Page 101 of The Pinkie Pact

I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated a split second.

"Your sister's roommate came onto me," Mr. Emerson said, his voice calm and sure like he'd done this a million times.

What the hell?

Even in the dim light, I could feel Kieran's eyes piercing me. Blood pounded through my veins, rushing past my ears, making it hard to hear. And for the first time in my life, I actually saw red as rage engulfed me.

Stalking toward Kieran, now I could at least see his face which was a blank mask. "You know that's not true. I'dneverdo something like that," I said in a voice that was so deadly quiet and calm, I didn't even recognize it as my own.

"She's lying," Mr. Emerson said from behind me.

I whipped my head around. "You can go to hell."

My eyes returned to Kieran's bewildered face, my hand reaching toward his arm but not quite touching him. "You have to believe me, Kier. I'd never do that. You know that.You know that."

For a moment, the whole world seemed to hold its breath as we all waited, waited to see what Kieran would say. But he was silent for what seemed like an eternity, and I was going insane with the thought that everything we had could be destroyed by his asshole of a dad.

Finally, he spoke, his voice a whisper. "He's my dad.My dad."

My heart plummeted at those words because I knew... I knew he was going to believe his dad. And not me.

"I don't know what to think," he said, his voice cracking.

The torment on his face was real. But the torment in my heart was even more real.

"I... I need a little time... to think about this and... and figure this out," he said.

The fact that Kieran didn't believe me straight out? I couldn't even describe the feeling inside me. It was utter, complete destruction. A black hole where once my heart had been beating.

"Take all the time you need," I hissed as I moved past him. "Tell your mom I'm sorry, but I feel sick all the sudden."

And with that, I took off down the hall, hoping I didn't see Kara or her mom and praying that Kieran would come after me, telling me how wrong he'd been not to believe me.

Thank God Kara and her mom were still in the kitchen and didn't hear me grab my coat and purse in the living room before leaving, shutting the door quietly behind me. I couldn't face them. I couldn't face anyone. The only person I wanted to see was Kieran, apologizing profusely to me, comforting me about what had just happened.

How fucked up was that? The person who had hurt me to my core was the person I wanted right now. It made no sense.

I pounded on the elevator button. "Come on," I pleaded.

Looking behind me, I watched the Emersons' door, my heart beating all over the place, hoping Kieran would come out to find me.

But he didn't.

The elevator doors opened, and I stepped in, my chest squeezing, my breath coming out in short spurts. Was this what it was like to hyperventilate? Was I having a panic attack?

After I pressed the button for the ground floor, I held onto the rail inside the elevator with both hands, the tears now starting to come, turning into full-on sobs. My heart was completely shredded, torn into pieces.

How could he not believe me? How could he ever think I'd be capable of that?

He needed time to think about it? Is that what he'd said? Why didn't he trust me? What was it about me that he couldn't trust?

The elevator slowed, and I tried to stop crying, but I couldn't. It just hurt so fucking much. Putting my head down, I walked out the open door, feeling someone's gaze on me as they waited for me to pass. But I didn't look up, just kept my eyes on the ground and headed for the main entrance, always hoping to hear Kieran's voice, feel Kieran's hand on my shoulder stopping me.

But I didn't.

Damn it all to hell.

Aimlessly, I walked down the dark sidewalk, paying no attention to anything. I had no idea where I was, where I was going, still bawling my eyes out, still not able to believe what had happened.

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