When Our Worlds Collide (31 page)

Chapter Forty-Seven

-Kennedy-

“What can I do for you Kennedy?” Coach waves me into his
office with a smile. I stand just outside the threshold having this internal debate
on whether this is the right thing or if it’s a colossal mistake.

“I don’t have much time, but I need to talk to you,” I say
as I finish the walk into his office. “It’s important.” I nervously close the
door behind me.
There’s no turning back now.

To be honest, I don’t know what I’m thinking. My only
thoughts are with Graham. Being worried about him has become a full time job.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was him showing up like he did last
night. He can’t go on living like he is now and I refuse to sit around doing
nothing. I know it isn’t my place. A part of me believes that it is. He
confides in me and I know that if the roles were reversed that he would be up
in arms.

“I need to talk to you about Graham,” I begin to explain
taking a minute to collect my thoughts. Maybe I’m trying to talk myself out of
telling him. Coach watches me intently waiting to hear what I have to say.
Graham’s his star player. I can see the worry in his brow. “I don’t know how to
say this and I’m not even sure if you’re the right person to be telling.”

“If it has to do with Graham then I’m the right person.
What’s going on?” he asks obviously worried about his starting pitcher. Coach
is the type of man who invests more than just time in his players. He sees them
as his own children. Their troubles become his troubles.

Here goes nothing…

“I’m just going to come out and say it.” ----Long pause----
“Graham’s father beats the shit out of him and when I say beats the shit out of
him I mean leaves bruises, causes cuts, and breaks bones.”
That felt good to
say out loud.
I let out a long breath that I feel like I’ve been holding in
for far too long.

Coach stares at me for what feels like an eternity.

“Is that where the swollen black eye came from?” he asks me
with concern. He must have seen it this morning when we walked into the school.
I nod in response. “And you know for a fact that it’s his father?” I nod again.

“Okay.” Coach runs his tanned wrinkled hand over his head
and down his face in frustration. I can see the worry in his eyes.

“What’s going to happen now?” I question. There has to be
something Coach can do, some solution to Graham’s nightmare.

“Kennedy…I’m glad you told me, but there isn’t much that I
can do. Until Graham confides in someone of authority on his own then it’s sort
of a moot point. When he’s ready to talk, he’ll tell someone. I can tell you
are worried about him and I promise that I’ll keep an eye on him. If I notice
anything then I’ll talk to him, okay?”

“That’s good enough for me.” I lie smiling softly hoping
that he believes me.

“Kennedy, he’s lucky to have you looking out for him. You’ve
made him into a good man,” Coach says with a knowing grin.

“I’m the lucky one.” I wave at him as I head out of his
office. I have already missed most of lunch. Graham’s probably wondering where
I disappeared to. I’ll come up with some excuse. I go into the library to try
to read my book. It’s an impossible task as my mind filters through everything
that I know about Graham and what I have just done. Graham won’t understand why
I did what I did.

He’s going to hate me when he finds out. I don’t think I
can survive losing him.

By the time third period rolls around Graham isn’t in class.
I haven’t seen him all morning and am beginning to worry about him. It’s half
way through the hour when the door opens. Graham glides in handing Mr.
Stevenson a late slip. He finds his spot in the chair next to mine. I smile
over at him trying to gage his mood.

“Where have you been?” I whisper as I lean over.

“Coach called me into his office,” Graham explains. I
visibly tense up and he notices. “Everything’s fine. He just told me that he’s
postponing the Georgia scouts until my eye is healed.”

“Oh that’s good,” I avoid looking at him. It’s an impossible
task. Looking away from Graham is a chore, not something worth doing for too
long. I manage to avoid Graham as much as possible for the rest of the day.

 After school, Violet drags me off to the mall once again to
look for prom dresses. She’s far too into the whole dress shopping thing. Dan
and she are still planning on going together. They seem to be getting closer
and more open about what their relationship actually means. I like him a lot.
He’s good for her. Dan tends to keep her under control. I didn’t even know that
was a possibility.

We wander into shop after shop until we end up at Macy’s.
I’m not picky, but Violet on the other hand couldn’t choose one dress if a
million were thrust into her arms. I could have found us both dresses at any of
the shops that we have been in today. Violet insists that they have to be the
closest to perfection. Since I can really care less, I play along with her
trying on a handful of dresses. Violet springs from the dressing room wearing
the most gorgeous sequined teal dress. The dress has a full length skirt with a
sweetheart neckline that hugs at her hips just right.

“Holy crap, that’s the one,” I shout with excitement a tad
too loud jumping up from the chair that I’ve been sitting in patiently waiting
for my best friend to find ‘The Dress’. Violet turns to look in the mirror. A
huge smile spreads across her gorgeous face. I knew she would agree once she
saw herself.

