“I’m not giving him back! He’s mine, and she’s out of her fucking mind,” Pete huffed.
“Pete,” Colton warned.
I rubbed my forehead. I couldn’t believe I’d left a mostly-naked Kitty for this. “What are you two fighting about now?”
“She said I was looking at one of the Powerpuff Girls at the party,” Pete whined.
I normally would have questioned it, but it was Halloween, so I knew who he meant. Why a twenty-four-year-old was coming to our parties was a bit disturbing to me anyway, but that was Pete and Kara’s odd relationship. It was decided that Colton and I would drive Pete over to Kara’s with Bowser to apologize. Colton and I had to act like hostage negotiators to convince them to kiss and make up.
It was well into the afternoon by the time we were done with Operation: Bowser Return. Luckily, the cops didn’t have to be involved, so neither did Coach.
I still hadn’t heard from Kitty, so I texted her again.
U ok?
KITTY BIRD
Fine
U wanna have dinner tonite
Have plans, sorry
Yikes, okay. No “Thanks for coming over, Guy-Guy?” No “How about a rain check, Guy-Guy?” Why was this weird? I didn’t want this to be weird. I loved touching her, but maybe she thought we crossed a line. It kind of hurt my feelings. I’d thought about what Maman said about us being together a lot, particularly after Kitty drunkenly alluded to it and told me I was the love of her life. Was Maman right? Was it time for me and Kitty to try being together?
I saw her from a distance on campus a couple of times that week, her ponytail swishing behind her as she burrowed down into her coat. She was always too far away for me to catch up to her. I opened and closed my text app constantly, trying to think of something to make her want to talk to me, but came up blank. I didn’t see her up close again until a frat party the next weekend.
Kitty was gorgeous, her long, dark hair in waves swept over one shoulder, and a loose green sweater that showed her entire back. I knew how soft that skin felt and I wanted to put my hands on it again. She couldn’t have been wearing a bra, because there was absolutely nothing on her back. Just miles of smooth, creamy skin. My lips ached wanting to kiss every inch of that skin. I wanted those sweet nipples back in my mouth. I wanted the taste of her pussy on my tongue again. But first, I had to break whatever awkwardness made us stop talking for the past week.
She was talking to one of the frat bros. I strode across the room, ready to break it up, just as the guy stroked his hand down her spine and whispered something in her ear. She had the sexiest smile as she listened to what he said. I wanted to be that guy. I wanted to be the one turning her on.
Kitty turned to face Generic Frat Boy and when I was about ten steps from them, his tongue was in her mouth. I stopped in my tracks, feeling like I’d been punched. Now I really wanted to be that guy. Or smash his face in.
The room blurred. My throat went dry. I scanned mysurroundings, looking for a girl who might soothe my sore feelings. There were beautiful women everywhere, but none of them were the one I wanted. I turned to find Mikey, told him I was leaving, and got the hell out.
I cursed myself on the way home. I must have fucked it all up if Kitty was out hooking up with other guys after she’d been with me.
Or did she not consider it being with me? Did she think it was just some kind of favor for a friend? Was that a friends-with-benefits thing I did?
I’d never gotten jealous seeing my past hookups moving on at a party. I never wanted anything lasting with any of them, though. But why didn’t I? Some of them were pretty cool. I might have had fun in a relationship with them. I’d had a couple of girlfriends in high school. But I’d never been in love.
Or had I? That didn’t make any sense either. Kitty and I had neverreallybeen together. I loved her, like as family, as my best friend, and I think before I left West Virginia, I really loved her. All the way. But did that ever fade? I was so young then. Was it just puppy love?
I didn’t really know how to name how I felt. I just knew that I wanted to throw things whenever I saw her with another guy.
Kitty hadn’t spoken to me the whole week before. Likewise, I guess I didn’t ask her to do anything with me when maybe I should have. I told myself I was giving her space, though it killed me. And space resulted in her going home with someone else, so look where that got me.
The day after I saw her go home with Generic Frat Boy, I knew I needed some advice. Normally, I’d talk about my problems with Frank, but that would entail fessing up to having fooled around with his sister. Colton would have to do instead.
We went to the gym together and had lunch after. He was the captain for a reason. He always knew what to do. I explained to him who Kitty was to me: a lifelong best friend who I probably would be in love with if we gave it a chance. I told him whathappened that night in her room and he slapped his hand over his face.
“Bro,” he scolded me. “You didn’t call her after that?”
“No. Should I have? I thought she needed space. She didn’t want to talk to me.”
“Look at it from her perspective. You got her off. She asked to do the same to you and you said no. Did you at least kiss her goodbye?”
My cheeks burned red. “No. I left to deal with Bowsergate and sent her a text to say I had an emergency. I texted her to ask if she was okay later.”
