Page 33 of Forgotten Prejudice

I didn’t even notice it was missing.

“You forgot it here, and I wanted to bring it back to you, so I looked inside for your address and found your ID. Imagine my shock when I learned the guy I was dating had just turned eighteen.”

The most awful taste filled my mouth as my throat burned with the tears I tried to hold back. I was somewhat of a people pleaser, and being put on the spot was tough. Even more so because it was Soren I’d disappointed.

“I’m sorry.” It was weak and lame, but I had nothing else to say. There were no excuses for my lie. What did I even plan on doing? To lie to him until the end of time?

“You’re sorry?” he snapped, and I jumped in my place. “Do you know that the age of consent in California is eighteen?”

With my eyes pinned on the floor, I bit my lips and shook my head.

“Of course you don’t know since you’re a kid.” He let out a deep sigh. “If I had slept with you, I could have been charged with statutory rape, for God’s sake.”

My eyes shot to him immediately. “Rape?” I took a step closer. “No. Never. I-I want to be with you. It’s nothing like that.”

“It doesn’t fucking matter, Ashton.” He raised his voice, and I immediately stepped back.

Tears I tried to hold in were now welling in my eyes, and I could no longer fight them. Consent age? Statutory rape? What was he even talking about? All I did was lie about my age. I didn’t stop to think about the consequences.

“I didn’t know I was risking you… I just didn’t want you to toss me away,” I muttered between tears while cleaning my nose. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” Sniff. “I just really liked being with you, Soren. That’s… That’s all.”

Soren glanced my way, his stare hard, before he looked down at his wineglass, which he still hadn’t drunk from, and tsked. A few seconds later, he moved from the kitchen and walked toward me, stopping close enough that I could smell his cologne. His eyes studied me carefully, and I shrank further into myself.

“I’m sorry for snapping like that, Ashton.” He wiped away some of my tears. “Please don’t cry… I’m just really mad right now.”

I sniffed, still not looking him in the eyes. “I-I’m sorry.”

“My logic is telling me to break up with you, as I don’t appreciate being lied to.”

I probably looked as pathetic as I felt, with hot cheeks, sticky tears, and a snotty nose.

“But I won’t do that,” he suddenly said, and my eyes widened.

“W-What?”

Soren cupped my cheeks in one hand and made me face him.

“You are eighteen now, aren’t you?”

“Y-Yes.”

“And you want to be with me. Right?”

I nodded.

“Speak up.”

Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat. “I do. I do want to be with you, Soren.”

He tilted his head, his silver eyes fixed on me. I loved his eyes, but something in them made him look so… lonely.

“Never in your life are you to lie to me again.” His voice was firm and unwavering. “I can put up with almost anything but not lies, Ashton.”

Shocked he was willing to forgive me in the first place, I nodded eagerly.

“I won’t.” I leaned toward him. “I will never lie to you again. I promise.” In fact, I’d do anything to make him like me again.

Moving his free hand to my lower back, he pulled me until I was pressed to him. His lips curved into a small smile.