The Struggle (The Things We Can't Change Book 2) by Kassandra Kush Page A
Authors: Kassandra Kush
Tags: YA romance
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fault, though,” Evie says, and now she’s whispering. “I didn’t mean to drop the other one, either. I’m sorry about that one too.”
“Yeah,” I say, dumping the last of the glass in the bin. “I noticed that one too. When are you going to quit making me follow you around and clean up your messes?” Our eyes meet and lock, and we both know I’m not just talking about her spilled drinks.
“I don’t know,” she finally says in a broken whisper, one that makes me even angrier because it pulls yet again at my heart, that stupid muscle I wish I could just rip out of my chest.
Evie sits back on her heels as I begin to sop up the water with my towels, using long, arcing strokes that come with the ease of long practice. I force myself not to look at her as I mutter so only she can hear me, “Can’t you fucking stand up for yourself and tell Hunter and his friends to go to hell?”
I finish with the floor and look at Evie, taking in her surprised expression with a roll of my eyes. “Let me guess. It’s not that easy, right? It’s complicated?”
She bites her lip as her eyes fill with tears and she looks away from me. “It isn’t that easy,” she mutters. “You don’t understand-”
“I don’t understand. Yeah. Right.” I give a harsh laugh as I stand up and grab the bin off the floor. “You said that last time, and the situation seemed pretty black and white to me. I’m not stupid, Evie. Are you going to lay there and be a victim for the rest of your life?”
She looks up at me then, her violet eyes snapping with fury. “And are you going to have that chip on your shoulder all your life, always pushing people away by pretending you don’t care about anyone? Wait, let me guess, it’s complicated. ”
I meet her, stare for stare, until I can find the words. “It’s not, actually,” I reply. “See, my issue is that my sister fucking died right in front of me, and yet somehow the ass who killed her is still alive, and the other person who survived is a spineless coward. So, no, it’s really not complicated.” I turn on my heel and leave Evie there, without looking back.
Tessa catches up to my elbow as I’m walking away, practically having to jog to keep up with my long strides. “I saw that!” she cries, almost crowing. “Who would have thought that tough, show-no-feelings Zeke Quain would have a soft spot for rich bitch Evie Parker!”
“Shut up, Tessa,” I snap, clenching my fists. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cameron has been wondering where you’ve been, why you won’t come out,” she persists, ignoring my warning and tone. “He’s going to flip his shit when he finds out it’s because you’re hanging with Evie Parker.”
We push through the doors to the kitchen and I round on Tessa, holding on to my temper by a thread. “I’m not!” I shout, and the entire kitchen staff goes quiet. “Cameron ran on me ‘cause he’s a piece of shit and now I have to lay low or get sent away. So shut your mouth about things you don’t understand, got it, Tessa?”
She takes a step back, shocked, and then a frown descends onto her pretty face. “Screw you, Zeke,” she snaps, and leaves the kitchen.
I take a moment to catch my breath, and when I open my eyes, I find everyone in the kitchen staring at me. “What the hell are you looking at?” I bite out, and then I push out of the kitchen doors myself.
I’m desperately wishing that I could leave the dining room, run out of there fast and long until I’ve left all of this behind me.
But I’ve been running for the past few months, and I’m learning, slowly but surely, that there is no way to escape it. No way to escape, and no way to forget.
Evangeline
35
Zeke and I are back to avoiding eye contact by Monday. Or at least, he’s back to not looking at me, and I’m back to creepily staring at him through the kitchen window. Progress!
“Yeah,” I say, dumping the last of the glass in the bin. “I noticed that one too. When are you going to quit making me follow you around and clean up your messes?” Our eyes meet and lock, and we both know I’m not just talking about her spilled drinks.
“I don’t know,” she finally says in a broken whisper, one that makes me even angrier because it pulls yet again at my heart, that stupid muscle I wish I could just rip out of my chest.
Evie sits back on her heels as I begin to sop up the water with my towels, using long, arcing strokes that come with the ease of long practice. I force myself not to look at her as I mutter so only she can hear me, “Can’t you fucking stand up for yourself and tell Hunter and his friends to go to hell?”
I finish with the floor and look at Evie, taking in her surprised expression with a roll of my eyes. “Let me guess. It’s not that easy, right? It’s complicated?”
She bites her lip as her eyes fill with tears and she looks away from me. “It isn’t that easy,” she mutters. “You don’t understand-”
“I don’t understand. Yeah. Right.” I give a harsh laugh as I stand up and grab the bin off the floor. “You said that last time, and the situation seemed pretty black and white to me. I’m not stupid, Evie. Are you going to lay there and be a victim for the rest of your life?”
She looks up at me then, her violet eyes snapping with fury. “And are you going to have that chip on your shoulder all your life, always pushing people away by pretending you don’t care about anyone? Wait, let me guess, it’s complicated. ”
I meet her, stare for stare, until I can find the words. “It’s not, actually,” I reply. “See, my issue is that my sister fucking died right in front of me, and yet somehow the ass who killed her is still alive, and the other person who survived is a spineless coward. So, no, it’s really not complicated.” I turn on my heel and leave Evie there, without looking back.
Tessa catches up to my elbow as I’m walking away, practically having to jog to keep up with my long strides. “I saw that!” she cries, almost crowing. “Who would have thought that tough, show-no-feelings Zeke Quain would have a soft spot for rich bitch Evie Parker!”
“Shut up, Tessa,” I snap, clenching my fists. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cameron has been wondering where you’ve been, why you won’t come out,” she persists, ignoring my warning and tone. “He’s going to flip his shit when he finds out it’s because you’re hanging with Evie Parker.”
We push through the doors to the kitchen and I round on Tessa, holding on to my temper by a thread. “I’m not!” I shout, and the entire kitchen staff goes quiet. “Cameron ran on me ‘cause he’s a piece of shit and now I have to lay low or get sent away. So shut your mouth about things you don’t understand, got it, Tessa?”
She takes a step back, shocked, and then a frown descends onto her pretty face. “Screw you, Zeke,” she snaps, and leaves the kitchen.
I take a moment to catch my breath, and when I open my eyes, I find everyone in the kitchen staring at me. “What the hell are you looking at?” I bite out, and then I push out of the kitchen doors myself.
I’m desperately wishing that I could leave the dining room, run out of there fast and long until I’ve left all of this behind me.
But I’ve been running for the past few months, and I’m learning, slowly but surely, that there is no way to escape it. No way to escape, and no way to forget.
Evangeline
35
Zeke and I are back to avoiding eye contact by Monday. Or at least, he’s back to not looking at me, and I’m back to creepily staring at him through the kitchen window. Progress!
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