The mention of Kennedy’s father twisted my insides. From what I’d heard he was a shrewd businessman, and an even worse human being. Reid had let slip that Kennedy had been at her father’s house when she came home looking like a bloody wreck, and I tried to squelch thoughts of him hurting her that way. I didn’t have to protect her, but dammit, half the time I wanted to.
“Did you know Kennedy was back?”
My mothers’ question caught me by surprise, and her gaze spoke of understanding, the kind that told me she not only knew what Kennedy had meant to my sister, but to me too. It was unnerving.
“Yes,” I replied. I cleared my throat. “She goes to Brighton.”
“Have you seen her?”
“No,” I lied. The words came out too quickly, and my mother quirked a brow.
I rushed to defend myself. “I know Reid has, because Jade and Kennedy live together, but I’ve been too busy with classes, and helping Coach Ford to get out.”
I changed the topic and asked my mother what she’d been doing to keep herself busy.
“Oh, I’ve been redecorating the house,” my mother replied. She perked up, and I listened intently. I needed to escape thoughts and talk of Kennedy, if only for a little while. I’d be dealing with that…issue…when I got back to campus.
“That reminds me,” my mother added, “Your father and I will be away for Thanksgiving. Would you like to join us?”
I didn’t have to think it through before replying, “No, that’s okay, thanks mom. Reid invited me to his house this year.”
Her face fell, only this time I didn’t feel quite so guilty. I hadn’t spent Thanksgiving with my parents since my senior year of high school, and it had more to do with my father than the absence of my twin. We couldn’t be in the same room for more than ten minutes before fighting over one thing or another, and sitting around a table pretending to play nice wasn’t appealing.
“Oh, that’s okay. But promise me we’ll do this again soon? I don’t see you enough, and I miss you. I know your father does too, even if he doesn’t say it.”
I swallowed. “Sure, mom. I promise.”
We chatted for a short while longer until my mother said she had a few errands to get done before she had to go back home. We said our goodbyes, and I watched her climb into a town car and drive away before I headed home myself. The heaviness from earlier was still looming, and by the time I stopped in the lot outside our dorm, I knew exactly what I had to do.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kennedy
TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ played through my earphones, and all I could do was laugh at the irony. It had been a week since what I referred to as the ‘Dane Incident’, and he made no secret of the fact that he was avoiding me. Again. So, like any self-respecting woman in my situation would do, I brushed it off even though it hurt, and kept myself too busy to obsess over it.
The cafeteria was crowded, but I was able to find an empty table after picking up a cheeseburger, and some fries for lunch. Not the healthiest food choice, but I was too deep into my ‘I Have No More Fucks To Give’ phase to be bothered.
Jade dropped her textbooks onto the table with a thud, and dropped down next to me. I removed my earphones just as Ashley followed suit.
“Seriously, these professors are trying to prevent me from living long enough to attend finals,” said Jade. “My Art History professor puts the ‘itch’ in ‘bitch’.”
“I know what you mean,” replied Ashley. “I’ve been working non-stop in the labs for the last month. I’m exhausted.”
She started eating her usual – chicken salad with lite dressing – while Jade and I dove into our burgers.
“You’ve been quiet his week,” remarked Jade. She gently jabbed me in the ribs to get my attention. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve just been busy prepping for finals. I think I may have finally decided on a major.”
At least that was the one thing to come of my self-induced weeklong social hiatus.
“And?”
“Educational Psychology, with a minor in English.”
“That’s great,” Jade enthused. “Definitely sounds like something you’d enjoy.”
I nodded, filling my mouth with more food just to avoid making idle chitchat. I wasn’t really in the mood for conversation.
“Good God, that boy is hotter than a heat wave in July,” said Ashley. The change of subject was welcomed, since I no longer wanted to be talking about me, but when I turned in my seat, and noticed who she was talking about I wished I’d left my earphones in.
Jade watched me from the corner of her eye, but I kept my gaze down, pretending not be aware of everything Ashley was prattling on about.
“He’s just too damn sexy,” she said, ogling him with open appreciation.
“He’s trouble,” replied Jade. “And he can be a total douche.”
“Douche or not, I’d happily become a notch on his bedpost for one night with him.”
I cringed, and ducked my head to hide my reaction. They had no idea what had happened so I couldn’t very well tell her that being tossed aside after one night with him sucked. Even though I was over it.
Yeah, right.
“Rumors have been circulating like wildfire this week,” Ashley remarked. It was so casual, and yet I’d tensed at the thought of someone knowing about Dane and me.
“What rumors?” Asked Jade. She’d stopped eating, but unlike me it probably had less to do with a lack of appetite and more to do with her need to be up-to-date on campus gossip.
“I heard he’s been seeing that Amy girl from the school dance team, as in dating her.”
I kept my face neutral, but inside I felt a little humiliated. How could I have been so stupid and still so willing when I predicted that this was bound to happen?
Silly Kennedy.
“Dane never dates,” Jade argued. “And we’ve known him a lot longer than that slut has.”
Ashley shrugged. “Apparently he’s been at her sorority house all week. She’s been telling everyone that the sex is - ”
I stood up abruptly, knocking my chair over. “Shit,” I muttered, picking it up. “I forgot. I have a class in fifteen minutes, and I’m going to be late. I’ll see you later, okay?”
I avoided Jade’s worried eyes, as well as the stares of my peers, and left the cafeteria before I could hear anything else about Dane and his supposed girlfriend. I knew it was probably bullshit, just another lie churned by the Brighton rumor mill, but it wasn’t the girlfriend part that bothered me so much. It was the part that it could have quite possibly been true, thanks to Dane’s stellar reputation as a man whore that niggled at me. The thought of him having sex with someone else shouldn’t have even fazed me, and as much as I tried like hell to deny it, it got to me.
Having Dane make me feel so small reminded me of when I was twelve - the first time I thought I’d had my heart broken. I’d asked Kyle Mathers to the school dance, and when he turned me down in front of everyone they laughed. I couldn’t understand his rejection, when days before that I’d heard he was going to ask me first.
Then I found out why.