We’ve never really hung out alone, though. There is always someone else there, be it Lindy or one of Kellin’s friends…and now…well, there’s still someone here, but she’s just pissing me off with the way she’s staring at me.
“Nice to meet you,” I finally say, giving her a stiff nod.
She cocks her head at me, looking between Kellin and I. “So how do you two know each other?”
Kellin’s body tenses next to me.
“We’re…ah…friends,” he replies.
I look over my shoulder at his flustered face, wondering why he looks so uncomfortable.
The girl blinks a few times. “How did you meet?”
Kellin’s eyebrows rise this time. “What’s with the twenty questions, Mia?”
She shrugs. “Just curious.”
Kellin nods, and Mia finally seems to grasp the fact that neither of us want her here.
“Well, I’ll see you around, Kell.” Her voice changes to a sickeningly sweet purr as she says his name.
“That was awkward,” I say, looking up at Kellin who now has his hand stuck in his hair as he pulls his lip piercing tight from the inside of his mouth. I know him well enough to know it’s a nervous habit of his. He even does it when he doesn’t have the piercing in.
He sucks in a deep breath through his nose. “Tell me about it.”
“So, how do you know her, Kell?” I ask, imitating the way she purred out his name.
Kellin’s stress breaks, and he laughs. “I prefer you saying my name like that over her.”
I lean up against his arm, standing on my toes, so my lips are at his ear. “Kellin.”
A shiver passes through his body, and I watch as he sucks his lip into his mouth before shaking his head.
His voice is deep as he replies, “Nice, Ree.”
I shrug as I slide back down. “I know my boobs aren’t busting out of my shirt, but I still can have a seductive voice when I want to.”
Kellin rolls his eyes. “I saw that freaking bathing suit my sister put on you. I don’t need to see your boobs busting out of your shirt to know they’re there after that.”
It’s my turn to blush as we begin walking towards the parking lot at the end of campus. I fidget with my backpack straps as we walk in silence until Kellin speaks, “So was it really as bad as you thought it was going to be?”
“It’s not like high school, that’s for sure. They jumped right into teaching the second we sat down. My head’s been spinning since Accounting…” I heave a sigh. “You were right, that man does talk fast.”
Kellin bumps shoulders with me. “You’ll be fine, Ree. You’re smart.”
I swallow. Now that Lindy and Kellin are living with me, they might realize just how not smart I am. It takes me hours and hours of studying to get certain things–things I know come quickly to Lindy. I’m pretty sure she had no problem finding her way around campus today, but I’m absolutely directionally impaired. Just like she gets math without thinking, and it takes me hours to figure out the same equations that take her mere seconds.
“Kell?” I ask.
“Yeah?”
“Can we keep the fact you escorted me around campus today a secret…and not tell Lind?”
Kellin looks at me from the corner of his eyes, his lips softening into a line of understanding. “Of course, Ree.”
I take a deep breath, calming my dancing nerves as I ask, “Can you help me tomorrow, too?”
He smiles over at me. “I’d love to.”
We walk in silence to our cars, and it turns out Kellin parked next to me. I glance back at the campus, chewing my lip. “Kellin?”
He stops, halfway to his truck. “Yeah?”
I take a deep breath before asking, “What’s your major?”
He nods to the back of his truck. He puts down the tailgate, and we hop onto it.
“It’s been a long time since we actually talked, hasn’t it?” he asks as he moves a piece of hair over my shoulder and his fingers graze my bare arms.
“Yeah, the summer never seemed long enough to really talk. I can’t believe it’s been three years since we were around each other this much. You’re all grown up,” I reply as I stare back at him, aware of every breath we’re taking. I’ve never been so aware of myself and Kellin as I am at that moment.
“You should talk.” He chuckles as his hand falls to his side, gripping the edge of the tailgate. “Business Management.”
I blink at him. “That’s your major?”
He nods. “I even work at a bank as a teller every Saturday morning and during school breaks. What did you think my major was?”
