Page 29 of Sweet Punk
“To be honest, I’m impressed you got that much. But I want to keep it. Can I?” She stifles a laugh, which only makes me want to tickle her, which I do for a quick second. It’s just enough that she lets out a loud shriek.
I tug her back to my chest, holding her tightly to me, and kiss the top of her head. A rough whisper is all I can manage. “It’s yours. It’s what you did to me, so you can keep it if that makes you happy. I’ll even sign it.” I don’t know how this thing with Star and me will work, other than to take everything one day at a time and hope that what I can give her is enough.
FIFTEEN
STAR
There’s no denying it. I’ve been kind of in my head about Kellan. Not in a bad way, more in an I’m-all-caught-up-in-the-newness-of-him-and-me way that has me unable to focus on much else. All of yesterday afternoon and into the evening, I’d felt like we were in this cozy little bubble together. And I loved it. I want to know the real Kellan, the one he hides from everyone else. He’s shown me bits and pieces, but I want the whole thing. There’s something addictive about the way he makes me feel when I’m with him. And when I’m not, his bruised and battered heart calls out to mine. He’s all I can think about. I’m smitten.
After my eight o’clock history class, I hang out at the library for an hour and manage to get some of the assigned reading done. Glancing at my phone, I pack up and head over to meet up with Raven and Lux at the Bean like we’d briefly discussed this morning.
I have a pretty good idea that coffee with the girls is going to turn into a barrage of questions about what’s up with me and the often-brooding, strangely quiet artist across the hall.Especiallyafter almost getting caught—literally with my underpants down—in the suite by Maddox and Raven yesterday, followed by the walk of shame this morning. And it couldn’t have just been a matter of me sneaking out.Nooo.I actually passed Hawk and Lux lounging on the couch in the guys’ suite, then Maddox and Raven, who were making coffee in our kitchen. To their credit, each of them had kept their mouth shut, however I do anticipate some questions once the girls finally get ahold of me today. And the thing is, I’m okay with it. They’re fast becoming the best friends I’ve ever had. There’s no reasonnotto keep them up-to-date on the developments of whatever this is between Kellan and me. I’ve been plenty nosy about both of their relationships. It’s my turn now.
I wonder what the conversation was like among the guys this morning. There’s no way Kellan’s going to get the same curious treatment that I’m about to get. I can only imagine that the guys’ way of discussing this sort of thing is much different. But if these were average dudes, I’d think he’d get stuff like, “Hey, did you bang her yet?” or maybe “You two fucking now?”
But actually, if I know these three, I’d bet there’s been no verbal conversation at all. Maybe a smirk or a knowing nod. Considering how well they know each other and what a private guy Kellan seems to be, this seems the most likely.
I take a deep, fortifying breath as I approach the main door of the Bean. Dodging a few people coming in my direction, I sidestep, then catch a bit of blurred movement in my peripheral vision. I turn my head and squint, making an attempt to focus a little better. Unfortunately, sometimes my glasses don’t help as much as I think they should. But even though my eyesight isn’t good enough to tell me who’s over there leaning against a tree, my breath whooshes out. I swear it’s him, but it’s difficult to say for certain because his back is to me. Black leather jacket. Super black hair. He exudes that confident posture I’m all too familiar with. My heart rate spikes. He’s hanging out like he somehow fucking belongs here.
My eyes bug out of my head as he pushes away from the tree, turns, and starts coming in this direction. Oh God.Oh shit.It’s gotta be him. I lunge for the door handle just as someone pushes the door open from the outside. In a panic, I slip past them and into the coffee bar. For a moment, I stand stock-still, unable to move. A violent tremor rolls through my body.
“Star! Over here.” Lux’s voice jolts me from my daze, and my eyes flick over to the table that she, Hawk, and Raven have commandeered. It takes everything I have to shake off the pure terror racing through my veins and make my feet move in their direction.
Lux has swiveled around in her seat, leaning toward Hawk. Their backs are to me, but Raven sees my face and gets up, giving me a hug. “You okay?” she whispers.
My eyes flick to hers, and I give her a look that I hope she reads asI’m fine.I follow it up with the smallest smile.
Raven clears her throat and nods before tapping the side of a to-go cup that’s clearly meant for me. “I had them make your mocha the way you like it.”
“Thank you.” I let a ragged breath pass my lips as we sit down and wrap my hands around the warm cup to conceal the trembling. Feeling Lux’s and Hawk’s curious gazes on me, I shoot them a fake-ass grin.Act normal.But how do I do that? I’m ninety-nine percent sure that was Milo out there. What. The. Fuck? I swallow hard, pursing my lips together.
Hawk clears his throat, perhaps sensing—though incorrectly guessing the reason for—my distress.
It’s a safe bet that he thinks whatever is on my mind has to do with Kellan, and I need a minute alone with the girls. It’s not. That’s not it at all. But how would I begin to tell these people about my psychotic stepbrother?
As Hawk rises, he asks, “Does anyone need anything else? I’m going to get some of those egg bites. I need fuel.” He raises his brows when we remain silent. “Nobody? Oookay.”
Great. My nerves have gone and infected the entire group.
He winks and gets up, tapping Lux on the shoulder and leaning down to whisper, “This had better not be one of your I-don’t-want-anything-to-eat-but-I’ll-steal-whatever-you-bring-to-the-table shenanigans.”
Leave it to Hawk, who I had first pegged as a complete asshole, to try to cheer us up with a wisecrack. It’s not my fault, really, that we initially thought he was a dick. He’d tortured my friend. But since the truth about their past has come out, I’ve realized he’s a genuinely nice guy. Lux is lucky to have ended up with the good twin. Not that she should have had to go through that with his brother, but that’s not my point.Shit.My brain is totally out of focus. It’s a struggle to pull myself back to my friends and our conversation. I blink a few times and readjust my glasses.
Lux gives Hawk a goofy grin. “Could be that we’ll eat all your food. I guess you’re about to find out. Order wisely.” I’m fairly certain Hawk’s smart enough to bring back enough for each of us to have some. That’s how this entire thing with them has been working lately. This guy loves to take care of her, and us by extension. It’s freaking adorable. And convenient for Raven and me. And also makes me want that for myself. I have no doubt that if Maddox were here it’d be much the same story. He’s so ridiculously different when he’s around Raven, like really, truly happy. My eyes roam over my fair-haired friend. She seems just as absorbed with him—the happiness positively shines from her eyes.
Once Hawk wanders up to the counter to place his—our—order, I suck in a breath. “So.” I shoot the girls a tight smile before I focus on Raven. “No Maddox this morning?”
Raven shakes her head. “Nope. He’s got classes back-to-back. I’ll meet him later.” She doesn’t miss a beat. “Did something happen with you and Kellan?” She frowns. “Your expression when you came in here… you seemed a little freaked out.”
I bite my lip. My stomach twists at the mere thought of bringing up Milo. “Nah, I’m good.” I take a deep breath. “I’m sure you’re wondering about me and Kellan…” And just like that, their attention is diverted. Not to mention, the second I start thinking about Kellan, a little smile tugs at my lips, despite all the Milo bullshit.
Lux’s eyes take on a conspiratorial light as she leans in. “Rae told me that it seemed like maybe you all were hooking up when they got back to the dorm yesterday.”
Raven’s eyes meet mine, and she gives a dainty shrug of her shoulders. “Sorry? But not actually. Ever since you told us you wanted it to be him dancing with you, I’ve been waiting for you two to figure things out.”
My cheeks heat. “I never intended for it to be a secret. We were just a little caught up yesterday.”
“A little?” Lux snorts with laughter.
