Unsuitable

I stare at the pommel horse like it’s Mount Everest. My heart has stepped up its tempo, and my pulse is beating in my neck. I can feel my hands starting to sweat.

I clench my fists in and out, and then I press them to my pants to dry them. I take a deep breath and set off running. I make good speed, but too quickly, the pommel horse is on me, and I can’t do it.

I skid to a stop in front of it, hands pressing to the top.

“For God’s sake!” I grumble, annoyed with myself.

I glance back at Kas, who is standing, watching me.

“You can do it,” he encourages.

Turning away, I take another deep breath. Then, I jog back to my previous starting point.

Come on, Daisy. You’ve faced worse than this stupid pommel horse. You can do this. Just imagine it’s Jason; you’re running at him, and you get to smack your hands on his head and jump over the bastard.

And then maybe go back and kick him in the nuts.

My little pep talk seems to have ignited something in me. I start running, like I did before, but this time, a determination builds in me as I go. When I reach the pommel horse, instead of wimping out, I plant my hands on it and vault myself over, landing safely on the other side.

I did it.

I bloody did it!

I spin back to Kas. “I did it!” I throw my hands up in the air, doing a little victory dance.

Smiling wide, he walks over to me. “I knew you could.”

I stop my victory dance. “Yeah, you did.” I smile softly at him.

Something shifts in my chest, and warmth spreads throughout my body, making me tingle.

“Want to try it again?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I smile. “But will you film it for me on my phone?” I walk over to my bag and pull my phone out. “I want to show Jesse. I think he’ll be impressed.”

“Sure.” He smiles, taking my phone from me.

“You need me to set the camera up?” I ask.

“No, I got it.”

He walks over to the spot where he watched from before, and I put myself in place, ready to run.

“Let me know when you’re ready to film,” I tell him, eyes fixed on the pommel horse.

He doesn’t respond, so I glance over to him, and something in his expression makes my heart pause.

He’s staring down at my phone. Confusion and anger and pain are all clearly etched on his face.

What’s wrong with him?

Then, a thought slams into my brain.

Oh, fuck…no…

Twenty-Seven

I’m moving quickly toward Kas.

He seems to sense my approach, and I watch with bated breath while his eyes lift slowly to mine.

And then our eyes meet and hold, and I see it there in his agonized eyes.

He’s seen it.

The picture of Haley. It was still in my phone.

Why the hell didn’t I delete it? I’m so fucking stupid.

I stop a few feet away, unsure of what to do. “Kas,” I say his name softly, tentatively.

“Why…” He pauses.

I see his jaw work angrily. His body is locked up tight, like he’s fighting to control himself.

A chill runs through me. I wrap my arms around myself.

“Why do you have this in your phone?” His voice is like granite. He lifts the phone to me.

The photo I took of Haley’s picture is there for me to see.

I pale. “I-I can explain.”

“Then, fucking explain!” he roars.

I jump back a step.

I’ve seen Kas angry before, but this is a whole new level of anger. He’s livid. And he has a right to be.

“I-I…” I can’t stop the stammer. My whole body is trembling with nerves. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “I found the picture—by accident. It was last week after we kissed in the club and argued about it. After I left you, I went upstairs and started stripping your bed. I knocked over a glass of water on the nightstand. I cleaned it up with a towel and saw the top drawer was open slightly. I was worried water had gotten inside. I saw the picture in there. And I…” I helplessly lift my shoulders.

“You saw the photograph,” he says, his tone low and deadly. “It doesn’t explain to me why the fuck you have a picture of it in your phone.”

My eyes fill with tears. I’ve fucked up so very badly.

“I don’t know.” My lips tremble. “I was just curious…and jealous, and I—”

“Jealous?” he yells, making me jump again. “Why the fuck would you be jealous?”

“I…she—I mean, Haley—”

“You know her name.” His voice is quiet but dangerous.

I nod, and a tear falls down my cheek. I free my hand and brush it away.

Kas is staring at me, but it’s like he doesn’t even see me right now. “What else do you know?”

I bite my lip, afraid to speak.

“What do you know?” he repeats, yelling.

I jump to attention. “I looked Haley up on the Internet.”

The silence that hits is like a bulldozer hitting brick, and the look Kas gives me makes me want to curl up and die.

“You know.” It’s not a question.

But I’m quick to reply, “O-only what was in the articles.” My voice is wobbling all over the place. “Th-that Haley was…that she was mu-murdered, and…” I pause, meeting his fiery stare. “That someone else was there with her that night, someone who was also…injured.”