Shameless (The Therapist #2), стр. 35
“No, it’s not slutty. If I was a guy, would you call it slutty?”
“Umm… Well, I don’t know. Why are you getting so upset? I thought we were on the same page here.”
“Because I’m not a fucking slut just because I want to like sex,” I bark as I stand up. I get up so fast my chair shoots backwards and falls to the floor. “I’m getting so tired of these double standards. If I was a guy who hooks up with tons of women, I’d be celebrated by other men. But since I’m a woman, I’m ridiculed, even though a man would get points for sleeping with me. You don't see how that’s bullshit?”
“Okay, I think you're taking this way overboard. I just agreed to do what you wanted. That’s all. If you're looking for random dick, I’m here for you, and I’m not trying to make fun of you or anything like that. Jesus, just calm down. Are you about to get your period or something? You’re way too uptight, because I literally just agreed with you.”
“Wow. I’m so glad you showed me who you really are before I could make a bad decision.”
“Who I am? What are you talking about?”
“Yeah, you're a misogynistic asshole who thinks every woman who enjoys sex the same way men do is open to being slut shamed and called names. To you, women are whores and sluts for doing the same things men do all the time. If I enjoy sex, I’m a whore. If you enjoy sex, you're a player and a ladies man. You can't respect a woman’s right to choose, even if she’s choosing the same things as you. You’re a piece of shit. Thank you for showing me.”
Scott looks at me like I've suddenly shape-shifted into another person. He furrows his brow, and I can tell he really doesn’t have a clue why I’m so upset. His brain is so hardwired into thinking this way about women that he doesn't even know it’s wrong. He has no idea how disrespectful he is, and the last thing I want is a man who’s that ignorant.
Without another word, I turn on my heel, grab my purse, and head for the door. Scott can't seem to think fast enough on his feet to say anything else, but when I put my hand on the knob, I turn back to him.
“Oh, and no, I’m not on my fucking period, asshole. A woman is allowed to have emotions without being on her period,” I snap, as I snatch the door open. “And you can call me a slut if you want, but what does it say about you that I’m so slutty, yet you still couldn’t fuck me? Goodnight. Enjoy jerking off instead of sleeping with me.”
Leaving Scott with a stunned expression on his face, I walk out, leaving the door wide open so he has to pick his ignorant ass up to come close it. Once I’m in my car, I start it up and drive away, fighting back tears the entire way home.
Chapter Twenty-Three
~Tessa~
“Wait. He said what?”
“Yeah. He really asked if I was on my period,” I tell Missy, as the two of us sit side by side at the bar in Applebee’s in Dover. The place is fairly quiet tonight, which is great, because the only person I really want to be around is Missy. After all the drama with men, hers is the only presence that isn't annoying at the moment.
“Damn. Why do men have to be so fucked up?” Missy asks, just before tossing her red hair behind her shoulder and lifting her glass of Crown and Coke to her lips.
“I was hoping you could tell me since you live with one,” I answer behind a giggle. “I had my hopes set on learning something of value in all of this. Instead, all I’ve learned is how disappointing men can be.”
I guess I could’ve warned you about that,” Missy admits with a shrug. “If there's one thing men can always be counted on to do, it’s being disappointing.”
“I think it might have something to do with their egos. I’m starting to think that maybe their egos are far more fragile than we know. Putting us down seems to make them feel better about their own flaws and inadequacies.”
“Plus their tiny dicks and premature ejaculation.”
Both of us explode into laughter, which feels really good right now. It’s been a horrible week. Work is work, and that always has the dark shadow of my mother lingering above it. Brandon is still off with his bullshit band, probably getting his dick sucked by white trash groupies who’ll fuck anybody in a band, and now my own sex life is stalling out before it even has a chance to get off the ground. The level of stress I’m feeling can't really be stripped away by alcohol, but it’s worth a shot. No pun intended.
“In all seriousness, Tessa,” Missy says after we’re able to compose ourselves. “Even though it’s shitty so far, I think you’re doing the right thing. You’re taking your time to play the field and learn about what makes you happy. I don’t think a lot of women do that. People have a tendency to settle, and that shit sucks in the long run. Either that, or they get locked down before they even know what they really want. When it comes to sex, I had no idea the kind of shit I’d be into by the time I reached this age. Hubby and I were lucky enough to both be open-minded and learn together.”
“Yeah? You guys learned together?”
“Well, when I say we learned together, I mean I had to show him quite a bit.”
“Oh, I see,” I say with a giggle. “But see, that means that you knew what you liked already. I’m not even there yet.”
“You're probably closer to it than you think,” Missy disagrees. “Women usually want most of the same things. You want good