Chapter 40 - Confrontation

Rosie

I left the arena, the cheers and loud noise fading to background hum with every step I took. I could feel imaginary butterflies swirling in my stomach, my heart beating furiously against my ribs.

Jude had wanted to kiss me there earlier—I could see it in his fiery eyes, the way he looked at me like he wanted to devour me whole. Like nothing else existed except me and him and the space between us that he desperately wanted to close.

I wetted my lower lip, rubbing my arm nervously. Goosebumps prickled across my skin and I tugged my scarf tighter around my neck while clutching the sweat-drenched jersey Jude had given me. His scent clung to the fabric—wild and masculine—and I brought it closer to my chest.

The cold air bit at my cheeks at the parking lot and I could see my breath forming little clouds in front of my face.

“Hello, big sis.” Sophia’s sneer stopped me from my little bubble and I whipped my head around to see Sophia trudging forward, her blonde hair swaying behind her. I stared at her and shook my head—was she not feeling cold with the tiny dress she wore? It was freezing out here and she was dressed like she was going to a summer party, all bare legs and exposed shoulders.

I rubbed my arm again and turned, trying to move away, but Sophia’s hand shot out and grabbed me.

“Running away?” she raised her brow.

I forced a smile, staring at those mocking gray eyes that contrast my own blue eyes and they held nothing but cruelty. “What do you want?”

I wasn’t signing up for a confrontation with her tonight. I didn’t want anything to dampen my mood, didn’t want her venomous words seeping into the happiness I’d felt watching Jude destroy Josh for me. I just wanted to have a peaceful night with Jude, wrapped in a cocoon of his scent, and forget everything else existed.

He was my daily dose of sunshine.

Sophia took a step closer but I didn’t move, staring at her head-on. Her lips curled up in an ugly smirk that made my stomach churned.

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it...” she began, examining her perfectly manicured nails. “I’ll leave that pathetic Josh for you to go back to, and I’ll take that handsome captain of yours.”

I stared at her. Like, what the fuck was she saying? Was this girl really mentally stable?

“What?”

“You heard me, Ro,” she muttered in disdain. “I want that man.” She said it so simply, like she was talking about the weather.

I didn’t know where Sophia got her audacity from. I loved her confidence—had it been before, I would have crumbled from the confrontation and left, tail between my legs, believing I didn’t deserve good things anyway. But now? Now I could give up anything for her, but Jude... Jude was not up for negotiation.

I scoffed, wrapping my arms across my chest as I felt my hands wanting to tremble. “Leave my boyfriend?” I rolled my eyes, forcing strength into my voice. “You must be dreaming.”

“Leave him quietly and willingly now, or else—”

“Or else what?” I cut her off and she actually looked shocked, her eyes widening like she couldn’t believe I’d interrupted her. Good. “You’re going to post the video again? What else could you possibly do to me that you haven’t already done?”

Sophia gritted her teeth and clenched her fists at her sides, then she smirked, that cruel twist of her lips. “Do you think he likes you?” She looked me up and down slowly, deliberately, making sure I felt every second of her disdainful gaze. “Look at yourself. You’re...” She stared at me and scrunched her upper lip in disgust. “Do you really think you deserve him?”

My lips trembled, tears stung my eyes, hot and immediate, but I blinked hard to stop them from falling. I didn’t need her to remind me about the gap between me and Jude, because the voices in my head were enough to antagonize me every single day.

“Even if I don’t deserve him,” I started, and my voice came out stronger than I expected. Then I raised the jersey up between us like a trophy. “Look—I’m the one with the prize.” I grinned, and it felt good to have a comeback. “He wants me, chooses me. Not you.” I said and pointed at my chest, “Me.” I enunciated slowly.

“You!” Sophia raised her hand up and I swatted it away before she could strike.

“Don’t think I’ll let it go if you try to do anything, because I won’t stand by it anymore,” I said, and I was surprised those words came out without stuttering. I felt something surge in me—something fierce and possessive that wanted to claim Jude as mine, that refused to let anyone take him from me.

My stomach churned at the mere thought of Sophia taking him, of her touching him, of him looking at her the way he looked at me.

He was mine and mine alone.

I raised my head up, shoulders squared, and I didn’t even look at her sputtering expression. A smile made its way to my lips because I’d actually stood up for myself, actually fought back instead of running away.

As I moved a step to leave her standing there in the cold, I felt a sudden painful tug from my scalp. Sophia yanked my hair viciously, jerking my head back, and as I flailed trying to fight her off, she covered my nose and mouth with a handkerchief.

A smell hit me immediately—sharp with chemicals.

She was panting heavily, her eyes wild with that manic glint. “I tried to warn you off, but you wanted to be who you’re not.”

I clutched at her hand, trying to scratch her skin, trying to pull the handkerchief away. She swore and slapped me hard across the face.

Pain exploded across my cheek but it wasn’t worse than that was the feeling creeping through my body.

I could feel energy leaving me, my hands were getting numb, fingers losing their grip. My heart rate was slowing down, each beat taking longer than the last. My grip on her went lax, useless, and black dots started covering my vision.

I blinked continuously, desperately trying to stay conscious, trying to fight whatever drug she’d put on that handkerchief.

No. No no no. Not like this.

My knees buckled and Sophia had to hold me up to keep the handkerchief pressed to my face.

I shouldn’t have left the arena. I should have made Jude kiss me right there in front of everyone, should have claimed him publicly and happily. I should have kissed him one more time, hugged him tight enough to memorize the feeling, and told him I loved him.