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Chapter 30 by micdan282 micdan282

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The Ride Continues

Laura chewed on the straw in her iced coffee, watching Rikki out of the corner of her eye. She could feel it, something simmering under her friend’s skin. Guilt. Confusion. Maybe both. Finally, Laura broke the silence.

“So,” she said, casual but deliberate, “you gonna tell me what happened with you and Lawrence? Or do I need to bribe it out of you with bagels and emotional manipulation?”

Rikki didn’t answer right away. Her hands tightened on the wheel.

Laura sighed. “Come on. I saw the way you looked at him. Like you wanted to launch him off a cliff and maybe make out with him on the way down.”

Rikki let out a breath. “It… got out of hand.”

“That’s code for ‘I slept with him,’ right?”

Silence.

“Damn,” Laura muttered.

Rikki finally spoke, her voice low. “I didn’t mean to. I was just… drunk. Angry. And I didn’t want to think about anything, and Lawrence just kept being there.”

Laura leaned back, arms folded. “Okay. But... do you regret it? Like, actual regret, or just the part where he probably has a playlist called Sex Vibes Vol. 2?”

“I regret everything,” Rikki said, harsher than she meant to. “I’m supposed to have control. Over my choices. Over my body. Over my… emotions.”

Laura softened. “Hey, you’re only human. This stuff happens.”

“Waking up next to him just made everything feel more messed up. I don’t even like the guy. He’s cocky, smarmy, thinks he’s God’s gift to women. I just needed a distraction.”

Laura watched her for a second, then said gently, “This fight with Finn really got to you.”

“Yes! He kept asking questions about my life and I couldn’t bring myself to answer them, I just couldn't open up to him. But I’m so tired of making up excuses.” Her voice was flat.

Laura frowned. “That's something you can only do in time. He has to understand that.”

“I don’t know. Maybe. But even if he does, it doesn’t matter. He wants something simple and I’m not that. I mean look at what happened last night.”

Laura didn’t respond. She just reached over and put a hand on Rikki’s shoulder, grounding her for a second.

“You’re allowed to screw up,” she said. “Even spectacularly. Just… don’t forget you’re not alone.”

They pulled up to Laura’s building. She gathered her stuff, hesitated, then leaned back in.

“For what it’s worth, if I were in your shoes? I probably would’ve slept with Lawrence too. He’s a douche sure, but he’s got that whole chaotic confidence thing. It’s like getting seduced by a red flag in a leather jacket.”

Rikki let out a small laugh. “You’re crazy.”

“I know.” Laura winked. “Now go home, drink some water, and get some rest. Love you.”

Rikki watched her disappear into the building, then leaned her head back against the seat. The truth pressed heavy against her ribs about what really caused the bruises, about what had happened with Rogue Knight, about everything Finn and Laura didn’t know. She was dealing with so much more than a guilty conscience.

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