Page 45 of Glad You Exist

Faded. He’s faded.

“Just one kiss.”

I hear rustling like he’s struggling against Kyle’s hold.

Brad starts to pull back as if to pounce on Hunter too. I wrap my arms around his waist to keep him in place as another shudder runs through my body.

“Oh my god! What is going on?”

I hear Kim running in, her heels clacking on the marble floor, but I can’t risk loosening my hold on Brad in case he’s tempted to throw down on my behalf.

His chest heaves against my cheek. I look up to find him glaring at Hunter. Brad’s teeth are clenched, eyes blazing as he struggles to stay calm.

“Party’s over,” Brad bites out looking over his shoulder at the rest of the football team now crowding into the kitchen. “And someone take that piece of shit out of my house before I break his fucking neck!”

* * *

It’s closerto one in the morning now but the adrenaline from earlier still hasn’t worn off.

Brad all but carried me upstairs into my room and ordered me to change into pajamas and then left to go break up the party.

An hour later, I hear the three of them trudge up the stairs.

Kim checks on me before heading into her room.

Apparently, she had started dancing with a guy from the hockey team which got Kyle all riled up, so he went inside the house. Kim chased after him and when Brad saw I wasn’t with them, he got worried, so they all went looking for me.

Kim suggested looking in the kitchen because I had mentioned getting a drink.

They split up. Kim went upstairs to check my room. The boys went to the kitchen and that’s when they walked in on Hunter forcing himself on me.

I ask Kim if Brad’s upset and she just nods with an apologetic look on her face.

Even though she assures me he isn’t mad at me, I still felt at fault.

I have succeeded in ruining not only his party but also his birthday.

This was why I didn’t socialize. I don’t know why I even try. It would have been just fine if I had let them throw the party without me and just flown with my brother to California.

Or stayed at home. Or hell, even stayed up here.

Why I had to insert myself where I didn’t belong, I really don’t know.

A knock on the door breaks into my thoughts and Kyle’s head pops through the open crack.

“Hey…how are you holding up?”

I shrug.

Kyle shoves the door open and leaves it that way. He strides inside the room to plop down beside me on the bed. He slings an arm around me and pulls me close.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get there sooner. I hate to think about what could have happened if we hadn’t.” He scans my face as he draws a frustrated breath.

“Are you mad at me?”

He pulls back, clearly confused. “Whythe fuckwould I be madat you?”

I shrug again. “Ruining the party. Because of me you guys had to kick your friends out.”

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