It All Started With a Diary

fighting it|part 5

My voice was tiny, but it felt as if it could bounce off of the walls. "Kade—"

His head hung between his legs, hands clasped and shaky as his legs bounced. "Don't say shit to me right now, Kimberly," he said, voice croaky. "Don't. Say. Shit."

My head fell right along with my stomach. He was angry, and I just needed to let the air chill down first before I tried to explain myself.

I still didn't understand exactly why he was angry, though. I was only trying to help him because I cared. And, what was wrong with caring about someone and showing it? I couldn't pinpoint the issue like he had, and that slowly irked me.

I couldn't help but grow agitated by the minute. I had tried to help him, only to be yelled at by both him and his friends. I knew I shouldn't have endangered myself but it was the only way. It was frustrating. Day by day, I was beginning to grow tired of trying to help people, just to be let down all over again.

Kade remained in that same position, only sometimes breaking it to clench a jaw. His glare didn't move from the wall as Luke poked his head through the door. "Come on, fucker. They're all about to fucking piss themselves for you."

Kade raised himself from the bench, then jerked around to me. I nearly felt myself crumble under him as his hardened eyes narrowed at me. "Get back in the room," he demanded with a rough edge, as if I were some type of damned animal.

I gathered up my courage, placing it all in the root of my throat. Even if it meant being let down again, I wasn't going to suffer this willingly. Being selfless had gotten me nowhere all of my life, and I had never opposed the other person for their ungratefulness. But, that changed today.

My gaze remained on the pile of cigarette butts. "No," I murmured.

Kade—who was too enticed in his locker—jerked around, his hard gaze narrowed in on me. "What did you just say?" His legs moved with fury as he marched himself around the bench and to me.

"I said no," I responded, voice shaky.

I can do this.

He kissed his teeth, a hand massaging at his temples as he chuckled, his head falling. "Kimberly, sweetheart, it's taking every fucking fiber inside of me not to lose my shit right now. After everything you pulled tonight..." he spoke, his words close to a growl. "Get. Back. In. The. Room."

Slowly, I drug my gaze up his figure until I reached his eyes. If I would have believed he'd hurt me physically, I probably would have run but that wasn't the case. "I said, no. I'm not some person you can control anymore, Kade. I can do whatever I want."

"Kimberly—" he stopped himself as his voice rose. He stepped closer, beckoning my back against the lockers. His brows drew in with the rage, eyes ablaze with anger. "I'll lock your ass in the room if I have to, but I'm not about to argue with you."

I forced my shaky gaze into a glare. "And, I'm not about to let you control me—"

His fist lurched into the lockers, not even close enough for me to feel the gravity of it, but enough to make the lockers shudder under his strength. "I'm not controlling you; I'm trying to fucking protect you!" he shouted, his glare traveling with unnerving anger.

"I'm not afraid!" I snapped back. "I can take care of myself, Kade."

His penetrating gaze probed mine, but I held my ground. My eyes were beginning to peel with tears from the staring contest.

Without another word, he grabbed my hand. Pushing open the door with full force, he drug me behind him.

I struggled to keep up with his long strides, but I held my legs up enough to carry on. The inside of the arena was practically empty now, replaced with vacant seats, which were either turnt over or sticky with beer.