I still couldn't believe it—Carter had been in love with me all along. It felt like a dream, or maybe a cruel joke. How could I trust his words? The boy who had once been my best friend had ignored me for years, treating me as if I didn't exist the moment he got together with Emily. And now he expected me to believe he had done all that out of fear of losing me? It didn't make sense.
At lunch, I sat with Emily for the first time in weeks. To my surprise, she didn't rush off to be with David. I thought she'd be thrilled that Carter wasn't bothering her anymore, but instead, she seemed unusually subdued.
"Why are you worrying about this?" I asked, puzzled. "I thought you wanted him to leave you alone."
"Of course I do," she said, stirring her drink absentmindedly. "But it's… sad, you know? We used to be best friends. It's hard to feel like I don't matter to him anymore. You understand, don't you?"
I didn't. Or maybe I didn't want to. Her emotions were hers to process, and I wasn't about to question them. Still, her sudden nostalgia for Carter grated on me. She had David now, her dream human boyfriend. Why was she jealous of Carter's attention elsewhere?
Emily's glare pulled my focus to another table, where Bella Skye was practically in Carter's lap, giggling at something he said. I bit back a sigh. Bella was the quintessential dream girl—blonde, blue-eyed, head cheerleader, with rich parents to boot. If anyone could capture Carter's attention, it would be her.
Carter caught my gaze from across the room. His blue eyes locked on mine, and I quickly looked away, pretending to focus on my food. Emily flushed, clearly embarrassed, while irritation churned in my chest. Why? I shouldn't care. And yet…
"I need to use the bathroom," I said abruptly, standing up.
"Don't take too long," Emily called after me. "I might leave for class without you."
---
The quiet of the hallways felt stifling. I hurried to the restroom, slipped into a stall, and sank onto the toilet seat. Burying my face in my hands, I tried to sort through the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Why was I so disappointed by Carter? Why did Emily's jealousy irritate me? Was it possible—no. I couldn't have hoped Carter's confession was true. Could I?
I thought of my dad then, the one person I could always confide in. Since he passed, I'd never felt more alone. My mom was wrapped up in her new marriage, too busy to notice me. The ache of loneliness threatened to spill over, and despite my best efforts, tears burned my eyes.
The restroom door creaked open. I stilled, holding my breath, willing myself to stay unnoticed. But the footsteps came closer, stopping outside my stall. A soft knock followed.
"Kerry? I know you're in there." Carter's voice.
Panic surged. I quickly wiped my face and tried to steady my voice. "What do you want?"
"To make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine. Go away."
"I don't believe you. Let's talk."
"There's nothing to talk about. Just leave!"
He didn't listen. The lock clicked, and the door swung open before I could stop him. Carter stepped inside, his tall frame filling the small space. I glared at him.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Do you think barging into a girl's stall is okay? What if I'd been naked?"
"You'd pee naked?" he retorted, a smirk tugging at his lips.
I scowled, but his amusement quickly gave way to concern. "What's wrong, Kerry?"
"Nothing. Why do you care?"
"I know you better than you think. The restroom is where you go to cry."
"I wasn't crying," I lied. "Just leave me alone."
"Kerry," he said firmly, his tone softening. "Talk to me. Please."
I hesitated, my defenses faltering under his steady gaze. "I… I remembered something sad. That's all."
"What was it?"
"It doesn't matter."
Carter sighed, frustrated by my stubbornness. He crouched in front of me, his hand brushing against mine. "You're impossible," he muttered, his blue eyes searching mine. "But I care about you, and I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong."
His words sent a pang through my chest. I wanted to push him away, but a deeper part of me wanted to pull him closer. When his hand cupped my face, the warmth of his touch was overwhelming.
And then, before I could stop myself, I leaned in. My lips met his in a tentative kiss that quickly deepened. Carter's arms wrapped around me, pulling me onto his lap. The kiss was everything—comforting, passionate, consuming. For the first time in a long while, I felt safe.
When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. Carter's lips trailed down my neck, his fangs grazing my skin. It should have scared me, but it didn't.
"Carter…" I whispered, but before I could say more, Emily's voice echoed through the restroom.
"Kerry? Are you in here?"
I froze, pulling back from Carter's embrace. "It's Emily," I whispered, panicked.
"So?" Carter said, unconcerned. "We're not doing anything wrong."
"She can't see this," I hissed, scrambling off his lap. "I need to go."
Carter's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Are we going to talk later? No more running away."
"Okay," I agreed.
He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, a gesture so intimate it made my heart ache. Then I left, stepping out of the stall to find Emily waiting outside.
"Why didn't you answer me?" she asked, frowning.
"I didn't hear you," I lied.
Emily didn't seem convinced, but she let it go. "Lunch break is over. Let's go to class."
"Yeah."
As we walked, my mind raced. What did this mean for me and Carter? Were we friends again? Or was it something more? And more importantly—did I want it to be?
Somehow, I already knew the answer. But deep down, I also knew things wouldn't stay simple for long.