Thoughtful (Thoughtless, #1.5)(9)

While I had gingerly risen to my feet, Dad had balled his hands into fists. I recalled closing my eyes, knowing what was coming. Go ahead, Dad. I’m ready echoed through my memories. Surprisingly, it had been Denny’s voice that had interrupted the ominous silence. “No, wait—”

There was a sickening crunch, then Denny’s body had collided with mine. I’d recovered in time to catch him as he’d started to fall, and when he’d looked up at me, there had been blood trickling down his split lip. He’d stepped in front of the hit for me, taken my pain. Dazed and disoriented, I had helped Denny sit on the floor, then squatted beside him.

Dad had just stood there, staring at us like we’d both spontaneously combusted. Then he’d shifted his gaze to his hands and murmured, “Jesus.” Without another word to us, he’d darted out of the kitchen like he was fleeing a crime scene.

I remembered shivering as I’d squatted beside Denny. I’d been so sure that Dad was going to turn on me after hitting Denny, punish me for unintentionally cracking the fa?ade. At the time, I had been positive that he still would, once I was alone. That was when Denny had put his hand on my knee and said, “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

When I had looked over at him, his lip had been bloody and swollen, but he hadn’t seemed the least bit afraid as he met my eye. Shaking his head, he’d soothingly repeated, “It’s okay.”

Scared, I’d started shaking my head like I had a nervous tic. My entire body was vibrating, like I was suffering from hypothermia. I couldn’t calm down. I was certain my dad would never let it go. He would get me. He would teach me a lesson. He would make me suffer.

Sitting up a little straighter, Denny had put a comforting hand on my shoulder and spoken words that no one had spoken to me before. “Everything is going to be okay. I’m here for you, Kellan. I’ll always be here for you.”

My fear had started diminishing as I stared into his calm eyes. He had seemed so sure…It had given me hope. And he’d been right. My dad had been so afraid of Denny telling someone what he’d done that he hadn’t laid a hand on me for the rest of the time Denny had stayed with us. It had been the best year of my life.



Waiting for Denny and his girlfriend to get here was a painstaking exercise in the art of patience. I tried to let time flow as naturally as possible, but there were moments when I literally stared at the clock and willed the hours to surge forward. But nothing helped, and every day seemed to be more sluggish than the last. I thought the anticipation of his arrival would make a blood vessel burst in my brain before he got here. Wouldn’t that be poetic?

I was really excited for Denny to hear my band. That was probably because he was the reason I’d started a band in the first place. Normally, my parents never would have agreed to let me do something like that, but after Dad had inadvertently slugged Denny, he was a lot more agreeable; in an effort to keep Denny happy so he’d keep quiet, I don’t think there was anything Dad would have denied him.

Denny had always been fascinated by my ability to play and sing, and he’d always pushed me to use it. “You have God-given talent,” he’d say. “Not doing anything with it would be a waste.” When he’d found out that our school was having local bands play junior prom instead of hiring a DJ, he’d urged me to put a group together, and had even cleared it with my father.

Not only had Denny been a bright spot in my past, he had unknowingly given direction to my otherwise meaningless life. He’d set the mold for my future, and I would do just about anything to return the favor.

I was whistling when I walked into Pete’s that Friday night. Jenny gave me a look that clearly said, What’s with all the joy? I shrugged. “It’s Friday. TGIF.”

Jenny laughed at my answer, her blond ponytail bouncing around her shoulders. Leaving her, I walked over to Sam, the bouncer at the bar. Stretching out my hand, I showed him my spare house key. His brows bunched together and his lips compressed. “We moving in together? You’re great and all, Kellan, but I like living on my own.” His voice was deep, husky, and perfectly matched his absurdly large muscles. I swear the man’s biceps were as large as my skull, and I wasn’t sure how it was physically possible, but he had no neck whatsoever.

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Denny’s coming in tonight. I’ll probably be onstage. Will you give him this for me?” Denny and Sam had been in the same grade during high school, and the three of us had hung out a lot while Denny had been here. As soon as Denny had called me about a room, I’d told Sam.

His huge fist closed around the shiny metal. “Sure thing,” he gruffed, shoving the key into his pocket.

“Thanks!” Clapping him on the shoulder, I turned and headed toward my table.

Evan and Matt were already there. Griffin was having a conversation with Traci near the bar. And by conversation, I mean Traci was rapidly telling him something while he blinked with a dumbfounded, confused expression on his face. Matt watched Griffin with a smirk on his lips while Evan cuddled with Brooke. I guess she’d said yes when he asked her out. Well good, that should make him happy for a bit.

Two seconds after I sat down, two girls approached me. Pulling chairs in so they were on either side of me, they spoke at almost the same time. “Kellan Kyle! We love your music!”

Their eyes were darting over my face and body, and I wondered if they meant what they’d just said. As courteously as I could, I replied, “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”