I shrug, looking ahead and then back at him. “Something with music, I guess.”
My face is hot with embarrassment. I should know Kellin’s major, especially since he considers me one of his best friends. He knocks his shoulder against mine.
“It makes sense that you’d think that. I love music, but it just seems impractical, you know? What would I do with a degree in music — teach? That’s not really my thing.”
“But business management is?” I ask, and he runs his teeth over his lower lip.
“I’m good at it,” he replies with a shrug. “And I actually enjoy it.”
“That’s good,” I say, smiling at him. “I almost chose that as a major.”
He tilts his head at me. “What did you choose?”
“What, no guesses?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.
Kellin narrows his eyes at me. “Well, you’re creative but still really logical. Marketing, maybe? And a minor in graphic design?”
My mouth drops open, and I look ahead, shaking my head. “I feel like such an ass for not knowing what your major is when you just guessed mine.”
Kellin laughs. “Truth is, Lindy told me.”
I turn slowly to face him, and he winks at me before jumping down and holding his hand out for me. It’s impossible for me to be mad at him when he’s smiling like that.
Chapter 7
When we walk in the door, Lindy practically takes me out as she jumps into my arms.
“Oh, my God! Wasn’t today awesome?” Lindy asks, pulling me into the kitchen and shoving a bowl of popcorn she made at me.
Kellin winks at me as he goes to the fridge and grabs a soda.
“Sure was,” I reply as Kellin slides the soda across the table to me, and then goes to grab another for himself.
“I met the cutest guy in my Chem class…rippling muscles and green eyes,” Lindy bites her lip, shoulders rising as she leans towards me.
Kellin takes a chair and swings it around to sit in it. He rests his arms on the back, his biceps stretching out the words of his tattoo as they dance around the bluebird.
“Eww, Lind, I didn’t know Kell was in your class—and you shouldn’t talk about him that way, he is your brother,” I say, smiling at Kellin as he takes a sip of his soda. His lips are blocked by the can, but I can tell from the way his eyes wrinkle in the corners he’s silently laughing.
Lindy blinks her abnormally long, perfectly mascara-ed lashes at me. “Come on, Ree! I’m serious…he was to die for yummy, and I found all of my classes so quickly. The campus is set up perfectly!”
I smile at her, even though I feel like vomiting. It’s definitely just me then. I’m the one who should have been blonde, but instead, I have mousey brown hair. At least if I were blonde, I would have an excuse, although, Lindy proves the dumb blonde theory wrong every second of every day.
“So what’s your schedule for tomorrow?” Lindy asks leaning across the table as I hand her the now very crinkled piece of paper that’s my schedule. It’s practically destroyed between Kellin and I passing it back and forth, and me wringing it in my hands in the morning.
Lindy raises an eyebrow at it before her eyes flash over the section labeled Tuesday. She jumps in her seat a bit, giving me one of those killer smiles. “We don’t have any classes together–But! Our classes are close. We should drive in together tomorrow, a
nd then we can have lunch…it’ll be just like high school.”
I glance over at Kellin, who’s staring at his soda can as if the ingredients are the most exciting thing ever.
“Sure,” I reply as I watch Kellin stand and head up the stairs.
Lindy jumps up and down slightly in her seat, but I’m not sure I share her enthusiasm. I love hanging out with Lindy, but hanging out with Kellin today felt so natural. I didn’t feel like anyone was comparing us as we walked down the hall, though, I’m pretty sure I should’ve. I give Lindy a weak smile as she stands, going to the fridge.
“I don’t feel like cooking,” Lindy says. “Let’s order a pizza and watch a movie?”
“Sounds good. I’ll go let Kellin know,” I reply as Lindy goes to the menu drawer and pulls out the only place that will deliver to the house.
“Ask he what he wants!” she calls over her shoulder as I head up the stairs.
I knock on Kellin’s door before opening it. He’s sitting at his desk with a textbook and notebook.
“Studying already?” I ask, nodding to them as he looks up at me.