“Now that we found mine let’s go find yours.” Violet turns
to strip out of her winning dress before the door even shuts behind her revealing
her lace thong. Shaking my head, I sit back down.

“Too late, I already found it.” I hold up a long black satin
strapless mermaid style dress just as Violet’s stepping out of her fitting room
fully clothed thankfully. My perfect dress has a straight neckline, but dips
low in the back with beautiful diamond embellishments along the entire back
seam.

“Where did you find that one?” Violet tries to grab it from
my hand.

“Oh no, this one’s mine. I found it first.” I smile pulling
the fabric out of her grasp.

“Fine,” she throws her hands up in defense. “Graham won’t be
able to keep his hands off of you in that.”

“That’s sort of the point.” I wink at her. Her mouth falls
open nearly hitting the floor. Violet still isn’t used to the new “me”, as in
the new non-virgin side of me.

 After finding the perfect shoes and jewelry we decide to
take our bags out to Violet’s car before grabbing something to eat. It’s
already seven and I’m starving after walking the length of the mall a few dozen
times. We head to our usual place. There’s a short wait. Neither of us really
care. They have the best spinach and artichoke dip that is well worth the
twenty minutes standing around.

The hostess sits us in a far back corner booth. After
handing us our menus, she scurries off to her other tables. She doesn’t know
that Violet and I both know what we intend on ordering. We come here far too
often that we can practically recite the menu front to back. Violet and I are
lost in our conversation that we don’t notice someone walking up to our table.
We both glance over at the same time to see Craig standing over us wearing a
uniform. I had no idea he worked here. This place is officially ruined for me.

“Hey Violet,
Kennedy
,” Craig snarls. He’s short with
his pleasantries, but emphasizes my name a little too seductively. “What can I
get you two to drink? I told Candice I’d take over your table. You know, since
we are friends from school and other things.”

“Coke,” Violet’s answer is short and the farthest thing from
sweet. By the look in her eyes she’s debating on how she can kick him in the
balls at the angle she’s sitting.

“I’ll have water. Thanks,” I answer politely. I don’t want
to cause a scene.

Violet glares at me from across the table as Craig walks a
few steps away before she says anything.

“Don’t be nice to him. He doesn’t deserve it,” she
chastises. I glance at his receding body hoping he didn’t hear her. He stops
walking as if he can feel my eyes on him. He had to have heard what she said.

Crap!

I turn back towards Violet who’s resting her elbows on the
table looking pissed off. “I know. I know. Just don’t want to cause any
trouble. That’s all.”

Craig shows up a few minutes later with our drinks. He takes
our orders. I thought that maybe it would be possible to have a meal without
him saying something crude or inappropriate to me. I was wrong.

Craig leans in too closely to me when he drops off our dip.
His fingers run down my arm causing bile to rise up in my throat. This seems to
be my body’s natural reaction to him.

“You look beautiful. Maybe once you’re sick of fucking
Graham then you can come be with someone who can actually get you off like you
deserve,” he turns and walks away. I didn’t even have a chance to stand up and
protect myself.

I want to get sick. Violet curses under her breath coming to
sit by my side. She keeps whispering that everything will be okay. I just hate
that Craig is capable of making me feel vulnerable and unsafe. This isn’t the
first time he’s made a point of harassing me. He always manages to do it when I’m
alone and Graham is nowhere to be found. He cornered me in the girl’s bathroom
pinning me to the walls of one of the stalls the other day threatening to
finish the “job” and accusing me of wanting him. There’s not much more that I
can take. Violet doesn’t know about all the others. Tonight is his first
attempt to do confront me in front of anyone else.

“He’s a prick just trying to get a rise out of you. You need
to stay away from him,” Violet urges.

Violet has no idea how badly I need to stay away from him. I
think a part of me wants to believe that he’s just trying to get a rise out of
me, trying to see how I will react. Like by pushing the boundaries he’s somehow
getting something from me.

I’m most bothered by the fact that Craig doesn’t seem afraid
of what will happen if I were to tell someone. A person who isn’t afraid of
repercussions is someone to fear. They act as if they have nothing to lose.

“Can we just get our check and leave?” I flag down a
different waitress demanding to get our check. She looks at me with concern.
I’m sure I look like I saw a ghost. I turn back to my best friend. “Violet, you
can’t tell Graham about this.”

“I don’t like it, Kennedy. He should know what that dickhead
is saying to you.” Violet pays for our meal after demanding that it’s on her.
“You need to promise me that you’ll at least tell me if he approaches you
again?”

I eventually give in to her demand. Graham’s usually around
me and Craig wouldn’t dream of saying something in front of him. Graham
wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. I’ve already had to remind him that I
want to put it in my past. Technically nothing happened.

When I get home I crash onto my bed grabbing my cell phone
to text Graham. He had practice, but he should be home by now, hopefully doing
his homework.

