“I could ask the same, but I already know.” His voice is as cold as his stare.
“Why is it so dark in here?”
“Complements my mood.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” He stalks across the room toward me. “Maybe it’s the fact you sneak out of bed every night to see my best friend.”
“Just to talk,” I respond automatically.
“Yeah, talk. Talking is important. I talk to you, Ellie. I tell you my deepest darkest secrets. I slice myself open and let my emotions pour out and what do you do? You leave. Not one night do you have the decency to stay with me. So tell me, little girl, is there something going on between you and Jett?” He crowds me, forcing me to step backward. “Do you want him, Ellie? Do you want him now that you know all about poor, pathetic Kayne and his fucked-up issues?”
“No.” I bump up against the wall. “It isn’t like that.”
“Then what is it like? Tell me.”
“We’re just friends,” I scramble. Pissed off Kayne is a scary thing. “He was there; he’s the only one who knows what happened between us. Who else am I supposed to talk to?” Tears cloud my vision.
“Who else?” Kayne seethes.“Me!”
I jump. “How am I supposed to talk to you about you?”
“You can talk to me about anything. I have been trying, Ellie, really trying to be everything you want, everything you need. But it’s just not enough. I will never ever be enough.” He hits his chest with a closed fist.
“That’s not true. You’re everything.”
“Then why run to Jett?”
“Because I was confused!”
“About what?”
“How I felt.”
“About me?”
“Yes, at first and then . . . then . . .”
“Then?” He hangs on my last word.
“What I wanted.”
“Wanted!? You don’t want me, Ellie?”
“No . . .” I shake my head flustered. “Yes! Of course I want you. It’s just . . .” My lip quivers, this is not how I pictured this conversation going.
“Just? Dammit, Ellie, tell me!” Kayne erupts.
I start to breathe heavily as the tears roll down my cheeks. I hate that I’m being such a girl, but this hard for me, wanting something so taboo. More than wanting . . . dying for.
“I want you,” I profess.
“You have me.”
“Only part of you,” I contest.
Kayne looks at me like he’s staring at one of those crazy 3D pictures.
