The three of them cheer in excitement, and before I know it, Skylar and Bree are pulling me into the bedroom to do my hair and makeup. Apparently, we now have a party to attend.
AS SOON AS WE pull up to the frat house, my anxiety begins to build. Bree and Sky are ready to run inside, but Dawson notices the look on my face. He turns to his fiancé and kisses her cheek.
“You two go ahead. We’ll be in in a minute.” He tells her.
The two girls give me a sympathetic look before climbing out of the car and walking toward the house. I run my fingers through my hair, trying to get a grip on any bit of calm.
“Is this a horrible idea? Should I just go home?”
He sighs and reaches his hand into the back seat to rub my knee. “You know, he’s texted me every day asking about you.”
“He has?”
Dawson nods. “It’s been almost two weeks, and he hasn’t gone one day without asking me if you’re okay or how you’re doing.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He asked me not to. He said that he wasn’t trying to use me to get you back, just that he cares about your well-being.”
The thought of Holden reaching out to Dawson pulls on my heartstrings. However, every happy thought is tainted by the image of him with another girl and the sound of his lie replaying in my head. My friends are right though, I can’t let him ruin the rest of sophomore year for me.
“It doesn’t matter.” I shake myself from my thoughts. “Let’s go.”
I get out of the car and link arms with Dawson for support. The two of us walk down the sidewalk and across the yard, entering the house as soon as we reach the door. I’m not going to lie, I’ve missed these parties. They’re always so much fun and make you feel so alive. Even without drinking, the atmosphere is invigorating.
“Holy shit, you’re alive.” Caleb jokes as soon as he sees me. “Where have you been?”
I shrug. “Studying and completely submerging myself into the world of Gossip Girl and smoothies.”
“Well I’m glad you’re here.” He leans in for a hug.
“So am I.” A voice sounds from behind me, sending a chill down my spine. “Hey man.” He greets Dawson.
I turn around and look him up and down. He’s wearing a pair of jeans and the one shirt I’ve always told him brings out his eyes. This would be so much easier if he didn’t look so good. Dawson glances at me and I nod, signifying that I’m alright. Once I do, he walks away to find Skylar.
“I didn’t think you’d be here.” Holden remarks.
I shrug and gesture toward my friends. “They begged me to come.”
“Remind me to thank them.”
“For what? I’m not here for you.”
Just as he’s about to respond, Josephine comes over and wraps her arms around me.
“Kayleigh! I’ve missed you!” She exclaims, but Holden glares at her. “Oh, did I interrupt something?”
“No.” I answer, at the same time Holden says yes.
Jo looks between the two of us, utterly confused. “Please tell me you two are working this out. I don’t think I want to live in a world where you don’t end up my sister-in-law.”
“I’m sorry. I really don’t want to talk about this.”
“Oh, come on. What could be so bad to break up the two of you? You’re crazy about each other.”
I narrow my eyes at her and then at Holden. “You didn’t tell her?”
His shoulders drop and he looks around the room. “It really isn’t any of her business.”
Anger spreads through me and I use it to find strength that I didn’t know I had. I straighten my body and turn to Jo. “Maybe you should ask him, or better yet, ask Bianca.”
Holden’s eyes close as Jo slaps him in the chest. “Are you out of your fucking mind?! Bianca Vanderlin?!”
Holden looks at me as I grin deviously. “Excuse me, I’m going to go, well, anywhere but here.”
Walking away, I once again leave Holden behind to deal with the consequences of his actions. In the meantime, I think I’ll have a drink.
THE PARTY RAGES ON, and as the alcohol courses through my bloodstream – I find myself letting go of everything I’ve been stressing over. Holden watches me from a distance, only daring to come near me when he notices that I’m intoxicated. However, just when I think he’s going to say something to me, he turns to Dawson.
“Don’t let her have any more alcohol.”
I scoff. “Um, excuse me. I’m right here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, are you speaking to me now – now that you’ve gained some liquid courage? Quit drinking, Kayleigh. You know better.”
