Payback Girl (Completed)

Prologue

Book Disclaimer

Copyright ©Horackova84 2021
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form on by an electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Welcome to Payback Girl!
Please comment, vote, and add to your reading list. Thanks for reading! ❤️

This book is intended for
Mature Readers Only.

Hailey
7 Years Ago

This party is lame.

I can't believe Rebecca convinced me to sneak out of my house to go to this, "party of the year," that some kid from our high school is throwing.

I did a Mission Impossible escape out of my house just to be standing here sipping lukewarm beer from a keg, and watching girls with zero rhythm grinding up on each other to get guys attention.

I should of stayed in my room and watched Netflix.

I check through my phone again to see if my boyfriend Erik has text me back. He was hanging out with his family tonight, and couldn't come over when I invited him earlier. That led to me sitting at home binge watching shows, until Rebecca called me to go to this party.

"Hailey! Let's go in the backyard!" My best friend Rebecca yells to me over the music. "Good idea," I say grabbing her hand and following behind her. We make our way through a sea of kids all laughing, talking, drinking, or smoking.

We step outside and I take a deep breath, feeling my anxiety begin to ebb. Rebecca is one of the only people that knows about my anxiety and panic attacks. I know her suggestion to go outside was mostly for my benefit. She's a great friend and can always tell when I've had enough in large groups.

I look around the large yard and see a pool with tons of chairs surrounding it. There aren't as many people out here, so we find two free seats by each other and sit down.

"Where's Tiffany? Didnt she say earlier she was coming to this wack ass party?" I ask putting down my cup of terrible beer. "I haven't talked to her since school today," Rebecca says looking around the yard. "Maybe we should call her," she says pulling out her cell phone.

Rebecca has her phone to her ear as I try to zone out and take deep breaths. Suddenly she stands up looking confused.

"Do you hear that?" She asks looking around, "I can hear her ring tone." I get up and we start walking through the yard. The call goes to voicemail and Rebecca dials the number again. This time I hear the distinct sound of Sia's, "Chandelier", playing through the yard, definitely Tiffany's ring tone.

We turn to the side yard of the house and I freeze.

Tiffany is pinned up against the side of the house getting her mouth mauled by a guy. He has his hand up her skirt, and she has her arms wrapped around his neck.

Rebecca comes up behind me, and I go to back away, but suddenly narrow my eyes as the guy comes in to better focus.

"Oh hell no!" I hear Rebecca yell next to me, but it comes out muffled to my ears. I feel my stomach turn as I finally see what's really going on.

Tiffany and Erik.

My Erik.

They both turn at the same time and see Rebecca charging toward them as I stand there feeling my head spin. I'm thanking God I didn't have any more of that terrible beer because it would certainly be coming up right now.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I hear Rebecca scream as she pushes Tiffany. Erik is coming towards me but I turn and start walking away quickly. "Hailey wait! Stop! Let me explain!" He yells catching up to me and grabbing my arm. I jerk out of his grasp and step away from him. "Get the fuck away from me you prick," I scowl my breaths coming out unsteady.

He holds his hands up in front of him, "Hailey sweetie please calm down ok? You know what happens when you get yourself all worked up," he pleads. I instantly feel rage take over my panic. How dare he use something I shared with him in confidence against me?

"Get myself worked up? How many times do I have to tell you I can't control my panic attacks?" I say pushing him further away from me. "Maybe I'm feeling overwhelmed because I just caught you cheating on me with one of my best friends!" I scream.

We are right by the house so several people are stopping and watching us. I need to get the hell out of here.

Tears start flowing down my face as Rebecca comes up behind me and grabs my shoulders. "We are leaving, stay calm," she says in my ear. "You," she says pointing at Erik, "stay the hell away from my friend or I'll make you regret it." She threatens. We both shove past him as he continues to try to talk to me but I'm beyond listening now.

I wipe my face and try to breathe as we make our way down the driveway to her car. "You crazy bitch!" I hear screeched out from behind us. I turn to see Tiffany standing with a napkin that looks like it's soaked in blood held to her nose.

I look at Rebecca with wide eyes. "D-Did you punch her?" I ask. Rebecca shrugs and gives Tiffany the middle finger. I burst out half laughing, and crying feeling too many emotions at once. How can one friend be so loyal, and the other be such a snake?

Just when I think I'm getting out of here, and start climbing in to the car, Erik comes running towards us again. "Hailey!"

I don't bother sparing him a glance, slamming the passenger door as Rebecca gets in on her side. He knocks rapidly on the window, "Come on Hailey I'm drunk as hell, I didn't mean it. I didn't know you'd be here!" He says like that's some kind of excuse to tongue down my friend.

Wasn't he supposed to be having a family night?

"Eyes forward girl. Let's get out of here," Rebecca says to me turning on the car and pulling away from the curb. "Forget both of them. They're dead to us,"

I pull my sleeves down on my sweater to cover my hands and put my fist in my mouth. Breathe. Breathe girl. You're fine.

We drive in silence for a while and I finally break in to the quiet. My voice coming out hoarse. "Do you think that was the first time?" I ask turning to Rebecca.

She shakes her head, "I don't know. She was always flirty with everyone I just didn't.." she trails off sighing and turning towards our neighborhood.
"Yea I know." I say looking back out the window as we pass by familiar houses.

We fall silent again and we finally get up the street from my house, and she pulls over to let me out so I can sneak back undetected. We hug goodbye and I sneak back in to my window, the same way I snuck out earlier.

I lay awake for a long time thinking of what I did wrong. Was it because I wasn't ready to have sex? Was it because I had a strict Mom and couldn't hang out late and go to parties with him? Was it because Tiffany looked like a freaking Barbie doll, and was skinnier than me, had bigger boobs, and lighter skin?

What was it?

But eventually I had to learn that him cheating just wasn't about me.

It never was.

He's be the first guy I'd make regret being a cheater.

But he wouldn't be the last.