When Our Worlds Collide by Lindsey Iler Page A

tuition this year?” she questions
him. Her voice is rising as the argument escalates.
    Graham doesn’t say anything. He just sits next to me waiting
for me to break the silence. The problem is that I don’t know what to say to
him. I have barely spoken to him since I moved to town freshman year and now he
sits listening into my own personal hell. He must feel how uncomfortable I am.
He quickly breaks the silence for the both of us.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
    -Graham-
     
    Hearing Kennedy’s parents argue in the next room reminds me
of home. It’s comforting knowing that my family isn’t the only ones that spend
their nights arguing. How fucked up am I? I have a feeling that this isn’t a
normal occurrence like it is at mine house. I can relate and I know she’s
feeling uncomfortable with me being here. She looks over at me as her neck and
cheeks begin to beam with the softest shade of pink. 
    “You plan on going to college in New York?” I ask in attempt
to make her not freak out in embarrassment.
    “If I’m lucky enough I will. At this point it’s a waiting
game with my leg,” she explains shrugging her shoulders as if it isn’t that big
of a deal. The way she peers over my way makes it seem like she feels bad for
saying it. She is trying to protect my feelings, when it should be the other
way around.
    I swallow hard before continuing with the conversation. “You
don’t think you’ll be able to dance?”
    “No it’s not that. I’m sure I will--at some point. I’m just
not sure if it will be like I used to. It’s going to take a while to heal is
all I meant. I’m sorry.”
    Why is she apologizing?
    “How long have you been dancing?” I’m actually curious which
surprises me.
    “I started when I was four and haven’t stopped since,” she
grins at me like it is Christmas morning and she realized Santa had made a
visit. She obviously loves dancing by the way her eyes light up when she talks
about it. “What about you?”
    “How long have I been dancing?” I joke nudging her with my
elbow right in her side. I feel comfortable around her. I don’t feel the need
to be someone I’m not. It’s a nice and unexpected change. This is a good thing
I try to remind myself. I let my arm fall directly next to where Kennedy’s lays
naturally. Our skin is touching, but she doesn’t shy away from me. Damn, her
skin is soft.
    “Baseball…how long have you been playing baseball?” Kennedy
smirks amused with my playfulness. 
    “Right about the same time that you started dancing, I
suppose. I can’t remember ever not playing. It’s just something that I’ve
always done.” I explain hoping that she will leave it at that. The real reason
why I play is too deep of a conversation to have with a girl who is practically
a stranger.
    Kennedy sits beside me moving the remote from one hand to
the other. It is a nervous tick. I can’t hold back my grin. If she only knew
that I am just as nervous as she is sitting next to her. How do you go from
barely speaking to each other to whatever this is?
    “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks in a low
sweet tone. I can’t force my eyes away from her bottom lip that she can’t stop
biting down on. Must be another nervous tick of hers.
    “You seem anxious.” I observe sitting up from the pillow
that’s resting behind my back.
    Kennedy contemplates my observation. “This isn’t going to be
easy, is it? What I mean is what happens at school tomorrow? You say were
friends, but are we really? We’ll just go back to being strangers who only
notice each other in passing, right?”
    “So you’ve noticed me, huh?” I laugh trying to lighten the
mood. Secretly, I am hoping she has noticed me as twisted as that is.
    Now would be the time to be honest…
    “I’m not going to promise you anything. I’m not sure that I
can keep any promise to you. I’m going to slip up, be an ass to you because I
don’t know how to be friends to someone like