Too Keen For Me

Chapter 17: As If Reading My Mind

Isaac leaned against my locker as I stuffed my books in it the next day. I glared at him. "What Isaac?" I snapped. I had been preparing myself for this encounter all day, but at the end of the day, I had no patience.

He smirked at me in silence.

His smirk made me worry and suddenly my stomach was in knots. "Well, spit it out."

"You better remember where you stand. Remember I can do more damage to you than you can to me."

I scowled. This was war. This wasn't a game. "What do you want from me?" I sighed. "Can't we just call it quits and move on?"

He shook his head as he pushed me against the locker.

I squirmed under his grip.

"Isaac, what are you doing?" A teacher asked.

Instantly his hands dropped as he faced the teacher with a smile. "Nothing. Just having a friendly conversation with Isla here."

The teacher sighed. "Just keep your hands to yourself. Don't make me write you up." With that, the teacher walked back into his room, leaving us alone again.

Isaac turned to me with a red face. "You are always ruining things."

"I think you ruin things on your own," I replied then with my backpack in my hands, I ran out of school towards my car before he chased after me.

I drove out of the parking lot and headed towards Miles' place. There I knew I could get a distraction from my high school drama.

"Hi, I'm Kit Keen and you are listening to 102.5," Miles' voice rang out through the radio.

Just his voice was enough to bring a sense of calm. I let out a breath.

By the time I made it to his apartment door, my encounter with Isaac was just a memory. Soon we would be graduating, and Isaac would be just someone in my past. I would never have to interact with him ever again.

With my head held high, I knocked on his door then waited in silence for an answer. There was none. Moments passed, until I worked up the nerve to turn his door handle, finding it unlocked.

"I'm coming in, Miles," I said cautiously as I walked in slowly.

I was hit with the smell of stale Chinese food and socks as closed the door behind me. A frown came to my lips, knowing his place did not look like this yesterday when I left. How could his place smell so bad so quickly?

In the middle of the floor lay Miles as he stared at the ceiling. He looked just as bad as he did yesterday.

"Miles, what are you doing?"

He looked over at me but stayed quiet.

I shook my head at him in disapproval even though my heart ached for him. I had seen my father in the same state before. Miles was letting himself swim in the deep depths of despair and I wouldn't let him. "Get up." I tapped his foot with my shoe.

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"And that's why we're going somewhere." I took his hand and pulled him off the ground. He stumbled to his feet, practically throwing himself at me, allowing me to smell liquor in his breath. "Miles," I sighed.

"Isla, please let me be alone."

I shook my head. "Nope. Not going to happen. As your best friend, I'm sticking by your side," I said as I got his flip flops from by the door.

"So you're my best friend now?"

I chuckled as I offered him my hand. Until we talked about the kiss, this was good enough. "Yeah, I figured I needed a promotion."