Page 15 of Fall Hard

“Again? There’s been multiple kisses?” Jamie looked between the two of us and I huffed out a sigh. “Now who’s the one who never knows anything?”

“Kat kissed her too!” I blurted and Jamie’s mouth dropped open.

“Fuck she’s good, I mean how crazy does your sex appeal have to be to get even the straight girls to kiss you?” Jamie shook her head, a slight smile on her mouth. “Good for you, Kat. It’s good to try new things.”

For once, Kat clearly didn’t know what to say and I laughed at the expression on her face before choking the sound off abruptly as I glanced at Jamie and really took in her appearance.

“Your shirt is on inside out.” I knew my voice was cold, I knew it had no right to be. But it was hard to remember that when it felt like things were ripping and tearing inside of me in a spiral of anger and sadness. It was unfair, she was my friend, nothing more, but it felt like Ryan had come in and taken the first good decision I’d made for myself since leaving St Agatha’s. I wished I could just pretend, just shove all the pain and frustration down or, better yet…move on.

I stood abruptly and the girls stared up at me with wide eyes as I dug out my phone and checked the time. I’d been here only fifteen minutes, tops, and it had taken under ten to walk here, so if I hurried…

“I have to go,” I said as I shuffled out of the booth and stilled only when Jamie’s warm hand caught mine.

“Wait, Liv. I’m sorry, I—” Her eyes looked suspiciously shiny and I softened, I hadn’t meant to put this on her. It wasn’t her fault that I’d taken our friendship and almost ruined it with long looks and tension.

“Hey, no. It’s fine, you’re fine! I just forgot I have to talk to Bryn about something and she’s leaving for class soon…”

“It can’t wait until after?” Kat’s look was pointed and I could tell she was pissed that I was leaving our weekly drinks and gossip sesh but also that I’d upset Jamie, something that was usually nigh impossible to do.

“No,” I tried to say as gently as I could. “It can’t.” I smiled before turning for the door and let it drop as I picked up my pace.

Maybe last night hadn’t been a mistake at all, perhaps it was the best way out of this mess I’d created for myself. Usually alcohol made things more messy, but right now it felt like last night had been the opposite of that. Uncomplicated. Clear. I couldn’t do this by myself.

I turned down the alleyway not far from the apartment at a near jog and let all pretenses fade once I was in our building, pounding my feet up the stairs and fumbling the key in the lock as I ran inside and threw my small bag down on the floor.

“Bryn? Are you still here?” God I was out of breath, I needed to start working out again ASAP. I thought back to the one yoga class I’d attended recently and cringed. Maybe I wasn’t so desperate to exercise after all, even if Bryn and I were on good terms now.

There was no response to my call but I checked the living room just to be sure and found it empty, just the lingering smell of her perfume on the air. She’d left the blinds open, sunlight streaming in from our view overlooking the park, and I cursed as I spotted her walking through the green on her way to class. I’d literally just missed her.

I bit my lip as I watched her walk before making my decision. I headed back for the door and pulled it clumsily shut behind me as I ran for the stairs. There wasn’t enough time for me to half-ass it now. I shrugged out of my light jacket as I ran out of the building, through the alley, and turned towards the park rather than in the direction of the bar, sprinting after her.

“Bryn!” She didn’t hear me, but I was close enough to see her up ahead, walking at a calm pace like she’d left early to have a sweet stroll. If I’d thought the humidity was bad earlier, it was nothing compared to flat-out sprinting in it.

“Bryn,” I panted and she turned around at the sound of my footsteps, looking both confused and alarmed as she stepped towards me and steadied me with her hands on my bare arms. I pulled away, not wanting her to feel just how sweaty I was right then and tried to talk through my heavy breathing. “I made—a mistake—”

“We already had this conversation,” she said, brows furrowing as we resumed walking and I clutched my side against the powerful stitch that was working to steal my breath. “It’s fine, we were both just drunk and stupid.”

“No, no.” I gulped down the air and could have cried when a light breeze swept over us. “I’m saying, I made a mistake calling it off. I need you.”

Clearly not expecting me to say that, Bryn’s mouth dropped open before she quickly snapped it shut. “Okay.”

“Really?” Now I felt breathless for another reason. She was still willing to help me, and if I had any hope of figuring out who I was and whatIwanted, then I was going to need some help.“Thank you!” I sprang forward and hugged her, which was doubly awkward as we were still walking and I was dripping with sweat. She laughed but held me at arm's length.

“Yes, yes, I know I’m the best.” A sly look came across her face and I tensed, waiting to hear what she was about to say. “So I guess my first official command is that you get your ass to a gym. How else are you going to run away from your more tenacious admirers?”

We slowly started walking again as I rolled my eyes. “Okay, well, first, you’re not just going to be the boss of me—”

Bryn tugged me to a stop and stepped in close. “Yes, I am.”

I swallowed hard as her gaze devoured mine. “Fine, but I get veto powers.”

She smirked. “If that makes you feel better.”

“Secondly, run away? What?”

“You’ve never had to run away before?” I shrugged and she shook her head in apparent disbelief. “Don’t worry, it was a lame joke. I just figured you would be beating people off of you.”

Did she… Did Bryn think I was hot? I mean, sure she’d flirted with me in the past, but that just seemed more like a personality trait than anything serious.

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