even
knows how to bowl. She threw like two gutters balls right after another.” Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard and I just want to tell her to shut up. She throws her blonde hair over her shoulder, a challenge written all over her face as our eyes meet. She’s pushing me and she wants to see if I’ll push back. Fuck yeah I will. It’s on.

I take determined steps
toward them irritation clearly written on my face. Bending down I place my elbows on the table, so I’m just at eye level with her.

“Let’s get something straight
sweetheart, I know how to bowl. I also know how to get a man and this right here…” I gesture to her, Ryder, and Corey “Isn’t how you fucking do it. Throwing yourself at people doesn’t make you more appealing. Now if you don’t step the fuck back, I’m going to put you back where you came from. In the gutter, since I’m so good at throwing shit there.” I can feel the anger within my dissipating slowly. However I’m still filled with a fury because these two had the audacity to bring her.

I hear hushed laughter, and swing my gaze in the direction of the noise. My gaze fall
s upon Corey. His eyes are filled with amusement, and his lips are tilted up in a tight lipped smiled.

Ryder looks at me with annoyance, as if I ruined his chances
of scoring for the evening. Bridget’s face morphs from happy go lucky, to anger in five seconds flat. Well after she realizes I wasn’t giving her a compliment.

Her
lips part as if she’s going to say something but then she squishes them back together. Looking at me with resentment I could rival. I smile finally satisfied with myself.

“Jealousy really isn’t yo
ur thing Mimi.” Ryder interrupts. I’m not shocked by Ryder’s comment. If he wasn’t an asshole, now then I would be.

“Yeah, well I didn’t think sluts w
ere really your thing. Turns out I’m not a good judgment of character.” His jaw clench’s as his fist comes down hard on the table. Most would be scared of a man like Ryder but not I. He’s about as scary as a kitten with no claws. He does have teeth though, so you got to watch out for those.

“Ever
yone calm down.” Rex yells, trying to reason with us all. All eyes shift to him. His face grows red with embarrassment for bringing himself into the middle of this. When in doubt just stay the fuck out of it.

“I would be calm if someone didn’t in
vite their ’date” to come along” My gaze shifting back to meet Ryder’s, angry eyes.

“She’s
not my date.” Ryder says grinding his teeth together.

“Yeah I am.” She coos in his ear.

“I think I just threw up a little in my mouth…” I pretend to whisper it, but end up saying it rather loud.

“No you’re not
. I’m going to fuck you and send you home, if you’re here for anything other than that please let me show you the door…”

I know we
’re making a scene but, the moment Ryder’s words are spoken it gets quiet. I look at Jenna and see she’s just as shocked by his admission as I am.

“But… I thought…” Bridget
says her eyes filling with tears.

“You thought wrong…” He says harshly. I don’t know what happened to Ryder to make him so dark, and disconnected but whatever it is, it’s going to take a fucking saint to pull him out of it. T
he girl swivels in her seat, then gets up, removing herself from the situation. Even though, I’m happy she’s gone, I feel sorry for her. She expected more from him, and it’s not easy hearing that someone wants to use you to satisfy a need.

“Dude
, that was fucking harsh.” Rex says annoyance obvious in his tone. Jenna looks at me confused as hell, and I look back at her the same way. This whole night is a cluster fuck.

“How was that harsh
? I laid out the rules, if she wasn’t up for it that’s her problem. There will be others.” His voice is cool, as if five minutes ago he didn’t have a problem. Which he clearly did.

“Can we go
? I’m over this.” All I want to do is go home, and go to sleep. I’m exhausted. All this arguing is hurting my brain. Jenna looks at me pouting. I know she’s trying to make us stay for one more game. I cave because how couldn’t I.

“Okay one more game, and I’m done.” How can you not give into that
face? She smiles at me as I take a seat across from Corey. I divert my eyes to the table not wanting to meet his gaze. His feet brush against my sock covered ones. Is he seriously playing footsie with me? I pull back slightly, gearing up to land a hard kick in his shin.

A growl admits from his mouth, and I cover my mouth with my hand to silence any laughter. Once I have myself together
I look at him raising an eyebrow, like seriously? He smirks at me. Like really smirks, and I feel an itch in my palm form. The one that wants to smack that look the fuck off his face.

“Hey
, I have got to go man.” Ryder says in a hushed tone to Corey. He looks fidgety, and anxious. I’m really starting to wonder if he’s doing drugs. 

“Oh, okay man. Call us if you ne
ed anything.” Corey says, a surprised look on his face. Then it dawns on me he came with us, so how he’s getting a ride back? I ponder the thought a moment. He’s got to be going to find Bridget or something.

With Ryder
gone and the love birds all over each other I’m left with no one else to entertain me but Corey.  I glare at him over the table, taking a sip of my drink. My phone chimes with an incoming text. I look down, at it. It’s from an unknown number.

