10 Chapter Nine

When I woke this morning, I did not expect to have ice water being thrown on me by my brother's annoying arrogant best friend.

"What the hell is he doing in your bed?!" Kyle roared at me when I finally woke up enough to answer. I groaned when i saw the time.

"What the hell are you doing throwing water on me at," I started, "8 fucking AM on a Saturday?!" I finished answering his question with another question. I pulled myself over Kasen and off the bed for two reasons: One, I was soaking wet and freezing, and two, I was getting ready to slap Kyle if I needed to.

"All I know is that the scum bag has beaten me out of the prize money I've needed for the past three years, and then I find out my best friend's sister knows him! After I get the daylights beat out of me I come out of the dojo to see the ass punch you in the jaw hard enough apparently to bruise." He said, running his thumb over the bruise where Kasen punched me last night, his eyes softening when he sees the spot on my face.

"So then when I come to stay with Erik because I cannot stay in that goddamn house alone I pass out on the couch in exhaustion. So when I woke Erik wanted me to wake you up by water since you blew an air horn in his face, and what do I see? That piece of shit laying in your bed, next to you!" Kyle said as his voice was getting louder and louder. I finally grew tired of the insults he threw Kasen's way. I growled lowly and took one step towards him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen here, Kyle, and listen good, Kasen is his name. He is not a scumbag, piece of shit or anything close to it. If I ever catch you saying that about him again, I swear to you, I will make sure your balls are so sore that you will never be able to get laid again." I said to my voice laced in venom. Kyle's face had paled and he gulped so loud I could have heard it in the room next door. He nodded and walked out, closing my door behind him. I stayed there just staring at the door as Kyle's words replayed in my head.

The prize money I've needed for the past three years...

What could he have needed it for?

"Remind me not to piss you off." Kasen muttered startling me in the process.

"What?" I asked turning towards him, wide eyed since I had no idea he was awake. The last time I threw water on him, he slept right through it..

"That threat you said to Kyle sticking up for me has brought it to my attention that if I piss you off, let me see if I get this right, you will make sure my balls are so sore that I will never be able to get laid again." He said chuckling to himself.

"Y-Y-You heard that?" I stuttered.

"Yeah" he said sitting up. I walked over to the bed and he slid one arm around my waist, pulled me on top of him, disregarding the fact that we both are soaking wet. He moved a stray piece of hair out of my eyes. "You are just so beautiful." He whispered, holding me to him with his arms around my waist. Suddenly I was hit with a wave of deja vu.

It was the weekend before Kait's and mine sophomore year. Like always, well since the weekend before the beginning of eighth grade, we spent the night just being crazy and letting loose (letting loose may or may not entail at least one bottle of vodka from Kaitlin's parent's "secret" stash of alcohol). We usually just watched a movie, ate popcorn, and got drunk, but tonight was different for some reason. Kaitlyn decided she wanted to play truth or dare. I had mistakenly picked dare. It wasn't until I heard her dare that I realized how drunk she really was.

"I dare you to spend-," she didn't get to finish that dare because she spewed her guts all over her bed and floor, and then she passed out. She effectively sprayed to where I couldn't sleep in here, or in my clothes. I tiptoed out of Kaitlin's room and into Kameron's room. He's not home. Kait said that he's staying with a friend for the night so I had no problem sleeping in his bed. Honestly, I wouldn't have an issue if he was here.

