Page 36 of Reconcile

She’s really freaking out here. I can see it on her face and hear it in her panicked tone. I stand and take one step toward her, but she steps back. I try to not feel hurt. I know she doesn’t trust me. “It was a kiss, Pipes.”

“Don’t Pipes me. I’m not that girl, Sawyer. I’m not.”

“I know.”

She shakes her head furiously. “This shouldn’t have happened.” She huffs and folds her arms over her stomach, but she keeps her voice low when she says, “You’re such an ass.”

“Me? You kissed me.”

Another glare. “You’re still an ass.”

“Fine. Whatever.” I head toward the door, walking past her, not wanting to fight.

“Wait.”

Her voice is quiet, but there’s a desperation in it that makes me turn around. “What?”

“Why?” I search her eyes, trying to find what she’s asking me, and I see the fat tears welling up in her eyes.

“Why what?”

Is she talking about the kiss?

No. She kissed me.

“Why did you...” her voice cracks, and then it nearly severs my heart in two when I realize what she’s asking me.

I step closer to her, and she doesn’t pull away as her golden eyes look directly into mine, giving me a glimpse into her pain. Pain I caused. “I...”

She holds up her hand to silence me and then steps back. “No. Never mind. It doesn’t matter, Sawyer. None of it matters.”

“Piper.” Her name is barely a whisper, and I know I’m a goddamn coward because my reasons are shit. There’s no good explanation.

“Don’t. It doesn’t matter.”

“You matter though. I...”

She glares at me. “Get out, Sawyer. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to revisit the past. Audrey is what matters. That’s it.” She takes another step away from me. “We’ll never be friends.”

I want to argue with her, but I can see just how pissed off she is right now, and I’m not fucking with it.

“I guess I’ll just have to make sure that Audrey and I are.”

“Guess so.”

“Goodnight, Piper.”

“Goodnight, Sawyer.”

I turn and leave, feeling only slightly defeated. I mean, she did kiss me. Even if she regretted it immediately after, maybe she’s softening a little.

I smile when I see the glow from the nightlight in Audrey’s room before I head downstairs.

Piper is right though. Audrey is what matters.

22

PIPER

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