Read Online So Much It Hurts by Melanie Dawn - Free Book Online Page B

Trevor.”
    “Okay, I’ll see you at practice,” she said. I was relieved she didn’t interrogate me any further. I might have spilled my guts about secretly hoping to bump into Chris.
    The hallway was packed like sardines as people tried to make their way to the exits, but I could still see Chris coming down the hallway toward me. I panicked as I scanned the crowd for Trevor. Thankfully, I didn’t see him. Chris smiled as he got closer to me. His crooked grin made me blush. I lowered my chin and peered up at a him through bashful lashes.
    “See you later,” he said covertly.
    “Bye,” I responded quietly.
    Just as Chris got within inches of me, he reached out and touched my hand as he brushed by me. I could feel the energy pass from his fingertips to my palm. My heart rate quickened as a rush of adrenaline surged through my arteries. His eyes held mine hostage for a few extra seconds. Then, his fingers fell from my hand the minute he was pushed forward by the steady flow of people rushing by us. My hand still tingled from the sensation of his touch. I felt myself longing for more.
    Somehow I made it to my locker. Trevor was already waiting for me. I swallowed hard, detecting that he was ready for a fight. I could see his jaw muscle clenched as I got closer to him. “Eric told me you found a new boyfriend,” he said flatly.
    “Who?” I asked, although I already had an idea.
    “The convict,” Trevor stated, narrowing his eyes at me.
    “I was just being friendly to a new student,” I replied.
    “Well, like I’ve told you before, you better not ever talk to another guy. Ever.”
    “That’s not fair, Trevor! How is that even possible?”
    Without hesitation, he grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed me into the lockers. My head bounced off the cold hard locker door. The sound of clanking metal seemed to echo down the hall. I caught my breath as he hissed, through clenched teeth, into my ear, “You’d better make it possible.”
    A few other students slinked to the other side of the hallway to avoid our confrontation. Others quickly ducked into empty classrooms with open doorways.
    “Please stop, Trevor. You’re hurting me,” I said as the tears stung my eyes.
    He loosened his grip a little. “I mean it, Kaitlyn. If I ever catch you even looking at another guy, then you can guarantee there will be trouble .”
    At that moment, I didn’t want to even think about what he might have meant by trouble . The night of the death threat immediately sparked my memory.
    “I’ll see you after practice,” he said sharply as he released me from his painful grasp.
    “Okay, okay,” I said trying to keep my composure.
    He headed out the door for practice just as my eyes opened the flood gates.
    The tears continued to flow, despite my efforts to stop them, as I walked down the hill toward the track where the cheerleaders held practices. Unfortunately for me, the track encircled the football field where Trevor would be working out with his teammates.
    “Kaitlyn!” a familiar voice called out.
    It was Chris. He was sitting on the sidewalk listening to his mp3 player. A notebook and pencil were in his hand. His backpack had been slung onto the ground next to him. I glanced around nervously, looking for any sign of Trevor, even though I knew he was probably in the locker room getting suited up for football practice.
    “Oh, hi Chris,” I said, smiling through my tears.
    “Whoa! Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.
    I’m sure my face was a mess with my mascara running down my cheeks. Embarrassed, I tried to wipe it away on my sleeve. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
    “F-I-N-E. Feelings Inside Not Expressed.” He pretty much nailed it.
    “You wouldn’t understand,” I replied.
    “Try me,” he prodded.
    I considered his offer for a moment. “Have you ever been afraid of someone?” I asked cautiously, resisting the sudden urge to confide in this guy I barely knew.
    “I guess,” he admitted, eyeing me warily.