“Like you said…not like high school. I’m just reviewing my notes from the lecture I had today,” Kellin replies, eyes going back down to the paper.
“Hey, at least you got out of chaperoning me around tomorrow,” I say, my hands in my back pockets as I cock my head at him. Kellin’s eyes follow my hair as it falls over my shoulders before he leans back in the chair.
“I didn’t mind, Ree.”
“I’m sure you have better things to do…people to hang out with.”
Kellin scoffs. “Who? Like Mia?”
I walk forward and sit on the edge of his bed. My fingers run over the strings of the guitar that lays next to me as I reply, “Yeah.”
Kellin turns in the chair, leaning over and handing me a pick. “I’d much rather hang out with you than Mia.”
I pull the guitar into my lap and place my fingers over the frets, pausing to look up at him. “So she’s not your girlfriend?”
His eyes widen as he shakes his head, reaching over and moving my fingers slightly. “We went on a few dates, but she’s definitely not my girlfriend.”
A few dates…did that mean they’d?
Stop! That’s not your concern.
“Gotcha,” I reply as I strum and move my fingers down to the next chord.
“You’re pressing too hard,” Kellin says as he stands and comes to sit behind me. He moves his arm over mine, and I feel the warmth of his chest pressed against my back as his fingers loosen my death grip on the frets. He moves my hair over my other shoulder so he can see my finger placement better, and his breath washes over my bare skin, causing a rash of goose bumps I hope he doesn’t see. “You didn’t practice at all this summer did you?”
I shrug, fighting the urge to lean back to his arms. “No, you were gone most of it–what would the point of practicing be if I was going about it all wrong?”
“Reese!” he says, his voice chastising me.
I look over my shoulder at his face inches from mine and flutter my eyelashes at him, giving a pout the feigns innocence until the stern look on his face breaks into a smile. “I guess we have some catching up to do.”
“I sent you up here to ask him what he wanted for pizza, not to get a personalized music lesson!” Lindy says from the door.
Kellin and I both look up at her, and I jump away from him, but Kellin’s arms tighten around me, pausing my movement. It isn’t like I want to get up anyways. It just feels awkward to be wrapped in his arms with her staring at us. Or maybe it’s just awkward because I have the feeling my face is flushed, and it’s written all over it that I’m thoroughly enjoying this moment with him…more than I should be.
“Peppers, onions, and olives for Reese and I,” Kellin answers, his voice edged with annoyance.
Lindy points at us as she replies, “Right you two are the weirdos who like veggies on their pizza.”
“Let us know when it gets here,” Kellin calls to Lindy as she goes back down the stairs. “Now, you…” his voice lowers; “need to practice.”
“I thought you were studying,” I tease, smiling over my shoulder at him.
“I couldn’t very well let you strangle my guitar, though, could I?” he replies, taking my hand and strumming it across the strings. “Much better. Now, let’s try a new chord, mhmm?”
I elbow him in the ribs. “I wasn’t strangling it.”
Kellin’s laughter rumbles against my back, and I’m aware of the way his bicep pulses as he moves his body closer to me, resting his head on my shoulder.
“You keep telling yourself that. Soft hands…” Kellin replies, loosening my fingers a bit more. “There you go.”
He slides my fingers down the neck of the guitar, and I bite my lip as his cologne fogs my mind just about as much as his body heat has. I’m not sure he can teach me anything right now when all I’m thinking about doing is turning and kissing him.
“Fingers here,” he says, before moving them. “And here…then here. Now put it together and do it quicker.”
Somehow my brain manages to work, and I realize I’m playing my favorite Beneath the Tides Taking song. Then Kellin starts to sing softly in my ear. I know I should pull away, that my heart is not going to be the same after this, but I ignore the pull of how wrong it is. I let his fingers move mine as he sings to me, and every thought disappears.
Except one.
That this is exactly right.
And it always has been.
