Free Collateral Damage (From the Damage) by Jasmine Denton

landed in the foyer, Mrs. Walker looked from Alex to Kelly and back again, like she wanted to say something. Finally, she took a step back. “Do you guys need anything?” she asked, her voice soft and unsure like that wasn’t what she’d been planning to say. “Water or tea? I think we have some soda…”
    “I’m okay, thanks,” Kelly said with a nervous smile.
    “Me too,” Alex said.
    “Then I’ll just…” she motioned to the other room, then gave the two a fake smile and left.
    Once they were alone, Alex looked from Kelly to the display case and back again, surprised to see her fighting tears, and losing the battle. Her lips were quivering, her eyes were filling up, and she couldn’t form a complete sentence. Seeing him this way, with his face all bruised up and his arm in a cast and sling, was too much to take in.
    “Hey,” he said softly, then he looked around the room for someplace more private. “Let’s go outside.”
    She nodded, moving toward the door. She reached for the knob, intending to hold it open for him, but he reached it first. It was the last straw, that he would be nice to her, even after how horribly she’d treated him.
    Stepping outside and onto the porch, he closed the door behind him. And she couldn’t hold it inside anymore. She turned to him, burying her face in his shoulder, the unwounded one, and cried. Remembering the special place he held in her life, wanting to keep him in the equation, even if only as a friend.
    “I’m so sorry,” she said around sobs, “If you hadn’t tried to run after me…if I wasn’t always walking away, this might not have happened.”
    “Hey, it’s not your fault.” He gave her a reassuring, one-armed squeeze. “I wasn’t watching where I was going. Even four year olds know to look both ways.”
    Wrapping his free arm around her, he cupped the nape of her neck in his hand and held her, murmuring indistinct but soothing words of comfort. 
    The tears slowed as his words eased her guilt and blame. She took a deep breath of his fresh, sporty cologne, reveling, just for a moment in the familiarity of being in his arms, smelling him and feeling the warmth of his embrace, hearing his heart beat, steady and true. It felt like she’d just returned home after a long, painful journey. Her voice came out in a low whisper, “I thought I’d lost you.”
    “You didn’t,” he said. “You won’t.”
    She closed her eyes, taking his promise and tucking it inside her heart, relinquishing the bitter feelings she’d harbored for too long. “I’m sorry for everything I said. Every time I blamed you for what happened…”
    “Hey, it’s okay,” he said, twisting his head to look down at her. “I don’t hold grudges, Kelly. And you have nothing to apologize for.”
    Looking into his eyes, she knew he meant it. She pulled back a little, wiping her tears away. Letting the emotions pass. “I’m really glad you’re okay.”
    He smiled at her.
    “I know we’ve had our differences,” she said, but she didn’t really feel like it encompassed everything they’d been through, everything they’d put each other through. “I mean, I know we haven’t always gotten along…but can we just call it water under the bridge? Because I really miss you.” 
    His smile widened, relief filling his features. “That would be great,” he said, with a kind of disbelieving laugh.
    His smile rubbed off on her, had her lips curving. “Really?”
    He nodded, reaching out to give her a fist bump.
    “So, how are things going, anyway?” she asked, stepping back to sit on the porch steps. “Has your dad been on your case for missing the game?”
    “He tried,” Alex said with a chuckle, sitting down beside her. “But my mom, she’s like one of those mother bears. Won’t let Dad get a word in.”
    Kelly giggled. “That’s good. It’s about time he gave you some peace.”
    He nodded, his smile fading into that look she recognized. It meant he wanted to tell