“Stop saying that.” He throws his head back against the seat and pushes the car into gear. “You can’t love.” He shakes his head, presses on the gas, and the car bumps forward. “You don’t have the capacity. You don’t have that heart.” The saddest smile I have ever seen creases across his lips and the finality sinks in. “Goodbye, Apple.”

Before I can protest further, he’s gone. He races to the end of the street and whips around a sharp corner without braking, running a stop sign in the process.

“Ouch,” I hear a familiar voice say from behind me. I crane my head to see Cece. She wears a proud, devious smile. In the five days since I’ve seen her, she has changed. Tight-fitted jeans hug the curves of her body, and her bare breasts peek out of a tight tank top. “What was that about?”

I dig my hands deep into my hair and let out a long, exhausted exhale. “Nothing,” I say as I plaster a fake smile on my face.

“Are you sure?” She takes a step toward me, her heels clicking along the cement. She’s taller now, and more sure of herself. “Looked like something to me.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

“I fell in love.”

“That didn’t look like love to me.”

“No Cece.” I laugh uncomfortably and without humor. “That’s exactly what love is.”

“I guess I wouldn’t know.”

She follows me as I take a seat on the curb of the road. “I talked to Rafe.” She places her palm on my thigh, and my eyes drift toward her. “He told me he was interested in me.”

“That’s great news.”

“You were supposed to tell me that.”

“What do you mean?” I have an inkling where this conversation is going, and I don’t have the energy for it.

“It took me a while to figure it out. I mean, why wouldn’t you tell me he was interested in me? In fact, you went as far as to say he wasn’t interested in people like me, because I wasn’t like you.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Why do you want me to be like you so bad?” She jumps to her feet and stands in the middle of the road. “Why was it so important for you to take a wrecking ball to everything I ever believed in?”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“Bullshit,” she sneers at me, carrying a load of acid on her tongue. “You wanted to pass on your legacy to someone, and I was the perfect girl for the torch. But let me tell you something, nobody wants that torch. Nobody wants to be you. You’re a mean girl, and you’re going to die alone.”

“I’m going to have to cut you off.” I’m seething, but know I deserve everything she’s saying. “You don’t know shit about me.”

“Don’t I? The funny thing about Brick is that he’s an absolute monster, but he’s an honest one.”

“You are so naïve.” I shake my head. “Do you really think he told you whatever the fuck he told you, out of the kindness of his heart? Please, don’t make me fucking laugh.”

“Sweetie, you don’t need to worry about that, because you’re not laughing. You’re crying. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“You said you don’t want to be like me? Too late.” I measure her from top to toes with my eyes. “Look at you. You’re exactly like me.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“No.” I shake my head again. “Nobody can make you do something you don’t want to do.”

“Tell me then, did you dream of growing up to be an intolerable bitch?”

“You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Everything I am is because of the—“

“Really, Apple?” she asks in a condescending tone, mocking me. “Nobody can make you become someone you don’t want to be.”

“We’re done here.” I push past her, knocking my shoulder against her chest.

“You’re right.” She spins around. “I’ve taken everything from you. Your impending degree is on the line. Jensen will never talk to you again, and Brick… Well, I don’t want to ruin all the surprises.”

“I’m sorry.” That’s all I can bring myself to say. I want off this merry-go-round of daggers. For the second time today, those two words echo off the edge of my lips with truthfulness. I don’t recognize who I’m becoming. She scares me. She surprises me. She’s a better woman than who she was yesterday. Too many times in life, we are challenged by our identities. Too often, we find out who we really are when it’s already too late.

The last glimpse I get of Cece is one of mixed emotions. I can tell the weight of her actions weighs heavy on her soul, as her eyes are sunken with guilt. This in turn gives me the tiniest bit of satisfaction. Not because she got what she deserved, but because she stands a chance to not become the woman I did.

I march down the streets of campus, wandering around aimlessly for hours. It’s in these quiet hours of solitariness that I realize what I have to do.

28

Professor Apple Malloy reporting for class. Welcome to How To Not Piss Off A Woman 101. This semester, you are going to learn the three biggest ways to piss off a woman, and the consequences for doing so. I would like to direct you to the syllabus below.

Lesson A: Do not interfere with matters of the heart. Consequence: Castration

Lesson B: Do not lie to a woman who has trusted you. Consequence: Castration

Lesson C: Do not—under any circumstances—ever fuck with an angry woman. Consequence: Castration.

Brick’s going to wish he were dead when I’m done with him. Unfortunately, I’m not looking to spend the next ten-to-fifteen years in prison for assault or attempted murder, so social castration is going to have to work.

He’s stolen Jensen from me, so now I’m going to destroy anything and everything he has left. He may not love anything in this world, but I can still hit him where it hurts. I will ensure no girl within a fifty-mile radius will ever sleep with him again.

I twist the key into the lock of his apartment door, let myself in and slam the door shut behind me. I want him to know I’ve arrived, and hell hath no fury like a bitch scorned.

The first person I see isn’t Brick. It’s someone else. A girl with flowing blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. She’s petite, but has a larger-than-life commanding presence.

“Brick,” she calls out and shifts her head toward the bedroom. “Someone is here for you.” She turns back to me. “Who are you?” she asks in the sweetest tone.

“A friend.” I smile and take a seat beside her, a little too close for her comfort as she flinches away from me. “Are you Tyra?”

“Yeah.” She’s taken aback that I seem to know of her, but she is in no way the meek girl I thought she would be. “How did you know?”

“I’ve heard so much about you.” I lean my head past her to make sure Brick isn’t coming out of the bedroom yet. Then, it’s back to business. “Pack your shit and get the hell out of here.”

“Excuse me?” She leaps to her feet. “Who do you think you are?”

“Don’t make me say it again,” I threaten her, just enough that she collects an oversized purse from the floor and shoves a history textbook into it. I’ve intimidated her into leaving, and now I have to tell her why. I latch my hand around her arm, and her eyes swim with fear. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Then get your hand off me,” she seethes.

I do as she requests and hurry my speech when I hear the toilet flush. “Stay the hell away from him. He’s the fucking devil and he will drag you to hell with him.”

“What are you talking about,” she scoffs and cranes her head to the bedroom, waiting for her knight to save her from the crazy lady. “I’m his tutor.”

“You are so naïve. So was I, but if you listen to one stranger in your life, listen to me.” I stroke a finger through her silky hair, trying to remember a time before I knew him—a time when I could have been happy if I would have chosen a different path. “He’ll destroy you. He’ll rip your soul from your chest.”