“What are you, my father?”
“No.” He spits. “I’m your boyfriend.”
Pursing my lips, I tilt my head to the side. “Again, I’m not so sure.” Looking around, I see Riley leaning up against the wall and an idea pops into my head. “My boyfriend’s defective. I think I’ll go find a new one.”
Dawson and Holden watch as I confidently walk over to the future president of Kappa. I can feel Holden’s eyes burning into the back of my head, and it only fuels my fire. Just as I’m about to reach Riley, I trip and fall directly into his arms. He catches me with ease and helps me steady myself.
“Oh, my god, I’m so sorry.” I flirt. “Thank you for catching me.”
“You’re welcome. Are you alright?”
Smiling sweetly, I look deep into his eyes. “I am now.”
Riley looks confused, but a second later his attention is pulled elsewhere and he removes his hands from me immediately.
“That’s enough.” Holden growls.
Before I know what’s happening, I’m thrown over his shoulder. I yell for him to put me down, pounding on his back, but he doesn’t flinch. Instead, he carries me through the party and up the stairs. Once we’re in his bedroom, he tosses me onto the bed.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I yell. He ignores me, going over to his dresser and pulling out a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. When he tosses them at me, I scowl. “There is no way in hell I’m sleeping here with you. I’m leaving.” He steps in front of the door, blocking me in. “Get out of my way.”
“No.” He replies firmly.
“No? What do you mean no?”
“I mean, you’re not going anywhere. You’re drunk, and hitting on Riley for god sake. This isn’t like you.”
“And what is like me? Fawning over you while you fuck some other girl for months? Believing you when you lie to my face about it? No thank you. I’d rather be anyone than the girl who gets her heart broken for trusting the university playboy.”
He looks as if he swallowed glass but his expression changes to rock solid. “Get changed and get in bed. You’re staying here.”
“The hell I am. I don’t want to be in the same room as you, let alone share a bed with you.”
I get the door open a crack but he slams it shut again. “I’m sleeping in Caleb’s room, now get in the fucking bed, Kayleigh.”
Between the tone of his voice and the look on his face, I’m suddenly stone cold sober. If I didn’t know him as well as I do, I may argue it further – but I can tell it’s no use. I turn around and head for the bed, hearing the door open and then slam closed behind me.
THE NEXT MORNING, MY head is pounding. It’s been so long since I’ve had a hangover, that I forgot how much they suck. I roll over to find two Advil and a glass of orange juice sitting on the night stand. Holden.
I change back into my attire from last night, pop the two pills, and grab my things before making my way down the stairs. Just when I’m hoping to sneak out, mainly due to my massive level of embarrassment, I find Holden sitting on the couch. I drop my head down and go over to sit next to him.
“How do you feel?” He questions, drinking his own glass of OJ.
“Like I got hit by a truck. The Advil is helping though, thank you.”
He nods. “I know it doesn’t mean much, but I just want to
say that I really am sorry, for everything.”
“It means more than you think.” I whisper. “And I’m sorry for last night. You were completely right in doing what you did. I crossed a line.”
“Honestly, I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same in your position.”
I smirk. “You mean you would have hit on Riley?”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “You’re a menace, but I love you.”
“I love you too.” I respond honestly, but when he reaches to hold my hand, I look at him with tears in my eyes. “But I don’t trust you now.”
“Is this really worth losing us over, though?” He pleads. “Let me earn your trust back, or at least let me try.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t know if you can.” I wipe the tears from my face and stand up, lightly pulling my hand from his. “I just need some more time to figure it out.”
Just as I get to the exit, I’m about to open the door when he grabs my wrist. “Kayleigh, wait.” He says tenderly. “Whether you want me to try or not, I’m going to do everything in my power to gain your trust back. In the meantime, come back to chem. You’re in risk of failing and I’d hate to see that happen to you.”
