Twisted Hate: An Enemies with Benefits Romance

that sucks, man? Talk about getting the short end of the grovel stick.
“I’ll send you flowers later if you’re that upset about it,” Alex said dryly.
“But first, listen to yourself. You’re in love with Jules, for God knows what
reason, and you’re upset she lied after she told you the truth?”
My shoulders tensed. “I’m not in love with her.”
“You almost killed someone for her.” 
“So? You almost kill someone every day. It’s nothing special.”
“Don’t try to change the subject. You’re bad at it.” Alex flicked a piece of
lint off his pants. “You say I don’t actually want to be your friend again?
Then I’ll give you something you say you want so much. The truth.”
“Which is?”
“That you’re a stubborn fuck who’s too blind to see what’s right in front
of you.” 
My tension hardened into a migraine. “I changed my mind. I don’t want
the truth.”
Alex continued like I hadn’t spoken. “Jules may have lied to you, but she
also willingly told you the truth. If she kept her mouth shut, you probably
would’ve never found out what she did. The only reason someone would
make an unprompted confession like that is because they want a fresh start,
and the only reason they’d want a fresh start when the relationship is already
going well is because they realized something.”
Get. Out.
I lo—
Don’t you dare say it. I said, get out, Jules. Get the fuck out!
My heart slammed against my chest and bruised my ribcage with each
painful thud.
“I don’t have to tell you what the realization is,” Alex said. “You’re smart
enough to figure it out. But according to you, she didn’t tell you earlier
because she was afraid of how you’d react. She didn’t think you’d take her
side. Now, tell me. How did you react when she finally told you?” 

---

The oxygen in the room thinned.
Forget painful. Every breath was downright excruciating. 
“I’m not a big fan of Jules, but you are my best friend. I want you to be
happy.” Alex’s face softened a smidge, but that didn’t blunt the harshness of
his words. “You can’t be happy if you have your head buried so far in the
sand you think you can just walk away and forget her. Take it from someone
who tried to do the same once with someone I love. You’ll be miserable until
you resolve the situation.”
I’d never heard Alex utter so many words in such a short time. I would’ve
been more stunned had I not been busy replaying them in my mind.
She didn’t tell you earlier because she was afraid of how you’d react.
Now, tell me. How did you react?
I tilted my head back and squeezed my eyes shut again. “Oh, fuck.”
What the hell have I done?

---

51

---

JULES
M
Y
HOSPITAL
VISIT
WAS
A
BLUR
OF
TESTS
AND
EXAMINATIONS
. I 
HAD
A
CUT
on my head, several nasty bruises, a shoulder sprain, and a mild concussion,
but otherwise, I was pretty lucky. It could’ve been so much worse.
Despite my concussion, I opted to finish the bar exam the next day. I just
wanted to get it over with. Plus, it was multiple choice; if worse came to
worse, I could bubble something in and pray for the best.
I handed in my test and returned the administrator’s smile with a tired one
of my own.
It was done. The results were out of my hands now.
I wouldn’t know whether or not I’d passed until October, so I might as
well celebrate by sleeping for the next, oh, seventy-two hours.
Exhaustion weighed down my limbs as I exited the exam room, but now
that the test was over, I couldn’t stop replaying yesterday’s hospital visit in
my head.
Obviously, I knew Josh worked in the ER, but I hadn’t expected him to
see him for some reason.
My heart twisted at the memory of his cold, clinical examination. I didn’t
think he would rush to my side and forgive me just because I was injured, but
I’d expected a little more…warmth? Empathy? Instead, he’d treated me like I
was just another patient he didn’t personally know.
Polite and competent, but emotionally detached.