Bunny Iglesias

If hell was a place, your friends were the main occupants.

You liked to tell yourself that.

They weren’t really your friends anyway. Not when you felt like you had to mold yourself into a whole new person to be a part of the group. But loneliness scared you more than judgement, and so you did what you had to do.

The dare was simple, really. They were bored, they wanted to pick on someone and they wanted you to go out with Bunny Iglesias.

Simple.

(Quite frankly, you felt like you were getting picked on).

It was only supposed to last a short period of time. Four months. You suspected they didn’t accord much thought to the length of the dare just spat out a random number.

Approaching him was easy. He spoke to everyone, although you never really understood why he was often alone. When you’d meet him, during lunch, in between classes and after school clubs, he’d welcome you. Two weeks in, he started leaving out a cold drink for you.

The relationship started without either of you truly knowing when. You made your advances clear and although he didn’t reciprocate them with the same energy, he never pushed you away either. At one point, you just assumed you were dating.

Because people who dated flirted, and kissed and he flirted with you all the time but kissed you once— a quick peck, stolen right before a game.

But being with him was like sleeping on a bed of thorns because it was the only bed you’d ever known; because the thing was, he picked at everything you did. The amount of food you ate, the clothes you wore, little quips about your body until it chipped away at you. He knew you didn’t like it. That was the worst part— but he seemed to find a sick kind of satisfaction in watching you squirm.

People often asked you why you wouldn’t just end things. It would be simpler. You told them you didn’t want to give up on the dare. It was simpler than having to muster the courage to admit you didn’t feel like leaving. He was, despite it all, addictive.

He’d show up and twirl you around, calling you his angel. But then there would be a remark on how much you ate. A small pinch there. A finger twirling your hair and a comment about how greasy it looked.

Oh but the worst part was how good he made you feel when he had you pressed against the wall and running his lips along your shoulder, or bending you over the edge of the bed. He knew what you liked better than yourself. And everytime, he made you forget, just for a little bit, why you had any reason to leave at all.

This push and pull continued for the four months you were meant to be together, and longer. At one point, your friends sort of just.. forgot about the dare. They moved on with their lives and you didn’t have to keep dating him, but you did so anyway because he gave you every wrong reason to stay. The realization struck you when he had once again left you with words that had clawed their way into your brain and festered new insecurities. The hours went by as you cried. It was in between the heaves, the ache in your throat and behind your eyes that you made you told yourself you couldn’t keep going.

It was after his lecture that you thought of breaking the news to him. You chose a day when he was off training so he could have space to figure things out. He waved when he spotted you and took your hand when you neared.

“Bit tense today,” he remarked, pressing his thumb down on your fingers. “I wonder what it is you have to say.” He brought your fingers up to his face— not a kiss, just a brush of his lips to your skin. “I think it has to do with that silly dare you and your friends concocted, no?”

Your blood seemed to leave your head. He watched shock dawn on your face and the horrifying realization that he knew.

“Oh, cariño,” his eyes crinkled with joy, “Did you think i was this stupid? You’re funny, you know. You think you have the upper-hand. And now you would have broken up with me. But i think we’ve both grown close.”

He pulled in then, to his chest. His hand splayed out across your back. He leaned down until his lips brushed your ear. “And let me tell you, i don’t think you want to break up with me. I have something of yours you might not want circulating around.”

He pulled out his phone, lazily scrolling through.. something. It felt like time trickled one drop at a time. Finally, he seemed to find what he was looking for and turned the screen towards you. It was a video. The lights were dim. You could make out just enough— there was your back facing the camera and you were on top of him but his face was hidden in your neck, but there was no mistaking what was happening. The sheets rustled, someone breathed heavier than usual and you could hear him grunt.

“You recorded us?” Your voice came out shrill. “What the— why would you—“

“Liability,” he tapped your cheek with a finger. “You thought i would just let you fool around with me without consequences? Charming.” He locked his phone and pocketed it. “So, what will it be? Are we breaking up?”