Page 79 of Wild Like Us
Fuck, this is bad. Hand outstretched to Akara, I cut in fast, “Last night, Banks and I kissed.” I look to Banks. “And this morning, while we were out for a run—”
“I kissed her,” Akara tells Banks, his voice as taut as a stretched resistance band.
Banks goes rigid.
Akara’s muscles are already flexed.
Both guys—bothfriends—are just looking at each other. I can’t tell if they’re staring each other down, if their shock is riding the edge of afuck youglare.
The tension is so thick, it’d be easier to breathe underwater.
And then there’s the silence.
Pure utter fucking silence.
Flashbacks of the funhouse suddenly bombard me, and I really didn’t think anything could be more devastatingly awkward than that.
“Say something,” I insist, almost panicked. “One of you.Please.”
Akara flinches and makes a move to the green Jeep. “We should get on the road. We have a long ride left to Montana.”
My stomach nosedives. This can’t be the Funhouse 2.0 where we just bury everything underground for ten daysbefore we even speak about it.
“Kits—” I start todemanda conversation.
His eyes find mine quickly. “We can talk on the way.” He must see my fear because he adds strongly, “I promise we will.”
Banks shuts the trunk. “Fine by me.” His voice is stilted and strained. “Everything’s already loaded up and squared away. We’re good to go.” With two long strides, he’s already in the driver’s seat.
Akara barely blinks as he opens the passenger-side door.
They’re sitting next to each other.
I don’t know what to make of that. I don’t know what to make of anything. Part of me would love to just call my mom. Ask her for a pep-talk and maybe how to handle this strange situation. But I can’t exactly confess that I kissed my bodyguards without figuring out what this is.
It could just end right here.
At this motel.
They could walk away and realize their friendship is worth more than a future with me. Which—I wouldn’t even blame them for. Solid friendships are hard to come by, so they should probably hold each other tight.
Who’s going to hold me?
But I don’t want to be the reason Akara and Banks fight.
Still, I picture my future where I’m back to the beginning again. No more kisses or make-out sessions oranythingelse.
The thought sinks my spirits.
With one big breath, I open the door and climb into the backseat.
16
AKARA KITSUWON
The Jeep rumblesto life as Banks starts the ignition, and my head is split open with the realization that Banks and Sulli kissed—and I should’ve known.
It was rightthere.
