Rowdy || 18+ || RH

Chapter 33

Emersyn

I nestle into my soft pillows, the muffled laughter and chatter from game night still echoing faintly in my ears. Valarie is beside me, her vibrant energy a comforting presence in the quiet aftermath of the evening. The dim glow from the bedside lamp paints shadows on the walls.

I can feel Valarie's gaze on me, her eyes always so capable of reading the hidden chapters of my soul. I try to keep my face neutral, but the flickers of confusion and vulnerability must be dancing wildly in my eyes.

"Alright, Em, spill it," Valarie says, propping herself up on one elbow, her face framed by the soft cascade of her auburn hair. "You've got that look, and I know something's up."

I let out a sigh, feeling the dam holding back my emotions beginning to crack. "It's just... Marx," I start, the name tasting foreign yet inexplicably familiar on my tongue. "There was this moment in the kitchen, Val. And it's just messing with my head."

"What happened?"

I don't even know what to say, so I just blurt it all out. "So, I told you about Marx going with me to my brother's wedding, right? Well, that same night, the zipper on my dress was stuck and I had to have him help me with it," I say, before pausing to catch my breath. "Well, when he unzipped my dress, his fingers kind of lingered on my skin. I felt like we- well, like we were having a moment."

"Uh-huh," Valarie says, encouraging me to continue.

"But nothing happened. Well, at least not then. I went to my room and tried to go to sleep. But I got thirsty. So I got up and went to the kitchen to get some water. Marx was sitting at the kitchen table in the dark. I tried to talk to him, but he didn't say anything back. He was drinking, so I thought maybe he wanted to be left alone."

"Girl, get to the point already," she says.

"Okay, okay. Hold your horses. I'm getting there. So, I get my cup of water and when I turned around, Marx was right behind me. Like, so close I could feel the heat radiating off of his body. Before I knew it, he had me up on the counter, fingering me."

"Oh my god, Em. You're literally living every girl's dream."

"Yeah, you would think so. But after Marx made me come, he just left." My heart starts hurting at the thought of it.

"Left?"

"Yeah, he turned away and left me sitting in the dark."

Valarie's eyes widen in surprise before squinting in anger. "That motherfucker."

"Val, no. It's not like that. Or, well, I don't think it is. I think he was drunk. He was drinking, after all. I've been thinking about it for days now, trying to figure out what exactly happened. But-" I pause, my voice cracking a little. "I'm just confused."

Valarie listens intently, her green eyes filled with understanding and a hint of playful curiosity. "Oh, Em, that sounds confusing. Maybe you should try talking to him," she suggests. "Remember, you're not someone to be toyed with. You're Emersyn Mae Hill, a powerhouse in her own right."

Her words ignite a flicker of empowerment within me, but I know there's more I need to unload, layers of secrets that have accumulated over the past weeks.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the confessions that are about to spill from my lips. "There's... there's more, Val," I admit, my voice shaky yet determined.

Her eyes widen slightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Oh, do tell, you naughty girl!" she exclaims, her tone light yet encouraging.

I can't help but let out a nervous giggle before continuing. "Well, Fowler and I... we've been, um, seeing each other. Casually, you know?"