tighter. My whole body ached. What was I sleeping on? Bricks?
Someone moaned.
I opened my eyes and stared down at Kennedy’s head on my chest. We weren’t in my room. We were still on the hardwood floor in Brooklyn’s old apartment. My back ached. But for just a few minutes, I didn’t move. All I could do was stare down at Kennedy.
She sniffled like she was crying in her sleep. My chest ached. But it had nothing to do with her head lying on it. It was something deeper. And it hurt more as I stared at her. Despite the ache in my chest, it had been a long time since I’d woken up feeling so…okay. Like my breaths were coming easier. And I was very aware it was because of her.
I reached out to run my fingers through her hair, but I pulled back before I made contact. She was sleeping so peacefully. Her breath slowly rising and falling.
I felt sick to my stomach. This was where Brooklyn and I had fallen asleep. I never should have come in here. I never should have asked Kennedy to come. But still, I didn’t move.
Had Kennedy shown up because I needed a friend?
Or had she shown back up in my life because I just needed her?
And I did need her. I think maybe I’d needed her this whole time. She was the only one that understood. She was the only one that felt my pain so acutely. I’d always loved Kennedy as a friend. She’d been there when I’d needed her the most. I wasn’t sure how I’d even pretended to be okay while she wasn’t in New York.
I heard my phone vibrating on the floorboards where I’d left it last night. I wished it would stop. I wished I could freeze time.
But Kennedy yawned and slowly opened her eyes. For a second she seemed just as disoriented as I was. But when she realized I was her pillow, she sat up super fast. “I’m so sorry, we must have fallen asleep.” She wiped the side of her face like she was worried there’d be drool or something.
There wasn’t. She looked beautiful. Honestly, I’d never seen her look more beautiful. Her eyes rimmed with red were real. And I always loved real beauty over a made up face any day.
“Sorry,” she said again, running her fingers through her hair, just like I’d wanted to do a second ago.
I wasn’t sure why she was apologizing. It was more my fault than hers. “How is your ankle feeling?”
She rotated her ankle slowly and smiled. “It actually feels quite a bit better. I guess a night on a hard floor was just what it needed?” She laughed.
There was another buzzing sound. Kennedy leaned over me and grabbed my phone off the ground.
I was tempted to pull her down on top of me. To hold her like she’d held me last night.
“Is this the time?” she asked. “Shit, I have to go.” She ran her fingers through her hair again and pushed herself up.
I slowly sat up. “What time is it?”
“Nearly 7. And you have like 20 missed calls.” She handed me my phone.
I clicked on the screen. I also had about 50 unread texts. All from Tanner. I clicked on the top one: “Where the hell are you?! I’ve been waiting up all night for you!”
Oh fuck. He’d expected me back at his house. He was probably worried sick with everything going on with the hitwoman and Mr. Pruitt.
“Everything okay?” Kennedy asked.
I looked up at her. I hadn’t noticed it last night. But sometime after dinner and before my text, she must have changed into a pair of flannel pajamas with little polar bears all over them. She was even wearing a pair of polar bear slippers. “Everything’s fine.” I slid my phone into my pocket. “I like the PJs.”
“What?” She looked down.
I started laughing.
“Hey, I came over because you texted. I didn’t have time to change.”
I couldn’t help it. I just started laughing harder. The polar bear slippers even looked like they were laughing.
“Don’t laugh at me.” She tore one of her slippers off and chucked it at me.
I caught it and narrowly prevented the polar bear from colliding with my face.
“Nice to see you still know how to catch. Because you’ve certainly lost your prep-school manners. I think, ‘Thank you, Kennedy, for being wonderfully supportive,’ would be a more appropriate reaction this morning. You’re welcome.”
“You’re right.” I stood up. “Thank you, Kennedy. For