Bad Boys

4.

"I had a boyfriend once," Sylvie announces as we bathe together. She rests her back against my chest and raises her hand out of the water, letting droplets of water fall from her fingertips onto my legs either side of her. "We went to the same high school, he was cool. I didn't love him but he was good at sex and he said I was too. I think I was his first, I can't remember now but one night he found my phone and saw texts from another guy. I mean, I didn't cheat on him I just flirted. It didn't mean anything to me, but to him it meant the world. He hit me, twice I think, because he counted it as cheating."

"He's a fucking coward. Only cowards hit girls."

Sylvie bends her neck and looks at me upside down, pressing the back of her head into my chest in order to look at me. "Have you ever hit a girl?"

"I hit a girl once in kindergarten because she hit me first and stole my backpack. She was the bully, she was taller than everybody else and acted as if she was older. Everybody was afraid of her and one day I'd had enough of her, so I hit her back. I was a coward but I had to in order to protect myself and stop her. But now, no, I'd never lay my hand on a girl."

"What if she hit you first?" She asks and returns her gaze forward, resting her feet on the edge of her bath.

"Then I would like to think I deserved it."

"You're a fool," She laughs and sits up, hugging her legs to her chest. I can't see her face but I can tell she's smirking. "If a girl hit me I'd hit her back. If a guy hit me I'd hit him back. If a guy hit you you'd hit him back. But if a girl hit you you're not allowed to hit her back."

"That's because guys are stronger."

"Now that's just plain sexist." She pushes herself out of the tub and cocoons herself up in a fluffy green towel.

"No, it's just fact." I climb out too and take the towel she gives me as she rolls her eyes. I chuckle and dry myself off. Her roommate bangs on the locked door for us to hurry up, her roommate doesn't like me but it doesn't matter to Sylvie because she's not too fond of her.

"Give us a second!" Sylvie shouts back and kicks the door with a smile.

She's crazy. But I like it.

"Want to go out tonight? Walk around town and entertain ourselves?" She asks as she slips her bra on and clips it secure. Her body is perfect but it's not mine, at least I don't think so. She doesn't talk to other guys, we're more than friends but less than together. We're just...living.

"Sure."