Chapter Sixteen:
February 17, 2002,

I've had hellish days, that's for sure. I've even spent days in hell.

Those days were nothing compared to today. Today was literally a day from hell. A day to punish me for all of the manipulating and lying that I've done in my life.

Today Miguel did something that shocked me beyond belief. The words that he said… they were just so mean, so spiteful… so unlike him. I can't begin to imagine what he was thinking when he said them.

But Reese was there for me… just like he always is. It's amazing how much you can miss when you're blinded by love—or in my case, infatuation.

Reese is the man I really love, but of course, I've realized that too late. He doesn't love me anymore—not like that.

But having him in my life means everything to me, so I'll deal with it. I'd rather have him in my life as a friend than not at all.

"So what are you planning to do today?" Reese asked as they ate breakfast the next morning.

"Gee, Reese, I don't know," Kay replied sarcastically. "Seeing as how it is Monday, I was thinking about going to class. What about you?"

"Really?" he replied in shock. "I figured that you'd want to avoid school for awhile—you know how nasty rumors have a tendency to be started over the littlest things. It might be better if you just lay low for awhile. We could drive out to Castleton and hang at the mall or something, if you wanted."

Kay's mouth dropped open in shock. Had she heard him right? Had he just suggested that they skip school for a day?

Oh, she wasn't above skipping school. She had taken part in Senior Skip Day and had even created a few more Skip Days for her own benefit.

But Reese? Skip school? It was almost beyond belief!

"Is this Reese Durkee, Class A Nerd, volunteering to skip school with me?"

"Yeah. So you up for it?"

Kay paused for a moment as she contemplated his offer. She almost had to go to school, didn't she? After all, if she didn't show, Jordan would think that she was scared of him. She'd be damned if she let anyone say that she was a wuss.

But she couldn't tell Reese that. He'd just give her some psychological mumbo-jumbo about how it was ok to be afraid. So what could she tell him?

"Reese, I should go to school. I shouldn't miss school if I expect to pass my midterms in two weeks. I am so lost in Calculus it isn't even funny! This whole anti-derivative stuff is just way over my head."

"If that's what you want, Kay," Reese agreed.

Kay groaned inwardly. Of course she didn't want to go to school! What she wanted to do was skip school with Reese and spend the large majority of the time snuggled in his comforting embrace. She wanted to kiss him until he couldn't form a coherent sentence. Hell, she just wanted him.

But he didn't love her. Not like that, not any more. So she would never be able to have what she wanted.

But at least Reese was in her life right now, and that was better than nothing.

~*~

Brrrrrrring!

Kay sighed and grabbed her backpack from under her desk. Calculus class was finally over and she still didn't understand anti-derivatives. When she had told Reese that she needed to figure that stuff out by midterms, she hadn't been kidding. She was beyond lost in that class, and she had no idea how she was going to catch up in time for the exam.

Maybe she should have taken Reese up on his offer to skip. It certainly would have been more fun that having Mr. Millonig embarrass her in front of her entire math class.

"Hey, Miguel," she said tiredly, as she approached her locker.

Miguel turned to look at her in disgust. "Kay, I can't believe you would do something like that. It's just so out of character for you!"

Kay's brows furrowed. What the hell was he talking about? "What?"

"What you did this weekend, Kay… you've never done anything like this before. Why now?"

"Look, Miguel, it's only a little after nine and this day is quickly turning into a nightmare. Would you please stop speaking in code so I know what the hell you're talking about?"

Miguel rolled his eyes. "Like you don't already know. Kay, everyone knows about your late-night rendezvous with Jordan and Reese this weekend. I never thought that my best friend would turn out to be the school slut."

Kay's mouth dropped open and her eyes began to fill with tears. Had she heard him right? Had her best friend just called her a slut?

She looked at Miguel again and saw the solemnity in his gaze. He honestly thought that she had slept with both Jordan and Reese! Didn't he know her at all?

