friends—are just looking at each other. I can’t tell if they’re staring each other down, if their shock is riding the edge of a fuck you glare.
The tension is so thick, it’d be easier to breathe underwater.
And then there’s the silence.
Pure utter fucking silence.
Flashbacks of the funhouse suddenly bombard me, and I really didn’t think anything could be more devastatingly awkward than that.
“Say something,” I insist, almost panicked. “One of you. Please.”
Akara flinches and makes a move to the green Jeep. “We should get on the road. We have a long ride left to Montana.”
My stomach nosedives. This can’t be the Funhouse 2.0 where we just bury everything underground for ten days before we even speak about it.
“Kits—” I start to demand a conversation.
His eyes find mine quickly. “We can talk on the way.” He must see my fear because he adds strongly, “I promise we will.”
Banks shuts the trunk. “Fine by me.” His voice is stilted and strained. “Everything’s already loaded up and squared away. We’re good to go.” With two long strides, he’s already in the driver’s seat.
Akara barely blinks as he opens the passenger-side door.
They’re sitting next to each other.
I don’t know what to make of that. I don’t know what to make of anything. Part of me would love to just call my mom. Ask her for a pep-talk and maybe how to handle this strange situation. But I can’t exactly confess that I kissed my bodyguards without figuring out what this is.
It could just end right here.
At this motel.
They could walk away and realize their friendship is worth more than a future with me. Which—I wouldn’t even blame them for. Solid friendships are hard to come by, so they should probably hold each other tight.
Who’s going to hold me?
But I don’t want to be the reason Akara and Banks fight.
Still, I picture my future where I’m back to the beginning again. No more kisses or make-out sessions or anything else.
The thought sinks my spirits.
With one big breath, I open the door and climb into the backseat.
16
AKARA KITSUWON
The Jeep rumbles to life as Banks starts the ignition, and my head is split open with the realization that Banks and Sulli kissed—and I should’ve known.
It was right there.
Right damn-fucking there!
I knew something was up with Banks last night. I should’ve pressed him harder and earlier, but screw it—I’m happy I didn’t. Because who knows if I would’ve kissed Sulli this morning if I knew about them, and I’m glad I was blissfully unaware so I had the chance.
I adjust the seat straighter. The Jeep is hot, even though it’s a relatively chilly morning. Silence is cooking the three of us, and I know I have to break it first.
“So you two are together?” I ask, then turn slightly to lock eyes with Sulli in the backseat. She’s snapping her buckle and lifting her legs to her chest. I ask her, “That’s why you pulled away from me?”
Banks glances fast at the rearview mirror. “You pulled away from him?” he asks Sulli.
“Yeah, I did,” she admits, a hand to her temple like she’s witnessing a slow-moving car crash. And to me, she says, “It didn’t feel right to keep kissing after I’d kissed Banks.”
Conflicting emotions crawl all over me.
It feels like hundreds of ants scurrying across my skin. Sulli is a good person. With the knowledge she had, I’m glad she shortened our kiss. Because I wouldn’t want to hurt Banks either.
The actual kiss they shared…I swallow a rock. Shit, I hate that they kissed. Jealousy piles high, bitterness slipping in the back of my throat.
I only have myself to blame.
If I wasn’t in such denial about my feelings, I could’ve had all last year with Sulli.
I run a hand through my hair and mess with the broken air vents in agitation. “When did you two kiss?” Last night. Sulli already said last night. But I guess I just want extra confirmation.
“Last night,” Banks says, driving out of the parking lot. “When you were on the phone.” The Jeep rocks as we roll onto pavement.
Confirmed: this was recent.
Recent enough that they haven’t been secretly dating.
Sulli grips her knees. “We meant to tell you right after. But everyone showed up, then I fell asleep. It turned into a big mess, and I’m really sorry, Kits.”
I wince with the shake of my head. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Sul.”
“Friends don’t keep friends in the dark,” Sulli proclaims. “We kept you in the fucking dark.”