Chapter 26

Sitting in my room, surrounded by textbooks and notes, I am fully immersed in studying for my upcoming exams. The sound of my phone"s notification interrupts my focus. I glance at the screen and smile when I see my girlfriend"s name, accompanied by a Facetime request, pop up. I quickly tap the green button and settle back in my chair.

"Hey, baby," I greet her, my grin growing wider.

Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink as she replies, "Hey."

Shorty looks much better than she did the past week. Her eyes are brighter, and her skin looks less pale. I breathe a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?" I ask.

"I feel better," she replies with a small smile.

That night, I slept on the couch with Sophia, who was restless and drooling on my shirt. When I woke up and looked across the room, I saw Shorty curled up in the chair, asleep. I wanted to hold her close to me.

"That's good. I—"

Tia"s voice pierces through the air, causing Sadie to pause mid-sentence. "Sade!" she yells in the background. "Why the fuck would I pay four dollars for a taco?"

I laugh, and Sadie rolls her eyes.

"Are you listening to me?" she hollers. On the video call, I see Tia walk into the room, her eyes fixed on her cellphone.

"Oh, wait. They deliver? Shit. Let's buy—" She stops abruptly when she spots me on the call. With a grin, she greets me. "Oh, hey, Donnie boy."

"Hey, Tia," I say, giving her a wave. "Four dollars for a taco?" I ask.

"Right?" she replies, her eyes widening. "Buy, hey, if they can deliver it to me, I'm not going to complain." She shrugs nonchalantly and nudges Shorty with her hip, saying, "Move over, girl."

"No," Shorty laughs. "You should pick up the tacos."

"Fuck no," she says. "I'm ordering. Do you want anything?"

"No. Now, go away." She jokingly pinches Tia"s side.

Tia yelps, "Ow!" and playfully smacks Shorty on her arm. "Fine, I'll go." She spins around, her caramel hair swaying from side to side. "But don't think I"m going to share my taco when you smell the deliciousness," she warns. "And I don't care if you're my ride to die!" she adds.

"Don't worry. I won't!" Shorty calls out, still laughing.

"Bye, Donnie boy!" Tia sings, and before I can respond, the door slams shut.

I chuckle.

Looking back at the screen, I notice Shorty"s resting her head on her fist. Her gaze is fixed on me, and so much love she's giving me is causing a lump in my throat.

I clear my throat and ask, "So, when am I going to see you?" Given that she and Sophia have been sick, she insisted I stay away until she felt better. I didn't see the point since I was already exposed when I was taking care of them.

"I work tomorrow but get off a little earlier than normal. The crew is going to hang out and have dinner. You and Ash can come along and hang out until I get off." Her voice trails off, sounding more like a question.

Does she not know that I will do anything to spend more time with her?

"Yeah, that sounds good. Then I can stay over," I tell her in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Oh, yeah?" she teases, raising her eyebrows.

I nod. "Yep, and I'm not asking either."

A playful grin spreads across her face. "Sounds good to me."

"Why can't I see you tonight?" I ask, trying to hide the disappointment in my tone. The distance between us freaking sucks.

"Sophia and I are going to Jo and Elisa"s for dinner. They"ve wanted to spend time with us without the rest of the fam."

I don't blame him. Jo's been busting his ass in his classes and hardly has any time to spend at home. The dim light that once overshadowed Shorty has now brightened up like a shooting star, and it"s a beautiful sight to witness. I'm so happy she has her family close again.

"I'm glad, baby. Text me when you get home?" I ask her.

She responds with a warm smile and says, "I love you," blowing a kiss at me.

After we say our goodbyes, I glance at the clock and realize I need to take a quick shower before my next class.

I step into the shower, letting the warm water cascade down my body, washing away all the exhaustion and stress. I pick up my shampoo and lather it into my hair, massaging my scalp. Once I finish, I reach for my body wash. I apply it all over my body, and my dick wakes up just thinking about Shorty and the way I took her in the shower. I reach for my hard dick and groan as I pump myself. I think about her nipples in my mouth, licking every single drop of water from her body, and sliding into home base, making her scream my name.

