Swallowing hard, I nod. “It was challenging. Kids would beat me for being a ‘dumbass,’ as they so cruelly put it. Matt would always fend them off as best he could. He tried, he really did, but he still doesn’t know the extent of the damage done to mein school. I kept most of the beatings and torment from him. Losing my mom really threw me off course, and I was floating in the wind. I was, still am, kind of…” I think for a moment about the word I need to use. “Lost.”
Ria sniffs beside me, and I glance up to see a few tears falling down her cheeks.
“Oh shit! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
She shakes her head, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, then places her hand on my knee, squeezing it tightly. “No, don’t be sorry. I’m sorry. It’s just… I lost my dad when I was young too. So, believe me, I know how that can affect someone’s psyche. Don’t worry, you’re not strange, it’s not bad, but you’re relating reading to your mom’s death. No wonder you’ve been avoiding learning. But, Nate, you’re a grown man now, and as much as it hurts, you need to push past it. You’ve been doing so well, considering, and I had no idea that was the reason.”
Sighing, I feel a weight lift just by telling her. “No one apart from you knows the full extent of it. Matt knows some, of course. Danger and Ryan know our mom died, but they don’t know how much it affected me in the process.”
“I’m proud of you for telling me and, more than that, for trusting me. I can only imagine how hard this has been on you over the years.” She leans in, hugging me tightly, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her to me. Her hair smells terrific, and even though I feel lighter from getting that out, I need her comfort right now. She pulls back, but not far, still in my arms. Her face is so close to mine as she looks me in the eyes.
We’ve done this dance so many times that I’m not sure if I can handle another rejection right now. My breathing quickens as my heart races in my chest. Her lips part infinitesimally, but I won’t make a move this time. We’re staring at each other, both breathing erratically, electricity surging between us, sparking off in all directions.
It’s almost too much for me to take when her eyes sparkle, and it’s like something clicks and registers on her face. She rushes forward, her lips crashing to mine, taking me by surprise. Her hands run up my chest and neck, then into my hair. Breaking free from the shock, I open my mouth, kissing her back as I close my eyes, relishing in the moment of being with Ria.
I move one hand, resting it on her back while the other caresses her cheek. The kiss is sensual, deep, and full of passion—everything I want it to be. Our tongues collide in a flurry of desire. It’s intense and lasts longer than I imagined our first kiss would, but I’m not complaining, not at all. I’m fucking enjoying every single second of it as I pant through my nose for air.
Suddenly, Ria pulls back, breaking the kiss as she slides away from me like I have a disease or something, and her hand flies to her mouth. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Furrowing my brows, I shake my head slowly. “Why? It was amazing?”
She stands, starting to pace. “No! We’re friends. That’s all this can ever be, Nate.”
My stomach sinks while my chest aches. I breathe heavily as I watch Zaria pace back and forth, almost in a state of panic.
“Okay, I’d better go.”
She nods, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort, and then she turns and walks inside. I stand, feeling deflated and annoyed that she obviously denies her attraction to me, but I gather my stuff and head through the house, where Ria is now nowhere to be seen.
I let myself out with a hollow feeling settling in my chest.
Chapter Seven
NATE
I feel like shit.
Likefuckingshit.
And as I walk through the side door of the house, Matt is in the living room on the Xbox. He looks up at me and raises his eyebrow with a chuckle. “What the fuck are you wearing?”
Walking past him, I grunt. “Don’t wanna talk about it.”
Matt pauses the game and turns, facing me as I head for the stairs. “Whoa, whoa, whoa… what’s going on?”
As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I grab the banister and slump my head with a deep sigh. “I told Ria about Mom and what happened… why I can’t read, and then she kissed me. But then she pulled back, saying she didn’t mean to and that we’re just friends.”
Matt furrows his brows as he stands and walks over to me. “Wait, so she actually kissed you, then what? Threw you out?”
Looking up at him, I shake my head. “She kissed me, then I left.”
Matt nods and sighs deeply. “Mm… this is probably because of her very public and very nasty breakup with Kade from Backlash.”
Jolting back, I gasp. “Wait!What?”
“Didn’t you know? Zaria dated him for like a year, and then he cheated and left her for some groupie.”
“How did I not know about this?” I ask while running my fingers through my hair.
