Page 145 of Forbidden You

Oh, hell.Me and my big mouth.

As much as I meant every word I just spilled out, I really didn’t want to open another one of Pandora’s boxes by sharing more than I planned. I imagined telling Rae in a while. You know when I have my shit together. Could be months, could be years. Who the fuck knows? I’m a college drop out, but so was Steve Jobs, so really it can go either way.

“What do you mean?” Rae’s voice is laced with suspicion, the frown on her forehead adding even more to that. The worry is dripping from her narrowed eyes, and I guess I should just fess up about everything.

It’s not like there is anything left to lose anyway.

“Trent.”

“What about Trent?”

“Who’s Trent?” Julie whips her head between Rae and me.

“Her ex-boyfriend.”

I lock eyes with Rae, peering into her brown gaze. I’m hoping she’ll connect the dots because the soreness in my throat prevents me from saying another word as the waterworks completely get free rein. I cover my face with my hands, sobbing while I feel how every single emotion of the last six months retrospectively comes rushing through my body.

Shame. Hurt. Hate. Frustration. Excitement. Joy. Happiness. And finally, love. So much love.

How the fuck did I end up here?

Someone sits beside me, wrapping her arms around me, and when I look up, my cousin’s eyes bring me a sense of comfort only she can. A silence that speaks volumes.I’m here.I got you.

“Talk to me,” she says. “What happened with Trent?”

I really should’ve told her sooner.

“I didn’t get kicked out.”

My gaze fills with guilt as we keep our eyes locked until the moment it hits her. Her eyebrows move up, her lips parting a little in shock.

“You dropped out,” she huffs. I shift in my seat, breaking loose from her touch as I get up, my bare feet touching the soft spring grass as I start pacing.

“You dropped out of Stanford—” Her voice breaks. “Because of Trent? Because of a boy?”

Her confusion is audible, knowing she’s missing a piece of the puzzle. I’m smart. I learn easily. It’s why I got a full ride to Stanford in the first place. Academics is what I’m good at, though I’m also a star in sarcasm. I’ve never quit anything in my life, but I quit my one shot at one of the top schools in the country.

“What did he do, Kayla?” Rae growls my name, showing her anger, and I rub my hand over my face.

“What did he do?” she repeats.

Her features are now completely rigid. Rae is a sweetheart when she’s happy, but when she’s mad? She’s vicious, fighting for the things she believes in. Just ask Jensen because he’s been on the receiving end for years.

“Kayla!” she barks impatiently.

FUCK!

“He hit me!” I push out the words at the same time Jensen comes through the back door and my gaze finds his. His face flashes with anger, pressing his lips together in a thin stripe.

“Who did?” Jensen growls, slowly sauntering toward us with menacing steps. “You better not be talking about Bodi, because I will kill him.”

“What?!” I screech, panicked. “No! No! Bodi treated me like a queen.” The realization of my words hit me, and I break down once more. “He treated me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him. And then he broke my heart. But he never physically hurt me.” I sniff. “It was Trent.”

“Your ex-boyfriend hurt you?” Jensen’s jaw clenches while Rae and Julie are both mimicking a goldfish, in anticipation of the rest of the story.

“He hit me. More than once. He had half the school in his pocket. There was no escape except for dropping out and moving back home,” I confess with shame.

Fuck, I feel so stupid.

---