Knockout by Tracey Ward Read Free Book Online

there, are you nothing? When you’re in the ring, what are you then?”
    Kellen dropped his hands to his sides. They were still clenched tight.
    “I’m a man,” he said roughly.
    “Damn straight. One of the best ones I’ve ever had the privilege to know. Do you think I’d let you around my daughters if I thought any less of you?”
    “No.”
    “No. Don’t listen to that man anymore. He’s lashing out because he’s jealous and scared. His life is going nowhere because he never tried. You’ve never stopped trying, Kellen, and you never will.”
    They both stood motionless and silent for a long time. I watched them looking like statues together. Two tall, broad, brilliant men.
    “Come on,” dad said, his voice softer than before. “Let’s go to the kitchen so I can look at your eye. At the very least we’ll need to ice it.”
    Kellen silently followed my dad to the kitchen. I watched and I waited with breath held, suddenly afraid as they were moving that they would somehow see me. I never wanted Kellen to know I’d been there. He couldn’t know I’d seen all of this because he would know I felt sorry for him and he’d be angry. Embarrassed. So I saved him from that. From me. Because I loved him.
    And that night I wept for him.
     

     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
     
     
    It was bittersweet when two weeks later Kellen left for college. His birthday passed, he turned eighteen, but because I was the only one who knew when it was and I was keeping my oath of silence, we didn’t celebrate. We’d never given him a party or a present because he wouldn’t take it. Laney thought it was crazy but it was just Kellen. It was how he was and you either accepted it or you could walk away.
    When he picked his college he chose from a small pool of acceptance letters to places all over the country. His grades were insane, his skills in boxing and football off the charts, so he could have gone just about anywhere that would give him the right scholarship and financial aid. I suffered silent anxiety for weeks while he debated, worried he’d go somewhere far away. I nearly died when he picked the University of California in Berkeley. It was a six hour drive so not the worst but it felt like a million miles. I knew it wasn’t a distance he would cross very often, especially not on his bike. But while it hurt to be separated from my friend, it was nice not to see him with Laney anymore. I hoped that wherever he was and whatever he was doing, he was doing it as himself.
    “I can’t believe we’re finally in high school,” Sam said in awe.
    I glanced over at her with a smile as we walked through the quad, admiring the balls it took to come to the first day of high school dressed like a vampire. She was Goth to the core, something I didn’t really understand or want to join her in, but I liked hanging out with her. She had that same surety in herself that Kellen had. She kind of reminded me of him sometimes, only way less man whory and way blonder. If it weren’t for the dark makeup, black clothes and spiky jewelry, Samantha Hamilton would be a perfect California Girl. She had the body for a beach bombshell, one not unlike Laney’s, but she hid it as much as she could.
    “Yep, it’s exciting,” I agreed with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
    I was happy to be here, sure, but mostly because high school was the last leg of my educational journey. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be going to college because if I did I’d probably lose my mind, but try telling my mom that. That summer we had already started planning my extracurricular activities to get my college applications nice and padded.
    “Do you know what I’m looking forward to?”
    “Pizza day?”
    “No! God, don’t you ever think about anything but food?”
    I shrugged. “Sometimes I think about telekinesis.”
    “Ugh, you and your comics. Seriously, it’s disturbing. No, what I’m excited about is boys. Boys with cars.”
    I nodded in silent agreement