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Someone runs into me and it nearly knocks izes

I catch myself on the doorframe and it breaksto see who ran into ain

After I collect the first aid kit from the botto way out of the house, going through the side door unnoticed Kayden’s not outside anyht of the pool house filters from the s

Hesitantly, I push open the door and poke my head into the dimly lit room "Hello"

Kayden walks out from the back room without a shirt on and a towel pressed up to his face, which is bright red and luet the stuff?"

I slip into the room and shut the door behind me I hold out the first aid kit and the icepack, withat him His bare chest, and the way his jeans ride low on his hips smothers me with uneasiness

"I don’t bite, Callie" His tone is neutral as he takes the kit and the pack "You don’t have to stare at the wall"

I compel my eyes to look at him and it’s hard not to stare at the scars that crisscross along his stomach and chest The vertical lines that run down his foreared as if soers along them and remove the pain and memories that are attached to them

He quickly lowers the towel to cover hiood eye as we stare at one another My heart throbs inside er, yet it seeo on forever

He blinks and presses the pack to his inflae of the pool table His fingers quiver as he pulls his hand back and each knuckle is scraped raw "Can you get the gauze out of that for ers fuernail catches in the crack, and it peels back Blood pools out as I open the lid to retrieve the gauze "You ht need stitches on that cut below the eye It looks bad"

He dabs the cut with the toincing froet it covered"

The stea my skin with red ain I take the daers touch, and lean forward to examine the lesion, which is so deep the

"You really need stitches" I suck the blood offto have a scar"

The corners of his lips tug up into a sad smile "I can handle scars, especially ones that are on the outside"

I understand hisfrom the depths of my heart "I really think you should have your mom take you to the doctor and then you can tell her what happened"

He starts to unwind a sauze, but he accidentally drops it onto the floor "That’ll never happen and even if it did, it wouldn’t ers, I gather up the gauze and unravel it around rab the tape out of the kit Then squeezing every last terrified thought from ing his sore hand against his chest as I place the gauze over the wound His eyes stay on me, his brows knit, and he barely breathes as I tape it in place

I pull back and an exhale eases out of my lips He’s the first person I’ve intentionally touched outside etting stitches"

He closes the kit and wipes a droplet of blood off the lid "Did you see my father inside?"

"No" My phone beeps froo Myout in the car Are you sure you’ll be okay?"

"I’ll be fine" He doesn’t glance up at me as he picks up the towel and heads toward the back roouess"

No, you won’t Putting uess I’ll see you later"

"Thank you," he instantly adds

I pause withhim, but I’m too chicken to stay behind "For what?"

He deliberates for an eternity and then exhales a sigh "For getting me the first aid kit and icepack"

"You’re welco in my heart as another secret falls on top of it

As the gravel driveway cos from inside my pocket "I’m like two feet away," I answer

"Your brother is out here and he needs to get hoht hours" My mother’s tone is anxious

I increase et him"

"Well, he answered his text, now coet some rest"

"I’ll be there in like thirty seconds, Mo up as I step out into the front yard