Jagged Edges

I'm not exactly sure how, but Seth convinced me to spend New Years Eve at a party just off the Naval Academy's campus. I have nothing against parties but there's something about college parties that's really sketchy to me. Seth is very convincing though, because an hour before midnight I find myself in the kitchen of a very crowded house with a red cup being shoved in my face. 

"No thanks." I scream over the music, holding up my bottle of water. My dad would literally murder me if I drank. 

The guy just shrugs and tips the cup back into his own mouth. I highly doubt he's old enough to drink. College kids are really stupid sometimes. Seth grabs my hand and leads me to the significantly less crowded back yard where several of his friends are sitting.

"Hey guys." He greets, dropping into an open lawn chair and pulling me down on his lap.

"Sup?" A guy greets, giving me the once over. "This your new boy?"

Seth grins and nods before sliding his arms around my waist. "Yeah, this is him. Gian, this is Will," He points to the guy who talked first. "Ian, Chris, Ricky and Jake."

Chris and Ricky both smile and wave but I think Ian is officially drunk and Jake just kind of grunts.

"Nice to meet you." I say.

Will raises an eyebrow. "Well aren't you a sweetheart." He mocks. "Where'd you get this one?" The question is directed at Seth.

"He's one of my professors' son." 

"Oh damn. How old?"

"Sixteen."

"Um helooooo." I interrupt. "I'm right here."

Will turns to me with an odd look on his face. "I can see that but I wasn't talking to you, was I?"

I raise both eyebrows and glare at him, then I look at Seth who just ignores me and turns back to his conversation. This is when I realize the shift in Seth. The way he sits, the way he talks, the way he touches me- All of that changed when we walled in here. He shifted from the guy I actually like to a college douche bag. I had been around his friends before and I do admit that things are quite a bit different when we're around his friends than when it's just him and me together- but this? This is appalling.

"So," Jake speaks for the first time tonight. "You hittin' that tonight?" He asks, motioning to me.

Seth freezes beneath me but only for a fraction of a second. Then he jerks his hips forward and makes a primal sound of confirmation. And that my friend, is the last straw. I stand a whirl on him, giving him my best look of disgust.

"Fuck you." I growl.

Jake snorts. "No, fuck you."

I choose to ignore both him and the sly smile on Seth's face. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing at all." He winks, grabbing his crotch.

"You know damn well what I mean."

Seth sighs and stands in front of me. "Baby, lighten up. You're so uptight."

"Oh, I bet he's tight alright." Jake adds. With one last glare to Jake, I turn on my heel and go to leave. Seth's hand on my wrist stops me, grip too tight to be considered friendly. 

"Gian, stop it." He says with an undeserved tone of authority in his voice.

"Let go of me." I growl. Thankfully he does as I say but he still follows me through the house and into the front yard.

"What's your problem?" He demands.

"No, what's your problem? I'm not your property or your slave. I'm your boyfriend. I will be treated with respect, and that? That was the furthest thing from respect I've ever witnessed."

"Babe, lighten up. We were just joking."

"No you weren't. I know what joking is." I cross my arms across my chest and cock my hip to the side. "Seriously, what has gotten into you?"

He spreads his arms wide as if showing me something. "Nothing, Gian. This is who I am."

We stare at each other for a solid two minutes before I turn and head to the street. "Fine."

"Fine? That's it? Where are you going?"

"Home." I say shortly.

"Uh. Okay. I'll call you tomorrow then." He says pathetically.

"No, Seth, you won't. We're done. If this is really who you are then I don't want you. I deserve better."

"Are you seriously breaking up with me because of a fucking joke?" He asks angrily.

"Yeah. A joke. That's why." I scoff.

"You know what?" He says. "Fine. Just go running to your mommy and daddy like a little bitch."

I smirk. "I will. And I'll be sure to tell my daddy exactly what happened here. I'm sure he'll find it amusing."

Seth visibly pales and I can't stop the satisfying feeling in my stomach, not that I want to. I shove my hands deep in my pockets and start to head home. It's when I get to the end of the street that I realize I have no idea where I am and therefor, have no idea how to get home.

I quickly go through my options in my head. I can't call my parents because they'll want to know why i need a ride and I'm not sure I want them on a murderous rampage at the moment. L'von is out too, for the same reasons. Treason is my next thought and I decide to go with that.

He answers his phone on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Sunny, I need help." I say miserably.

"What can I do?"

"Can you come get me? On the corner of Main Street and Park Place?" I ask, checking the street signs.

"Aren't you with Seth?"

"Not anymore. Just . . . please?" I beg.

"I'll be there in five minutes." He agrees. "You wanna tell me why I'm coming to get you at quarter of midnight on New Years Eve?"

"Not really." I mumble. The weight of what just happened settles and the tears start to well up. "Sunny, I don't know what happened. Seth was fine when we got here and then . . . then . . . " 

"Hey hey, you don't have to tell me, okay? I'm almost there."

"Should you be talking while driving?"

"No, but don't hang up. I just wanna make sure you're okay." He insists. "And don't tell me you are because you're not. I can hear it in your voice."

I smile slightly, despite everything. I'm really lucky to have him even if he is just a friend. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For doing this. You didn't have to."

"Oh? Does that mean I can turn around then?" He jokes and I giggle. "Ah, there's that laugh. But seriously Gian, I'm glad you called me. Hey, I'm pulling onto the street.

I look up and see his car. "I see you so I'm hanging up."

"Awh, but Gian-"

I don't give him time to finish his sentence as I hang up. Treason pulls up next to me and I hop in quickly, eager to get out of the cold. He leans over and turns up the heat before taking off.

"Sunny, can you not take me home? At least not now." I ask quietly.

He looks at me for a second but nods. "Gian, do I need to turn around and kick his ass?"

I smile at the thought of Treason sticking up for me like that but shake my head. "Please don't. It was just . . . I thought he was different. It turns out he was. Different around his friends. A lot of things were made clear to me tonight and I broke up with him."

"Gian, I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry." I interrupt. "I don't want you to be sorry. I'm almost positive I wasn't meant to be with him anyway."

Treason glances at me and smiles before turning his attention back to the road. Within minutes we're pulling into his driveway and he leads me inside. He explains that his mom is working late so it's just us. We settle on the couch and watch the ball drop on TV. I press a chaste kiss to his cheek before settling my head in his shoulder. He wraps an arm around me and allows me to snuggle closer.

"Sunny?" I murmur with a yawn. "You know how they say that how you spend New Years defines the rest of your year?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I hope it's true. Not the Seth part but . . . right now."

Treason's grip around me tightens and he drops a kiss to my head before flipping the channel to a very old rerun of one of my most favorite shows: I Love Lucy. I soon find myself wondering what I ever saw in Seth, especially with Treason around.