After making my excuses to the guys about why I’m going to be late, I sneak off in search of Kelly. Luckily, it isn’t too hard to find her. I spot her making her way hurriedly across the courtyard by her dorm building. Gotcha.
I follow at a distance, trying to keep out of her sight. I feel a bit like a creeper following my best friend around, but I know when something is up. There is most definitely something going on with my best friend right now, and I intend to find out what. I follow her quietly, trying to figure out where the hell she is going. It only becomes clear when I spot the building up ahead, the abandoned dorm building.
Who is she meeting here?
She slinks around the back of the building, and in through the back door that has again been left ajar. I wait a few minutes, hoping she’s moved within the building enough to not hear me follow her inside. Creeping as quietly as possible to the door, and slipping into the building. I try to focus on what’s around me, but it’s so dark in here. Damn it, why didn’t I bring my phone to use as a light? I wait for a minute, allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I slowly step further into the building, doing a quiet search of the lower floor, before determining that Kelly must have gone upstairs. Fuck, I hope they don’t creak.
Moving quietly up the stairs, I tentatively place my foot on each next step, only slowly adding my weight. Eventually, I make it to the top of the stairs. Only having taken three steps away from the stairs, I freeze when I hear a voice. Kelly’s voice.
“I cannot believe what you’re doing,” Kelly’s voice says.
“It’s for the greater good, you should understand,” a man’s voice replies. A familiar voice. I move toward the voices.
“The greater good? They killed a man!” Kelly snaps.
“A man that tried to kill your best friend,” he replies.
“Murder is wrong, no matter who it is you’re killing. They could have handed him over to the council and had him tried legally,” Kelly argues. My heart is thudding in my chest as I reach the door at the end of the corridor, where the voices appear to be coming from.
“I didn’t kill him,” he replies.
“You may as well have. You helped dump the body here, I saw it!” she snaps. Wait, what? Kelly saw the people leave the body?
“Nobody saw us,” he grunts.
“I saw it in a vision. I saw you put the note into his hand for Kenzie, how could you do that to her!” she asks.
“He tried to kill her. He deserved it,” he replies. His voice—It can’t be.
“You can’t be serious. You know I love you, but how am I meant to keep this to myself?” Kelly whispers. Kelly loves him? There has to be a mistake here, surely. I move to try and sneak a peek through the crack in the door.
“I want us to be together, Kelly, but it’s too dangerous right now. We will be together soon, and none of this will matter. Once his plan is in motion, we won’t have to hide anymore,” he says softly, an almost promising tone to his voice. I catch a glimpse of the man with his hood up standing next to Kelly, he’s placed a hand on her cheek. I feel sick to my stomach, I can’t watch this.
“I can’t . . . you can’t trust them. What if they are going to hurt her? I heard the rumours, that they were here for her the day they attacked,” Kelly says.
“They’re not going to hurt Kennie, they need her. You should know I wouldn’t let them hurt her,” he says, sounding a little offended by the idea.
“Why do they need her?” Kelly asks.
“I can’t tell you that right now, Kelly, but it’ll all be clear soon. Just trust me,” he pleads.
“I-I don’t know if I can,” she replies so quietly I barely catch it. I watch through the crack in the door as he pulls down his hood, his back to me. He leans down, and they kiss. How did I not see this coming?
“Trust me,” he says again. He turns slightly, and I dart back, afraid he’ll spot me. I back away, not able to listen to this conversation anymore.
My brother. My best friend is in love with my brother.
And even better, he’s involved with Mr. Layan’s murder.
This cannot be happening.
I make my way back out of the old dorm building as quietly, but quickly, as possible. Once I’m outside, I run. I run straight through the woods and toward the cabin, needing to get far away from there. A body crashes into mine, knocking, and then pinning, me to the ground. Fuck. I look up at Enzo’s face staring down at mine.
“Why the fuck are you running through the woods? I shouted for you six times, and you just kept running!” he snaps.
“You shouted?” I whisper.
“Well, duh,” he replies sarcastically, his face painted with annoyance.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble, trying to wriggle out of his hold.
“Hey, don’t go timid on me, Crowe. I was just messing around. Are you okay?” he asks, brushing my hair out of my face.
I look up into his dark eyes and shake my head.
“What’s wrong?” he questions softly.
“I don’t know who to trust,” I reply quietly, letting out a sigh.
“You know you can trust me, right?” he says.
“Trust you?” I ask, a small smile crossing my lips.
“Always,” he replies, and then he closes the distance between us, pressing his lips to mine. I gasp from shock, not expecting the kiss. He goes to pull away, and I slide a hand around his neck and pull him back, returning the kiss.
He tangles his hand in my hair, deepening the kiss between us, before pulling away and quickly standing back up. I can’t help but feel like the kiss was over way too quickly.
“Come on then, the others will wonder where you’ve gotten to if we’re late,” he says, no sign in his voice that what had just happened, had happened.
“Um, okay?” I reply, slowly getting to my feet. He leads the way back to the cabin, and as I follow him, I can’t help but wonder what has him so hot and cold. One minute he’s talking to me, flirting with me, and now, kissing me. And then another, he’s ignoring me and acting as if there is nothing at all between us. Shaking my head to myself, I resign myself to the fact that Enzo is confusing, but that I have bigger fish to worry about.
Enzo may be hot and cold, but Kelly loves Ryan.
Ryan is an accomplice in a murder.
And, the rebels need me for something.
When did life get this messed up?
Chapter 30
Kenzie