The Enemy - Kelsey Clayton Page 0,91

I interrupting?"

He snickers and shakes his head. "Relax. You're fine. I don't have any plans."

I exhale. "Okay, good."

It's funny, because being in this position with him, we look like a couple—and there was a point in time where I kind of wished we were one, but not now. Ever since being with Cade, I learned that the feelings I have for Colby aren't of the romantic kind. He's my best friend. My protector. The older brother I never had. But he's not the guy I'm meant to be with.

After Cade left me and my shattered heart in the driveway, I knew I had two choices. I could mope around like I didn't know what to do with myself, or I could pick up the pieces and move on. Well, the first one never did anything good for anyone, and I'm not the kind to throw pity parties.

The doorbell rings, and I whine at the fact that I have to get up to answer the door. Colby's lap is comfortable, and I've always been a sucker for people playing with my hair. It rings again as I approach and I huff in exasperation.

"Jesus, Tess. I'm coming." I pull open the door. "Why are you even ringing the b—"

My words get cut off as I realize the person standing outside the door isn't Tess at all, but Cade. He sports a sheepish look on his face, and I find myself wanting to smack it right off him.

"What are you doing here?"

He flinches at my tone, only for Colby to answer for him. "I invited him."

I turn around and glare at my former best friend. "Why the fuck would you do that?"

"Can we just talk?" Cade asks. "Please?"

Colby gestures for me to go. I roll my eyes and step outside, slamming the door behind me—just to let them both know exactly how mad I am. Cade walks down the driveway and leans against his car, but I make sure to stay at least a few feet away. Enough to keep me from falling right back into his arms.

"You look good," he tells me.

I scoff. "And you look like shit."

He purses his lips. "I feel like shit. Hell, I am shit." He takes a step forward only for me to take one back. "I should have never left you like that. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" I balk. "You gave me so much shit about how if push came to shove, you didn't think I'd pick you. I fucking picked you! I trusted you, took the leap, and fell flat on my face."

"I know, but I was trying to do what's best for you." His hand comes up and rubs the back of his neck. "I couldn't be the reason you lost your family. Not when I've been struggling for months about losing mine."

I fold my arms against my chest and snort. "Then what the hell was the point to all this?" My pulse is racing, and I stop to take a breath. "You know what, I don't care. You made your choice."

He looks shocked by the fact that I'm not forgiving him. Not this time. "But you said..."

"I know what I said," I snap. "But you can't possibly believe anyone ever means that shit."

With his own words spit back in his face, he puts a hand to his chest. Tessa gets out of her car and comes over, looking confused.

"Is everything okay?" she asks.

I cross my arms in front of my chest. "Yeah. Cade was just leaving."

There's nothing left to say. Not after I was willing to give up everything for him and he threw me away like garbage. He can say he was doing it for my own wellbeing all he wants, but I'm not buying it.

I turn around and walk back inside, this time being the one to leave him standing alone in a driveway.

THE RECITAL IS ONLY a week away, so rehearsals become twice as long and three times as often. The dance we're doing is complex and with it being the last one we'll ever do for this studio, it needs to be perfect.

I'm in the middle of a pirouette when someone outside the studio catches my eye. I spin around again but fall out of sync the second I realize how familiar they look. It's an older woman, a little younger than my dad, with blonde hair and blue eyes. When I realize where I know her from, my breath hitches.

"Lennon?" Savannah asks. "Is everything all right?"

I shake my head