RUN

Chapter 9

I was asleep until I felt a hand on mine.

Groggy, I blinked open my eyes—and found four people sitting around me. Isa was curled up, her head resting gently on Evan's shoulder. He was snoring, mouth slightly open, completely out. I let out a small chuckle.

Across from them were Christina and Paul. His arm was wrapped around her protectively, both of them fast asleep, their breaths in sync.

My heart softened.

They stayed with me. I wasn't alone.

For a long time, I'd thought Will was the only one who truly cared.

Will.

The name hit me like a bruise. A fresh one.

He hadn't come to see me—not because he didn't care, but because he thought it was his fault. And maybe it was. Two punches. At the same time. From two people who, for better or worse, had feelings for me.

Or at least, one of them did.

My thoughts spun until Christina stirred beside Paul and looked up at me. Her expression wasn't exactly thrilled.

"Kris?" she whispered. "Dude, what happened?"

As I explained, her face shifted, and I realized she wasn't surprised in the slightest.

"I knew he liked you," she said, carefully shifting without waking Paul. "I could see it."

"What do you mean?"

She lay back again, pretending to doze off, her voice low and conspiratorial.

"I mean, back when I was... well, not the nicest to you, I used to catch him mouthing things like 'leave her alone' or 'stop' from across the room. And every time you were with someone—every boyfriend—you could find him in the shadows. Angry. Jealous. Not because of who you were dating, but because it wasn't him."

I didn't know what to say.

"And once," she continued, "I found a letter. A love letter. No name, no recipient. But it was... beautiful. Honest. Raw. Over time, I realized it had to be from Will. It was his way of saying he loved you—without ever saying it."

She gave me a sad little smile. "Just imagine what things might've been like if he'd told you a long time ago."

I didn't answer. Instead, I shook my head—and instantly regretted it.

Pain shot through my skull and I let out a yelp.

Everyone jolted awake.

"Christina," Paul said, groggily rubbing his eyes. "Why didn't you wake me?"

She smiled, brushing his hair back. "You looked too peaceful."

"Kris, what happened?" Isa asked, already on her feet.

"My best friend and my boyfriend nearly killed each other," I muttered, "and I got in the middle."

They all went quiet.

"We get it," Evan said softly. "And if you need anything—anything—just say the word. We're here."

I gave him a grateful smile.

Isa circled the bed and lay beside me, facing me like we were having a sleepover. And in that moment, something clicked.

Isa and Evan were like cousins I'd grown up with.

Paul and Christina? The siblings I never had, but always wished for.

"Promise me," Isa whispered, "you'll never dive into a fight again. Literally."

I giggled. "Promise."

We were still laughing when a knock sounded at the door.

Christina went to open it. I saw her face drop before she stepped aside.

Jack walked in, his jaw set, his expression unreadable.

"I need to talk to Kris," he said. "Alone."

The room emptied slowly—Christina squeezing my hand before leaving, Paul rolling his eyes but chuckling as he followed. Evan gave me a soft smile. Isa winked.

Then it was just us.

Jack knelt by my bedside.

"Kristen," he said, voice thick. "I'm so sorry. I should've handled it better. I should've calmed down."

"It's okay. It's my—"

"No," he said sharply, making me flinch. He took a breath, steadying himself. "It's not your fault. Will shouldn't have kissed you. And yeah—I was angry. Not just because he kissed you, but because the idea of him doing more made me lose it. That's not an excuse. I was a jerk. To him. And to you."

I reached out and laced my fingers through his. "Jack, you know how I feel about you. And what happened between Will and me... it wasn't planned. It was old feelings, resurfacing, only to be closed again."

I hesitated. "You can ask me anything. About me and Will. Anything you need to know."

He looked down at our hands, then gripped mine tighter—like he didn't want to let go.

"I do have one question."

"Okay."

His voice softened, but his eyes turned sharp. "Did you like him? At all?"

I hadn't expected that.

But I met his gaze, honest and steady. "I did. A long time ago. Before he started pushing me away and saying things that hurt me."

Memories surfaced. Will telling me to sit somewhere else. Choosing silence over friendship. That's when everything had started to break.

Jack nodded slowly, then slipped his arm around me. I leaned into him.

"I don't hate you," he said quietly. "I care about you. And I was only asking because I needed to hear it from you."

We stayed like that, heads resting against one another.

He was my boyfriend. But also my best friend. In a husband kind of way.

I lay my head on his shoulder, comforted by the way we fit. I used to wonder why our lives were so chaotic, so unpredictable. But now I only hoped this moment—this closeness—would last forever.

We stayed like that until the sun began to rise.

When I woke, Jack's hand was in my hair. I opened my eyes, smiled, and saw him already looking at me.

We kissed, soft and slow.

Nothing could ruin it.

Until—

"Miss Lennons?"

The kiss broke. I turned my head toward the door.

Mr. Gardner stood there, his expression heavy.

"We need to talk."