even as I was doing it, but my pull to her, as ever, was too strong. It was why I had to back away when she chose Warren over me. I couldn't just hang around and watch him with the girl I always thought should have been mine.
"K, please. Don't do this."
"Will you get out of the fucking way?" someone from behind her barks, and it's not until then that I realize we're totally blocking the doorway.
Reaching out, I wrap my hand around her forearm and tug her out of the way. She doesn't see it coming and stumbles in front of me until she crashes into my chest.
Steadying her, I wrap my arm around her waist, pressing her into me tighter. My temperature spikes a few notches at having the length of her body pressed up against mine, but I only get to enjoy it for a second or two, because the moment she comes back to herself, she tenses and fights to get out of my hold.
"Get off me," she barks, slamming her palms down on my chest.
"K, chill out."
"No, I will not fucking chill out. Get off me," she repeats, her voice lower and more threatening than before. Not that I could ever find anything about her scary... well, maybe aside from how she's the only girl who's ever had the ability to shatter me.
So maybe I should be scared of her. Terrified, actually.
Unable to do anything but what she demands, I reluctantly release her. "Are you..."
"I need to go," she says, spinning to get away from me.
"I just want to talk," I call, racing after her.
"Yeah, well, I don't. I've got nothing to say to you."
Her words are like a knife through my chest.
"Kenny, please. Stop shutting me out."
"I'll do what the hell I want," she barks, continuing toward the dorm buildings.
I follow her, despite the fact that she clearly doesn't want me to.
When we get to the entrance, she turns, pinning me with her narrowed eyes. "Following me around like a lost puppy isn't going to help, Conner. Nothing is going to happen here. Nothing ever should have happened here. All of it was a mistake."
"No, you don't mean that. You—"
"Like hell I don't. You need to leave me alone. I'm only here because I have no other option. The second I'm eighteen, I'm out of here and you'll never see me again."
Before I find the words to respond, she's gone.
I take a step forward, but I stop myself at the last minute. The worst thing to do right now would be to continue to follow her.
"I'm sorry, Con," a soft voice says, coming up behind me.
I don't turn to look at Hadley. I can't. She'll see the pain in my eyes and want to help, but this situation is totally helpless right now. Nothing me or Hadley can do will fix any of it.
"Whatever," I mutter, turning and walking back toward school so I can find my car and get the fuck away from this day.
"Conner," she calls.
"I'm fine, Hadley. You know me, I always finish last." I choke out the final words, and I can only hope that I'm far enough away from her that she doesn't catch it.
The second I'm in the car, I head for home, ignoring anyone who so much as looks my way.
Stripping off my uniform, I pull on a pair of sweats and head for a room I've made use of a few times since we moved here when I've had no other way of blowing off steam.
I connect my cell to the wireless speakers and allow the heavy beat of Imagine Dragons to fill the room, forcing me out of my own head.
Stepping onto the treadmill, I up the speed until all I can think about is moving my legs fast enough and the burn in my lungs. I've never really been into sports, not like Cole. But exercise has always been my release. That and fighting, I just promised Ace and Cole I'd try to stay away from that as much as possible. Although I can't deny that I could really do with laying into some guy right now and feeling the sting of my knuckles.
I glance at the state-of-the-art home gym James set up but seems to never use and realize something is missing. Something I think I'm going to need if Kenny and I keep playing this game we seem to have got ourselves trapped in.
Chapter Eleven
Kennedy
“Hey,” I say to Hadley as she reaches