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Break My Fall(32)







Kyle





“Keep your bitch on a leash Carter,” Mike snarled, as he glowered at us. “Lee doesn’t need your skanky girlfriend in her face.” I was up and in his face in seconds.

“Say it again asshole,” I warned. Mike sneered at me and I wanted to stick my fist down his throat. I hadn’t realized Lee and Mike knew each other. The thought made my blood run cold.

“Oh boys, are you fighting over me again? I thought we did that already?” I glared at Rachel. She was enjoying this.

“Why don’t you get back in your coffin Rachel,” Mike snapped.

Rachel stood up; I could feel the anger rippling off her in waves. “Screw you Mike,” she hissed.

“We already did that sweetheart and it wasn’t that memorable,” he shot back.

Rachel snorted and stormed past the both of us.

“Stay away from her,” I warned.

Mike focused his attention back to me and smiled darkly. “Who, Rachel? You can have her.” He turned and headed back to the kitchen.

“That’s not who I meant,” I shouted after him.

He turned and grinned, his brown eyes full of malice. “I know.”





Lee





I was exhausted by the end of my shift. I finished stacking the chairs on top of the tables with a heavy heart. I picked up the mop bucket and headed out back to empty it. Walking past the office, I noticed the light on inside. Huh, I thought everyone had left? I was closing up tonight. Thank god, I was rostered on for the morning shift for the rest of the week.

These late night shifts had me beat.

I knocked on the door and poked my head around the door. Linda was sitting at her desk, which was covered in papers. Mike was sitting on a chair on the other side of the desk, with his foot propped on the desk. She looked exhausted.

“Is it okay if I take off Linda?” I asked, blushing when she jumped. I had clearly startled her.

Linda stood up and stretched. “Of course I’ll lock up. Thanks again for covering that extra shift.” I smiled and went to leave, when Linda called me back. “Hun, I heard about what happened earlier.” I froze waiting for her to chastise me. “I’m sorry that happened to you, that Rachel is a shark. I’ll put you on the housekeeping shift for the rest of the week.”

Mike smiled at me with a guilty look…So he had told Linda.

“I’m still rostered for the morning shift from tomorrow though, right? I asked.”

“Yes, yes,” Linda said.

“Okay thanks, see you both tomorrow.”

I was by the front door when Mike stopped me. “Is somebody collecting you tonight, or can I give you a ride?” We ate lunch together every day, but I didn’t know Mike well enough to take a ride from him.

“My friend Cam is waiting on me,” I lied.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” he muttered. “I thought we could have dinner, grab a movie?” Wait, was my Mike asking me out?

“You barely know me?” I blurted out. Smooth.

Mike smiled. “But I want to know you.” Mike had a great smile, but I didn’t feel anything when he smiled at me, nothing compared to what I felt when Kyle did, not that Kyle smiled at me very often.

“Um, maybe, look I better get going. Goodnight Mike.” That was not going to happen anytime soon. I did not need any more compilations in my life.





 Chapter Thirteen





Kyle





“Come on Kyle, it’ll be fun. You do remember the meaning of fun, don’t you?” Cam joked as she pulled on her coat.

“Ha Ha,” I retorted.

She clapped her hands “Very good,” she praised me in an overexcited voice. She was a wise ass.

It was Friday night and that usually meant hitting up a few bars and a club or two. I wasn’t feeling it tonight. “No, go on without me,” I said. “I’m tired.”

Cam frowned. “Kyle, I swear you are sounding more like Lee by the minute.” I forced a laugh, but my chest hurt when I thought of Lee. I fucked up big time today. I had left Rachel talk to her as if she was a piece of shit off the street. I had done nothing. I owed her a super-sized apology with side order of groveling. Lee could hate me all she wanted, but she needed to stay the hell away from Mike.





Lee





I picked up a large cheese pizza from a 24-hour deli on my thirty-minute walk home. It was past eleven when I reached our front door. Letting myself in, I tossed my bag in the hall and kicked off my sneakers. Friday’s were the biggest party night in my housemates’ lives so I knew the house was empty. No one was ever here on a Friday night, except for me. I grabbed myself a bottle of water from the refrigerator and walked into the living room. Finding Kyle sprawled out on the couch was not something I had anticipated, or was thrilled about.