Me: Hey, how was practice?

Graham: Had trouble pitchin with my damn eye all swollen.
its gone down a lot. by Friday i should be good to go.

Me: That’s good. I found my dress.

Graham: u did?

Me: I have a feeling you’re going to love it.

Graham: Babe, if ur wearing it im sure i will.

Me: I wish you were here. I sleep a lot better when you
are.

Graham: Want me to sneak in your window again?

Me: I wish

Graham: im gonna finish homework then go to bed. im
exhausted. heres ur last chance 2 let me sneak in that window of urs.

Me: Not tonight. Is your Dad gone?

Graham: Yea u dont need to worry about me 2night, Ken.

Me: I always worry about you.

Graham: I love you & I’ll see you in the morning. I’m
picking you up, right?

Me: Yes and I love you too.

I fall asleep just as I have every night since the
accident---thinking about Graham. In the beginning my thoughts were
superficial. They were about the way he looked at me and how he made me feel
like no one ever has before. Now they are deeper than just how damn gorgeous he
is or the way his shirt clings to his chest. I’m not going to lie those aren’t
bad thoughts to have. Now whenever my mind wanders to Graham, I think about how
he’s going to change the world with his determination and how he’s teaching me
that people aren’t always what they seem to be in the best way possible.  

I want to think that my choices have bettered Graham in some
way. That by telling someone his biggest secret that he’ll be better off and be
able to be a better person because of it. I’d like to believe that losing him
will be worth saving his life if it ever came down to that.

Chapter Forty-Eight

-Graham-

The big day finally arrives. I had to wait two weeks to get
Georgia’s coach to be here. Today could be the day that my future starts to be
mapped out. I still have another year until I can commit to a University, but
this is one of the biggest steps of making my dreams come true. If I can prove
to them that I’m a worthy ball player then maybe the majors aren’t too far off
for me. It can all be within my grasp.

“What are you thinking about?” Kennedy slides up next to my
locker. It’s Friday morning. It’s game day.

“What if I blow it?” I worry out loud to her. She looks at
me as if I said something completely ridiculous. Maybe I’m overreacting.

“You’ll be amazing just as you always are. It’s actually
rather annoying.” Kennedy leans into me kissing me on the ridge of my jawline
before prancing down the hallway towards Violet’s locker. I watch her walk
noticing Craig’s eyes lingering on her legs.

God, give me five minutes alone in a room with him and I
will destroy him. I’d give my left nut to beat the shit out of him.

After school I head to Coaches office to talk to him about
what to expect before I’m due to show up at the field. He tells me just to play
like I have been all year long and I should be fine. I notice him looking at my
arms and face quickly looking elsewhere pretending to fiddle with papers when
he realizes he’s been caught.

That’s weird.

“You were meant to play this game, Graham. Just prove it to
everyone else who doesn’t already know,” Coach reassures me just as I get up
from the chair in his office.

“Thanks Coach. I’ll see you out there,” I wave before
shutting the door to his office behind me.

I walk into the locker room where the rest of my team is
sitting around bullshitting. Our usual routine before games. Everyone knows
that the scouts are coming tonight to see me pitch. They pat me on the back
with words of encouragement as I make my way to my locker. All of my teammates
seem to be happy for me except for one. Craig’s standing at the end of the row
of lockers glaring me down.

“So the scouts are coming today to watch Mr. All American
play, huh?” Craig yells at me slamming the door of his locker making the room
echo with the crash.

I just roll my eyes ignoring him, not wanting to get riled
up before the game. I put my headphones on and turn the volume up on my iPod
drowning him and everyone else out. A few minutes pass when someone tugs on the
headphones pulling them from my ears. I turn to see Craig standing directly in
my face. His chest is puffed up against my arm.

“What is your problem, man?” I ask with my fists clenched.
I’m ready to lay his ass out if need be. Craig smiles the biggest most
condescending smile I have ever seen.

“Kennedy’s looking pretty hot lately. I should have gotten
in that when I had the chance. She practically begged me, you know.” I grab
Craig by his baseball jersey slamming him against the metal lockers.

All of our teammates sit watching, waiting for me to throw a
punch. I want to. I would have found great pleasure in breaking his nose. I’m
not going to let some worthless dickhead take away what I’ve worked hard for.
Tonight’s game is too important.

I still have ahold of his jersey as I slam his body back a
little rougher this time against the lockers. “Don’t you ever speak about
Kennedy like that again. Don’t look at her in the hallways. Don’t talk to her.
Don’t even think about her,” I yell causing everyone’s watchful eyes to bulge
from their sockets.

Craig shoves me back causing me to take a few steps to
balance myself. He leaves the locker room before I can say anything else. My
teammates give me the much needed distance. No one asks any questions or makes
any comments. I don’t like the way he talked about Kennedy, what he insinuated.
There’s this menacing gleam in his eyes every time her name passes his lips.

