Текст книги "Oblivion"

Автор книги: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 51 страниц)

I closed out the tab and winged my laptop across the room. Before it slammed into the wall, I lifted my hand, stopping the shiny metallic piece of crap before it shattered into thousands of dollars’ worth of tiny pieces. It hovered in the air as if an invisible hand caught it before I slowly lowered it to my desk. I exhaled roughly.

This evening I had wanted to kiss Kat. There was no fooling myself. And it hadn’t been the first time. Knew it wouldn’t be the last time. I’d already accepted that I was attracted to her, so wanting to act on it made sense. No BFD there.

Wanting something and doing it were two different things.

Wanting something and really wanting it were also two different things.

Kind of like how you can want someone when you don’t even like them?

Then again, that wasn’t entirely the truth. I did like her. Reluctantly. She was smart. The nerdiness was cute. Her fiery attitude was admirable.

But I hadn’t been lying when I said that things weren’t like they were for Dawson and Bethany. Those two had…they had been in love with each other and neither of them had stopped for one damn second to think about the consequences.

The consequences were all I thought about. The memory of Kat in that last video haunted me, telling me more clearly than all of my arguments that I was just no good for her.

Too bad my body wasn’t getting the message.

This was going to be a long night, I thought, as I slipped my hand under the sheet and closed my eyes. A very long night.

Chapter 12

The first day of school wasn’t exciting to me. For Dee, it was a big deal. The first day of our last year of high school at PHS—that was what she yelled at me when my alarm had gone off for the third time, and we had forty minutes to get ready, eat something, and get to class.

To me, it was stupid that we started school on a Thursday, had two days of classes, and then had the weekend off. Why didn’t they just start on a Tuesday?

I barely made it, lucky that I found a pair of jeans and a shirt that was clean. Hell, I was happy that I found a notebook in the back of my car.

PHS was a small high school compared to most. Only a couple of floors, it was beyond easy to get from one class to the next. Through homeroom and first period, I wondered how Kat was doing. Being the new kid had to suck, especially when you moved to such a small town where everyone had grown up together. Kids around here were friends since they were in diapers.

It was when I walked into trig class that I saw Kat near the back of the classroom. I spotted a couple of seats empty on the other side of class and knew that’s where I should go.

Instead, I switched my notebook to my other hand and headed straight down the aisle where she was seated. She kept her eyes glued to her hands, but I knew she was aware of me. The faint blush along the tips of her cheekbones gave her away.

Remembering how her breath caught the other night on her porch, I grinned.

But then my gaze slid to the awkward splint covering her slender arm, and my grin faded. Potent rage swept through me at the reminder of how close she’d come to becoming an Arum’s play toy. My teeth gnashed as I stalked past and fell into the seat behind her.

Images assaulted me of how she’d looked after the Arum attack—shaken, terrified, and so tiny in my shirt as we waited for the useless police to show up. If anything, this should’ve served as a reminder to get my ass up and move to a different seat.

I pulled a pen out of the spiral ring on my notebook and poked her in the back.

Kat glanced over her shoulder, biting her lip.

“How’s the arm?” I asked.

Her features pinched, and then her lashes swept up, her clear eyes meeting my stare. “Good,” she said, fiddling with her hair. “I get the splint off tomorrow, I think.”

I tapped my pen off the edge of the desk. “That should help.”

“Help with what?” Wariness colored her tone.

Using the pen, I gestured to the trace surrounding her. “With what you’ve got going on there.”

Her eyes narrowed, and I remembered she couldn’t see what I could. I could’ve clarified, made something up right then, but it was so much fun getting a rise out of her. When it looked like she was two seconds from smacking me upside the head with her splint, I couldn’t help myself.

I leaned forward, watching her eyes flare. “Fewer people will stare without the splint is all I’m saying.”

Her lips thinned in disbelief, but she didn’t look away. Kat met my stare and held it. Not backing down—never backing down. Reluctant respect continued to grow inside me, but underneath that, something else was developing. I was two seconds from kissing that pissed-off look right off her face. I wondered what she’d do. Hit me? Kiss me back?

I was betting on the hitting part.

Billy Crump let out a low whistle from somewhere off to the side of us. “Ash is going to kick your ass, Daemon.”

Kat’s eyes narrowed with what looked a lot like jealousy. I smiled, thinking about how she’d asked about Ash and me. I might just need to change my bet. “Nah, she likes my ass too much for that.”

Billy chuckled.

