Chapter One-Korah
Dane spent the night in jail.
The guy with a broken arm, Jack or something, originally pressed charges. Leela and I arrived as Cale called to say Dane was being kept overnight. I wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but Cale talked to Jack and he dropped the charges by the next morning. Dane was a mess, unshaven and pissed off when I tried to see him. His anger at Jack surfaced and exploded all around us. Leela and I left before I spoke to him.
Lying in bed, snuggled close with Elle, I watched the sunrise outside my window. The brilliant colors painted the sky as the minutes passed, each stroke of sunlight giving me hope for a better day. Every morning, every hour, and every minute were the start of the new beginning. A better life, day, relationship, or even mood, were seconds away, barely out of reach.
The rational part of me knew Dane was embarrassed and didn’t want me seeing him like that. The other emotional part of me was hurt he treated me that way. I, Korah Daniels, wasn’t going to sit around feeling sorry for myself because a boy was mean to me yet again. The day was new and full of potential. I stumbled around as I got ready, hoping Leela would be game for my crazy idea. I showered, dressed, and even made breakfast for us before I decided to wake her up.
Standing outside her door, I knocked once and peeled it open. To my surprise, Leela wasn’t alone. I heard her gasp as Cale hurried to cover himself. I flung my hands to my eyes and screamed sorry before slamming the door closed. My face warmed as heat spread, embarrassment flooding my body. When Leela and I got home, we went our separate ways, and I never heard the door open again. Seeing Cale naked beside my best friend was a shock.
Once I was safely in my room, I closed the door and hid in my bed. Awkward situations were uncomfortable and made me feel bad. Leela and I always came and went from each other’s rooms freely, but it was clear we needed to revise the policy.
Not 10 minutes later, there was a knock at my door. “Sorry!” I called again, burying my head under the pillow.
“Cale left, can I come in?” Leela said as she turned the knob. “Korah?”
I peeked through the bedding, giving her my best apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear him come by last night. In fact, I didn’t know you two have gotten to that level…”
Her eyes brightened and she gave a coy smirk. “Last night was the first time,” she squealed.
I unburied myself and patted the spot in front of me. “Sit,” I demanded. “Tell me all the details.”
“It was amazing, Korah. I’ve never…,” She paused, fiddling with her hands.
“You never what? I know you aren’t a virgin,” I giggled.
“Duh,” she chuckled. “I don’t know how to explain it. He was so attentive, kind. It wasn’t only sex… It was so much more.”
I smiled, nodding my understanding. “You made love.”
She gave a little grin, tucking her blond locks behind her ear. “I guess so,” she sighed whimsically. Focusing her attention back on me, she asked, “Have you and Dane, you know… Made love?”
I sighed, crossing my legs and sitting on my hands. “I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like maybe we have, the other times I don’t know what he wants from me. He hasn’t even spoken to me since we saw him yesterday.” Sadness seeped from me. Dane got to me more than I wanted to admit.
“Cale said that he was really upset about what happened,” Leela said, reaching out and rubbing my arm in a comforting manner. “You and Dane both have your issues, and they’re both warranted, but I think that’s what keeps you both from admitting how deeply you care. I can see that you that to you this isn’t just some fling. I also know he’s wormed his way into your heart. I believe the only way things will get easier and clearer for the two of you is if you both sit down and are completely honest with each other.”
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