When Our Worlds Collide (Our Worlds #1)(37)
Kennedy stands up from the bed directly in front of me with both of her hands on her hips. “Okay, if that’s true then why are you here?” she protests me again.
I run my hand over my face and down my neck looking up at her. Kennedy takes another step closer to me. She’s still too close to me standing directly in between my parted legs that are sticking straight up from the bed. “What do you mean?” I ask in attempt to stall.
“What I mean is, if you are this jackass that you claim to be then why are you here with me now? Why do you keep trying to talk to me? Why did you pull me away from your friend Craig to talk? And don’t think I didn’t notice you stifling on the other side of the booth tonight when Craig rubbed up on my thigh. I saw you, so I’ll ask you again. Why are you here?”
Kennedy’s breaths are shallow as I watch every intake and every release she gives. Distracting it may be, but it was proof that she was alive, that I hadn’t killed her that night. It means that she’s still capable of surprising me with her confidence. Kennedy called me out on being jealous just now. Did anyone miss that?
“You’re too good for any of us, Kennedy,” I stand up to face her. I feel vulnerable looking up towards her. “Is that what you wanted to hear me say? I don’t like the way they look at you because I know the type of guys they are. The reason why I am here is because…”
“Because…” Kennedy’s much shorter than me making her have to look up at me through her thick black eye lashes. I’m dumbfounded into silence by her confidence when she throws her hands onto her hips in frustration.
“Because that night when you danced, the night I ran you over, you captivated me, okay? You looked vulnerable. I was in awe and trust me I know how corny that sounds especially coming from someone like me, but I wondered if someone would ever allow me to be that vulnerable in front of them. You seemed to leave everything out on that stage and I was jealous of you because sometimes I feel like I am just putting on an act,” I explain feeling a mixture of anger and fascination for how I’m feeling. “When I saw you lying on the road that night my heart sank into my stomach. I was scared that I would never be able to know that girl who danced on that stage as if her life depended on it. I know I haven’t earned the right to get to know you, but I’d like to.”
Kennedy still stands trying to keep her balance in front of me. She licks her bottom lip distracting me. Her eyes are glossy. She’s fighting back her tears. I don’t like that I made those tears a reality. “Do you mean all of that? Everything that you just said…is all that true?” she asks with a slight smile making me think otherwise on if her crying is in fact a good thing instead of a bad thing.
“Painfully…yes.”
Her arms fly up to the air in frustration. “That’s what I mean. You claim to be this guy who treats girls like crap and doesn’t care about anyone but yourself, but here you are willing to stand in front of me and say those types of things. I think you’re exactly who I think you are, I’m just afraid you’ll never see yourself the way I see you,” Kennedy professes. Her head came towards mine slightly and I wanted to kiss her in that moment, but knew that it would just complicate things.
“So where does that leave us?” I ask not knowing what she wants to do.
“Help me to the bed.”
“You move quick Kennedy. I don’t know if I can keep up with you.” She smacks me across the chest and at the immediate contact I reach out for her, grabbing her waist. A shiver runs over her body as I help ease her down onto the bed.
“Very funny, but I think we both know I’m not that type of girl.” Kennedy stretches her legs out across her bed looking over to me as I stand where she had left me.
“What are you doing with Craig then?” I ask hoping she won’t tell me any of the sordid details. I can admit it…now. It makes me extremely jealous that she has even giving him a second of her time.
“What are you doing with Amanda?” Kennedy looks at me in question. I don’t have the right to ask about her personal life. She’s putting me in my place.
“Touché, but word got around that you slept in his room. That only means one thing to them. I figured I’d get the truth from you and not listen to what everyone else was saying. I’m learning that rumors are never true.”
“You heard I slept in his room?” Kennedy looks defeated. She’s embarrassed. She keeps focus on her hands and not on me.
“He’s a guy. News travels fast,” I kick off my shoes and sit at the end of the bed with my back against the wall. Our feet brush against each other’s accidentally. Neither of us makes an attempt to move away from each other’s touch as minor as the gesture is.
“The real story is that I had drank too much to leave and Violet was with Dan. Craig claimed that he didn’t feel comfortable leaving me downstairs with the other guys, so he brought me up to his room. I know it sounds na?ve of me, but I think he meant well,” she explains the night as she remembers. “Apparently we kissed, but nothing else happened.” I let out a loud exasperated sigh at her ignorance. “You don’t believe me?” Kennedy openly pouts.
“Oh no babe, I believe you. I don’t believe Craig didn’t try anything else,” I watch as her expression changes from disbelief to acknowledgement. Did I really just call her babe? Maybe she didn’t notice.