I tipped my desk down and leaned forward even farther, bringing our mouths within the same breathing space. A flash of heat went through her eyes, and I so had her. “Guess what?”

“What?” she murmured, her gaze dropping to my mouth.

“I checked out your blog.”

Her eyes shot back to mine. For a second they were wide with shock, but she was quick to smooth her expression. “Stalking me again, I see. Do I need to get a restraining order?”

“In your dreams, Kitten.” I smirked. “Oh wait, I’m already starring in those, aren’t I?”

She rolled her eyes. “Nightmares, Daemon. Nightmares.”

I smiled, and her lips twitched. Dammit, if I didn’t know better, I’d think she liked our little fights, too. Maybe she was just as twisted as I was. The teacher started calling out roll, and Kat turned around. I sat back, laughing softly.

Several of the kids were still watching us, which kind of knocked the sense back into me. Not that I was doing anything wrong. Teasing her wouldn’t bring the Arum to us or put her in danger—or my sister. When the bell rang, Kat bolted from the class like she was afraid of catching something. Two girls were right behind her. I thought their names were Lea and Cassie. Something like that. Shaking my head, I grabbed my notebook and headed out into the throng of students.

During a class exchange an hour later, I ran into Adam, who fell in step beside me. “There is talk.”

I arched a brow. Damn. That sounded ominous. “Talk about what? How everyone drives trucks around here? Or how cow tipping really is a pastime? Or how my sister is never, ever going to seriously get with you?”

Adam sighed. “Talk about Katy, smart-ass.”

Schooling my features, I stared straight ahead as we navigated the crowded halls. Both of us were a good head or so taller than most. We were like giants in the land of humans.

“Billy Crump’s in your—”

“Trig class? Yeah, I know that already.”

“He was talking in history about you flirting with the new girl,” Adam said, sliding past a group of girls who were openly staring at us. “Ash overheard him.”

With each passing second, my annoyance was hitting an all-new high.

“I know you and Ash aren’t seeing each other anymore.”

“Yep.” I grit my teeth.

“But you know how she gets,” Adam continued quickly. “You better be careful with your little human—”

I stopped in the middle of the hall, two seconds from throwing Adam through a wall. Kids shuffled around us as I spoke barely above a whisper. “She’s not my little human.”

Adam’s gaze was unflinching. “Fine. Whatever. Out of everyone, I don’t care if you took her into the locker room and did her, but she’s glowing…and so are your eyes,” he added, voice low. “And all of this is familiar.”

Shit. On. A. Brick. My eyes were doing the diamond thing? Great. Glowing eyes were one step away from a Luxen shifting into their true form. Wouldn’t that be fun if I turned into a glowing alien in the middle of a high school hallway? Striving for patience I wasn’t known for, I started walking, leaving Adam behind.

I needed to get my shit together.

This back-and-forth crap had to stop. I was beginning to wonder if I had a split personality. Jesus. I needed to stay the hell away from Kat. And that would keep her away from the rest of the Luxen, namely Ash.

When was the moment Katy became different from the herd—from the rest of the humans? Someone I wanted to know? The day at the lake? When we went for a walk? The night the Arum got a hold of her? Or one of the many times she told me off?

Shit.

Adam was right. All of this was familiar, except we’d had this conversation with Dawson over Bethany.

Dammit. This was not happening.

I glided through the rest of my classes bored out of my freaking mind. Many times last year, I tried to convince Matthew to get me a forged high school diploma. No such luck there. The DOD probably thought school was a privilege for us, but what they taught couldn’t keep my interest. We learned at an accelerated rate, leaving most humans in the dust. And the DOD would have to approve my request to go to college if that’s what I decided. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go to college. I’d rather find a job where I got to work outside—something that didn’t include four small walls.

When lunch rolled around, I was half tempted to call it a day. School wasn’t the same without Dawson. His exuberance for everything, even the mundane, had been contagious.

Not hungry, I grabbed a bottle of water and headed to our regular table. I sat beside Ash and leaned back, picking at the label on the bottle.

“You know,” Ash said, leaning against my arm, “they say what you’re doing is a sign of sexual frustration.”

I winked at her.

She grinned and then turned back to her brother. That was the thing about Ash. Even though we’d dated on and off for years, she could be cool…when she wanted to be. Truth was, I think she knew deep down that she really wasn’t that into me either. Not like Dawson and Bethany had felt about each other.

God, I was thinking a lot about him today.

He should be here, the first day of our last year. He should’ve been here.

