In My Skin

CH 43 || Aliens and Saints

Killian's eyes widened, his face a mix of shock and surprise. So, Cody hadn't told him about our talk. Somehow this warmed my chest.

Cody, however, suddenly paled and muttered, "Shit. I fucked it up again, huh?"

"What?" Killian and I asked at the same time.

"Fuck, now that I know, I can see how you took it that way." Cody glanced at Killian. "It's my fault. I told her that Alicia used to rely on you for everything and—"

"No," I interjected breathlessly. "It's my own fault."

"Both of you stop," Killian said angrily. He pointed at Cody and continued, "you, get over it already. You messed up, so what? Everyone does, including me. When was the last time you got mad at me for anything? I feel like I'm living with a saint and it's really starting to get on my nerves. And you"—he faced me again—"you promised me. And your excuse is what? Alicia? How is that the same?"

"I didn't want to be a bother..." I trailed off, not quite meeting his gaze.

"But you bother me by keeping this sort of thing to yourself," Killian pressed on. "I'm honestly surprised you even asked anything about me out of your own accord and Cody didn't have to tie you to a chair and force you to listen."

Well, Cody had kind of pushed me to ask. He and I exchanged a glance—which of course, Killian noticed right away.

"You can't be serious," he said incredulously. Shaking his head, he muttered something under his breath.

My head jerked back. "I saw your reactions," I replied more loudly than necessary. "How annoyed you got, for example, that day before New Year's when you picked her up."

"But that was with her," Killian retorted sharply. "Man, I'd probably throw a party if you ever actually came to me with your problems. But no, Mrs. Independent here thinks she has to face everything by herself, like a lonesome warrior. Do you think you'll get a medal for endurance?"

"What am I supposed to think then?" I shot back. "Get off your high horse! I don't want to hear that from someone who's been running from a girl!"

Just as Cody had predicted, the expression on Killian's face was priceless.

Drawing myself to my full height, I continued, "You've been evading Alicia whenever she's trying to talk to you—"

"She always tries to talk to me," Killian grumbled.

"—and yet you still have the nerve to lecture me."

Grinding his teeth, Killian swung his glare at his roommate.

Cody seemed caught off guard, asking, "Wait, what?"

"I didn't want to deal with it because a certain someone was pissing his pants whenever anything even slightly related to his fuck-up was being brought up."

The look of embarrassment and shame on Cody's face woke a sudden protective instinct in me. "At least he's not acting like some know-it-all! At least he talked to me!"

"You know what?" Cody chimed in. "I think I have to agree with Tay. You can really be an insufferable know-it-all."

Killian narrowed his eyes at us. "Yeah? You two really have the talent to get on my last nerve sometimes. Maybe if you'd both be acting smarter, I wouldn't have to sound like one."

"Well, you're annoying all the time," I shot back.

He gave me a flat look. "Princess, I think you top me any time of day."

God, he was so...infuriating. "You know what," I snapped. "I hope you get abducted by aliens."

"With your magnet for trouble, if there were any aliens in the vicinity, they would definitely pick you and then I have to go and get you back which would be a pain in the ass, so better hope there are no aliens!" he snapped back, his eyes shooting daggers at me.