I look down at the floor and nod, but he places his knuckle underneath my chin and lifts my head. He looks deep into my eyes and leans in slowly, giving me the chance to stop him but I don’t move. Pressing his lips to mine, he kisses me softly and caresses my cheek with his thumb. I’m completely paralyzed, yet when he could use my weakness to his advantage – he doesn’t. Instead, he takes a step back and opens the door.
As I walk down the sidewalk, there’s one thing I feel I need to do. I take out my phone and scroll to Holden’s contact.
Unblock Number
A FEW DAYS PASS, and Holden has kept his word. Once he realized I unblocked his number, I thought he would blow up my phone again. To my surprise, he has only sent me a text or two each day – letting me know he’s thinking about me. He even sent flowers to my dorm, trying to show me how much I mean to him. It’s not like he can’t get someone else, but he wants me. Even watching his game last night, he wouldn’t so much as glance at another girl. While it doesn’t fix everything, it definitely helps.
I walk into Chemistry and smile shyly at the surprise on Holden’s face.
“Miss Jacobs.” My professor greets me judgingly. “Nice of you to finally join us again.”
Holding in my laughter, I go over to our lab desk and take a seat. Holden is clearly trying to mask his amusement as well. I nudge him playfully, but freeze when he grabs my elbow. He leans over and kisses my cheek quickly.
“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
I blush. “It’s okay.”
Spending the next half hour of class, I find myself looking at Holden the way I did before all of this. I even start to grow hope that we can get back to how we were. Unfortunately, it’s short lived. As Holden walks away to get another beaker, I hear his phone vibrate on the desk. When I glance at it, my stomach sinks.
New Message: Bianca Vanderlin
Before I have a mental break down in the middle of class, I toss my things in my bag and head toward the door. Unfortunately, Holden notices and follows quickly behind me.
“Kayleigh. Kayleigh!” He yells. “What’s wrong?” I ignore him, storming out the door of the building and start walking towards my dorm. “Wait up! Talk to me! What happened?”
I stop short, causing Holden to almost walk into me as I spin around. “What happened?! Bianca fucking Vanderlin happened.”
“What?” He looks genuinely confused.
I roll my eyes. “Don’t play dumb, it doesn’t look good on you. I saw a text from her pop up on your phone.”
“No. No, it’s not what it looks like. She’s been texting me for the last couple weeks, but I haven’t answered.”
“Oh great.” I scoff. “So, not only do I have to know what happened between you two, but I also have to deal with her being obsessed with you.”
“You don’t have to deal with anything. I’ll block her, I’ll change my number. Anything you want.”
Shaking my head, I step back. “What I want, is to go back in time and make it so none of this nightmare happened.”
I spin around and go to step out into the street. In my haste to get away, I accidentally step in front of a moving car. Within seconds I hear Holden shout, and I’m yanked out of the way, onto the ground behind me. He groans in pain as he holds his head, blood already leaking out onto his fingers.
“Oh, my god, Holden. I’m so sorry.” I pull my phone from my pocket and quickly call 911, letting them know our location and that we need an ambulance ASAP. When I hang up the phone, he’s looking at me but his eyes are fading – like he’s falling asleep. “You have to stay awake, babe. Come on, stay with me.”
He smiles tiredly, letting his head fall to the side. “You called me babe.”
Tears spring to my eyes as I smile. “Of course, I did, you big doof, but you need to stay awake.” I grasp his hand in mine and look around, mentally willing the ambulance to get here faster.
Chapter 26
The hospital is bleak and dreary. I pace back and forth in the hallway, waiting for someone to come update me on Holden. Thankfully, I was able to keep him awake for the entire ride here. I just hope he’s alright. It’s been over an hour and I haven’t heard anything yet.
“Miss Jacobs?” A man in a white coat approaches me. “I’m Dr. Anderson.”
“Kayleigh.” I shake his hand.
“Mr. Rivers is cleared for visitors and he’s asking for you, so if you’d like to come with me? You can see him and we can go over his injuries.”
