Grief

“How could you?”

Roxie stood next to Jesse and Felicity as the crowd dispersed, some students lingering around to get the tea.

“It's not like that, Rox...” Felicity sobbed, “It was just one time and it was right before you...”

“Right before I what?” Roxie asked, knowing all too well what was coming next, “Before I what, Felicity? Jesse?”

Jesse lowered his head. He'd fallen hard for Roxie, only for her to turn on him after her father passed away, “I wasn't enough? You had to turn around and fuck my best friend because I was grieving?”

“You weren't...” Jesse sighed, “You...changed.”

“My dad fucking died!” Roxie sobbed, “I wouldn't put out for you so you got with my best friend?! You two are the only people I have here besides my mother and now I don't even have you.”

“Roxie, please!” Jesse pleaded, reaching out for her, but Roxie pulled away, “I love you, Rox.”

“No, you loved what I gave you,” Roxie sneered, refusing to cry in front of them, “And you?”

She turned to Felicity who was shaking and not making eye contact with Roxie, “You were my friend. The first friend I made in this shit hole! How could you break me? Do you love him?”

Felicity shook her head, “He loves you, Rox. It was just sex.”

“It's never just sex,” Roxie said, knowing people were gawking at them now, “You...I can't even talk to the two of you right now.”

“Roxie, please...” Jesse begged, but Roxie turned on her heels and walked away, “Roxie! Let me take you home. You live too far to walk and you know it.”

“Fuck you, Jesse!” Roxie yelled behind her, “Or go fuck Felicity...”

She didn't allow the tears to fall until she'd rounded the corner and out of sight.

“I am alone...”

“How did you know about Jesse and Felicity?” Holden asked as he and Walker pulled into Holden's driveway.

“I didn't.”

“Oh, you're such an asshole,” Holden chuckled.

“Am I? I'm not the one who cheated on my girlfriend.”

Holden nodded, “I mean, you're a douchebag, but you're not that bad. Wait. You don't even have girlfriends.”

“Right? Then I can't cheat on them,” Walker snickered, “Don't forget about the party tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 8.”

“Got it, bro.”

Walker peeled out of the driveway and headed to his manor on the big hill, the Wells Estate—perks of being an aristocrat.

Pulling into the drive, he could already hear his parents bickering. What he wouldn't give to have one day of peace.

“And where the hell have you been?” His father, Archibald, roared as he stepped to his son, “I hear you've been mingling with the help.”

“The help?”

“A runt.”

“Oh, mouse..”

“Mouse?” Archibald scoffed, “I told you to stop your shit, Walker.”

“Yes, sir,” Walker sighed, rolling his eyes, “Is that all?”

“Is that all?” Archibald narrowed his eyes and frowned, “Do you want me to show you how fucking serious I am, Walker?”

Walker was all too keen on his father's way of showing how serious he was.

“No, sir.”

“Then get out of my sight,” Archibald huffed, “I'm busy with your mother.”

“I can't even come inside?”

Walker couldn't get the words out before his father sent a right hook to his jaw, sending Walker to the ground. He couldn't fight his father—the hive would kill him.

“I said go away, Walker.”

Walker would always get in the way of his father's abuse towarss his mother. She was always protecting her son and visa versa.

“You'll burn in hell for what you do to us, old man.”

Before Archibald could react again, Walker was peeling out of the driveway and headed back into town.

Roxie could smell the rain—it was one thing she was really good at, using her sense of smell to help her in bad situations. She smelled his car and his scent two miles away.

Scurrying into the woods by the road, Roxie waited for him to pass, but he didn't. He slammed on the brakes.

“Come out, Mouse..” he taunted, staring right in her direction, “Come on, little mouse... I know you're there.”

Roxie didn't move, but it just egged Walker on.

“Do you want me to come in and get you?”

She stepped out from behind the tree and glared at him.

“What do you want?”

“To see you dripping wet from the rain.”

“Fuck off, Walker.”

Roxie straightened out and headed back onto the sidewalk, not looking in his direction again.

“Get in.”

“No.”

“Get. In.”

“No.”

“Mouse, don't make me put you in the car.”

Roxie stopped, her ameythist eyes blazing as Walker's silver eyes shimmered back at her. Clearly, both of them were either pissed off or turned on and Roxie wasn't at all turned on at the moment.

“Why?”

“I want to torment you.”

“No thanks, Walker.”

Before she knew it, Walker had placed her in the car, using his speed skills to his advantage.

“This is kidnapping.”

“Maybe..”

“Let me out of the car, Walker,” Roxie said, “I mean it. We're not friends.”

“You could tumble out,” Walker said, speeding up, “I could just run all of these lights and make it a fun night.”

“I don't care,” Roxie mumbled, buckling her belt, “What happened to your face? You get into a fight with a bear?”

“Don't ask me questions. It's none of your business, rodent.”

“Oh, but my life is your business?” Roxie shook her head, “Is it?”

“No,” Walker shrugged, “I don't give a shit about you, mouse. I just like to see you squeal.”

“You really are a piece of work,” Roxie scowled, “How did you know about them?”

“I didn't,” Walker admitted, “Did you cry? Did they cry? I wish I could have stuck around for that.”

“You're a fucking sadist.”

Walker turned up the radio as they headed to the other side of town.

“Mouse, you ain't seen nothin' yet.”