The Girl He Called Practice

Case

ad been exhilarating, but now, alone in the quiet of my room, the weight of everything settled back in. My bed, still warm from Felix' s fleeting presence, fe

my life I' d poured into him. It was too much, a cacophony of pain and regret. Stop it, Kiera. Stop thinking. I squeezed my eyes shut, rocking

iumphant smile. I thrashed, mumbling incoherent protests, until a sharp jolt woke me. My eyes flew open, heart

re. Of course

emoji, a silent peace offering. It was his way of ensuring I wouldn't stay mad, that I'd be waiting for him, ready to forgive, the next morning. It was a habit, a ritual, a tether. And now, it was b

w Kiera, a fragile but growing sapling of self-respect, held me back. What would I say? "I know you think I'm just practice"? What would he say? Deny it? Laugh it o

bia orientation. I scoffed, a bitter, humorless sound. Columbia. My "share

rance. It burst. My heart leaped into my throat, a scream catching there. Felix stood in the doorway, a

y childhood home next door. He' d always had a key, an unspoken right of passage. He still did. He didn't even bother to close the door behind

little... pouty." He reached out, his finger tracing my jawline, then pushing a stray

ptly. "Don' t," I said, my

through me. Now it just made my stomach clench. He reached for me again, his hand falling to my bare thigh, his thumb rubbing slow circles.

"Felix. Stop." My voice was still flat

s up with you? Cranky this morning? Didn' t I give you enough last nig

satisfaction of a reaction. My silence seemed to irritate him

arly. It' s important. We' re talking about the Ramsey deal, after all." He

eyes fixed on a point

re Kiera. That' s different. That' s real." His voice was tinged with a patronizing tone, as if I were a child he ne

ch echoed in my head, branding me as "practice." The sheer arrogance, the audacity of it, was

nded, his voice sharper now, acc

attered illusions. He followed, his footsteps heavy on the polished wood. I noticed, with a detached sort of observation, that his pat

vorites for breakfast," he said, his voice attempting a conciliatory tone, but still edged

ogurt and some granola. My appetite had van

ing. "Yogurt? Seriously? I we

t, carefully avoiding his gaze. "I

toppled, spilling a bright, sticky mess across the pristine white marble. "What is your

"Jealous of what, Felix?" I countered, finally meeting his furious g

?" He scoffed, looking away, then back at me. "Don' t be ridiculous. You' re my best friend, Kiera. You' re like... f

sed to conveniently distance himself, to deny the intimacy we'd shared, to invalidate my feelings

tear escaped, tracing a path down my cheek. I hadn' t meant to

ying?" He sounded genuinely surprised, almost confused. He took a step towards me, reaching out a hesitant hand. "

tely softened, a smile replacing his confused frown. "Hey, baby," he purred into the phone, his voice suddenly full of warmth and affection, a stark contrast to the anger he' d just directed

s sweet nothings to Bella. The heavy front door clicked shut, leaving me standing alone in

paused, now started