Free Forever & More: The Friend Zone series by Tabetha Thompson Page B

what? Want to baby me? Take care of me? I. DON’T. NEED. YOU. TO!” I scream and start to walk away. This night has turned to shit, quickly. I’m fucking done. I turn my back and start to walk away.
    I get all of two steps before a hand wraps around my arm and stops my movements.
    “Stop. If you think I’m going to let you walk out those doors, you’re sadly mistaken,” he grits through his teeth. I can tell he’s trying to control his temper, but I don’t care. I snatch my arm free and start walking again, only to be cut off by an enraged Sara.
    Her wheelchair is blocking my path so I start to go around her, but she spins the wheels and blocks me again.
    “You need to chill the fuck out. What the hell is wrong with you? All he’s trying to do is help you,” she yells.
    I can feel everyone staring at us, but I don’t give a shit. “Maybe, I don’t fucking need his help. I don’t need anyone’s help. Get out of my way!” I spit back at her.
    “You don’t need help? Are you fucking serious right now? Have you seen yourself lately? You look like shit half the time. You don’t fucking eat. You’re a raging bitch when you’re awake, well at least when you’re not self-medicating, and you’re unable to coherently string together a sentence. You need to wake the fuck up and realize the world’s not out to get you. The only person that’s set out to hurt you is your fucking self.” Her chest rises and falls rapidly with her anger.
    I look up and notice everyone’s shocked faces. I don’t know how much time has passed since the bar opened, but there are a ton of people witnessing the showdown between me and my best friend, and now I’m mortified as well as furious. Tears burn my eyes and I force my feet to move. As I pass Sara, I say, “You don’t know shit.”
    “See that’s where you’re sadly mistaken,” she says and I stop walking. “I know more than you think I do. You’re hurting so bad that you’re taking it out on everyone else. But, what you don’t seem to know is that we’re not going any-fucking-where. You’re stuck with us, whether you want us or not. Because that’s what friends do. They stick with you when you need them most, and you may not want to acknowledge it, but you need us.”
    I start walking again and this time, no one stops me. I make it to the parking lot before the tears begin to fall. My feet break out into a sprint and a few moments later, I’m standing in front of the building that houses my apartment. I walk up the stairs, through the front door, and head straight to the bathroom. Before I can think about it, I grab the bottle of Xanax and leave the room. I need to get out of here, I’m sure that someone will be here soon looking for me and I need to be alone.
    I grab Skye’s Jeep key off the counter along with the bottle of Jack and leave again, not bothering to lock the door this time. I quickly race down the step and out the building door. Once I’m in the Jeep, I slide the key into the ignition and it roars to life. As I’m putting the Jeep in reverse, I glance in the rearview mirror and see Skye running full speed toward me with a look of panic on his face.
    I press my foot heavily on the gas pedal and speed off. Once he’s out of site, I allow myself to relax.
     

What the hell did I just do? I could fucking kick myself for just standing by and letting Sara scream at Chloe the way she did. I don’t necessarily disagree with everything she said, but the way it was done was a vicious blow to the little bubble she’s been living in. I scan the crowd until I find Brady. He must have heard the commotion because he’s just a few steps behind me.
    I start to speak, but he cuts me off. “Go get her man.” I just nod in thanks and take off.
    Sara shouts from behind me, “Let her go; she needs a few minutes alone.”
    I turn to her and spit angrily, “No, she needed her best friend to have her back. Not fucking embarrassing her and spill her problems