5

I lock eyes with Rae, peering into her brown gaze. I’m hoping she’ll connect the dots because the soreness in my throat prevents me from saying another word as the waterworks completely get free rein. I cover my face with my hands, sobbing while I feel how every single emotion of the last six months retrospectively comes rushing through my body.

Shame. Hurt. Hate. Frustration. Excitement. Joy. Happiness. And finally, love. So much love.

I feel how someone sits beside me, wrapping her arms around me, and when I look up, my cousin’s eyes bring me a sense of comfort only she can.

“Talk to me,” she says. “What happened with Trent?”

My gaze fills with guilt as we keep our eyes locked until I see the moment it hits her. Her eyebrows move up, her lips parting a little in shock.

“You dropped out,” she huffs. I shift in my seat, breaking loose from her touch as I get up. “You dropped out of Stanford—” Her voice breaks. “Because of Trent? Because of a boy?”

Her confusion is audible, knowing she’s missing a piece of the puzzle. I’m smart. I can learn easily. I know this, and it’s why I got a full ride to Stanford in the first place. I’ve never quit anything in my life, but I quit my one shot at one of the top schools in the country.

“What did he do, Kayla?” Rae growls my name, showing her anger, and I rub my hand over my face.

“What did he do?” she repeats. Her features are now completely rigid. Rae is a sweetheart when she’s happy, but when she’s mad? She can become vicious, fighting for the things she believes in. Just ask Jensen because he’s been on the receiving end for years.

“Kayla!” she barks impatiently.

“He hit me!” I push out the words at the same time Jensen comes through the back door and my gaze finds his. His face flashes with anger, pressing his lips together in a thin stripe.

“Who did?” Jensen growls, slowly sauntering toward us with menacing steps. “You better not be talking about Bodi, because I will kill him.”

“What?!” I screech, panicked. “No! No! Bodi treated me like a queen.” The realization of my words hit me, and I break down once more. “He treated me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him. Until he didn’t. He’d never hurt me. Not physically anyway.” I sniff. “It was Trent.”

“Trent hurt you?” Jensen’s jaw clenches while Rae and Julie are still looking at me in anticipation of the rest of the story.

“He hit me. More than once. He had half the school in his pocket. There was no escape except for dropping out and moving back home,” I confess with shame.

“Ah, Kayla.” Julie gets up, taking me in a tight hug. “I’m proud of you. That must have been so hard for you.” Her kindness overwhelms me, and I bury my face against her shoulder, fully pouring out my emotion for the first time since I left California. She rubs my face, soothing me with her hands rubbing my back, and we just stand like that for I don’t know how long.

When finally, a small spring breeze brings the rest of my senses to life, I look at Rae and Jensen, who are staring at me with troubled faces.

“I’m so sorry, Keeks,” Rae whispers. I let go of Julie and Rae flies into my arms.

“I’m so, so, sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?” I want to tell her I was ashamed, but it’s like she reads my mind. “You don’t have to be ashamed, sweetie. It’s not your fault. You deserve so much better than that douchebag.”

I bring my gaze up to Jensen.

“I’m going to kill that motherfucker if I ever see him near you again,” he mumbles like a big brother with his hands balled into fists. The sight makes me chuckle through my tears.

“Bodi already did. Almost broke his arm in the process. I’m pretty sure Trent got the message.”

“You deserve the world, Keeks,” Rae whispers in my ear.

“I know.”

I know that now. Bodi showed me that. But what if the world I want isn’t in my grasp anymore? What if my heart will never want anything other than Bodi McKay?

Rae lets loose at the same time Jensen’s phone rings in his pocket, and we all watch as he answers it with a scowl on his face.

“Yeah?” He sounds aggravated, making me wonder who’s calling him until the blood seems to leave his face and my heart squeezes. I know who’s on the line. I also know what he’s saying. I don’t know why, but when goosebumps shower my skin, I know I’m right. I grasp my heart before Jensen hangs up, giving me a shocked look while I wait for him to tell me the words I suspect.

“Terry McKay died.”