Lifting my eyes, I immediately found Kat in the lunch line. She was talking to Cassie—no, Carissa—the quieter of the two girls in trig. My gaze dropped down to her flip-flops and slowly worked my way back up.

I think I loved those jeans. Tight in all the right places.

It was amazing really—how long Kat’s legs looked for someone so short. I couldn’t figure out why it seemed that way.

Ash’s hand dropped to my thigh, drawing my attention. Warning bells went off again. She was so up to something. “What?” I asked.

Her bright eyes fixed on mine. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” I focused on her, anything to keep her interest off Kat. As feisty as the little kitten was, Kat was absolutely no match for Ash. I set the bottle aside, swinging my legs toward her. “You look nice today.”

“Don’t I?” Ash beamed. “So do you. But you always look yumtastic.” Glancing over her shoulder, she then turned back and slid into my lap faster than she should have in public.

A couple of the boys at a neighboring table looked like they would’ve traded in their moms to be in my position.

“What are you up to?” I kept my hands to myself.

“Why do you think I’m up to anything?” She pressed her chest against mine, speaking in my ear. “I miss you.”

I grinned, seeing right through her. “No, you don’t.”

Pouting, she slapped my shoulder playfully. “Okay. There are some things I miss.”

About to tell her that I had a good idea of what that thing was, Dee’s jubilant shriek cut me off. “Katy!” she yelled.

Cursing under my breath, I felt Ash stiffen against me.

“Sit,” Dee said, smacking the top of the table. “We were talking about—”

“Wait.” Ash twisted around. I could picture the look on her face. Lips turned down, eyes narrowed. All that equaled bad, bad times. “You did not invite her to sit with us? Really?”

I focused on the painting of the PHS mascot—a red-and-black Viking, complete with horns. Please don’t sit down.

“Shut up, Ash,” Adam said. “You’re going to make a scene.”

“I’m not ‘going to make’ anything happen.” Ash’s arm tightened around my neck like a boa constrictor. “She doesn’t need to sit with us.”

Dee sighed. “Ash, stop being a bitch. She’s not trying to steal Daemon from you.”

My eyebrows shot up, but I kept up the prayer. Please don’t sit down. My jaw locked. Please don’t sit here. If she did, Ash would eat her alive out of pure spite. I’d never understand girls. Ash didn’t want me anymore, not really, but holy hell if she’d allow someone else to go there.

Ash’s body started to vibrate softly. “That’s not what I’m worried about. For real.”

“Just sit,” Dee said to Katy, her voice tight with exasperation. “She’ll get over it.”

“Be nice,” I whispered in Ash’s ear, low enough for only her to hear. Ash smacked my arm hard. That’d leave a bruise. I pressed my cheek into her neck. “I mean it.”

“I’ll do what I want,” she hissed back. And she would, too. Worse than what she was doing now.

“I don’t know if I should,” Kat said, sounding incredibly small and unsure.

Every stupid, idiotic thought in my head demanded that I dump Ash out of my lap and get Kat out of here, away from what surely was going to end up being horrible.

“You shouldn’t,” Ash snapped.

“Shut up,” Dee said. “I’m sorry I know such hideous bitches.”

“Are you sure?” Kat asked.

Ash’s body trembled and heated up. Her skin would be too warm for a human to touch without realizing something was different, wrong even. I could feel her control slipping away. Exposing herself wasn’t likely, but she appeared mad enough to do some damage.

I turned my head to look at Kat for the first time since I’d seen her in the line. I thought about the conversation on the porch, when she grinned at me. I thought about how she reacted when I’d told her about the legend of Snowbird. And I already knew I was going to hate myself for what I was about to say, because she didn’t deserve this. “I think it’s obvious if you’re wanted here or not.”

“Daemon!” My sister’s eyes filled with tears, and now it was official. I was irrevocably a dick. “He’s not being serious.”

“Are you being serious, Daemon?” Ash twisted toward me.

My gaze held Kat’s, and I clamped down on every confusing and contradictory thought I was having. She needed to leave before something shitty happened. “Actually, I was being serious. You’re not wanted here.”

Kat opened her mouth, but she didn’t say anything. Her cheeks had been pink—the way I liked them—but the color faded quickly. Anger and embarrassment filled her gray eyes. They glistened under the harsh lights of the cafeteria. A sharp pierce sliced through my chest, and I had to look away—because I had put that look in her eyes. Clenching my jaw, I focused over Ash’s shoulder on that stupid mascot again.

