Pieces Of Grace

Chapter 14

The next few days were a whirlwind of emotions and confusion. Tom seemed to be everywhere, always by my side, making jokes, and trying to cheer me up. His persistent presence was comforting, but it also made the situation with Kyle even more complicated.

One afternoon, I was sitting in the coffee shop with Tom. We were laughing about something silly when Kyle walked in. His eyes locked onto us, and I could see the hurt and anger in his gaze. He made his way over to our table, his expression unreadable.

"Can we talk, Alice?" Kyle's voice was tense, and I could tell he was trying to keep his emotions in check.

Tom glanced at me, his eyebrow raised. "Want me to leave?"

I shook my head, feeling the tension rise. "It's fine, Tom. Kyle, what do you want to talk about?"

Kyle looked at Tom, then back at me. "If you and Tom are just friends, then why were you two at the coffee shop together? AGAIN?"

I felt my cheeks flush, aware of how it must have looked. "We were just hanging out, Kyle. That's all."

Tom leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. "Yeah, Kyle. Just friends hanging out. What's the big deal?"

Kyle's eyes narrowed, his jealousy palpable. "The big deal is that it feels like you're replacing me, Alice. You say you're confused, but it looks like you've already made your choice."

Before I could respond, Tom reached across the table and took my hand. "Alice and I are just friends, but I care about her a lot. Maybe you should focus on proving you care instead of being jealous."

Kyle's fists clenched at his sides, and for a moment, I thought he might actually hit Tom. Instead, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the coffee shop. I pulled my hand away from Tom, feeling a mixture of guilt and frustration.

"Why did you do that, Tom? You know how complicated things are."

Tom shrugged, his expression unrepentant. "I'm just looking out for you, Alice. If Kyle can't handle a little competition, maybe he's not the right guy for you."

I sighed, knowing Tom didn't understand the depth of my feelings for Kyle. "It's not about competition, Tom. It's about trust and feelings. You can't just insert yourself into the middle of this."

Tom leaned closer, his voice softening. "I know, Alice. But I can't help how I feel about you. And I can't help wanting to protect you."

I looked away, not wanting to see the sincerity in his eyes. "I appreciate it, Tom, but I need to sort things out with Kyle."

The next day at school, Kyle was waiting for me by my locker. His expression was a mix of anger and desperation. "We need to talk, Alice. Now."

I nodded, following him to a quieter part of the hallway. "What is it, Kyle?"

He took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine. "Why are you spending so much time with Tom? Do you have feelings for him?"

I shook my head, trying to make him understand. "No, Kyle. I don't have feelings for Tom. He's just a friend who's been there for me."

Kyle's shoulders slumped, relief mingling with frustration. "Then why does it feel like you're pushing me away?"

"Because I'm scared," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared of getting hurt. I'm scared of trusting my feelings and finding out they were wrong."

Kyle stepped closer, his hand reaching out to touch mine. "Alice, I love you. I've always loved you. I don't care about anyone else."

Before I could respond, Tom appeared around the corner. "Hey, Alice! There you are. Ready to head to class?"

Kyle's expression darkened, and he took a step back. "You need to decide, Alice. Me or Tom."

The pressure of the decision weighed heavily on me, and I felt tears prick at my eyes. "Kyle, please. This isn't fair."

Tom's voice was firm as he stepped closer. "She's right, Kyle. This isn't fair to her."

Before I could react, Tom leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips. It was brief, but it felt like an eternity. When he pulled away, I saw the hurt and anger in Kyle's eyes.

Kyle's voice was low, trembling with emotion. "I hope you made the right choice, Alice."

He turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, stunned. Tom tried to reach for my hand, but I pulled away, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me.

As I watched Kyle disappear down the hallway, I realized that the decision was far more complicated than I had ever imagined. And I wasn't sure if I had made the right one.

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So, guys? What do you think of the book so far? I'm going to focus the next chapter on the dream Alice had earlier. Also, who are you guys for? (Comment a raised hand emoji on the sentence)

TEAM TOM:

TEAM KYLE: