Free Everything You Want by Macyn Like Page A

the stove.
    “He’s fine.  Not a peep.”  She
slid past me and grabbed the ground beef, cheese, and a tomato out of the
refrigerator.
    Marissa got up and walked over to
us.  “You guys are busy.  I think I’m going to go.  I need to
let my dog out.  She’s probably wondering where I am.”
    “Are you sure?  We’ve got
plenty.  Kieran makes a mean cheeseburger,” Kiera said, nudging my
shoulder with hers.
    Marissa chuckled.  “I’m sure. 
Thanks for having me in, though.  It was nice to meet you, Kiera.”
    “You too, Riss,” Kiera said.
    I shot Kiera a questioning look. 
    “What?” she asked.  “That’s cute,
right?”  She looked to Marissa.
    Marissa smiled and nodded.  “That’s
what my stepsister calls me.”
    “See, there you go,” Kiera said, turning
back to her vegetable. 
    As soon as she was out the door I turned
on Kiera.  “You said something to her, didn’t you?”
    “Did she tell you that?” she asked, not
looking up from the tomato she was slicing.
    “No, but—”
    “Then I don’t know what you’re talking
about.”
    “Come on, Kiera,” I said, trying to keep
the exasperation out of my voice.
    “Do you want your tomato sliced thick or
thin?”
    I opened my mouth to protest, but
stopped.  “Thick,” I said.  I heaved a sigh and greased the skillet.
     
     

Chapter 13
    Marissa
    I shut the door behind me and bent down
to greet Tulip, George, and Oatmeal.  I attached Tulip’s lease to her faded
pink collar and walked her outside.  She clomped down the steps behind me
and bounced over to her favorite patch of grass, right in front of my
downstairs neighbor’s porch.
    A big smile spread across my face and
butterflies stirred in my stomach.  Kieran liked me .  I felt
like I was in junior high all over again.
    Tulip and I walked back up the stairs to
join the cats.  I poured myself a glass of tea once I was inside and
settled down on the couch, flipping the TV on as my herd of animals surrounded
me.  There was no way I was going to be able to relax, though.
    I thought back to my date with
Camden.  It was nice.  Pleasant.  He was what I thought I
wanted.  But being around Kieran was exhilarating.  I didn’t feel
that for Camden.  I knew that now, especially after the kiss.  I
imagined kissing Kieran.  A warm feeling expanded in my chest. 
Somehow, I knew it would be amazing.
    When Kieran had first stepped out of the
bathroom and seen me on his couch, and he’d looked like he’d been shot, I was
afraid that he didn’t want me there.  But after he entered the bedroom,
his sister explained that he just didn’t like people to see the scar, which I
already knew.  I could understand why.  His left arm was marked with
a long, wide, deep mark running down the entire length of it that was actually
quite startling at first sight.  Kiera said he thought they would repulse
other people.  But nothing about Kieran was ugly to me.  When I saw
him step out into the light of the hallway, the only words going through my
mind were breathtaking.  Devastating.  Beautiful.
    How could I have not noticed
before?  I mean, I’d always thought he was attractive, but ever since the
storm, every time I saw him, he made my heart speed up.  Seeing him like
that tonight took my breath away.
    I remembered the faded black and red
swirling letters on his chest that spelled out the name “Becca.”  Jealousy
had surged through me and I wanted to ask Kiera who she was, but it wasn’t any
of my business.  Kieran said he’d been younger when he’d gotten his
tattoos.  I figured she was just some old forgotten ex-girlfriend.
    I changed into my favorite Victoria’s
Secret Pink plaid pajama pants and a huge prom t-shirt from high school that
Shayla had left when she’d visited me a couple months ago.  I helped Tulip
up on the bed and crawled under the sheets, a huge smile still on my face as I
clicked the lamp off.
    The next day at work they had me working
with Kori,