Page 258 of We Shouldn't Be Together
I want to believe Kai when he says nothing will pull us apart. We’ve already been through so many obstacles, and gained the approval from so many people who matter.
But this is undeniable. There’s still one person who can pull us apart.
I tried not letting Jamie ruin the rest of my day, but it’s difficult during the last class. It’s English lit, and I can’t help looking over my shoulder and watching Jamie sitting next to my boyfriend. Geez, she looks so sour when she catches me staring.
She’s almost as gloomy as the slate grey clouds outside the classroom windows. Angry rumblings echo around the building, and then a flash of lightning cracks amongst the mountains. And, as if God turned on the faucet, rain pelts heavily from the sky.
The only sunshine left in the afternoon is Kai. Unable to stand me staring, Jamie nudges him, and he lights up at the sight of me. Oh, that boy’s smile is so gosh-darn adorable.
At the end of class, Ms. Jenkins calls me over to discuss our latest reading assignment. Apparently, whatever I wrote about Cordelia in that scene was off base. I thought this class was supposed to be subjective?
I leave the classroom in time to overhear Jamie’s whining. “The thought of being around all these snooty women is already freaking me out. I can’t worry about talking to Tabitha.”
“But she knows all these women,” Kai defends. “Wouldn’t it be good to have someone in your corner?”
Jamie huffs. “I guess.”
“Relax, James,” Kai says. “Just think about it like a regular workday.”
Milo steps into the hall ahead of me, asking Jamie if she’s ready to go. He’s planning on hanging out at the café until the meeting is over, and then he and Jamie will have another tutoring session.
“It’s raining buckets out there,” Kai says. “I’ll drive us all over there.”
Kai beckons me closer, looping me under his arm. As if I’ve got an airborne disease, Jamie and Milo hang back and follow behind us. As soon as we pass through the school foyer, the pair are out of my mind. The battering of the rain brings me back into my body, as it chills the air and is icy to the touch.
Kai squeezes my hand. “I got you. Let’s make a run for it.”
I nod and squeal as we race toward the student parking lot. Guess that running buddies thing came sooner than I expected. Ugh, and we’re stuck in the rain again. But just like last time Kai got me to safety, I whole-heartedly trust him.
When we get to Kai’s car, I’m soaked. Sitting on the front passenger seat, I rip off my blazer and ring out my curls.
Kai reaches into the backseat and pulls out his Ashworth Academy Hawks hoodie. “Here, wear this.”
My heart melts. “Really?”
He lets out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, baby. Take it.”
With pleasure, I pull on the hoodie. As soon as it’s over my head, Kai pulls me into a kiss. His tongue brushes against my bottom lip, and in a moment of bravery, I open my mouth, letting his tongue slip inside.
Tingles dance along my spine, and butterflies disperse inside me. His powerful arms pull us closer, and I’m sure he can feel the rhythmic beating of my heart.
Wow.
Just how did I get so incredibly lucky?
The back passenger door flies open, and Jamie blurts, “Get a room, not a car.”
Kai and I break apart, and the back of his hand wipes against his mouth. “Sorry,” he says with a sarcastic undertone. “I forgot we were leaving with two wet blankets.”
Feeling flushed, I turn behind us as Jamie and Milo buckle into the backseat. “Sorry, guys. Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
Jamie flashes a big, fake smile. “No big deal.”
It’s hard to think of even small talk on the quick trip to Morton’s Café. Kai’s car stereo is blasting a metal song. He’s being a typical guy, too embarrassed to be found kissing, so he found an excuse not to talk about it.
When he parks close to the cafe, Jamie unbuckles in a hurry, saying she needs to set up a video link with her aunt for this meeting.
Another server watches us arrive, and her eyes go to the downpour of rain outside the windows. “Wow, it’s really coming down out there.”
