When Our Worlds Collide (Our Worlds #1)(43)
“Umm…that’s actually my fault,” she interrupts. Craig and I both look back at her waiting for her to continue. I can’t wait to hear where this is going. “Last night after we finished at the pizza place I was helping Graham with some homework assignments and I accidently elbowed him in the face.” Craig takes the chance to move his stare between the two of us and quickly figures he believes the lie that Kennedy has told him.
Craig swings around putting his hand on Kennedy’s hip dangerously close to her ass. I shudder at the gesture. “Damn girl. Remind me not to mess with you,” Craig jokes tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. It was just earlier this morning that I was the one touching her like that. Kennedy must feel my eyes on her.
Kennedy turns her attention towards me letting her eyes linger on me long enough for me to know that she is unsure, unsure of everything.
“I’ll see you guys later,” I half ass a wave in their direction storming off like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.
The entire day is spent avoiding Kennedy’s inviting glances. She sits directly across from me in the cafeteria beside Craig. It bothers me the way she’s flirting with him. I keep reminding myself that I don’t have any sort of claim on her. I thought that she had looked at me this morning in a way that was only reserved for me. I am clearly wrong once again. Amanda comes up behind me and plants a kiss on my cheek, but I move away from it.
“Damn Graham, what happened to your face?” Amanda grabs my chin forcing me to look in her direction.
“My girl here clocked him last night,” Craig chimes in a little too proudly at the way he tries to claim Kennedy publically. Kennedy and I simultaneously freeze in our seats locking eyes.
“What!” Amanda shrieks looking between the two of us. Everyone is unaware of the unease between Kennedy and me.
“She accidently elbowed me when we were working on homework. It’s not a big deal,” I explain trying to keep the original story straight. Amanda attempts to run her hand across the bruise and I move away from her touch again before standing up from the table. I need to get away from everyone and quick.
I’m officially turning into an emotional girl. I need to get laid or something. This is getting to be ridiculous.
Reaching my locker, there is footsteps coming up behind me. Well, not exactly footsteps but the familiar clicking of a pair of crutches. A sound I am all too familiar with, a sound that is becoming to be music to my ears.
I don’t turn around, but she speaks up anyways, “Are you okay?”
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” I offer as I turn around to see Kennedy’s face full of worry.
“You seemed upset earlier and then in the cafeteria you seemed…” she grabs my hand in hers. “You just seemed…”
I jerk my hand away. “Seemed like what? Hurt? Embarrassed? Jealous because all of those would fit perfectly in this whole situation,” I snap at her while pointing between the two of us. It’s hard to admit that Kennedy’s making me feel the way she is. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”
She cut me off. “Why are you being like this? I’m trying to understand you, but you’re impossible. You say you want us to be friends, but then last night happened then this morning happened too,” Kennedy’s voice begins to rise. “You were the one that said it was a mistake. Not the other way around, Graham. I’m tired of justifying this side of you that you are so desperate to show me.”
“It’s who I am, Kennedy. It’s just that simple.”
“I don’t want to believe that, so how about when you find the guy who showed up at my house last night vulnerable, the one who held me as if his life depended on it, then kissed me this morning, come and find me,” she turns on me. I reach for her to turn her back around. She snaps around with fire behind her eyes. “I don’t like this person, the one who keeps pulling me in then pushing me away. I can’t be this guy’s friend.” Kennedy’s eyes begin to water and I know she’s fighting everything to keep it together.
“Is that what we are…friends? You can honestly look at me and say that we are friends because I don’t think that’s all that is here.” I take a step closer to her. Her expression looks shocked. I can’t believe I just said that out loud. I had barely admitted to myself let alone anyone else.
Kennedy plays with a strand of hair that had fallen in her eyes. “I think that all depends on you. If you can find that guy that I seem to like so damn much then come and find me but until then I’m not going to sit back and endure this on/off shit that you’ve been throwing at me at every turn. You either do or you don’t, Graham. It’s just that easy. You either do. Or. You. Don’t.”
My feet won’t move. I just stand cemented to the tile in the hallway. What I’m doing to her isn’t fair. I tried fighting the way I felt when she was around then fought back the horrible feeling I had when she wasn’t. I make excuses for my behavior saying that she deserves something better than me. I can’t be a good friend to her because of who I am, but still she stands there looking at me as if there is something special about me, something worthwhile.
Chapter TwentyThree
-Kennedy-
It’s Thursday and I can’t be more relieved that there’s only one more day until the weekend. It’s a lot easier to avoid Graham when I don’t have to dodge him in the hallways. When I’m in the seclusion of my bedroom I can make believe that I don’t see his eyes on me every day and convince myself that the things he said to me in the hallway didn’t totally ruin me.