Begin Again (Again #1)(25)



Kaden observed me without saying a word. Silently we made our way back.

The whole time I furrowed my brow and stamped harder on the path than needed, pushing branches aside. Seeing my mother’s name had triggered an unspeakable rage. I wanted to rid myself of it at any price.

“I never thought I’d hear myself say this,” Kaden said at some point when his Jeep was visible in the distance, “but I don’t like it when you’re so quiet. Somehow it’s not right. It’s like pizza without cheese. Or anchovies in your case.”

My hands were shaking in the pockets of his sweater. One call from my mother, and I was that weak, defenseless, little girl again. Dammit. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”

He stopped walking. “What’s wrong?”

I kept on going. I just wanted to crawl into bed and distract myself with Jessica Jones or Daredevil. “Nothing.”

“If you don’t tell me right now what’s up, Allison, then you can walk home.”

I whirled around and gaped at him in disbelief.

“Don’t look at me like that. I will leave your ass right here, and then you can figure out how to get back.” His eyes flashed. “It’s because we went skinny dipping, right? Come on, you know I wouldn’t have started anything, even if—”

“Get off it!” I yelled, and my cheeks grow hot. “My God, you’re so full of yourself, it makes me sick! First of all we weren’t skinny dipping; in case you didn’t notice, I was wearing underwear.”

“Oh, I noticed. Believe me.” The corner of Kaden’s mouth twitched.

I rolled my eyes and turned away from him.

“What about the ‘second of all’?” he egged me on, and caught up with me in two strides.

“There is no ‘second of all.’” Who would’ve thought that this beautiful day would end on such a downer.

“Good.” Kaden stomped past me and charged over to his car. He got in and started the motor.

Was this some kind of joke? He wouldn’t just leave me behind! I was cold and wet. What if there were wild animals here, looking for prey? I didn’t want it all to end with me as a decaying corpse in the wilderness.

Kaden swerved over and stopped next to me. The window rolled down part way. “Either you tell me why you look like you just found out your favorite band broke up, or I’m going. Your decision.”

I felt like kicking his damned car. “What does it matter to you?” I hissed. “Wasn’t it you who said I should keep my female troubles to myself? I’m just sticking to your stupid rules!”

“Whatever,” Kaden said, as he stepped on the gas pedal, revving the motor.

He was really driving off without me.

I clenched my hands so tightly that some of my knuckles cracked. “My mom called!” I cried.

The Jeep came to a grinding halt, kicking up a cloud of dust. He reversed and drove back.

“See? That wasn’t so hard to do.” I had expected Kaden to dig and demand an explanation. But he didn’t. Instead, he just gave me a wink and bent toward the passenger door, opening it. “Get in.”

It took me a moment to calm down. The rest of the ride, I stared out the window and let him pick the music. He played something I didn’t know yet, but it fit my mood.

The music took hold of my anger, and the loud drumming drove the rage right out of my body. At some point I finally relaxed and let my shoulders drop.

I would not let that woman rob me of my freedom.

In my mind’s eye, I replayed our trip. The whole day had been so beautiful, and Kaden was to thank for that. I turned to look at him. And without thinking, I had to smile.





Chapter 9


Over the days that followed, I tried to suppress the knowledge that my mom had called. I dove into my essays and studies. Especially since next week we’d have our first exams in literature.

Smoke was practically coming out of my ears. And given the countless books and notes strewn on the coffee table and floor, it was no wonder my inner alarm was going off.

Dawn heaved a deep sigh. She stretched out her legs under the table and leaned back on her arms. “I don’t think I can cram anything more into this head of mine. It’s full. No room on the hard drive,” she said and closed her eyes for a moment.

“Me, too.” I raised my knees, leaned my head against the seat of the couch and stared at up the living room ceiling.

“Maybe we should call it a day?”

As if to back me up, the apartment doorbell rang. I struggled to my feet, walked to the hallway and looked through the peephole. I startled: Monica and Ethan were cramming their grinning faces in front of the tiny window.

“Hey, you two,” I said, opening the door.

“Allie!” Monica threw her arms around me. Before letting go, she took a deep whiff of my hair. “I’m telling you, Kaden is exaggerating! She doesn’t smell bad at all.”

I drew back with a gasp. “He says I stink?”

Ethan nodded with mock seriousness. Then he bent over me and took his own deep breath. “But it’s not true, in case that’s comforting.”

Resigned, I shook my head.

“Spencer and Kaden will be here shortly. We wanted to spend a nice evening as couch potatoes.” Monica stood on tiptoes and looked past my shoulder to Dawn, who waved from the floor in front of the sofa. “You are both cordially invited.”

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