Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 73153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
His face contorted with rage at my defiance, and his fist connected with my rib cage with a bruising, punishing blow, making me release a pain-filled scream.
I watched with wary eyes as Kaleb sauntered up to me, a smile on his face. "Our deal is still on, right?"
"Sadly.” I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
He rolled his eyes at my response as well, but he didn't say anything more. I walked beside him toward the library, where he chose a table near the back, away from the librarian who seemed to have ears like a hawk. She hated any kind of noise.
It was one of the reasons I loved coming here.
We sat down, and it took everything in me to keep my pain from flashing across my face. My dad had definitely done a fucking number on me yesterday, and I was really feeling it today.
"How can you stand to always be alone?" I turned wide, shocked eyes to his face, not expecting his question. "I feel like I would go crazy if I didn't have friends."
Oh, he had no idea. It was always lonely, and it sucked.
"You get used to it," I shrugged, only to regret the movement afterward.
Fuck, my entire body hurt.
Kaleb smiled. "Well, I'll be your friend." I choked on my spit, staring at him incredulously, my eyes wide with shock. "You know me well enough, right?"
Hatred filled my eyes once the shock wore off. Honestly, after what I had just endured the night before, I would have loved nothing more than to have a friend that I could confide in, but I couldn't. Talking to Kaleb, even for school-related purposes, was dangerous enough.
If my dad found out about this . . . Fuck, I didn't even want to begin to think about that scenario.
"I don't want friends." I had to force myself to come off cold and angry.
He shrugged as if I hadn't just told him no. "I've had a lot of time to think after our conversation yesterday, and I really think you need a friend to help that hostile attitude of yours." I narrowed my eyes at him, my anger rising. "You need a new view on life. Who better to help you than me?" He gestured to himself.
I clenched my gloved fists in my lap. "I don't need help." My hackles were rising. "My views on life are perfectly fucking fine."
Kaleb released a low whistle, arching an eyebrow. "Man, you've got a temper. I really think you could use a friend. You'd feel better."
Did he not know when to call something quits?
And no, I wouldn’t feel better. Having a friend meant hiding thousands of secrets. That would only make me even more miserable than I already was, knowing that my 'friend' would trust in me completely, and yet, I would be lying out of my ass ninety-nine percent of the time.
That wasn't friendship.
I shook my head at him. "I really wouldn’t.” I rolled my neck around, fighting a grimace. “Aren't you supposed to be learning about me instead of trying to become my damn friend?"
Kaleb just shrugged. "I talked to my mom about you." My throat closed up in fear. This was the very last thing that I needed. "She said that I would learn more about you and your ways by trying to be your friend than I would asking a thousand random questions, so here I am, trying to be your friend." He shrugged. “I have to admit that she was kind of right.”
I drew in a deep breath to calm the fear that had risen in me when he'd told me he had talked to his mom about me. I sighed through my nose in irritation. I knew this assignment meant nothing but trouble for me.
When I had agreed to this, I hadn't thought I would have to go through this torture.
Kaleb couldn't be my friend. For one, he was Kaleb Brinson, the star sports player, the star student, etc.
I was just, well . . . me.
Besides, my life didn't have any room for friends. Hell, I couldn't allow it. I was beaten and raped almost every day of my life, and I couldn't allow that secret to get out. One moment of security, and I was afraid everything may fly out of my mouth—all of my secrets, everything I had worked so hard to keep hidden.
If I was going into an early grave, I was going by my own choice—not by my father's.
"I don't need you or anyone else trying to be my friend. I'm perfectly fine by myself."
He shook his head at me, not agreeing. "No one is perfectly fine by themselves, Tracey." He was clearly getting agitated. "I know deep down you feel that loneliness. I bet deep down, somewhere inside of you, you wish you had someone that you could tell everything to—all of your secrets."