Lust of a Dragon

“Last night was a mistake. You won’t spread what happened around, or I swear you’ll regret it. Got it?”

Those were Leonard’s words as I woke up the next day beside him. He had never addressed a word to me during all those years we had studied together until we both ended up inside that room.

A painful throb between my legs confirmed I had handed my virginity on a silver platter to him.

Leonard remembered nothing of the night before.

I was entering my room when he kissed me, pushing me inside the room. The sickening taste of alcohol invaded my mouth, my body reacting to his every touch, until I no longer resisted and completely gave myself to him without any resentment.

A bitter smile crossed my lips when I saw the regret on his face the next day. I thought that, after that night everything could be different, that I would finally have someone to share my love with. I was wrong.

“It’s better that none of these leaves this room and that you don’t spread lies about me.” His voice was hoarse and loud, and the aggressiveness made me step back. He took a step toward me. “I have a girlfriend, and she can’t know what happened here.”

“Girlfriend?” I choked on his words.

“Vivian,” his voice sounded soft and full of remorse. “She is my girlfriend.”

“No…” I whimpered, tears welling up in my eyes, “It can’t be…”

How could my best friend be the girlfriend of the man I had loved since I started college? My body trembled, my heart was beating so hard I could barely breathe, as tears fell from my eyes.

I should demand an explanation. There was no mention that Vivian and Leonard were together during my time at this university. And when I remembered that Vivian was the only one who knew my feelings for Leonard, everything crumbled.

She fed my fantasies, saying I was interesting enough for Leonard to look at me specially.

Was she telling me that while dating him?

My body froze when I first saw Vivian in Leonard’s arms. The rumors about the night I had with him quickly spread on the university campus; soon everyone was talking about it, but strangely, Vivian did not seek me out.

I avoided seeing them together for as long as I could.

Leonard’s contempt was like burning coals over my heart. I was tired of crying in hiding while he acted as if I did not exist. He looked at Vivian as if she were his world. What could I expect? Vivian was beautiful; I was not.

Photos appeared on the campus website. The campus website exposed a photograph of me almost naked in Leonard’s arms to hundreds of people, and it spread around campus, fixed on the wall of every corridor. That was so shameful. They had never ridiculed me like that. That was the way Vivian found to get revenge on me without saying a word.

Everyone was saying I was an opportunist who had slept with Leonard to blackmail him, spreading the photos. I never managed to convince anyone of my innocence; they would not listen to a person like me.

When I was at the limit of pain, ready to move on, Vivian sought me out for the first time a month later, demanding an explanation.

“Roberta…” she called me with a shaky voice. “Did Leonard really sleep with you? I mean, seriously, could that have really happened?”

I opened my lips to say what was happening when she raised her arm. A strong slap cracked against my face. I felt my cheek burn, the sharp pain spreading to my neck. My glasses flew away. I could barely see without them.

“Are you feeling special now that Leonard slept with you?” The colleagues around laughed. “You are nothing. You will never be anyone. And after today you will regret studying at this university.”

My eyes closed, and I wished it all was a nightmare, that Vivian and Leonard were not together.

“Since when have you two been dating?” My voice failed, a tear ready to run down my face. “How long have you been with him, pretending to be my friend?”

“I don’t know what you mean by that.” Vivian’s smile widened, cold and slow. She approached and fixed her eyes on mine. “But if you want to know, we are getting married, and you will be my guest of honor.”

Getting married? My eyes inevitably filled with tears. I noticed the malicious joy in Vivian’s expression as soon as she gave me the news.

“Tomorrow night is the party for my engagement to Leonard,” she said; her smile was fake and icy.

The invitation was not a gesture of peace; it was a new way to humiliate me. She wanted to see me crawl. I quickly changed the subject.

“Did you come to ask me if I forgave you?” My voice came out strangely calm, but the tremor in my hands betrayed my fury. “Or if you are going to spread more photos of me around?”

Her eyes narrowed; surprise gave way to scorn.

“Oh, the photos. Too bad for you that Leonard didn’t fall for your blackmail. But, answering your question: no. I just came to invite you, Roberta. I would be happy if you went. To finally put an end to the ridiculous rumors about you.”

Anger chilled my blood. There were no more tears. The pain transformed into an icy determination. I told my secrets to that woman, and she treated them with contempt.

Vivian shrugged, unconcerned, and continued. “You are naïve, Roberta. Leonard is not the problem; you are. I did what was necessary and forgave you for sleeping with my boyfriend. Accept this as a peace agreement.”

“I will go to your party, Vivian,” I said, cutting off her intentions. Forcing a sympathetic smile that looked like a grimace. The lie came out before I could contain it. “But not to watch your show.”

Vivian’s smile faltered.

“I will have company.” With my rich boyfriend.”

She laughed out loud, the sound echoing in the corridor. “Rich? Boyfriend?”

“He is a significant business executive in New York. Heir to a substantial fortune,” I continued to lie, feeling my stomach turn. I needed her to feel a minimum of doubt.

“Really?” The lines on her face drew into pure incredulity. “I am anxious to meet him.”

For a moment, Vivian stood still, frozen in front of me. She was trying to assimilate the idea that I could have something of value. Then, she turned her feet and walked away, taking the news to the campus.

I knew. In the next second, the entire university would be talking about my “rich boyfriend.”

I needed to make the lie become real. Vivian and Leonard’s engagement was tomorrow, and I did not have a single man to prove my lie.

That despair forced me into a radical solution: I needed to get a fake boyfriend as quickly as possible.