The Line Between(104)

“Tell him I’m not feeling well,” I said. It was kind of true, so at least I didn’t have to ask Kennedy to lie. “He’ll see me tomorrow so it shouldn’t be a big deal.”

With a heavy sigh, Kennedy wrapped her arms around me, and rested her head on my shoulder. “I wish I could fix whatever happened between the two of you. I miss the ‘Jade and Reid’ show.”

I felt the familiar ache in my chest, and ignored it the same way I’d been forced to when Reid had started to distance himself. It wasn’t all Stella’s fault though. It was mine too and part of my problem was coping with the guilt it made me feel.

“I don’t think it can be fixed,” – I tried, but only ended up making things worse – “but I’m getting over it. I’m happy if Reid is happy.”

I could tell Kennedy didn’t believe the ‘I’m getting over it’ part, and sadly I didn’t either. He’d been part of my life from the moment we were born, and I felt his absence. Every. Damn. Day. But he’d moved on, and I had to live with it.

“You know he’s not happy, Jade. He misses you. I have no idea what he sees in that girl. She’s nothing but a glorified dancing Hobbit.”

I laughed, picturing a hobbit in a tutu, and rested my head against Kennedy’s. “You only hate her because she’s bff’s with Amy.”

“And because she’s pretty much told Reid he’s to have nothing to do with you, and he actually listens to her.”

Yeah, I didn’t want to talk about them anymore.

I patted Kennedy’s arm, and made an effort to smile at her. “Go and enjoy your dinner, and if you and Dane come back here, make sure you keep the noise down.”

She blushed, and let out a giggle. “I’ll make sure we go to his place if we wanna…you know.”

“Good idea,” I laughed. “Maybe you and Stella can have a screaming competition.”

Kennedy scrunched her nose. “Ew. I don’t want to know what a hobbit sounds like having sex. But I think we’ll come home afterwards anyway, our flight is quite early.”

I nodded, and placed my luggage on the floor at the foot of my bed. “I was just kidding. I’ll probably be passed out cold when you guys get back.”

Kennedy started walking backwards towards my door, and said, “Call me if you need me, okay?”

“I will.”

Kennedy left, and my smile slipped. I was feeling a little raw inside, thinking about Reid and how much I pined for him. There was only one way I could forget about it long enough to expel the feelings burning in my chest.

I took my sketchpad from my desk, and started drawing.

I’D JUST MANAGED to fall asleep when I heard my bedroom door opening. It was just past midnight, and I wondered why Kennedy would be checking in on me at this time. Only it wasn’t Kennedy.

His scent gave him away.

He was wearing the Dolce & Gabanna, Light Blue cologne that I’d bought him for Christmas last year. It was all he seemed to wear and I both loved and hated it.

The bed dipped under his bulky form, and I twisted to switch on my bedside lamp.

“Reid?”

His green eyes were watching me – green eyes that showed nothing, hid everything, and still managed to pierce me to the very depths of my soul.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. I sat up, holding my comforter to my chest like armor.

“Kennedy said you weren’t feeling well,” he replied, rubbing his hands over his rather tired looking face. A face I’d never been able to envision my future without. “I wanted to come make sure you were okay.”

He was wearing dark jeans, with a thick jacket to ward of the winter temperatures, and his favorite black boots. With disheveled blond hair, and a slight scruff on his jaw, he looked every bit the sexy football player he was.

But I couldn’t say that.

His concern came of no surprise, his need to stop by, however, did. “I’m fine.” There was that pesky fucking word again.

Fine.

I was not fine.

I was anything but fun.

I yawned, and covered it with my mouth.

“Does Stella know you’re here?”

Red sighed, and pulled his hands through his hair. He looked frustrated. Exasperated even. “Yeah. We had a fight about it.”

“Of course you did,” I said flatly. “But what I don’t understand is that if you knew coming to check on me would upset her, then why’d you come?”

Hurt flitted across his rugged features, and I looked away. I couldn’t deal with seeing him hurt, not while I was still nursing my own wounds.

“Because you’re my best friend, Jade,” he replied simply.