Finding Hearts

Chapter 2

KATE

I did not just kiss Callum Slade.

There is no way.

Maybe I'm dreaming. Or maybe I suddenly woke up in an alternative universe in which I casually kiss Callum Slade. Because there is no way this is real. There is no way my brother's biggest rival and greatest enemy just offered to kiss me.

I am pretty sure I started spinning around, my head suddenly hurting.

I notice the people staring at me, and I see the kiss cam moving onto its next victims. Yet what I feel most is Callum's stare piercing me.

"Are you okay?", he asks me.

Shaking my head, I search for Liv's shoulder and tap it once to get her attention. Only it wasn't necessary, for her eyes were already on me.

"I have to go", I tell Callum. "Liv, we have to go."

"But-", she wants to say, yet I'm already standing up, reaching for her hand.

"Kate, wait", Callum calls after me. He even makes the effort to stand up.

"I am so sorry", I whisper.

It's then I tug on Liv's hand and pull her away from here.

~

"How bad is it?", I ask.

Liv and Vee are waiting for me at the school entrance, both in their uniforms, their styles completely different. Yes, both my besties are wearing the same checkered blue skirt with white shirt as the Colton High uniform, yet while Olivia's hair is in a braid, some knee-high white tights with lace and her brown UGG, Avery has black boots, her silvery white hair held together with a hair clip, a hoodie over her shirt with the dates of Nirvana's world tour and some black headphones around her neck.

"Fucking bad", Avery replies, not making any effort in sugar-coating this for me.

"Vee", Olivia lets out, hitting her softly with her elbow in her rib cage.

"What do you expect me to do?", Vee asks. "Lie? I thought we weren't doing that."

"We aren't", Liv agrees. It's then she looks at me. "We aren't", she lies.

Vee scoffs and rolls her eyes. "She made it to The Site."

"I made it to The Site?!", I ask panicked. Only real drama made it to our school's gossip insta page. Apparently, I was now one of those.

"It really ain't that bad", Liv still tries. "It's just a picture of the kiss cam, with you and Slade kissing. No big deal."

"No big deal?!", I ask exasperated. All sunshines and rainbows took a trip down a very high cliff. "There is a picture on the internet of me kissing Callum Slade. In my opinion, that's a very big deal."

"Told you it's bad", Vee answers unbothered, taking out a lollipop and starting to suck on it.

"What am I going to do?", I ask, hiding my face in my palms. I even wore my lucky headband for today. The pink one that matches the pink sambas on my feet.

"Just steer clear of your brother", Vee replies, hanging an arm around my shoulders. "Or your ex, for that matter."

"He's going to-", 'kill me' I almost say, then think better of it. "He's going to hate it."

"Liam?", Liv asks.

"For sure", Vee replies.

"What am I going to do?", I continue.

"Relax, baby girl. We got you. That fucker ain't coming closer than five feet to you. You can count on that", Vee again.

For the first time ever since I arrive here this morning, I allow myself to breathe.

~

"We need to talk", Aaron finds me in the break. I instinctively search with my gaze for either Liv or Vee, but I'm the one who told them to go ahead while I quickly go to the bathroom. Looking back on it, it seems like a very fucking bad idea.

Like kissing Callum Slade was.

Just keep smiling.

"Talk?", I ask, fidgeting with a strand of my hair.

"Talk", he doesn't give it up.

He takes my hand and leads me to a quiet corner, where we don't have as much attention. His blue eyes are piercing mine, as if he would like to bore some holes. He goes with a hand through his blonde hair, and it makes me think again of how alike the two of us look. Same blue eyes, same blonde hair. Most of the times, we even pass as twins.

"What were you even thinking?", he asks/shouts at me.

"About?", I continue to try playing dumb.

He doesn't bite it. "Seriously, Kate, kissing Slade?"

"It was an accident", I blurt out.

"You don't just go kissing hockey captains by accident", he mutters. He takes a very deep breath as if to try to calm down his nerves, then looks me straight in the eyes, a sort of protectiveness hidden in his. "Look, Katie. I need you to promise me you are not going to kiss Callum Slade again."

"Aaron", I let out hurt.

His kiss.

His lips.

"I'm serious, Kate. Look, you might not have experience with guys like him, but I do. We're fucked in the head, okay? He's never going to be able to give you what it is you're searching for. Guys like Callum Slade are only ever going to break your heart." He starts rubbing his temples with his hands, clearly affected by this conversation. I am too, but I hide the urge to puke or cry inside. "I need you to promise me you'll stay away from him, Katie. Please. And don't see it as me being the villain who wants to keep you away from what you maybe think might be love. I only know how guys like him are. He'll break your heart. And it's not worth it. Not for him. Please promise me, Katie. Promise me you'll stay away from him."

And it might be the honest tone he said or the vulnerability in his voice that I say the next two words. "I promise."

"Good", he lets out relieved. He then comes closer and wraps his hands around me. "I'm always here for you, Katie. You know that, right?"

"I know that", I let out, my eyes almost exploding with the tears building themselves inside. "I know, Aaron."

"I'm glad you promised me. I couldn't live knowing you in danger, falling in love with a guy like Callum Slade."

"I'm sorry. I'm glad too."

I wonder why it feels like I didn't mean any of those words.