"Fuck," I groan, working myself harder until my body begins to shudder, and I use my other arm to brace myself against the tiles. The familiar electric sensation starts at the base of my spine and travels upward in waves, causing a tingling feeling throughout my body. And then my orgasm rips through my body, shooting off like a rocket.

I clean myself up, push the shower curtain back, and almost fall on my naked ass at the sight that's in front of me.

"What the fuck!?" I cry out and close the shower curtain and reach for my towel on the other side and wrap it around my waist.

"Payton, what the hell are you doing here? And how did you get in?" I snap.

"Sorry, I thought you were Alex," she responds like she didn't just see me naked.

"Why the hell would you think— Payton, get the fuck out," I growl, unable to contain my fury. "You have five seconds to leave. When I come out, you better be long gone."

When I hear the door close, I quickly jump out of the shower and lock the door.

"Fuck!" I whisper-yell. I quickly pull up my joggers and throw a plain T-shirt on. I run my hands through my wet hair and open the door.

After bounding down the stairs, I walk into the kitchen and my eyes immediately falling on Payton, who is wearing next to nothing while rummaging through the fridge. I feel a surge of anger building up inside me, finding her lack of clothing and her standing in the bathroom while I was jacking off was all kinds of fuck up shit.

"What the hell?" I grumble, my voice filled with annoyance. She"s wearing a cropped shirt and a pair of cheeky panties. Who the fuck walks around like that in a house full of college guys?

Payton turns around, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Hey there, Donnie," she says, closing the fridge and standing in front of me with no fucking bra. "I"m just trying to find something to eat."

My eyebrows furrow as I take in her barely-there outfit. "Are you hard of hearing? I distinctly remember telling you to leave. Why the fuck are you still here?"

Payton steps closer, her movements seeming intentionally provocative. "Come on, Donnie. I see the way you look at me."

The fuck?

I feel my frustration boiling over. I shake my head, trying to maintain my composure. "Stop it, Payton," I grind out, stepping back. "You are out of fucking line. You need to respect my boundaries and the fact that I have a girlfriend. I won't tell you again—get the hell out."

Payton's smile falters for a moment, but she quickly recovers, her tone tinged with a hint of defiance. "We"ve always had this connection. Why let a silly thing like a girlfriend get in the way?"

I feel my jaw clenching and my patience wearing thin. "What the fuck are you talking about?" I ask, my voice tight with frustration. "There is no connection here." I gesture between us. "I love my girlfriend, Payton. And I"m not about to jeopardize that for anything or anyone."

Payton "s expression shifts from seductive to hurt. "But Donnie, I thought... I thought you felt something for me, too."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I throw my hands in the air in exasperation. "I don't feel anything for you but annoyance. Stop trying to insinuate otherwise," I add firmly, hoping I've made my point clear.

Payton stares at me with an intense look that makes my skin crawl. Her eyes seem to be piercing through me, making me feel unsettled. Just as I'm about to speak, Alex walks into the kitchen without a shirt on and stretches his arms, letting out a big yawn.

"What's up?" he asks, scratching the ink on his chest while walking toward the coffee maker.

I remain silent, and Alex turns his attention to Payton and me, like he's sensing something is wrong. His face becomes more serious as he asks, his voice slow and measured, "Is everything alright?"

I turn to Alex and say calmly and composedly, "Nah, man. Just make sure your girlfriend doesn"t accidentally walk in on me while I"m showering, thinking it"s your bathroom." My appetite has vanished, so I head toward the front door and add, "And she's not welcome in this house. If I catch her back here, her ass is getting arrested." I don't wait for his response before leaving the house.

I arrive home and thankful that the house was empty.

Payton fucked with my head. The thought of another woman seeing me naked, who isn't my Shorty, makes me feel like I have betrayed her somehow. I know that sounds stupid, but it makes me sick to my stomach knowing that someone who isn't my girl saw the goods without my permission.

