HUMAN

Chapter FOURTEEN

Chapter FOURTEEN

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Malia was all smiles when I hung out with her for the afternoon, but I couldn't smile. She was now sporting a giant bruise on the left side of her face. She was so small, so innocent, how could anyone do this to her? How could she still smile?

"You'll protect her, right?" I asked Spencer as he backed out of his driveway.

He let out a giant sigh and ran his hand through the ends of his hair. "Yeah, but I can't be around her 24/7, as much as I'd loved too."

Nodding, I had to agree with him but I still felt like there was something I had to do. We were silent until he turned unto my street. "She'll be excited for the dinner on Thursday."

I gave him a confused look and he laughed, "Thanksgiving, the whole pack gets together."

"Oh, right." I nodded when he pulled up to my house.

"Would you look at that." Spencer smirked at the boy on my stairs. Butterflies started in my stomach as I saw him. Colin was on the bottom step, his eyes trained on the ground and his hands wringing in front of him absent mindedly.

Without thinking about it I was opening the door and halfway to him when I stopped. I couldn't stop myself from staring at him, he was perfect but the way he was sitting made me think something was wrong.

"Colin?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as steady as possible.

He rose his head and his eyes met mine. He shook his head and pushed off the stair so he was standing in front of me, "Do you have any idea.." He trailed off.

Biting my lip I tightened my grip on the school bag I was still holding, "I'm sorry." I muttered.

Shaking his head he grabbed my shoulders and pressed me to his chest. My body tensed but quickly relaxed into his touch. I found myself liking the feeling of him so close to me, his arms wrapped around me in a comforting way. Everything about me was crumbling with him around.

"I want to go inside." I whispered after a minute.

He nodded and let me go, "I'm going to go, I've got homework."

Ice filled my veins at his words. I'd done something wrong, he wasn't going to be my friend anymore. Reaching out I grabbed his hand, "Please don't, I'm sorry. I'll be a better friend."

He was looking down at our connected hands for a silent moment when I heard his sharp intake of breath, "You're already a really good friend. You've already helped me for the better." He laughed lightly, not meeting my eyes as he spoke. "I guess.. Seeing you with Spencer, drew out the jealousy in me. I don't want to share you Kat."

My heart thudded against my chest and he smirked, "You're my best friend, no one else's."

It took me a minute to collect my thoughts and when I did, I was breathless. "Best Friends? Isn't this moving too fast?" I joked.

His smirk broke into a full blown grin and he let out a laugh, pulling me inside. "Kitty, you drive me crazy."

We were sitting on my bed, my back up against the headboard with Colin sitting right in front of me, "Ready?" I asked, the letter sitting between us.

He gaze was hard on the envelope but when he looked up at me his eyes were vulnerable. Nervously he picked up the envelope, "You'll still hang out with me if I don't get in, right?"