Brodie (Until Her #9.5)

Prologue

Prologue

Reese

I don’t know exactly what wakes me up, but when my cell on the nightstand beeps, I reach over and pick up my glasses, putting them on before grabbing my phone and bringing it close to my face so I can read the screen. Frowning at the notification informing me that Kirk finished a workout, I realize that I picked up his phone attached to his watch, which keeps track of his steps and how many calories he’s burned in a day. I glance behind me and find him gone. The two of us were up late studying for a test last night, so he stayed over rather than drive back to his apartment near our campus. It’s something he does on occasion when Richard and my mom are out of town like they are now.

Richard, my mom’s fiancé, travels a lot for work and likes Mom to go with him, leaving me alone in the house for days at a time—unless Richard’s daughter, Melissa, decides to stay here rather than on campus with her sorority. Which rarely happens.

I look at the time in the corner of the phone. It’s a little after two in the morning—an odd time to work out—but Kirk has been stressed about the test he has coming up. Maybe he needed to burn off some energy.

Sitting up, I toss back the covers and get out of bed to check on him. After I drag a hoodie over my sleep tank and shove my feet into my slippers, I leave my bedroom on the second floor, Kirk’s phone in hand. The house is dark and quiet, and, if I’m honest…a little creepy, which is why I often ask Kirk to stay over. I hate being here alone.

Hearing a bump as I start down the stairs, a sense of unease slithers through my insides.

I’m about to turn, head up the stairs, and go back to my room, but I freeze in the stairway when I hear a door open and then a familiar giggle. My heart pounding, I peek around the corner and watch Melissa, wrapped in the robe I got her for Christmas, kiss Kirk in a way I never have.

Pressing my hand against my stomach, I slowly back up one step and freeze again when the stair creeks under my weight.

“What was that?” I hear Melissa whisper, my heart pounding in panic.

I turn to rush up the stairs, but my slippers slide on the shiny wood, causing me to fall as I fumble for the railing. My glasses slide off my face as I skid down the steps, my footwear doing nothing to keep me on my feet. I land on my ass.

“Reese?” Melissa says in disbelief. I squint, unable to really see her.

“Shit, Reese, are you okay?” Kirk gasps, rushing up the steps to my side.

“I’m fine.” I shake him off when he grabs my arm to help me up.

“What are you doing out here?” My fingers make contact with my glasses, and I put them on. What am I doing out here ? Gritting my teeth, I stand. My bottom is so sore I know I’ll have more than just the bruise to my ego tomorrow.

“How long?” I look between the two of them while desperately trying to ignore the pain in my throat.

“Reese.” Kirk takes a step toward me, guilt written all over his handsome face. I look at Melissa. She doesn’t look guilty; she appears almost…victorious? I shouldn’t be surprised; she hates me, and I’m sure she feels like she just won some battle I didn’t even know I was in.

“How long?” I repeat.

“It just happened,” Kirk says quietly.

“So, tonight?” I look between them again, knowing in one glance that it’s happened before.

“Reese.” Kirk takes another step toward me.

Holding up my hand, I back up and then toss him the phone I somehow never dropped, turning on my slippers to head up the stairs—thankfully, staying on my feet.

“Reese,” Kirk calls, following me. “I’m sorry.” Sorry ? Yeah, right. I’m sure he’s only sorry he got caught. “Please, just talk to me,” he pleads.

“No.” I shake my head.

“It just happened; I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“So, what? You just accidentally slept with her?” When I reach my door, I turn to glare at him.

“I just…” He drags his fingers through his long hair. “I just...”

“Come on, Kirk. Leave her alone,” Melissa calls. I look over at her. I don’t know why she hates me. I’ve never understood what I did to deserve it. I’m not competition. My mom loves her, maybe even more than she loves me. She’s the kind of daughter Mom always wanted, and they get along like best friends. I’m the outsider, the awkward one.

“It doesn’t matter.” I grab the door handle with a shaking hand.

“I know it does matter,” Kirk whispers, and I turn my head to look at him.

“You’re right.” I feel a single stupid tear trailing down my cheek. “It does matter because you’re supposed to be my best friend.” I turn the handle, push the door in only enough to get inside, then shut it behind me and lock it.

“Reese.” Kirk pounds on the wood.

Ignoring him, I kick off my slippers and crawl into bed, trying to wrap my head around what just happened and how I feel about it.

I’ve known Kirk since we were four, and we have been best friends ever since. Or at least we were nothing more than best friends until about two months ago when he told me his feelings for me had changed and asked me to be his girlfriend. To say I was surprised when he told me how he felt would be an understatement. He dated a lot—a lot, a lot—and I was not his type. All his previous girlfriends were cheerleaders and sorority girls.

And all those women made sense since he’s the quarterback for the University of Minnesota, where we go to school. He’s so good that he’s already been scouted to go pro. While I’m getting my degree in marine biology with plans to attend veterinary school when I’m finished. I’ve been his nerdy counterpart throughout our lives, and he’s loved me anyway.

A sob I can’t control climbs up the back of my throat, and I cry, not because I just lost my boyfriend, but because I know I just lost my best friend. Nothing between us will ever be the same. I cry until I can’t anymore, then lay there wide awake, trying to figure out what I’m going to do. When the sun comes up, I pick up my cell phone, ignoring all the messages on the screen from Kirk, and make a phone call.