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I was really looking forward to a hot shower and my own bed. But I knew that when I left the hospital, I was going to have to deal with what had happened with Trevor…and that I was not looking forward to at all.
Why the hell was my life so complicated?
Chapter Eight
~Trevor~
“You’re avoiding me,” I said as I leaned against the doorjamb of Celia’s room, glaring at her.
She was propped up in her bed, a book open on her lap as she glared at me.
“I’m resting,” she spat, rolling her eyes as she closed her novel and tossed it aside.
“You’ve been hiding up here for a week,” I reminded her, stepping into her room and sitting in her desk chair across from her bed. “We need to talk about what happened.”
“In the woods?” she asked. “We already talked about that.”
“No,” I growled. “At the hospital.”
I’d been giving her space, letting her rest and get better from her concussion. But as the days had dragged on, I realized that she was never going to be the one to bring it up, and we had to talk about that kiss.
“Why is everyone so interested in getting me to talk about stuff?” she snapped. “I already have to go to a stupid therapist tonight and talk. Now you want to make me talk, too? Can’t you just be…” She trailed off, rolling her lower lip between her teeth as she dropped her gaze to her hands in her lap.
“Fine, I’ll talk,” I said. “You listen.”
I’d been thinking of nothing else but that kiss since the moment it happened. Honestly, I’d thought Celia would come to me once she was home. When she didn’t, it made me realize that she clearly thought it had been a mistake. And I could live with that, but we were at least going to get it all out in the open.
Dad might be right about not waiting for Fate, but Celia clearly wasn’t the one for me. Her anger and her pain were just too much for her to ever accept the happiness I thought I might be able to offer her.
It sucked, because I really did like her. Probably more than I was ready to admit to myself, even. But we just weren’t right for each other. And if I could ease even a tiny bit of her pain by letting her go, then that’s what I’d do.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, surprised at the lump that had risen in my throat as I realized what I had to do. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. You were hurt, you were sick, and I think I took advantage of that.”
“No,” she said quickly, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and fully facing me. “I don’t feel that way at all.”
“Well, that’s good.” I blew out a humorless chuckle. “Can we just call it a moment of brotherly concern then?”
“If that’s what you want,” she agreed.
I raked my gaze over her face, but her features had gone blank, like a marble mask had replaced her skin. I had no idea what she was thinking or feeling. Was she doing what I was doing? Giving me an out because she didn’t think I wanted her the way that I did.
I desperately wanted to ask, but I didn’t. I’d pushed her enough and I refused to be the cause of any more pain or discomfort in her life. I may never actually feel brotherly toward her, but I could pretend if that’s what she needed me to do.
“It’s what I want,” I lied.
“Well then,” she said stiffly. “Glad we cleared that up. Feel better?”
No. I felt like I was going to vomit. But I nodded as I stood up and gave her a weak smile.
“Do you need a ride to your appointment?” I asked her.
“I think you’re already dropping me off on your way to your meeting,” she answered. “Your dad didn’t tell me much, but are you going to talk about that thing in the woods?”
“Yeah,” I said, grateful for the easy subject change. “Some other monsters in town have noticed its presence too, so we’re trying to come up with a plan to find it.”
“Well, be careful,” she said.
“I always am,” I assured her.