I nod and follow the doctor into the emergency room. By the time we reach Holden, I’m visibly shaking, and seeing him in a gown and laying in the bed doesn’t help. Tears build in my eyes, giving me no chance of holding them back before they spill down my cheeks. Holden frowns and reaches for me – I rush to his side.
“Hey, hey.” He consoles me, rubbing my arm and kissing my head as I lean over to hug him. “I’m okay. See? I’m alright.”
“I was so scared.” I admit.
He gives me a small smile and shakes his head. “I’m great. Never been better.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say that.” The doctor chimes in. “You have three staples in the back of your head and a grade two concussion.” Holden groans but I squeeze his hand, letting him know it’s alright.
“What does that mean? Is he going to be okay?”
He nods. “Oh yeah, he’ll make a full recovery. He does need plenty of rest though.” He turns his attention to Holden. “Do you play any sports or work somewhere that requires a lot of physical activity?”
“I play hockey.” Holden answers, sounding far from thrilled.
“Well, you’re going to have to miss the next week. We can do a repeat scan when you come back to have the staples removed.” He explains, and while Holden may not be happy about it, he agrees to listen. “Do you have someone to stay with you tonight? I feel confident in my diagnosis, but just in case new symptoms arise, it’s always good to have someone there.”
Holden stutters, but I don’t hesitate. “I’ll be with him.”
The doctor smiles and tells us that the nurse will be in with his discharge papers shortly. As soon as he leaves, Holden turns his head toward me.
“You really don’t have to do that. There will be plenty of people in the house.”
I give him a knowing look. “Are you saying you don’t want me there?”
He smiles. “Nope. It’s the concussion. I’ll shut up now.”
“Good idea.” I chuckle.
A FEW HOURS LATER, Dawson pulls up to Kappa and Holden climbs out of the backseat. My best friend eyes me curiously, and I tell Holden I’ll meet him inside. As soon as he’s out of earshot, I sigh.
“So, you’re staying here tonight I take it?” Dawson asks.
I nod. “He has a concussion from saving my li
fe. The least I could do is make sure he’s okay.”
He puts his hands up. “Hey, you don’t have to convince me why this is a good idea. I just hope you two end up working this out.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
I shrug. “Being supportive, no matter what crazy choices I may make.”
“Always.” He answers, reaching over and giving me a hug. “I’ll text you tomorrow before I come pick you up for work.”
“Sounds good.”
After saying goodbye, I get out of the car and make my way into the house. As soon as I close the door, Jason starts slow clapping. Confusion washes over my face, and I look at Caleb.
“Please control your special friend. He’s lost his mind.”
Jason’s jaw drops while Caleb laughs. “Ignore him. He’s just bitter that Holden can’t play hockey for seven days.”
“Who can’t play hockey?” Holden asks, coming out of the kitchen with a beer in his hands.
“You!” I balk and grab the bottle from him. “Are you out of your mind? You have a concussion and you’re on pain killers. Go to bed.”
He pouts and makes grabby hands at me. “Will you come with me?”
Rolling my eyes, I smile and nod. “Let’s go, dummy.”
Jason and Caleb make whipping sounds as I grab Holden by the hand and pull him up the stairs. Just before we’re out of sight, I make sure to flip them off.
Once we get into Holden’s bedroom, I go over to his dresser and pull out two pairs of sweats and two T-shirt’s, one for him and one for me. As I help him change out of his clothes, he catches sight of himself in the mirror.
“They cut my hair!” He feigns outrage.
I laugh and shake my head. “No, they didn’t. It’s just matted down from the blood.”
“Well, that’s a disgusting thought.”
“You’ll live, you big baby.”
He smirks and grabs my hand. “That reminds me, you called me babe.”
“Your concussed and delusional.” I lie.
“Nope. You did, and I heard it.”
Taking a deep breath, I sit down next to him on the bed. “You saved my life today. I don’t know how to thank you for that.”
Endless December (Sleepless November Saga Book 2) Page 16
