Maleficent

“So why were you heading into my neighbourhood?” I asked, absently playing with the hem of Jeremy’s jacket.

My body was almost swamped in the thick material, the length of it falling to just above my knees. There was barely any use for the sweatpants beneath the jacket, but I insisted. I didn’t feel comfortable being completely bottomless since my underwear was tumbling in the dryer.

“I was going to watch you through your window,” he answered, then catching my frown he laughed. “I’m kidding. I was on my way to Laura’s.”

My frown deepened unintentionally. “Oh,” I said simply. “Are you two - ?” Before I could finish, I stopped, brushing damp hair to the side.

“Are we what?” Jeremy asked.

I smiled sweetly. “Never mind.”

Hoping to drop it, I brought my knees up to my chin, taking in the effects of Jeremy’s room. He was surprisingly tidy for a male. No posters donning the walls, no clothes strewn across the floor. It was simple. A bed, a dresser and a desk. It barely looked lived-in.

“You want to know if we’re fucking,” He pushed.

I blushed. “Not to that extreme,” I grumbled.

Jeremy grinned, his head tilted to the side as he lay sprawled over his bed. I rolled my eyes, making myself a little more comfortable on his desk chair. His cockiness was clear on his face, knowing that a hint of jealousy was bubbling inside of me. I would never admit it.

“Well we’re not,” he stated. “She’s just tutoring me.”

“Oh,” I answered lightly, hiding my smile.

There was a moment of silence between us. The only sounds were the pelting of the rain against the roof, and the heavy breathing of Jeremy’s golden retriever blocking the doorway. As far as I could tell, the house was empty, and when I asked Jeremy he just shrugged and dumped his school bag on the kitchen bench.

It was strange being in this house after so long. It had been years since Bentley and I had studied together, working on out eighth grade science project. I’d met his parents back then and they’d loved me, insisting on my return someday soon. I didn’t, and I wondered what they would say to see me back here on the arm of their other kid.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Shit. My head whipped around to the sound of Bentley’s pissed of voice as he eyed the clothes draped over my body. Anger seeped from his pores, knowing that the clothes I wore belonged to none other than the exact person he told me to stay away from. Guilt was probably written all over my face though Bentley wouldn’t be able to see it because suddenly Jeremy was standing up, blocking my view of the door.

“You got a problem?” He growled.

The testosterone bubbling between the boys thickened in the air, choking me with its intensity. “Yeah, actually,” Bentley snapped. “I thought I told you to stay away from her. And yet, here she is, in your fucking room.”

A dark laugh emanated from Jeremy. “I thought I told you, it’s not going to happen.”

For a moment I thought that was that. Bentley had gone quiet for so long that I would have guessed he’d left if it weren’t for Jeremy’s tense body and nice ass still in my line of sight. Breathing in, I caught the faint scent of his cologne, silently loving that his room was stained with it.

I’d almost completely forgotten about Bentley when suddenly he was charging at Jeremy, his fist pounding furiously. The grunts of their animalistic battle echoed in the room, stunning me into frightened silence as Bentley suddenly flipped Jeremy to the ground.

“Stay away from her!” He roared, spittle flinging in all directions. “Or I’ll rip that fucking murderous head off.”

I’d never seen anyone so angry before and I most certainly hadn’t expected it from Bentley but as threats and accusations were thrown, only one word rang through my mind, tickling at my memory and pulsating like a pounding headache.

Murderer.