When Our Worlds Collide (Our Worlds #1)(58)

“Don’t belittle our relationship by throwing up air quotes. I thought you were giving up on us. You basically said it yourself in the hallway today, so…” I allow the thought slip away. Nothing I’m going to say is going to fix this. Even I know that now.

“You’re right, I did and maybe I shouldn’t have. I was jealous, okay? When Amanda put her hands on you in the cafeteria I had to fight back the urge of ripping her fucking hair out of her head. I’m not that type of girl, but you make me feel like I’m losing my mind sometimes.” Kennedy looks up at me through her eyelashes as if she’s pleading with me to understand. “But Graham, you didn’t fight for me. I show a fear of the possibility of us and you don’t even fight for me as if I’m not worth your trouble.”

“I’m fighting now,” I argue grabbing her hand but she quickly jerks it away from me.

“It’s too late Graham. Maybe I’m not worth all the change for you, but I can promise you that you were worth it for me.” Kennedy leaves shaking her head in disappointment. I’m left alone standing on the back porch.

It’s too late. Those three little words continue to haunt me the remainder of the night. I contemplate leaving and just going home. The only thing stopping me from walking out the front door is finding Kennedy downing four shots of vodka with Dan. I know that I have to stick around long enough to make sure she gets home okay or at the very least that she’s safe to stay.

The night goes by slowly as I watch Kennedy destructively play several games of beer pong and flip cup. She’s too small. I know that all the alcohol she’s gulping is going to catch up to her head all at once. I spend most of the night avoiding taking shots that are offered up to me and staying stone sober. This is a first for me. I don’t exactly enjoy being around a bunch of belligerent drunks when I’m sober. I wonder if I’m this annoyingly obnoxious when I’m drinking.

Blending into the crowd is the only chance I have at keeping an eye on her. I cringe every time Craig or any of the other guys lay a hand on her. She has never gone unnoticed even when she thinks she has. Everyone assumes she’s unattainable…until now.

Apparently that all has changed.

It would seem that they all think she’s fair game and they are all pining over her hoping for the chance to get deep inside her. I sit back watching guy after guy man-handle her like they have most of the girls in our school. If I see one more of them putting their hands all over her ass I am going to lose my shit. Kennedy’s different.

“You gonna finally tell me what’s going on with you two?” Mark asks plopping down in the seat next to me. I don’t drop my eyes from Kennedy. Craig’s skimming his hand along her waist. As the alcohol sinks in, she’s more forgiving towards his hand placement.

“There’s nothing to tell, bro,” I say pulling my phone out of my pocket checking the time. 1:30AM. Kill me.

“Tell that to your face because you look like someone tore up your vintage New York Yankees jersey.” Mark lets out a loud laugh.

My mind wanders to what Mark had said about Kennedy earlier. She’s the type of girl you marry, the one that has the ability to climb beneath your muscles deep down into your bones refusing to leave. I never thought I would want someone that I would need someone, but watching everyone coral around Kennedy makes me realize that she’s the only one I want to climb in and refuse to let her out.

“She’s different and I’m two seconds away of beating the shit out of someone.” I tell him honestly. My hands are twitching in eagerness to do just that. There’s mental note of who I will need to smack around growing with rapid fire in my head.

“I’m glad I’m smart enough to stay away from her then because lord knows I don’t need another black eye compliments from you. I learned my lesson freshman year. Now back to what’s important, what the fuck are you going to do about it because it seems that alcohol is the one ingredient that makes the Craig Daniel’s charm work,” Mark points to the hallway. We both watch as Kennedy is led up the stairs holding the hand of Craig. She stumbles behind him trying to keep her balancing by leaning against the wall.

I don’t know what I’m doing when I stand up without saying anything to Mark. I follow them up staying strides behind like a true jealous boyfriend. Craig shuts the door behind them as I slouch down against the hallway wall outside of his room just in case she needs me.

I close my eyes allowing them to rest. I silently wish that this day could start over. I don’t know how much time passes as I sit here debating on what I’m going to do. My options are limited. If I barged in on them now who knows what I will be walking in on, but if I wait until later I may be too late. When I finally open my eyes after having them closed for god knows how long, I hear a few hushed whispers here and there. It isn’t until I hear Craig’s voice rising that I spring up from where I’m sulking to put my ear up to the door. Everything sounds muffled like I’m under water. I hear a loud clatter making my decision rather easy. I don’t care what I walk in on…I’m not sitting out in this hallway a second longer.





Chapter TwentyNine



-Kennedy-



Have you ever had one of those moments in your life where you wish you would’ve reacted differently? Maybe you would have yelled louder or fought harder. Maybe you wouldn’t have held back the tears that are threatening to pool over in your eyes or maybe you would have jumped over a crowd of your peers and ripped a dumb girls platinum hair straight out of her head. Ugh…where did that come from?