I open the text, and it says “You suck at bowling
.”

This can’t be. He can’t possibly have my number.

Fear settles deep into my bones, rooting me to my seat. I look around the darkly lit bowling alley, for Brody. I swivel my gaze back around and it lands on Corey’s who is looking at me in a peculiar way. Many would say Corey is dumb, but don’t let him fool you he’s fan-fucking-tastic at reading people and right now he’s reading me like an open book.

“What’s your problem?”
His voice sounds worried, but his face looks calm. My phone chimes again. I look down at it hesitantly, afraid to open the message. I watch as Corey’s eyes catch on my phone. What happens next occurs so fast there’s no way for me to stop him. In an instant he snatches it from my hand. I let out a snarl, as I reach across the table, trying my hardest to grab it.

“Give me that Corey Alan Winchester. Or so help me god.” He holds the phone above his head and out of my reach as he clicks through the messages I assume. His expression changes from laid back to panicky in seconds.
As I lean down on my arms in front of him. I’m getting my phone back the minute it comes within reach.

What I don’t expect is for him to stand, an
d grab me by the arm, pulling me into a dark secluded area of the bowling alley.

“Excuse you, but no one fucking man handles me.” I yell yanking my arm from his hold.
Darkness descends over us, stealing all the oxygen. I take a deep breath, and huff it out.

“It’s not me that you should be worried about manhandling you. When the fuck did you start getting messages like this, and why the hell haven’t you told me?” His body language is intimidating, and anger radiates from him as he pushes me against the wall.

I’m afraid to look him in the eyes so I turn my face the other way and talk. He grips my chin pulling my eyes back to meet his. I refuse to give into his alpha male tendencies so I shift my head back the other way.

“Why didn’t you tell
me Mimi? You know I will protect you.” He whispers to me, as if trying to soothe the pain.

“There’s nothing to protect me from.” I mumble pushing on his chest. He doesn’t budge though, and I know I’m fucked.

“Look at me.” He says, his voice is still menacing. He’s angry and I know why. I should have told him, it could be Brody, and if he’s coming back for me then I should be telling someone.

“Fucking look at me
” He yells, his voice booming in my ears startles me. I’ve never been afraid of Corey but when he acts like this I can’t help but shudder in fear. I raise my chin lightly to look into his eyes. They are black, the hazel color long bled out. In one second flat he has both arms wrapped around me.

“Please move.” I beg
, pushing him back. I can hear the break in my voice and I don’t like it.

“Are you scared Mimi?” He asks. A tingle goes down my spine and I feel my panties getting wet. What the fuck is wrong with me, he’s turning me on?

“No.” I say determinedly as I look him straight in the eyes. It’s as if I push him over the edge again. I smile inside knowing I’m the reason he goes crazy.

“Well you should be.” I’m given no time to respond
to his statement because his mouth crashes down on mine. There’s fierceness in this kiss. Also there is an aggression, anger, and hate so deep that it almost hurts.

His teeth nip at my lips begging for me to open more. Hesitantly I
do. His tongue invades my mouth, circulating with my own. My hands grasp into his hair, as I pull it hard. A groan escapes both of our mouths, as his hands descend down to my ass lifting me in one swift moment as he slams my back into the wall. The friction of the kiss and intensity of him has my panties soaked.

“You fucking want me don’t you?” He asks against my lips. I whimper grinding myself deeper into him.
One second he’s there loving on me and the next, he pulls himself from me. A shit eating grin is on his face. I’m flustered, and left hanging. My mind is all over the place. Did we just maul each other in a bowling alley? I feel at my lips, which are swollen. It was real. I look up at him. Suddenly I feel weak for giving into the cravings. I cannot give myself to him. I push past him, but before I can get away he grabs my arm bringing me back into his chest.

“Just admit it you want it as bad as I do.”

He’s still grinning and it causes my anger to fly off the handle. I pull back making a fist. I can’t stop myself from hitting him, even if I wanted to I wouldn’t. He’s had it coming for a long time.

My fist makes enough contact with his cheek and nose for him to release his hold on me. I take another step backwards, fear almost rooting me to the very spot I’m in. When his face swings back to mine there’s
an anger, and hate in his eyes like I’ve never seen. I almost want to piss my pants. His eyes are black as they bleed into mine.

“Never fucking t
ouch me again; NEVER.” He yells as I watch him kick three chairs, and punch a table in his angered rage. The rage I put him in. I thought once I got him to this point I would be happy, but I’m not. I’m scared, and I’m sad. I’m sad that I’ve inflected my anger on him.

“What the fuck is going on?” Jenna and Rex both say in unison coming up behind me. I
’m shocked, and I’m disappointed in myself. I wanted to push him, but then he pushed back. I thought I was stronger, I thought that when he pushed me I could take it, but I can’t.