Words Get In The Way

"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth." ~ Plato

SHE HADN'T PLANNED to fall in love with him. All she wanted was a job near her school. That was all. But before she knew it, she had already fallen head over heels. It was just impossible not to. The sexy twinkle in his eye, the charm, the wit. And in a time where chivalry was considered a thing of the past, he was always such a gentleman with her, and she knew that had to mean something.

She dreamt of him almost every night and found herself living for his smiles. She was so eager to please, she would practically follow him wherever he went, wanting to be the first to give him whatever he needed. Anything. Everything.

But soon just being there for him wasn't enough. She wanted more. She needed more. And she believed it was the same for him. That even without him saying a word, she knew he wanted and needed more, too.

He was just too much of a gentleman to make the first move, and so she lovingly decided to take matters into her own hands: slipping into his room under the cover of darkness...taking her clothes off...showing him just how much she loved him.

And that was when everything went wrong.

He had forced her to cover herself before dragging her out of his room, furious but also baffled. "What the hell were you thinking—-"

"I love you!"

But the words had only made him more furious.

"You love me," he scoffed. "You think you fucking love me—-"

"I do!"

"And that's why you decided to get into my bed, even if I don't want you there?"

His words hurt, but she had rallied on because she knew he was only lying to himself.

"I did it because I love you—-"

"For fuck's sake—-"

"I'm a virgin, Slade," she cried out. "I've never even wanted to see any guy's dick before meeting you. But for you, I thought—-"

"You thought what?" he interrupted sarcastically. 'That you only had to gift me with your first blowjob, and I'd miraculously return your feelings?"

Tears brimmed in her eyes . "Stop being so cruel—-"

But he had only looked at her. "You made it impossible for me to be anything else."

"You can't mean that. You can't."

"Don't make this harder than it should be—-"

"But you were so nice to me. You made me feel special—-"

"I'm nice because I'm fucking nice," he snapped, "but you insisted on reading things that weren't there. I've never fucking crossed the line with you, and you know that. I never fucking flirted, never even let myself be alone with you. I did everything possible to make you realize I didn't want you short of hurting you—-"

"Stop treating me like the other girls before me. I'm not like them—-"

"You're right. You're not like them. The other girls just wanted to fuck me, and you wanted to love me—-"

"That's why, Slade! That's why I told you—-"

"None of them made me feel a fucking thing - and neither do you."

"No."

"I never wanted you."

"You're lying—-"

"I'll have money deposited into your account."

"Stop it!"

"It will be enough to cover this month's wages and next—-"

"I don't care about the money!"

"In return, it would be best if you would immediately vacate the premises—-"

"Didn't you hear me? I said I don't care about the money!"

But Slade's face remained merciless. "You're the one who isn't listening."

"Slade, please—-"

"I want you gone by today or I'll have the authorities escort you out."

"Bastard!" And she started to cry. "Bastard!"

She had shoved past him, her clothes clutched to her chest, and as soon as she entered the room, she frantically began shoving her things in her bag. Farica's wake-up call began to play in the background - Gloria Estefan's - just as she was zipping her bag shut, and the song made her start laughing and crying harder.

Words got in the way, alright, and they were words she would never, ever forget.

Farica tried to stop her from getting behind the wheel. "Let me find someone to drive you, please—-"

"Stop pretending!" She pushed the other girl away. "I can see it in your face, and you're wrong. Slade's wrong. You're all wrong. He loves me! And I'll prove it! He'll find himself missing me, and then you'll all know! He loves me! I know he loves me—-" She wanted to say it again. Again and again and again. But then she saw the look in Farica's eyes...

And it was the same look Slade had on his face now, Penny realized sickly, and it had her crying out as all of the memories came rushing back. The pain. The emptiness. But most of all, the pity—-

"Stop looking at me like that," she screamed. "Do you think I still care?"

"Penny—-"

"I saw you. I saw you kiss another girl—-"

Slade's lips tightened.

"Was she why you didn't want me?" she demanded wildly.

He shook his head.

"You're lying—-"

"I didn't even know her back then."

"Who is she then? Your new wai—-" She saw him stiffen, and it was like having her whole world crash all over again.

That girl... that girl...

"She succeeded where I didn't—-" Just the thought was unbearable, the pain making her feel like she was about to break into a million pieces, just like before.

"It's not and never was a matter of succeeding or failing," Slade said quietly, "and that you still think that way is why I knew your feelings for me aren't what you think it is—-"

SLAP!

"Don't you dare—-" Penny's voice shook with rage. "Don't you dare make it seem like you know my feelings. Because you don't. You don't—- " And something in her snapped.

He saw her coming, had every chance to move and avoid her, but he did not.

She reached him. Slapped him again. Clawed at his face.

And he let her.

Because unlike all the other women that had thrown themselves at him, this girl hadn't done the same thing because he was a billionaire. She had done so because he was Slade, just Slade.

And when her rage died, and she fell to her knees, sobbing, he could only look down at her.

Because she still left him without a choice, and he could only remain cruel to be kind.

"Please," Penny whispered. "Please love me instead. Please. "