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“Who said I’m still single?” I hear the slight break in her voice, and my chest cracks open. No one hurts my girl and walks away unscathed.
A sharp bark of laughter echoes throughout the empty space. “Everyone knows it. Katherine the Klutz, single and still alone at 24. It’s a running joke among our circle, actually. How nobody wants the task of inviting Kate anywhere, but we have to because of your parents.”
“I’m not single, and I don’t care if you stop inviting me. It’s not like I want to go, anyway.” Katherine’s voice is low, and I strain to hear it. With cautious steps, I saunter toward them, shifting my weight gingerly to avoid making any sound that will alert them to my presence.
I’m one pillar away from them, and I see Katherine pulling on her earlobe—a tell-tale sign that she’s lying.
Patrick must have picked it up because he begins to crowd her, and she slowly backs away, twisting at the waist to see if she’s about to fall into the pool.
“Yeah? Then where is he? Does he have a name? Does he even exist? Or is it just inside that weird little head of yours?”
When he moves to jab a finger into her temple, I snap. That’s fucking it. I don’t care what happens next. All I know is I’m not gonna let anyone hurt my girl, even emotionally.
As I straighten to my full height, I walk forward, no longer trying to muffle my footsteps. I watch Katherine, and her expression shifts, lips trembling slightly. She clenches her hands into fists, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
They both turn at the same time, a blank look on his face. When I’m close enough, he says, “Who the fuck are you? You’re not allowed?—”
I ignore the prick and wrap a hand around Katherine’s shoulder. I pray to God she realizes what I’m doing and won’t fight me. “Baby, sorry I’m late. I got held up at work.”
Her mouth parts, her eyebrows squishing together. I respond with a smirk and tuck a loose stray of hair behind her ear. I lower my head, pretending to kiss her but whispering, “Play along.”
I continue smiling at her, but when I swing my head to Patrick, I cast him the coldest gaze I can muster. His neck flexes as he swallows hard and staggers back a step. “Five seconds.”
His head flinches back slightly, and he runs a hand through his blonde hair. “W-what?”
“I’m giving you five seconds before I swing my arm at you and possibly break your jaw. You don’t think I heard everything you said to my girl, right? Go fuck off, you thumbsucking shit.”
Patrick tries to look like I don’t intimidate him, but even in the dim light, I can see his ashen face. He’s probably not even aware that he’s wiping both hands on his dress pants. “W-who the f-fuck do you think you are? You have any idea who my father is?”
Laughter bursts out of me, startling him. “Damn. At your age, you still calling Daddy for help? You make fun of Katherine, but you can’t even stand up for yourself. I’m betting you’re one second away from peeing in your pants. Now go before you embarrass yourself. If I see you talking to Katherine the way you just did, I’m gonna break each of those fingers from your disgustingly clammy hands.”
His hurried steps reverberate off the cold, tiled walls, his silhouette growing smaller and smaller. The sight of him running away from me, his eyes filled with terror, makes me snort. A typical bully.
“Kieran. It’s Kieran, right?” Katherine’s voice pierces through my thoughts, and I turn to face her. Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s looking at me … almost hungrily, eyes landing on my mouth, tongue peeking out and swiping along her bottom lip.
Jesus. She’s so tempting it’s not even funny anymore.
“Why are you here? Have you been following me?”
With relief, I realize she’s not angry or accusing. She genuinely wants to know, and while I have been behaving like an obsessed lunatic the entire time, I don’t have it in me to lie to her anymore. It’s time to come clean. Qué será, será, I guess. “Yes, I have.”
“Why? How long? Who asked you?”
“No one asked me. I did it because … because the moment I saw you, an obsession has taken root in me. I couldn’t stop. I wanted to see you every minute of every day, and I wanted to know everything about you.”
“Why me?”
What does she mean? Why not her? She’s everything I never knew I wanted. Is this a trap or a trick question? “Why not you?”
She tilts her chin and stares hard at me. “It’s rude to answer a question with another question.”
“I just told you I’ve been stalking you, and you’re taking issue with that?”
Her lips press into a thin line, and she’s trying not to smile. “No, seriously. Just tell me.”
“Because I’m drawn to you. I can’t explain it. There’s this almost primal need in me. I tried to shake it off and stopped for three days. You know, do my thing and let you be. It felt like death, Katherine. I need you. My body, mind, and soul know it.”
“How long?”