I slid out of my vomit covered clothes and put on one of his tee shirts. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out. I was so tired and drunk that I didn't realize the bed had dipped on my side and someone had pulled me close to them.

~~~~

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound of someone's heartbeat under my ear woke me up. I groaned and stretched but froze when I felt someone's chest rumble from under me. I turned to look at who it was and immediately shot away from him.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry!" I rushed out, but Kameron only laughed harder. "What?" I mumbled, looking down. He didn't respond, so I went to get up and check on Kaitlin. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down. My hair covered my face from the sudden movement. He wiped the piece away from my face and whispered, "Beautiful," And then he kissed me.

That was the start of us, and I can't help but wish I had never slept in his room that night. Maybe I wouldn't have been in this position. Maybe he wouldn't have followed me.

"Hey, Devvy, are you okay?" Kasen asked me, rubbing his thumb over the side of my face that wasn't bruised. "Are you thinking about him again?"I looked down, not wanting to look Kasen in the eyes to give him an answer, not wanting him to know he had a claim on me still. I was still looking down when Kase gently took my chin between his thumb and index finger and made me look at him.

"What happened? You were doing so good. You used to barely think about him, so explain to me what happened. Please." He begged. There was something in his voice. I cracked. I told him everything that had happened since I left. He had no idea Kameron had even left Arizona. "He won't touch you again, Devvy. I promise." He said. I nodded because for once I felt safe. Kase knew I was broken and still loved me. He didn't want to fix me. He loved me and my broken pieces.

Even though i wanted to stay like that, in Kasen's arms forever, i knew we couldn't. We were still soaking wet. I pulled away from him and went to pick out something to change into.

"Umm Kase? Do you mind stepping outside with my brother and Kyle while I change into something drier?" I asked in my most innocent voice and batted my eyelashes. He looked at me like I had grown three heads, but then sighed and nodded. He got off the bed and headed towards the door. Right as his hand touched the doorknob he stopped and turned to me.

"I forgot something." He said walking over to me. His eyes went from my lips to my eyes and I knew what he was going to do.

"Kasen, don't. Let me..." He cut me off by crashing his lips to mine. My mind shut down for just a moment letting my instincts take over. My hands went to his hair, and his hands lightly touched my waist. I pulled away because I needed to breathe and I needed to change clothes still.

"I'll be downstairs in just a minute. Try not to get yourself killed by my brother or Kyle." I told him as he started for the door again. When the door shut completely behind him, I went and quickly changed clothes. I was going to brush my hair but a crash coming from downstairs followed by screaming caused me to dash downstairs.

I don't know what I should have expected but seeing Erik and Christina trying to hold Kyle back from attacking Kasen was anything but what I was expecting.

"Kasen! What did I say?!" I yelled at him when I made it downstairs. I stomped right over to him, grabbed him by the arm, and dragged him outside so we could talk in private.

"Devyn, I can explain." Was the first thing Kasen said.

"I sure to god hope so! By all means explain why Kyle looked like he wanted to kill you?" I yelled.

"When I was coming downstairs, I overheard Kyle talking to Erik and Christina about how when he had seen us this morning he got extremely pissed and he didn't know why. Christina said something about him being jealous and that caused Erik to laugh a little. I came off the last stair and by the way Kyle's eyes had lit up, I believe he thought it was you coming down the stairs. I just ignored it and Christina, Kyle, and Erik were about to go back upstairs when I decided, very stupidly, to say something."

"What did you say Kasen?"

"I told him that he can get jealous of me all he wants but I have the one thing he'll never have: You."

"YOU SAID WHAT?!" I exploded. "Kasen! Kyle does not like me or is in any way jealous of you!"

"Devyn? Are you that blind? Do you not see the way Kyle looks at you?" He asked as I just stared at him with a deer in the headlights look. "Of course you don't see it." He muttered. I could see him clenching his fists at his sides.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

"Nothing. Just nothing." He said turning to leave.

"Where are you going?" I yelled behind him.

"Anywhere but here." He said, and I was not about to let him leave like this. I ran up behind him and put my hand on his shoulder to turn him around, but he did something that completely shocked me. He pushed me. Hard. There was so much force that hit me that caused me to fall backwards. I caught my fall by putting my hands behind me. My left palm landed right on a piece of glass.

"SHIT!" I yelled and looked at my now bleeding hand. I could see there were several pieces of glass in my hand. I was about to get up when I felt someone behind me help me up. I went to look for Kasen to tell him it wasn't his fault but he was already gone.

"Holy shit, Princess. We need to get you to the hospital." Kyle said looking at my hand.

"No, I'm fine. I need to find Kasen." I said trying to pull out of Kyle's grasp, but when I went to walk, pain shot through my ankle and I would have fallen again if it weren't for Kyle.

"You are not going anywhere except to the hospital to get that glass out of your hand and to get that ankle looked at." He said picking me bridal style and carrying me to the car. He put me in the passenger seat and went to grab my keys.

When he came back, Erik and Christina were with him. They sat in the back and Kyle drove.

"Here." Erik said, giving me a towel to wrap my hand in to stop as much bleeding as possible.

While we were on our way, everything was quiet. Well, almost quiet. Kyle kept muttering things under his breath. We finally made it and I was going to get out on my own but Erik beat me to it. He helped me out and took me inside. Kyle, on the other hand, just disappeared.

After waiting for what seemed like lifetimes, the doctor finally saw us. It turns out that the glass cut pretty deep and I would need a couple stitches. The doctor also said my ankle was sprained. So he wrapped my hand in gauze, gave me crutches for my ankle, and sent us on our way. We had just made it outside the hospital when I saw someone being brought in on a stretcher. I looked to see who it was and I nearly fainted. I turned, dropped my crutches, and ran. I wasn't even caring that Erik was screaming my name or how the pain in my ankle was becoming unbearable. Erik finally caught up to me and stopped me.

"Devyn, what did you see?" He asked.

"The guy... on the... stretcher... its Ka...Kasen." I said panting