In that moment, I wanted to punch myself in the face.

“Run along,” Ash said.

A few snickers sounded and anger whipped through me, heating my skin. It was ridiculous that I was pissed over other people laughing when I’d already embarrassed her and hurt her more than anyone.

Silence fell over the table, and relief was imminent. She had to be leaving now. There was no way—

Cold, wet, and sloppy stuff plopped on the top of my head. I froze, aware enough not to open my mouth unless I wanted to eat…spaghetti? Did she…? Sauce-covered noodles slid down my face, landing on my shoulder. One hung off my ear, smacking me against the neck.

Holy shit. I was dumbfounded as I slowly turned to look at her. Part of me was actually…amazed.

Ash leaped from my lap, shrieking as she shoved her hands out. “You… You…”

I plucked one of the noodles off my ear and dropped it on the table as I peered up at Kat from underneath my lashes. The laugh came up before I could stop it. Good for her.

Ash lowered her hands. “I will end you.”

My humor vanished. Jumping up, I threw an arm around Ash’s waist. “Calm down. I mean it. Calm down.”

She pulled against me. “I swear to all the stars and suns, I will destroy you.”

“What does that mean?” Kat balled her hands, glaring at the taller girl like she wasn’t afraid of her one bit, and she should’ve been. Ash’s skin was scorching hot, vibrating just beneath the surface. At that moment, I really started to doubt she wouldn’t do something stupid and reveal us in public. “Are you watching too many cartoons again?”

Matthew stalked over to our table, his eyes connecting with mine for a moment. I’d hear about this later. “I believe that’s enough,” he said.

Knowing not to argue with Matthew, Ash sat down in her own seat and grabbed a fistful of napkins. She tried to clean up the mess, but it was pointless. I almost laughed again when she started stabbing at her shirt. Sitting down, I knocked a clump of noodles off my shoulder.

“I think you should find another place to eat,” Matthew said to Katy, voice low enough that only the people at our table could hear. “Do so now.”

Looking up, I watched Kat grab her book bag. She hesitated, and then she nodded as if in a daze. Turning stiffly, she stalked from the cafeteria. My gaze followed her the whole way out, and she kept her head held high.

Matthew turned from the table, probably off to do some damage control. I wiped the back of my hand down my sticky cheek, unable to stop myself from laughing softly.

Ash smacked me again. “It’s not funny!” She stood, hands shaking. “I can’t believe you think that was funny.”

“It was.” I shrugged, grabbing my water bottle. Not like we didn’t deserve it. Looking down the table, I found my sister staring at me. “Dee…”

Tears built in her eyes as she stood. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“What did you expect?” Andrew demanded.

She shot him a death glare and then turned those eyes on me. “You suck. You really freaking suck, Daemon.”

I opened my mouth, but what could I say? I did suck. I’d acted like an ass, and it wasn’t like I could defend that. Dee had to understand that it was for the best, but when I closed my eyes, I saw the hurt in Kat’s eyes and I wasn’t so sure I’d done the right thing…at least the right thing by her.

Chapter 13

Dee was giving me the cold freeze. Not that I was surprised. I deserved it after what had gone down during lunch, but getting chewed out was better than the baleful stare sent in my direction as I headed out to patrol.

There was no way I was getting the spaghetti sauce out of my shirt.

I headed out into the dusk, crossed the backyard, and entered the woods. I waited until I was several feet into the dense forest before I started running—and not that human version of it. I picked up speed, dissolving into a form made of only light, racing over the fallen trees and boulders, moving farther and farther away from home. The feeling of running in my true form was like lightning—powerful and fast and exhilarating. It required incredible focus, too, or else I could end up running straight through a tree. I’d done that once and was still picking the bark out of my skin a week later.

You’re not wanted here.

Hell. As the unwanted thought broke my concentration, I skidded to a stop several miles in, kicking up loose soil and pebbles.

Closing my eyes, I settled back into my human form and stretched my arms above my head. Loosening my muscles, I emptied my thoughts. It was harder this time. Then, a handful of seconds later, I shed my human form. White light tinged in red flickered over the shadowed tree trunks and grass.

Freedom washed over me again.

I moved forward, seeing the world around me in crystal clarity. Heat rolled off me, and I was careful not to linger in one area too long. I moved silently through the woods¸ covering miles in minutes. Soon I was near town, where I’d most likely pick up on an Arum.

Combing the county, I couldn’t help but think of the time Dawson had been out here. It had been during the winter, right before Bethany had shown up and it all went to hell. He’d found an Arum and had almost been taken out by it.

