“But you didn’t just ask me! You actually believe this crap. God, I really know how to choose guys to fall for,” I cried out as I moved towards the door.

“I didn’t say that I believed it. I’m asking you to explain to me why someone would think this is what you’re doing.”

“Well, don’t worry about it anymore because it’s officially none of your damn business. We’re over!”

I stormed out of his room and ran down the steps. My heart was shattered into a million pieces. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I struggled to hold everything inside until I made it back to the safety of my dorm room. Each step I took felt like another nail in the coffin to my relationship with Drake. I ran as fast as I could, hoping that Aubrey was still in our room.

I heard Drake call my name as he chased after me. I couldn’t deal with him right now. If he really loved me, how could he possibly believe anything so horrible about me? I moved faster, desperate to get away. As I reached the front door and flung it open, I ran straight into Jackson. His arms reached out to steady me.

“Lex, what’s wrong? Did someone hurt you? Tell me you’re okay,” he demanded.

“Jackson, please. Let me go. I need to leave. Now.”

He glanced up and saw Drake coming towards us. “What the fuck? Did Drake do something to you?”

“I can’t. Please, I am begging you. I can’t be here right now.” My voice shook as I lost the battle against the pain that was consuming me.

Drake reached us and went to grab my arm to pull me towards him. Jackson stepped between us, shoving me behind the safety of his body. “Stop right there, Drake. I don’t know what the fuck happened, but you’re scaring Alexa.”

“You’re right, Jackson. You don’t know what the fuck happened and this has nothing to do with you. Back the fuck off and let me talk to my girlfriend. She has some fucking explaining to do.”

I sobbed at the anger in his tone and clutched the back of Jackson’s shirt. “Not your girlfriend, Drake.”

Drake growled in frustration. “My damn girlfriend!”

“Not what she says, man. Don’t know what you did to fuck this up so badly, but you’re not doing this with her now. The only way you’re getting to her is if you go through me. Walk away now.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Your chance to be the big hero. Have you had a taste of her too, Jackson?”

“Jesus, what the fuck are you saying? Shut the hell up before you say something you’ll regret forever. Out of all the guys in the world, she picked you. And you’re going to fuck it all up over some bullshit like that? You deserve to lose her.” He shoved Drake backwards and turned to nudge me out the door. He slammed it shut behind me, giving me time to get away and staying behind so that Drake couldn’t chase after me anymore.

I sent a quick text to Aubrey asking her to meet me at her car and to bring a couple changes of clothes for me. My hands shook as I waited for reply, hoping she wasn’t still sleeping. My phone chimed moments after I hit the send button.

Aubrey: On my way.

God, that was part of why I loved her like a sister. When the shit hit the fan, she didn’t waste any time with unnecessary questions. She took care of business and saved the talk for later, even when she must have been feeling like shit after the drama from last night.

By the time I made it to her car, she was already there. She took one look at me and ushered me into the car. She grabbed a package of tissues from her glove compartment and tossed them into my lap. I collapsed, sobs racking my body now that I was safe in her car.

She tore out of the parking lot, getting me off campus as quickly as she could. Aubrey drove aimlessly, waiting for me to calm down. After about thirty minutes, she pulled over in front of a Holiday Inn on the outskirts of town. “Back in a second. Don’t move.”

I wasn’t sure how long she was gone, but she opened the door and unbuckled my seatbelt when she returned. As I climbed out of the car, she pulled a bag from the back seat. “C’mon, I got us a room.”

I followed her blindly, tears obscuring my vision. She held on to my hand as she led me through the hotel lobby and upstairs to a room with double beds. I flung myself onto the closest one, and Aubrey sat next to me and whispered soothing words while she rubbed my back. Once the sobs subsided, she wiped my face with a wet washcloth and brought me a glass of water with a couple ibuprofen. My head was pounding, and I sipped just enough water to swallow the pills down.

“What happened, Lex?”