Stalker - Clarissa Wild Page 0,84
“Does he even like you? Tell me honestly; are you even happy with him?”
“That’s none of your business,” I say, frowning. “Now, stop this car.”
He laughs. “Yeah, right.”
“I mean it. Stop the car.”
“No.”
“Yes. Let me out.”
“No.”
“I don’t want to be in this car,” I say. “Do you hear me?”
“Where else do you want to be?” He glances at me. “At prom?” A muffled laugh comes from his mouth, and I get the sense that he’s ridiculing me.
“You’re just like him.”
“What?” he says. “Say that again?”
“You heard me.” I fold my arms across my chest. “You make me drive with you against my will.”
“I’m keeping you safe, unlike those other assholes.”
“Safe from what? You’re the one punching people and dragging me off to god knows where!”
“You think you’re safer with them?” he growls.
“Maybe, maybe not, but I just want you to leave me alone, okay? Is that too much to ask?”
He frowns. “Yeah, because I’m not going to fucking abandon you. No matter how many times you push me away.”
“You have no clue what’s going on in my life,” I say.
“Neither do you. You don’t even fucking know any of them.”
“I know Phillip. Maybe I know him better than I know you. He wouldn’t put me in a car against my will.”
Suddenly, he slams the steering wheel so hard that I shoot up in my seat. “Dammit, Vanessa! When are you going to get it? He’s not your fucking friend! He doesn’t even care about you. That guy over there, the one who wanted to kiss you? They’re friends, Vanessa, friends. And my guess is that he persuaded Phillip to let him use you.”
I shake my head, my lips trembling from fear.
“I’ve heard them talking near the lockers. Why do you think I’ve been following you all night? I know what they were up to. Phillip might have been reluctant about the whole idea, but he didn’t say no either,” Miles says. “He’s not protecting you, Vanessa. Not against other guys or himself. He doesn’t give a shit about you.”
“You’re trying to ruin me …” I say, holding my true emotions back.
“No, I’m telling you the truth.”
I can’t take it anymore. I have to let it out. “No. You don’t get to tell me the truth. You know nothing about the truth,” I yell, making a fist because my fingers are shaking. “You don’t know what I’m going through and don’t you dare make this about you.”
His lips part, but nothing comes out. Instead, he just stares blankly at me, before returning his gaze to the road.
It’s silent for a few minutes, and I feel the incredible urge to scream and then cry, even though I don’t want to. That, and the fact my mother raised me to keep my emotions to myself. I swallow away the lump in my throat, as I come to terms with what just happened. That boy was trying to push himself onto me, and Phillip didn’t do a thing about it. He didn’t protect me at all, even though he’s supposed to become my husband.
It never really sank in until now.
A tear wells up in my eye, but I blink it away.
Suddenly, I feel the back of his hand caressing my cheek. “Hey …” He smiles as I look at him. “Don’t be sad.”
Licking my lips, I turn my head away from his hand, not wanting his pity. Instead, I look outside at the road covered in rainwater. Drops clatter down on the windows, creating a soothing effect on the mind.
The car slowly comes to a stop in the middle of the road, near the field we always used to go to, and I unbuckle my belt so I can breathe a little better. I’m contemplating whether to open the door and get out, so I can get away from Miles, but something inside me is preventing me from leaving. Something … instinctual.
“Listen, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have beat him up like that, but I couldn’t let them do what they wanted with you, either.” He leans sideways. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I know …” I say, swallowing.
He sighs. “I hate seeing you with him.”
“You’re not the only one …” I mutter.
“Then why are you?” The sudden look of desperation on his face has me fazed.
“I’d rather not talk about that …” I say, frowning. “Besides, you were with a girl, too.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I wanted to go with her.” He shrugs. “She means nothing to me.”
“You were grabbing her ass,”