I go straight to my bedroom and drop my bookbag on the bed. With a thud, my ass lands on the mattress, and I lean my back against the headboard. I reach into my bookbag and pull out my books. I flip one open and get to work.

I must"ve drifted to sleep because my eyes are closed, and movement over my groin jerks me awake.

What the hell?

A girl moaning.

"Oh, Donnie."

That voice sure as fuck doesn't belong to Shorty.

Hips rock against me.

Once my brain catches up with me, my eyelids flutter open, revealing a blurry figure in front of me. I blink several times, trying to bring my vision into focus, and I freeze when I see a very naked Payton riding my covered dick.

"What the fuck?!" I bark and shove her off my lap. She cries out when she flies off the bed.

"Ow! What was that for? I was so close!" she yells, massaging the back of her head.

Crazy bitch.

I look down to see her wetness over my covered dick, and my lunch starts crawling its way up my throat. I walk to my closet, rip off my joggers, and slide on a new pair.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I roar, swiping up the ruined joggers and tossing them into the trash. "This is fucking harassment," I hiss.

Payton laughs like I am the one who is crazy. "It"s not harassment when you were hard and ready for me. Admit it. You want me!"

Ignoring her outburst, I glance around the room and find her clothes. Picking them up, I toss them at her. "What part of not welcome in this house did you not understand? Get the fuck out."

I turn my back to her and run my fingers roughly through my hair, trying to process what just happened.

Maybe it's a dream?

It has to be a dream because what kind of sick, twisted person dry-humps someone who's unconscious?

"It"s your word against mine," she laughs manically. I slowly turn to face her.

"You are a twisted fucking bitch," I spit, taking a step toward her. "You have two seconds to get the fuck out of my house, or I"ll throw your naked ass out."

With her clothes held tightly against her chest, she takes a step away from me, but not before she says, "This isn"t over."

And then she storms out.

With my hands on my head, I close my eyes and take easy breaths to calm my racing heart, wishing I could rewind and undo the last hour.

I need a fucking shower.

I gaze toward the bed, yank the sheets off, and throw them into the trash. I"m going to scrub this room from top to bottom to eliminate any essence Payton left behind.

Just as I am about to walk into the bathroom, the front door opening and shutting catches my attention. I quickly rush out of my room and sprint down the stairs, hoping it isn't Payton who just came back in. I stop midway as Ash appears in front of me.

"Dude, what the hell was a half naked Payton doing here?" he asks, his forehead wrinkled with confusion and disgust.

"I'll fill you in but first I need to call the cops," I reply and pull out of my phone.

Me and Ash are sitting on the couch when the doorbell rings. After calling the police, I told Ash what Payton did.

I open the door, and there stands two police officers. "Come in," I say, holding the door open for them to enter.

They introduced themselves as Officers Brooks and Daniels. I led them into the living room and settle onto the couch. Ash stands against the wall, his arms crossed protectively over his chest. I perch my ass on the edge of the loveseat.

I waste no time in recounting the recent unsettling events involving Payton.

The Officers finish jotting down their notes, and there is a brief silence between us. Looking up at me and Brooks says, "First, I recommend that you file a sexual harassment claim with the Dean. I also think you should inform your Coach," he adds.

"Okay, I can do that. Then what?" I ask.

"File a restraining order."

He then thoroughly explains the general steps for placing an order. "Then, schedule a full hearing," he continues. "The defendant will be notified. Once the Judge has the necessary information, they will process the order."

"If she chooses to ignore the order, she could face serious repercussions," Daniels informs me.

I nod in understanding.

"In the meantime, keep your distance from her. And if she harasses you again, call us," Brooks says.

"I will."

After the meeting, I thank them and walk them out the door.

Once we were alone, I turned to Ash and asked, "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure," he replied, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Please don"t tell Shorty. I don"t want to put any more stress on her."

He nods understandingly. "No problem," he reassures me.