AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gray: I’ll manage
Kai: you’re not even allowed to use your phone for more than 30 mins at a time. Spending hours in a loud club with the lights would be torture and probably make your mild concussion a severe one
Gray: I’ll be fine
Kai: do I need to call Eli and have him talk some sense into you?
Guilt rippled through me at my brother’s name. I hadn’t told him what happened. He had enough on his plate with his upcoming move and his new relationship. He was stressed out, and adding to it could negatively affect his health and send his blood sugar out of whack.
My brother was a kind soul and a chronic overthinker to go along with his genius brain. He worried about everything. I hated lying to him, but there was no way in hell I was dumping any of this on him. Not when we were finally in a good place again.
Gray: that’s a low blow
Kai: maybe, but I’m not above low if it’ll stop you from giving yourself brain damage
Gray: I hate you sometimes
Kai: you say that but we both know it’s not true
Gray: arrogant ass
Kai: come on. Admit you love having me as your friend
My stomach clenched and sadness replaced my irritation. Fuck. Caleb was right. I was an emotional mess. I already had a short fuse, and I’d been losing my shit over the stupidest things. The anger was familiar, but the random bouts of sadness and being hit with the desire to cry out of nowhere were fucking with me.
I didn’t cry and I didn’t get sad. Wallowing and moping around wouldn’t solve anything, and giving in to weakness was a slippery slope.
Yet here I was, my eyes prickling and burning as I thought about how Kai was also moving away in a few months to go to grad school, and he was doing it with his boyfriend.
I’d had a crush on Kai for years, but it had always been one-sided. We’d grown up together, been friends since we were babies, but we’d grown apart since becoming adults. He’d gone back to school and had plans to get the hell out of this place, and our friendship had faded until we were basically work friends who sometimes texted.
I’d hoped things would change and we’d find common ground again. We might be in different places in our lives, but we’d always run in the same circles and had the same outlook on life and relationships. One and done had been our thing. Not trusting anyone who wasn’t family or hadn’t proven themselves to be family had always been our way.
Then he met Alex, and everything changed. He’d found his person, and now the distance between us felt even bigger. I didn’t begrudge him for falling in love. I’d never seen him so happy and settled, but it hurt that everyone was moving on while I was stuck here feeling even more like a loser.
Gray: you’re okay
He sent me a kissy-face emoji.
Kai: gotta go. Need me to bring you anything before work tomorrow?
I desperately needed groceries, but I wasn’t about to ask Kai to shop for me. I’d go out later and do it.
Gray: I’m fine
Kai: are you sure?
Gray: yeah
Kai: you’re a stubborn jackass you know that?
Gray: you’re one to talk
Kai: don’t do anything stupid or I’m telling your mom and Eli everything
Gray: asshole
Kai: you know it
