Trapped In-between.

Sharing the hurt.

As Sandy kept running, the tears kept flowing, almost as if her feet and her tears were in a competition of who would be the fastest runner. Soon, her nose joined in the competition and she had to sniff repeatedly to keep the liquid from oozing out.

How dare that man call her a slut? What the hell did he know about her to accuse her of such a thing? And what? She threw herself at him? She wasn’t worthy of his body and affection?

“Screw you, Matt Crosby!” She yelled into the wind. Because of her anger, she dropped her skirt without realizing she did so. Somehow, she stepped on the hem and flew forward. “Help!” She yelled as she felt her body going down the parched pavement. There was no way she would fall without injuring herself and that would affect the shoot she had in two days’ time.

Before she could hit the ground, a hand held her arm and yanked her backward. Her back rested on the strong chest of a man she was sure was built from the gym.

“Are you hurt, m’lady?” His voice was deep and sexy. Enough to get into the pants of any woman he wanted within seconds. Damn! All he had to do was say a word and clothes and pants would fly everywhere.

“Let go of me!” Sandy snapped at him. Her voice shook from all the crying she did. “What? You think I was going to throw myself at you? You thought that you just found a slut?”

The man, whose hair was as red as crimson blood and golden eyes were as feral as a wolf, gave her a disbelieving look. He crossed his arms over his built chest as he chuckled. Soon, he doubled over and began to laugh at her outburst. His manly face was replaced by a boyish look as he lost control of his body to the laughter.

“Screw you!” Sandy hissed and turned away from him.

The man stopped laughing and gave a serious expression. “I actually thought you looked like a Disney princess all deck up like that, princess!” He yelled after her. When she didn’t turn around or even acknowledge his words, he turned in the opposite direction and walked away.

Sandy refused to stop or look behind her. She kept walking with no destination in mind. When she got to a bar, she stopped in front of the place and walked inside. The place was steaming with life but not intimidatingly so. She carried herself to the bar table and sat in the only seat left.

“Give me your strongest alcohol.” She told the bartender.

Mateo Andrea was just about to stand up and leave when he heard the voice that he did. Sure that there was no way the voice would belong to who he thought it belonged to, he swung his head to his left side. Sure enough, he saw Sandy sitting there, looking disheveled. Strands of hair were out of their confinement of pins and were dancing everywhere on her head. Her face looked like the painting of a makeup done for a cast that was supposed to be evil.

What the f**k was she supposed to be doing in a bar by 3 pm when she should be at her best friend’s wedding? From the way she was dressed though, it was easy to know that she had dressed up for the occasion. What he didn’t know was if she changed her mind at the last minute or if the party was over.

Oh, some might argue that it was not possible for her to change her mind but he knew how very possible it was. After all, Eleanor Monroe had agreed to marry him and then she left him, all in a matter of days.

“What are you doing here, woman?” He asked the blonde woman in a gentle tone.

Sandy didn’t bother to answer the person. She took the cup the bartender slid to her and drank every drop in the cup. She grimaced as she felt her lungs on fire from the alcohol she took. For some seconds, she refused to move, giving the alcohol enough time to travel down to her stomach.

“More.” She told the bartender and slid her cup back to the man. The man quietly refilled the cup and she tried to pick it up. Only that a hand got to it before her. She turned with an angry scowl, ready to blast whoever it was to hell and back. “Mateo!” She exclaimed when she saw who it was.

“Glad to see you too, beautiful witch.” The man chuckled at her. He lifted the cup he seized from her up to his head level in a toast and emptied the content to his throat. “That's really a good stuff.” He commented dryly.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” She was afraid that he heard what happened back at the party venue and he had come after her to mock her.

“Wallowing in self-pity.” He turned fully to her. “And you?”

“Same thing.”

Mateo pushed both his cup and her’s back to the bartender. “Fill it.” Then, he shook his head. “Get us full bottles instead. The bartender did as instructed. Mateo gave a bottle to Sandy and kept one for himself. “Why aren’t you with your best friend?” He asked her again.

Instead of giving him the answer he sought, Sandy picked up the bottle and gulped down more than half. Her inside recoiled and she felt a spark flying all around her face, making her see visions of things she didn’t know if they truly exist. Mateo shrugged and did the same with his bottle.

“Sam drink is so high.” Sandy said as she finished the drink. “I can feel myself spinning already.” She chuckled.

“She betrayed my love for her,” Mateo hissed. He lifted the bottle once more and finished the drink.

“The damn i***t called me a slut,” Sandy sobbed. She lifted a finger up and laughed as she swung it before her eyes. “f**k him!” She spluttered.

“Who?” Mateo blinked.

“You.” Sandy slipped off her chair and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Let’s f**k. He… already thinks I’m… a slut anyway.”

“You’re drunk!” Mateo tried to push her away but the hold she had on him was firm. He closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the way her exposed breasts pressed against his chest. Even though he wore a shirt, his body reacted as if they were skin to skin. “Sandy!” He growled, feeling himself getting hard for her.

Rather than move away, she leaned even closer. Her face went to the hollow of his neck and her breath fanned his skin, making him swallow the sudden lump that developed in his lungs.

“Damn it, woman. Stay away or I might give in.” He warned her softly. When she flattened her palm against his chest as a response, he groaned. He brought out his purse and passed more than enough money to the bartender.

“Let’s go.” He told Sandy who was grinning at the empty air. He grabbed her hand and led her out of the place.