Suddenly, the gazes of those around her seemed to focus on her. She was the bacteria under the microscope, the rats in the experimental lab… and there was no escape.

But she had to get out of there, she had to get away from them. Tears pouring down her face, she started running… right into a strong, muscular chest.

Arms grabbed her and held her tight. Reese.

"Miguel, what the hell did you say to her?" he asked, his voice laced with fire. Kay knew that if she looked at Reese's face, he would be shooting daggers at Miguel, but she didn't dare glance up. If she looked up, she would have to face the gawking stares of all of those around them.

"I didn't say anything, Reese. I only told her the truth," Miguel claimed.

His words cut her deep. To think that she had once thought that she was in love with this man! She knew now that she had never really loved Miguel, and if she hadn't realized it yet these words would have certainly helped her reach that conclusion. He had no real reason to believe what he had said—no reason but the numerous locker room rumors that were circulating, most likely courtesy of Jordan himself.

But he was standing there, cool as a cucumber, calling his best friend a slut.

"What truth, Miguel? Do you mean those damn rumors that are circulating? They're only rumors, Miguel—they're not gospel!"

"We both know that every rumor starts with a grain of truth," Miguel insisted, refusing to back down an inch.

"Miguel, for years, you have claimed to be our best friend. Years ago, we were the Three Musketeers—all for one and one for all. Now you're standing here, calling your best friend names without any proof. I should beat some sense into you, make you realize what you're doing, but I have something that's just a bit more important to deal with right now."

Kay didn't know whether she should be happy or sad that Reese wasn't going to rearrange Miguel's face. It wasn't like Miguel didn't deserve the punishing that Reese wanted to give him.

But if they did fight, Reese would get in trouble, which would mar his til-then spotless record. And she would feel guilty since it was her own jealousy that had caused her to accept the ill-fated date with Jordan anyhow.

She didn't have much time to contemplate this since Reese was whispering into her ear, causing goosebumps to appear on her arms.

"Kay, usually if you want to go somewhere, you need to move your feet. We're not going to get too far if you try to walk standing still."

"I—I—sorry," she stammered, cursing herself for her inability to keep a clear head around Reese. He had never had this affect on her before. What the hell had happened?

You realized that you're in love with him. That's what happened, a small voice in her head reminded her.

Yeah, it was official. She was head-over-heels in love with Reese. Too bad that there was nothing that she could do about it.

~*~

"God, I just want to kill him for saying that to you!" Reese fumed, as he paced back and forth in his treehouse later that afternoon.

"Reese, calm down. Violence won't solve anything," Kay replied, her voice oddly calm.

"When did you become Miss Peacemaker?" Reese asked rhetorically.

"About the same time that you first felt the urge to kick Miguel's ass. I know how you feel, Reese. I want to hurt him just as much as you do—if not more. But I know that hurting Miguel won't make things any better. Breaking a few of his bones won't change the fact that everyone at school thinks that I'm a whore!"

She couldn't cry. She refused to cry. She had already spent too many hours crying over the hell that Jordan had put her through. She was not going to spend more time crying over the man who had the nerve to call him their friend.

Almost instantaneously, Reese stopped pacing like a caged cat and knelt beside her. "Oh, God, Kay, I'm so sorry."

"I'm trying really hard to be strong here, Reese. I can't let Jordan or anyone else realize how much he hurt me by what he did. And I was doing ok, for the most part. Granted, I am still beyond lost in calculus, but the day was still tolerable. And then Miguel… God, I still can't believe he said that. Does he really think so little of me that he would believe those lies?"

"Kay, you don't have to be strong all of the time. It's ok to need someone to help you through the rough times. I'm here for you, Kay. I'll help you out with calculus so you can pass your exam. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'll be there for you—I promise. You don't have to deal with this alone, Kay."

Kay looked into his soft gray eyes and saw sincerity shining in them. She offered him a shaky smile. Perhaps Reese was right—she wouldn't have to go through this alone. With his help, she got the feeling that she could overcome anything, including the words of her asshole of a friend.