Chapter 8
Finally, it’s Friday. The first three weeks of college have flown past in a blur of books, pulling my hair out and studying between Lindy nagging me to go out with her. I just don’t have time–not with my new job at the library and classes that I’m barely passing. I take a deep breath of the autumn air before opening our front door and sneaking inside. Kellin looks up at me from the couch with raised eyebrows. He flicks off the TV and smirks at me.
“Lindy’s not home yet,” he says as he moves over so I can flop down next to him.
I rest my head on the back of the couch as I sigh. “She’s driving me nuts.”
“And why is that?” Kellin asks, imitating my movements and looking over at me from the corner of his eyes.
“She will not stop bugging me to go out with her– I just don’t have time…” I look down at my hands as my voice drifts off, “And honestly, I don’t really want to.”
Kellin bumps his shoulder into mine. “You don’t have to feel guilty about it.”
I turn to face him, pulling my knees to my chest. “Lindy’s my best friend…and we’ve always been different, but it’s just so apparent right now.”
“Everything comes easier to Lindy. The rest of us? Not so much. It’s hard for her to understand that,” Kellin replies, reaching forward and moving a hair out of my eyes. “Just don’t let her steamroll you into things you don’t want to do…if you do that, then your friendship will end up strained.”
His voice tampers off at the end, and I watch as his eyes drift away from me.
“You say that as if you understand,” I say, cocking my head.
Kellin’s eyes come back to mine, soft and understanding. My skin tingles as I watch him pull his lip piercing into his mouth with his teeth and then let it slowly out before answering, “Sometimes things get like that with the band and me. We’re not always on the same page.”
“That sucks.”
Kellin nods. “Speaking of the band, I wanted to ask you a favor…”
“I seriously can’t sing Kell, like super bad,” I reply, watching as his stoic lips turn into a smile and he chuckles to himself.
“You don’t have to remind me…I know,” he replies, and I pout at him in response, making his smile even wider. “I’m going to get my last tattoo tonight.”
“Last? Ever?” I ask, my head jerking back as I think of him not getting any more.
He breathes in and his chest rises. “Y
eah, I’m done after this one.”
“Why?”
He rubs his neck. “Bunch of things…besides the fact they won’t look good when I’m a wrinkly old man; it’s just expensive, and I don’t want to be completely covered head to toe. I have to stop at some point, and I figured now was the best time.”
I narrow my eyes at him, trying to picture him as anything but the handsome badass boy I’ve known for what seems like forever. My mind drifts to where each of the tattoos are, and I find myself blushing. Kellin tilts his head at me.
“What you thinking about?” he asks.
I shake my head, letting the thought of him shirtless drift away. “Nothing…so where are you going to get it?”
Kellin reaches forward, taking my hand and placing it over his heart. “I figured this was the best place to put the very last one.”
My breath sticks in my throat as I try not to inhale deeply. The fact his fingers are entwined so perfectly with mine is bad enough, but what I can’t stop feeling is the way his heart is hammering beneath my hand.
“And I want you to be there…because you’ve been there for all of them, and it just wouldn’t be right without you,” he says. “Temp has been filling up quickly, and he was able to squeeze me in. I figured we could go get it done, and then have dinner at a nice restaurant in the city.”
“I’d love that,” I manage to reply, my voice barely audible against my now thrumming heart.
Kellin’s hand is still in mine, and he wears that clever grin that sends my blood pressure spiking anytime I see it. I always thought it was because he made me so happy, but right now, every part of me burns with heat because of it. I desperately fight the urge to pull his body over mine and kiss him.
“Reese!” Lindy calls, making me jump as she walks through the door. “There you are!”
I swallow as I look up at her, my whole body trembling as I try to register some sort of thought besides Kellin. I squeeze my eyes shut as I feel his arm and leg pressing against mine. We’re still so close. When I open my eyes, Lindy doesn’t look the least bit suspicious, and I let myself sink into the couch as I secretly enjoy his closeness.
Rebel Cause (Boys of Fallout Book 3) Page 4
