Run (Disasters in Love: Book 1) (Part 1 COMPLETE)

Chapter 22

Kat
February 20, 2005

*

Next day

*

I'm falling.
Falling.
Falling.

I jerk awake.

The sounds of shouting in the distance pulling me from the hold sleep had on me.

The darkness of night still hasn't lifted. What time is it?

I look for my clock, but the numbers glow from a different location.

Where am I?

The feeling of a warm body moving next to me puts my senses on high alert.

So which will it be, fight or flight?

I jump off the bed, flight it is.

Now that my eyes have adjusted to the low light, I realize where I am.

Ben's room.

Of course I'm here. Again. Why do I always end up here?

Because you feel safe here. Shut up, brain.

Oh right, Ben was about to tell me some deep dark secret... and I totally passed out.

Crap.

He was willing to open up and I probably snored in his face.

How embarrassing.

I need to leave, but I can't go back to the dorm. Vanessa might be there. At least if she's here, I can avoid her in one of the many rooms.

That's it! I can just sleep next door. Problem solved.

The distant shouting draws my attention again.

I tip toe as quietly as possible to the door, but of course I hit every creaky floorboard.

I really hope he's a hard sleeper.
And whoever is out there is okay.

As soon as my hand grips the doorknob, I hear Ben turn over.

The small amount of light filtering in from the street lamp illuminates his muscular body as he feels around the spot I just occupied.

"Kat?" He rubs his eyes, confusion enveloping his voice.

Shoot. I didn't make it.

I return to stand at the end of the bed, but my movement startles him.

He sits up quickly. "Who's there?"

Guess we know his choice in the fight or flight dilemma.

"Ben, it's me." I try to reassure him, but maybe he didn't want me here in the first place. He wasn't exactly known for sleepovers.

"Kat? What are you doing?" He stretches, his muscles flexing.

I am totally not staring.

Nope.
Not.
At.
All.

Okay, I'm hopeless.

"I heard shouting, so I was going to make sure everyone was okay." I still need to go. What if Vanessa is hurt?

"You heard shouting?" Can he not hear me?

"Yes." Isn't that what I just said. I sit down on the bed beside him.

"And you decided to go out in the middle of the night, alone, to check it out?" Oh... now I understand. This is like the broken glass all over again. I'm not just a stupid girl.