Page 17 of Fall Hard

She wrapped her arms around me, her curly hair brushing my chin as she patted my back. “Then it’s worth a shot.”

I tried for a smile as she pulled away. It really was. If Bryn could help me figure out what I wanted and help me get over Jamie at the same time, then I had to try.

“Though I’m a little offended that you chose Bryn to make all your decisions and not me.” Kat pouted and I laughed.

“It was just a right time, right place, thing,” I assured her and grinned when she inclined her head regally.

“I guess I forgive you then.”

I smacked a kiss on her cheek as I stood to grab us some drinks from the kitchen. “As if you could stay mad at me. Where did Jamie go, anyway?”

Kat snorted. “Where do you think? Back to Ry’s. She’s half-convinced you hate her so, like, talk to her or something. Soon.”

“I will.” I sighed as I passed her a soda. “Can you believe that even with all this mess going on and the trouble Jamie had with Aaron and Taylor, this is still the most drama-free my life’s been since St Agatha’s?”

We cracked open our cans and my eyes watered at the first sip of fizz.

“Seriously?”

“It didn’t go over well when people inevitably found out I’d been… fraternizing with the teacher.”

“Because you were gay?”

“Because they thought I had been cheating my grades.” I considered, tilting my head as I took another sip of my drink. “And because I was gay.”

“You don’t talk about it much,” Kat mused as she picked at a loose thread on the hem of her black vest top. I knew it was likely killing her that she knew so little about everything that had happened there, so I decided to throw her a bone.

“There’s honestly not much to tell. She was young, only a few years older than me, and we liked each other. It wasn’t love or anything like that, but it was just nice to have someone for longer than a fleeting moment, not just stolen kisses in the field behind my high school or a moment of weakness that led to regret.”

Kat’s eyes were heavy on my face and I chose to meet her gaze long enough to let her know I was alright. “You don’t have to be anyone’s secret any more.”

“I know.” I smiled and it felt good.

“Are you going to call your dad back?”

I shrugged. “No.”

“You’re not curious about why he called?”

That was the difference between me and Kat—she had to know, but I knew that some wounds were better left to heal.

“I don’t even know if he called on purpose and if he called back… I honestly don’t know if I would answer.”

Kat’s eyes were soft as she watched me. “You’re strong.”

I blinked and busied myself with my drink. “I don’t know about that. I don’t feel strong. Not like Jamie.”

She shrugged. “There’s different kinds of strengths. Jamie just happens to be more abrasive.”

I laughed and Kat smirked at me. “What’s going on with you anyway? I feel like I’ve barely seen you recently.”

“That’s because you keep avoiding Jamie.”

I looked at her sheepishly but didn’t deny it and she rolled her eyes.

“Even so,” I said, semi-defensively, “I hardly even see you at the bar at the moment. Are you working somewhere else or—”

“You probably just missed me,” she said, a shade too fast and I hid my doubt behind a smile and a nod. Kat, the biggest gossip I knew, had a secret. I decided not to push the issue. When she was ready to talk, I’d be there.

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