I turned away from everyone’s questioning glances and plug
my headphones back in. Let The Bodies Hit the Floor screams into my ears.  I
need to relax before I blow my one shot out of this town. Dan walks up beside
me leaning against the locker beside mine. I know he has something to say. He
always has something to say.

“Just spit it out, man,” I sit down on the bench resting my
head in my hands. He follows me sitting down next to me.

“What was that all about? First you punch him in the hallway
when you and Kennedy first get together and now this? You haven’t gone to any
of his parties. You avoid talking to him at all cost, so what’s the deal?” Dan
questions my recent behavior.

Should I tell him? Trusting him isn’t the issue. It isn’t my
story to tell, but it would be nice to have someone else to watch out for Craig
for me after his little outburst. I’m going to have to ask Kennedy if he’s said
anything to her. When I’m around he keeps his distance. I still catch him
watching her from now and then. Nothing to significant. Just enough to piss me
off.

“It’s nothing. Craig’s just been acting differently these
days. I don’t like it,” I brush off his question.

“That’s bullshit. Remember that Craig was your best friend
before Kennedy came along. Whatever it is it can’t be that bad.” Dan pats me on
the shoulder leaving the locker room to head towards the field.

It can’t be that bad? If he only knew just how bad it
actually is. It’s times like these that I wish Kennedy would just tell someone.
She should have reported it the night it happened. I can’t ask her to though.
I’d be a hypocrite. I can’t manage to tell a soul about my father, so why should
I expect her to tell her secret. We are one in the same.

My anger is at a whole different level at this point. I
can’t stop my fist from slamming into the locker in front of me, not really
caring if I fuck up my hand. I’m angry at my father for beating the shit out of
me. I’m angry at my mother for not saying a damn word about it. I’m angry at
Craig for what he has done to Kennedy and I’m angry at Kennedy for not doing
anything about it. I’m finding myself becoming more and more angry about
everything. At one point all these secrets are going to catch up to Kennedy and
me. It’s all going to boil over and we’ll both get burnt.

I run out of the locker room and nearly crash into Coach.
“Whoa, slow down,” he yells as I practically bulldoze him.

“Sorry, just have a lot on my mind. I wasn’t paying
attention to where I was going,” I explain shaking out my sore hand.

“Everything okay?” He asked while looking me over again like
he had in his office. If he only knew that I just punched a metal locker he’d
probably beat the shit out of me.

“Yeah, just nerves.” I don’t stick around to have any more
of that conversation. Ever since he’s called me into his office he’s been too
attentive. He even called me over after practice one day this week just to see
how things were going. Coach is always getting into our business, but he is
usually more subtle about it.

I reach the field scanning the field for Kennedy. She always
stands in the same spot on the fence beside Violet. I don’t see Violet standing
with her. Craig’s leaning against the fence. He obviously doesn’t understand
what I mean by don’t talk to her or go near her. This is the last shit I need
right now.

Kennedy notices me before he does. A nervous tense
expression is readable all over her beautifully innocent face. What the hell
was he saying to her that made her uneasy? She glances between the two of us
leaving Craig standing on the fence. She makes her way over to me. Craig turns
to grin at me.

Piece of shit.

“Graham…” Kennedy grabs my attention.

“What the fuck is he doing talking to you?” I yell loud
enough to gain the attention of the crowd that is gathering around the
bleachers. Kennedy comes through the fence running directly into my arms. Coach
will yell at her if he sees her on the field this close to game time.

“Listen to me, don’t worry about him. I’ll explain
everything later, but it’s under control. I think he’s just trying to get a
rise out of you and it’s obviously working,” she whispers in my ear while still
being wrapped in my arms.

“Yeah he’s getting a rise out of me. I practically kicked
his ass in the locker room before he came out here.”

“I’m okay. Worry about the game and we’ll talk later. I
promise.”

“Dan’s having a party tonight, so we’ll talk when we get
there. I’ll probably be a while with the Coaches from Georgia. I forgot to ask
if you could ride with Violet. I’ve just been distracted.” Kennedy gives me a
pouty look. She hates the idea of walking into parties without me. I can’t
blame her after everything she’s been through. “You’ll be fine just this one
time. Violet will be with you. Make sure you stick close to her.” I drop her to
the ground kissing her fully on the lips.

I head towards the dugout and feel a hard smack on my ass. I
turn to see Kennedy smirking at me. “Good luck baby,” she mouths.

“Who needs luck when I have you?” I smile back at her.

Mark is already behind home plate waiting for me to find my
rightful spot on the pitcher’s mound. He tosses the ball to me and we go
through our usual warm up. I let it all fall away in a moment’s notice. Now was
my time to impress, to guarantee my way out of here. Now was my time to shine.