Page 13 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)
13
KAYLEIGH
“ A re you feeling okay?” Evie nudges me as we leave class.
I stare down at the paper in my hand. I frown at it intensely. “Not really,” I huff, my eyes focusing on the massive ‘ 48/100’ on the top of my latest essay.
“You’ll do better on the next one,” she says encouragingly.
“I needed to do good in this one,” I reply.
Evie sighs softly. “Well, maybe we need to study together more.”
“I study enough as it is.” I laugh sadly.
Why am I not doing well?
“I know.” She chews the inside of her lip. “I’ll read over it next time and see if I can help in any way. Maybe you were distracted. I know you haven’t been feeling one hundred percent lately.”
I haven’t felt one hundred percent in a long time.
“Yeah.” I force a smile at her. “Sure. Thanks.”
She flashes me one back as she loops her arm through mine. “Let’s go sit on the green. It’s a nice day today.”
I nod in agreement as she guides us outside. The second the sunlight hits my face, I take a deep breath and attempt to push away the tightness in my chest. I stuff my paper in my bag, no longer wanting to look at those daunting numbers.
As we step onto the path, I hear someone say my name behind us.
Instantly, the muscles in my back contract, and I close my eyes.
“Fuck off, Josh,” Evie murmurs before I even get the chance to see him.
I remember now why people always say don’t shit where you eat because I have to endure seeing Josh around campus, and it’s worse than literal torture.
“Nice to see you, too, Evie,” he drawls. “Pleased to know Kayleigh’s let you off your leash.”
I whip around to face him as he takes a step closer. My nostrils flare, but I keep calm because I know he wants a reaction out of me.
“What do you want, Josh?” I pin him with a stare, taking slow breaths.
Josh runs his tongue along the inside of his lip slowly. “You’ve not been replying to my texts,” he states. “Actually, they’re not sending at all now.”
“Yeah…well, take a hint.”
His brows move towards each other. “After everything, that’s how you want to play it?”
“You broke up with me, remember?”
“And why can’t we be civil? You’re proving how erratic and crazy you are.”
I tighten my fists to stop myself from exploding at him.
He doesn’t deserve your energy. He deserves nothing.
“Because I don’t want anything to do with you,” I hiss. “Leave me alone, Josh.”
My arm latches onto Evie’s tighter, and I steer us away. Steam boils from the top of my head as I attempt to breathe evenly, but I feel like a goddamn dragon. The audacity of that man. I can’t stand it.
“I hate him,” Evie mutters.
“That makes two of us.”
“I’m sorry.”
“About what?”
“Him,” she sighs. “I feel like you can’t truly move on if he’s always here, lurking around a corner. I can’t imagine how tough it must be.”
I hum. “Yeah. But soon, we’ll be out of here, and I’ll never have to see his face again.”
“Amen to that.” She bumps her arm into mine lightly.
We perch on a patch of grass, and I lay back, the sunshine coating me like a warm hug. Evie digs out her book and moves to lay on her front, burying her nose in the pages.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to find Kayden’s name. Even the sight makes my stomach do a flip. Blood rushes through my veins as I chew on my lip and open the message.
Kayden:
You grown a second head from that bump of yours yet?
Kayleigh:
Yep. I’m officially the two-headed monster
Kayden:
Shit. Maybe I should swing by and check it out
Never had a patient with two heads
Kayleigh:
You need to cut it out with the doctor roleplay
Kayden:
Roleplay?
You think this is roleplay?
Blondie, you haven’t seen nothing
Kayleigh:
Not sure if I even want to know
Kayden:
Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be screaming for it when the time comes
My face heats as I stare down at the message. Screaming? Jesus.
Kayleigh:
Takes a lot for me to scream
Kayden:
Oh, yeah?
Kayleigh:
Yep
Kayden:
Funny
Pretty sure I’ve already made you scream
And I’m certain it was my name you were screaming
The temperature of my cheeks begins to burn beneath the surface. I narrow my eyes at the screen and scold him for being so brash. It might be true, but I didn’t want to hear it again.
Goddamn him.
My thumbs hover over the screen as I think of what to say next.
Kayden:
Reminiscing, are we?
Kayleigh:
No, more like shredding the memory
Kayden:
That’s a shame
We can always make more
“Who are you texting?”
My phone leaps out of my hands at the sound of Evie’s voice. It crashes down onto the grass beside me as I fumble pathetically. “No one.” I shake my head.
Her eyes narrow suspiciously. “No one? Come on, tell me.”
“Kayden,” I huff.
“Of course.” She snorts. “That’s why you’re all pink and flustered.”
I press a hand to my cheek, my skin sizzling beneath my touch.
“It’s the sun,” I blurt. “It’s too hot.”
Evie’s mouth curls into a cunning smile. “Yeah. Yeah. Heard that one before.”
I grab my phone and turn my attention back to the screen.
Kayleigh:
Are you always this forward with women?
Kayden:
No, only you
Kayleigh:
Consider me charmed
Kayden:
Really?
Kayleigh:
No
Kayden:
Damn, I need to step up my game
Kayleigh:
Try it with someone else
Kayden:
Don’t want to
Kayleigh:
Are you always this persistent?
“Oh my God,” Evie gasps. “You are grinning so hard your face is about to rip in two.”
I sober my expression and glare at my friend. “I’m not grinning.”
“Anymore.” She chuckles. “Is Kayden really that entertaining?”
“No.” I hide my phone.
“Let me see.”
So she can see that we’re blatantly flirting? Absolutely not.
My phone vibrates, and I sneak a peek at the screen.
Kayden:
When it’s worth it.
I stare at the message, dumbfounded. I lock the phone before I reply with something stupid and look back at Evie, who is flexing her brow at me.
“We’re just friends.” I hold my hands up in defence. “We didn’t do anything the other day when I saw him. I was good.”
“But did you want to?”
I bite my tongue for a moment. “That’s a completely different question.”
“Oh my God.” She pushes herself up and beams at me. “You did, and you didn’t do it? I am so proud of you, Kay.”
“I kind of enjoyed his company without having to get in bed with him,” I admit. “It was nice for a change. If anything, it was more rewarding.”
Evie’s eyes widen in surprise. “But you still want to fuck him?”
“Oh, one hundred percent.” I laugh. “But I like what’s going on right now. It’s chill. No pressure.”
“My, my.” She wiggles her brows. “I am loving this.”
I exhale a long breath.
“When are you seeing him again?” she asks.
“I’m going to see Ava on Sunday,” I state. “I found a bunch of our old school memorabilia; she wants me to bring it over so she can show Jaxon.”
Evie hums. “And is Kayden going to be there?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “But I haven’t told him I’m going to be there.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to make it a thing. I’m going to see my friend. Not him.”
Evie leans back on her palm, her eyes analysing me. “Okay. That’s fair.”
She checks her watch and curses. “I’ve got a meeting with my professor. I’ll see you later?”
“Sure.” I smile as she leans over to give me a quick hug.
When she’s gone, I stare down at Kayden’s message, my lip lodged between my teeth. I want to reply, but I know I shouldn’t. I need to take my own advice.