Dawson would’ve been drained dry of everything that made us what we were if I hadn’t shown up. I hadn’t been there when it really counted, though. Saving his life before didn’t mean shit when he ended up losing it in the end.

I stayed out until it was late, slipping back into my human form just before I left the woods and returning home well after midnight. Instead of heading in through the back door, I walked around the front and glanced up at the house beside mine.

The bedroom light was on.

Kat was up late.

She probably had her nose stuck in a book, living in a pretend fantasy world while I was actually out there living in the real fantasy world.

There couldn’t be two more different people.

People?

I laughed, but it was dry and lacked humor. We weren’t even of the same damn species, and yet in that moment, while I walked up the porch steps, knowing she was awake, I felt closer to her than I had to anyone in a very long time.

God, that was a huge problem.

I needed to seriously end this. I needed to get her to stay away from Dee, and I needed to stay away from her.

I knew what I had to do.

Stepping off the porch the next morning on the way to school, I stopped as I heard the engine of Kat’s car groaning as it turned over without starting up. The sound was familiar. Battery was dead. Knowing her, she probably left a light on or something.

The hood popped as she unlocked it from the inside. Kat threw open the driver’s door and walked around to the front of her car. The faded denim jeans she was wearing should be illegal.

Reaching down to wrap her fingers around the edges, she tensed and then looked over in my direction.

Smirking, I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers at her.

Her eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Nothing.”

She stared at me a moment longer and then turned back to her car, lifting the hood and hooking it into place. Then she stepped back, put her hands on her hips and stared at the engine.

My grin spread.

She reached into the engine and wiggled wires like that was going to do something beneficial, her ponytail bouncing with the effort. Sort of cute. Desperate. But cute. She then clasped her fingers around the hood and leaned in. The cast on her arm was a huge freaking eyesore.

Of course my gaze zeroed right in on a certain asset of hers.

I managed to pull my gaze away before I gave myself a damn eyestrain. Walking toward my car, I opened the passenger door and tossed my books on the seat. I closed the door and then walked across the small patch of grass and onto her driveway.

Kat stiffened but ignored me as I walked up the side of the car. “I don’t think wiggling wires is going to help.”

Letting go of the hood, she glared in my direction with stormy eyes. “Are you a mechanic or something? A special hidden car talent I know nothing about?”

I laughed under my breath. “You actually don’t know anything about me.”

Her lips pursed. “I count that as a blessing.”

“I bet you do,” I murmured as I stepped closer to the front of her car, forcing her to take a step back.

She sighed. “Hello. I was standing there.”

I winked at her. “You’re not standing there anymore.” Using my body to shield what I was doing, I ran the tips of my fingers along the battery, sending a jolt of high-powered energy into it. “Anyway, can you try turning it on one more time?”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“It’s not going to work.”

Turning to her, I smiled tightly. “Just try it, Kitten.”

Her cheeks flushed. “Don’t call me that.”

“I wouldn’t call you that if you were sitting in your car, turning it on,” I replied reasonably.

“Oh my God,” she griped and then pivoted. She stomped around to the driver’s side. “Whatever.”

I arched a brow as she all but threw herself into the car and turned the ignition. The battery sparked to life and the engine turned over, starting the car. Too bad the hood blocked the windshield, because I would’ve paid good money to see her face. That being said, I really didn’t have time for this crap. This was not part of “the plan” I’d devised last night to push her even further away.

I sighed and lowered the bar, closed the hood, and locked it into place.

Kat was staring out the windshield, lips parted.

“See you at school.” I paused, unable to resist adding, “Kitten.”

I grinned as I heard her shriek.

When I moseyed on into trig later that morning, the first thing I noticed was that her hair was down where it had been up earlier that morning, and the fact that I noticed the change didn’t even register on the screwed-up scale. I liked her hair down. It was long and a little wild-looking, like her hair was constantly in a state of rebellion.

I really needed to stop thinking of her hair as if it had a personality.

Kat was whispering with the two girls—Carissa, and the curly-haired one was Lesa. Yeah, those were their names. Their mouths clamped shut, all three of them, the moment they saw me.

Interesting.

Kat bit down on her lip as she sank into her chair.

Even more interesting.

I made my way past her and the girls, taking my seat right behind Kat. Carissa spun around, facing the front, while Lesa kept peeking over her shoulder.

Hmm.

I had a plan when it came to dealing with Kat. I needed to stick to said plan.

