Page 96 of Exes That Puck
As I head toward the door, I feel lighter than I have in weeks. Not because everything’s fixed, but because for the first time in my life, I’m ready to stop running from the truth.
35
I snuck out while Dylan was in the shower. Now I’m sitting in my truck in the dark, hands on the steering wheel, key sitting in the ignition. Should I drive to her dorm? Should I find Lola on Instagram and see if she knows where Kara is? Should I just go back inside and accept that it’s over?
Someone walks into the garage, and I still. I see Kara’s brunette hair, and my heart races.
I blink hard, thinking I’m seeing things. But it’s definitely her. She looks her nervous. She stops at the side door and takes a deep breath, then hesitates before knocking.
What the hell is she doing here?
She peeks through the window, takes another breath, then walks away from the door. Then back toward it. Then away again, like she can’t make up her mind.
I open my truck door, and she screams, jumping in place.
“You scared the shit out of me!” she squeals.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“I... I...” She’s at a loss of words, so I’ll help her out.
“How’s Josh?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
She shakes her head. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You look hurt. Did you get hurt tonight on the ice?”
I shake my head but keep my distance from her. “Depends on what you did tonight.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“I’m just supposed to believe that?”
She nods. “Why else would I be here?” She hugs herself and shivers. “Can we go in your room? I’m freezing.”
I open the front door, and she follows me past the living room where Scott’s asleep on the couch, snoring loud enough to wake the neighbors.
She sits on the edge of my bed while I lean against the closed door, arms crossed.
“So you didn’t go?” I ask.
“I was going to because you told me to. I gave him Lola’s address, watched him pull up.” She looks down at her hands. “Then I couldn’t do it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want him. I want––”
The words hit me in the chest, but I don’t move. “Don’t lie to me.”
She shakes her head. “Did you try to sleep with Brianne?”
I pause too long before answering. “For about five minutes, yeah. I was pissed and hurt and wanted to hurt you back. She turned me down. Said she wouldn’t be anyone’s rebound.”
