Broken Bad Boy

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Once you made one mistake, people forgot your good deeds. What stuck in their heads was that one mistake. The last person I thought would never judge me was Hailey. When I saw those judgy eyes staring at me, I snapped. Now I left her. Not because I was mad at her, but at myself. I cared about her more than anything, but seeing her questioning my sanity, I couldn't bear that look. I had to go away for a while.

I found myself walking away from the campus. I stayed for a while outside my car, wondering who burned down that warehouse. No students would dare. I knew that. Unless someone who hated Adrian or those rich stupid kids. I scratched my head in frustration.

I shouldn't have left her like that alone. I should have been straight with her.

Hailey deserved to know the truth. My conscience was clear, yet what the fuck I was still doing here?

"Damn it!"

"Is something wrong? Is Hailey okay?"

My nose flared. The last person I wanted to see when I was pissed off just appeared before I could do something right.

"Back off, Larkin."

"Hey." He held my arm.

My jaw clenched. I glared at his hand, gripping my arm. "If you keep your hand in three seconds—"

"Okay." He released it right away. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you fucking care?" I growled at him.

Larkin was not the type of person who easily got intimated. He was a jock, after all. All he cared about was his fucking life. No one else. Just like those losers.

When it came to Hailey, I was overprotective and distinctively possessive. Every man asked about her, it made my blood boil, especially this fucking Larkin, and I was already beyond fucked up of leaving her alone. "Matthews," he called my name before I could manage to get away from him.

"What in the fuck of back off you did not understand? Why the fuck are you still here talking to me and not throwing a fucking party after what Adrian had done to Hailey?" It took every ounce of my sanity left not to throw punches at him. Fortunately, according to the video and what I heard from students, Remy was already out of the warehouse when Adrian hit Hailey. "Because I'm also concern about Hailey." Wow! He had the gut to say it to me.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Well, this is first, and I'm really finding it hard to believe. Aren't your only concern is yourself, Larkin?"

"Aren't you? Why the fuck did you leave her or allow her to go to that party in the first place? Aren't you Hailey's boyfriend? And may I remind you that you did forget her to pick up?"

Fuck! My jaw clenched hard.

I took a deep breath instead of punching him. "You remind me of how terrible a person you are. I should have given you what you deserve right now for leaving Hailey there alone in the middle of the road under the heavy rain, but then I should blame myself as well. She was sick because of you, asshole. And it would be best for her and us if you stay the fuck away from her."

"What if I don't?" His thick brow quirked up.

"Are you testing me, Larkin?"

His chin lifted.

"What do you want from her exactly? She doesn't like you, and she has me? What else do you want? Put her life in misery? Why don't you fucking find someone who would enjoy your company? Surely, Hailey did not. Otherwise, she wouldn't risk her life running away from you."

"Putting her life in misery? How about what you did to your sister?"

Before I could decipher what he just did to get under my skin, my first struck his jaw. Just listening to the words misery and sister together, I already took the bait. My fucking weakness.

"Mention my sister again, you wouldn't get only a blow. I don't care if I stay in hell for the rest of my life, but I would not allow the words about my sister would come from your filthy mouth." I was already collaring him. He just hit the button that he shouldn't even think to try. He just crossed the line he shouldn't, and I was fucking tired of him fawning over Hailey. "Don't ever fucking mention my sister again." I released him and grabbed my backpack on the ground.

If I did not think of Hailey if I got to jail for beating the hell out of Remy, I would still be punching him on the ground.

With a crooked grin, he said, "You still didn't get it, do you?"

"You're still talking, Larkin?"

"You still don't have any fucking idea until now why I despised you, do you?"

"Why do I give a fuck about you despising me?"

"Well, you should. You're the reason for my fucking misery in the first place, Percival! Every time I saw you walking and living, you gave me every misery! You're a constant reminder of my loss, of someone I could and would never have." He was mad at me it was an understatement, but I didn't know why.

The only reason I could think of was, he liked Hailey. But his vulnerability had me questioned again.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" My brows knitted in confusion. Despite everything had me confused, my rage was still brewing inside me. My knuckles itched.

He barked out laughing, mocking me. He then looked up. His eyes swam with tears. With his chin trembling, he scoffed. "I guessed she kept her promise till her last breath."

Goosebumps erupted on my skin. I felt rooted in my place. I wanted to ask further, but my mind raced, scanning every word he said. No. No, no, no.

He sniffed. "I hope you're happy now." He then walked away, leaving with frightening questions.

***

I skipped classes.

I went back to my apartment. I needed answers. At the back of my mind, I wished what I thought was wrong. I wanted it to be wrong. I grabbed one of Emma's boxes from the storeroom. They'd been here for a while now, but I never had the gut to scan through them. It felt like I was invading her privacy even if she was gone.

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I closed my eyes shut. That was the first time I didn't flinch when I said the word gone, even if it was only in my head.

I opened the box after a few hesitations. It was labeled Personal.

The first time I saw, was her notebook with heart stickers. I took it out, then some cards-valentines and birthday cards. These were probably from her friends and admirers. I didn't know Emma had a boyfriend before that accident. Anyhow, it didn't stop me from disregarding my suspicions.

My hand froze before I could even grab those pictures. My heart turned to ice. I felt a twist of the knife in my chest. It was not out of anger or jealousy but from the guilt that Emma had left someone important to her. Why didn't she ever tell me about Remy?

Jesus. I blew a shuddering breath.

My doubts were right after all.

Emma and Remy.

I took the pictures and scanned them one by one. These pictures looked like taken before I met Emma, then during our junior and senior, mostly during football games. The last one, she was already in rehab. "Jesus, Em."

I turned the picture.

Em,

Forever my girl.

Rem

"Oh, my god." My heart filled with so much guilt. I just wished she did not hide it because of me.

Remy had the right to hate me after all. What he was doing to catch Hailey's attention was to get his revenge, or he also saw something like the way I first Hailey?