Page 37 of Unhinged Kallie

Fuck, I wish I could just tell her I loved her and always had.

“Sure.” Standing, I offered her the chair and took the spot on the log, but instead, she sat beside me and placed her head on my shoulder. She reached out and took the photos from my hand, staring at my parents before flipping to the next picture, which was taken after I’d come here. It was a photo of the four of us together before Kirby was killed.

“I miss her so much,” she said, and unable to help myself, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

“Me too.”

“I love you, Carter. I’m sorry that’s wrong, but I do.”

I opened my mouth to say it back, but instead just held her tighter.

Chapter Fourteen

KALLIE

ONE YEAR LATER

This trying to act normal shit was for the birds. A group of popular girls were giggling amongst themselves in the corner. Each said something nasty about another student as they walked by, yet they were the first to create a fake account to talk shit about their so-called friends.

Everywhere you looked, a group was trying a little too hard to be something they weren’t. It didn’t seem to matter which group. It was just the way of what Carter called the real world. It was stupid, and I hated it, but I’d learned to wear a mask like everyone else. I was the artsy, grunge girl with a foul mouth and sharp wit. The one thing I absolutely refused to do was say anything to my dad and have him give me that look that silently said, ‘I told you so.’

“You okay? You look like you’re planning on killing someone,” Alex said, and she had no idea how close to the truth that was.

“I’m fine, just thinking.”

I gave her a small smile as I tore my eyes away from Blair, Carter’s newest girlfriend. They were standing, talking to his friends, with his arm around her waist. His thumb would move against her side, and I had to refrain from snarling at them as she snuggled closer to him. He dated a lot, but I managed to get rid of them as fast as he asked them out. This one worried me more than the rest. She actually seemed like a girl he should be with. Someone nice with the same morals and values, but I wouldn’t let him go. He was mine, and I was counting down the days until I was legal age. No girl, no matter how perfect she seemed, was ruining my plans. Call me a bitch. I didn’t care. Carter was mine.

“Don’t look now, but Taylor is heading this way,” Alex whispered.

I glanced in the opposite direction, and sure enough, Taylor was walking over, giving me his best cool guy smirk.

“Shit,” I mumbled, pushing away from my locker to escape. I had no idea why Taylor, the newest football captain, was suddenly interested in me, but he’d already asked me out twice. I had no interest in round three right now.

“Hey, Sexy, where are you running off to so fast?” Like a pack of wolves, the team surrounded me. Alex was quickly pushed out of the ring. If I’d been interested in the football team, I probably could’ve gotten an amazing team gangbang out of them, but I only had eyes for one guy.

“Taylor, how can I help you?” I really wanted to say ‘Go away or I will rip your balls off and shove them down your throat’ but staying calm was my school mantra.

“Don’t be like that, Sexy. I just want to talk to you.” He leaned against the locker beside me, and I knew I would have to hurt this fucker. Sorry Dad, but sometimes you just had to stick up for yourself.

“Don’t call me that. I know you don’t mean it.” I crossed my arms and glanced at the guys towering over me. I couldn’t get any more outnumbered than this. My one hope was Troy. They didn’t bother me when he was with them, so I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t see him.

Taylor reached out and ran my dark hair through his fingers, and I snapped my teeth at his hand, making him laugh. “You’re so fucking feisty. You remind me of my turtle.”

“Your turtle?” I hadn’t seen that particular insult coming.

“He’s a snapping turtle that I picked up on the side of the road. It took some time, but he no longer bites me.” Taylor leaned in and smiled. He had a cruel streak that was easy to see burning in his eyes. He was the type Dad would have fun playing with, but I needed to take care of this shit myself. I couldn’t run to my dad every time someone picked on me.

“Are you sure it’s still breathing? That’s the only way I wouldn’t snap at you.”

“So, is that still a no to a date?”

“No, I am not going to be your Laney.”

His brow knit together. “Who the hell is Laney?”

“You know the movie, She’s All That? Never mind. The point is I’d rather eat dog shit than go on a date with you.” The team laughed and made noises.

Taylor’s voice dipped low, so only I could hear. “You’ll regret that.” He grabbed my arm, his fingers easily wrapping around my bicep. “What do you think, boys? I think she needs a lesson, maybe a trip to the boy’s locker room.”