Pulling the pen out of my notebook, I poked Kat in the back. She stiffened, but didn’t turn around, so I poked her again, this time with a little more effort. She whipped around, her long dark hair flying out around her. “What?”

I smiled at the irritation in her tone. Behind her, I could see that everyone was watching us. They were probably worried she was going to whip out another plate of food, maybe syrupy pancakes this time, and dump it on my head.

Tipping my chin down, I lowered my gaze. “You owe me a new shirt.”

Her jaw came unhinged.

“Come to find out,” I continued, voice low, “spaghetti sauce doesn’t always come out of clothes.”

Kat’s pink lips parted. “I’m sure you have enough shirts.”

“I do, but that was my favorite.”

“You have a favorite shirt?” Her nose wrinkled. Cute.

Dammit. Not cute.

“And I also think you ruined Ash’s favorite shirt, too,” I pointed out.

She tilted her head to the side. “Well, I’m sure you were there to comfort her during such a traumatic situation.”

“I’m not sure she’ll recover,” I replied drily.

Kat rolled her eyes and then started to turn around.

The plan—stick to the plan. “You owe me. Again.”

The warning bell rang as she stared at me. “I don’t owe you anything.”

Tipping the desk down, I leaned in. Scant inches separated our mouths. “I have to disagree.” And then, because apparently I sucked at keeping to the plan, I said, “You’re nothing like I expected.”

Her gaze dropped to my mouth. “What did you expect?”

A hundred things that she wasn’t. “You and I have to talk.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

I watched her lips form those words, and then I lifted my eyes to hers. “Yes. We do. Tonight.”

The tip of Kat’s tongue darted out, wetting her upper lip. Holy crap, that got me in a lot of areas. My fingers tightened around the edge of the desk. She nodded and then turned around slowly. Satisfaction flooded me, and I smiled tightly.

And then noticed the teacher and the class were staring at us. Oh well. I lowered my desk back onto all four legs. Someone cleared their throat. The teacher began calling names. I lifted my fingers, one by one off the edge of the desk.

As plain as day, the edge of the desk was sunken along eight different areas. Melted, as if it been too close to an extreme heat. Without even testing it out, I knew the indents would match my fingers.

After school, I ended up getting waylaid by Matthew. He’d wanted to know how I was handling the situation between Ash and Kat. He was actually worried that Ash would do something to harm Kat and potentially expose us.

I wasn’t so sure about that.

If Kat had dumped food on Ash somewhere more private, yeah, there would’ve been a good chance that Ash would’ve tried to fry her. And Ash had the potential to make Kat’s life a living hell at school, but I liked to think that she realized Dee wouldn’t stand for it.

I wouldn’t stand for it.

What went down in the cafeteria, though, reinforced the likelihood of bad stuff going down the more Kat was around us. She’d already been targeted by an Arum, and that could—that would—happen again. It wasn’t necessarily Kat’s fault. Actually, it wasn’t her fault at all. She didn’t understand the dynamics or what she was getting herself into.

Dee had human friends before, but they were more like acquaintances, people she wasn’t entirely close to. Kat was different. If she didn’t live next door and so close to the colony, then maybe she wouldn’t pose such a problem.

Maybe I wouldn’t think twice about her.

But none of that was either here or there. With school back in session, there were other people that Kat could buddy up with. Dee would eventually get over it. And everything would go back to being normal.

Time for me to stop screwing around with this.

It was close to eight when I knocked on Kat’s door. Her mom’s car was gone from the driveway, and for some reason, as I walked over to the porch railing, I wondered if that was why Kat was so into reading. With her mom never around, I imagined she had to be lonely.

Or maybe she just enjoyed reading that much.

The door opened, and Kat stepped out. I opened my mouth, but immediately closed it. Kat had changed since school. And it wasn’t just the missing cast, which was thankfully off her arm now. She also had a dress on—a pale blue dress with tiny straps and a lacy hem that showed off her legs and the slope of her shoulders.

Her hair was still down, cascading down her back, and as she closed the door behind her, I had a hard time focusing on what the hell I was doing over here.

She walked over to me, and moonlight sliced over her cheek as she lifted her gaze to mine. “Is Dee home?”

“No.” I glanced up at the stars blanketing the sky. Dee would be home soon, though. “She went to the game with Ash, but I doubt she will stay long.” I turned to her. “I told her I was going to hang out with you tonight. I think she’ll come home soon to make sure we haven’t killed each other.”