Page 22 of Powerless

“Oh God,” I whisper.

“Hey, you’re going to like this idea.” He kicks me under the table.

“What is it?”

“Well.” Liam looks around to ensure no one is listening, and he leans forward to say in a low voice. “My parents are going to Delaware this weekend, and I’ll have the house to myself.”

“So?” Jen asks.

“I’m thinking maybe I can hang out with Jason on Saturday night.” Liam looks to me and smirks.

It takes me a few seconds, but I click on to what he’s insinuating. I turn to Kathryn and say, “Would you like to have dinner with me on Saturday night?”

Her cheeks turn pink but she eventually nods. “I’d like that.”

“Good. So, I’ll text you the address,” Liam says to Kathryn. “And you know where the spare key is, and the code for the alarm,” he says to me.

“Wow,” Jen says with a smile. We all turn toward her. “This.” She gestures toward Kathryn and me. “Makes me feel better, because I know, I’m not stopping you from being together.”

“We just have to keep it secret, for now,” I add.

I was mentally torturing myself, attempting to think of a way this could work. Stolen moments, that’s how.

For now that’s all we have, but I can wait.

I guess I really don’t have any other options. Not unless I want to throw Jen to the wolves. And that’s not me. I won’t do it.

8

KATHRYN

Stupid, stupid me. Bennett Adams wasn’t meant to happen. I was supposed to go to high school, then college to study statistics. Afterward, I was going to get a job as a financial analyst and work my way up.

I had a plan. Well, it’s more Mom’s plan than mine, but at least it was a plan.

A God damned plan into which Bennett Adams has thrown a major monkey wrench.

Damn him.

Damn him a thousand flea-ridden bites on his stupid nether regions.

How dare he be selfless and insist on seeing this ruse through. Why does he have to be so damned perfect?

“Ugh.” I pick my pillow up and scream into it. I stand and throw the pillow onto the bed, then pace back and forth in my room. I shouldn’t be going to Liam’s house tonight, I should stay home, and break it off with him. “Pffft,” I scoff at myself. “Break up with someone you're not actually dating.” I stand in front of my mirror and shake my head. “You’re an idiot.” I lift my hand and point at the reflection. “Right.” I lower my hand, lift my chin and pull my shoulders back. “End this now before it gets out of hand. You’re going to Stanford. He’s going to Yale until he can transfer. What happens if you meet someone else? What happened to your original plans?” I shake my head and roll my eyes. “Stupid, stupid girl.”

I sink to the floor and bury my head in my hands. I’ll go to Liam’s, have dinner with Bennett, and tell him it’s over. I can’t let my heart dictate my future.

“Come on,” I say to myself. I lower my hands and look at my reflection in the mirror. “Do it fast and forget him.”

I stand to my feet, take several deep breaths, and decide that I have to break this off before anyone gets hurt. “You’ve got this, Kathryn.” I swallow the lump in the throat and nod at my reflection. “You can do this.” I give myself the once-over before heading out. I leave Mom a note on the kitchen counter letting her know I’ll be back later, but I might beat her home. It’s probably best that Mom had to go into the bank after hours to catch up on work, because I don’t think I’ll be in the best mood when I return home. I really don’t want her to worry for me.

It's best I get this over with now.

* * *

I sit in the car for a moment trying to calm my erratic breathing and shaky hands. For a split second, I question why I’m even here. It’s not like Bennett and I have had a date, or are even a couple. He’s with Jen, who’s gay, but he wants me. So Liam has to pretend he’s with me, because Bennett feels protective of Jen. I mean, come on, what a convoluted situation.

Besides, anything can happen in a year, and I don’t want to be the cause of holding anyone back. That’s not who I am.

---