Kismet by AE Woodward

knew him—he’d say and do anything to get what he wanted. Everything was always a conquest for him, just like I had been… and probably still am.
    Hands rest on either side of my face, and Parker gently lifts my gaze to his. I want to hate him. I want to push him away from me. But I can’t. I’m frozen, under the control of emotions that have been buried away for years. With the realization that he still has a hold on my heart, the guilt washes over me. My stomach churns and I start to pull away from him.
    As if sensing my change in mood, he tightens his grip on my wrists and pulls me back in. He thumbs my bracelet, reminding me of the depth of our relationship. There are so many layers to Katie and Parker. Layers that no one will truly ever uncover.
    “I know I treated you like shit, and I know that I don’t deserve for you to give me a chance, but you’ve gotta know that the minute you left town seven years ago, I knew I’d made a mistake. I know you know it too. You and I were the only thing that ever made sense to me, Katie.”
    Emotions begin to stir inside of me. His eyes burn down on mine. I struggle to organize my thoughts, wondering what my next move will be. We’ve never talked about that day, and I want to know why.
    I consider my options. Do I start my healing by figuring out my past? I just want to know why things ended up the way they did. I want to make sense of this crazy thing called my life.
    “What the hell’s going on here?” Tommy’s voice bellows through the stable.
    Just like two gawky teenagers getting caught for the first time, we break our embrace. I look up to see Tommy stalking angrily down the narrow walkway of the barn.
    “She’s my family too, Tommy,” Parker calls out. “I have a right to hug her if I want.”
    Before I know it, Tommy’s chest is bumping with Parker’s. They’re standing face to face, their noses practically touching. The tension in the stable has just increased tenfold.
    “She’s been through enough without you fucking with her head again, Parker!”
    “I’m not fucking with her.” Parker pushes Tommy away with his hands. Tommy clenches his fists and I can tell he’s doing his best to control his anger. A nervous ball of energy rests in my stomach and I watch helplessly as Parker exits the stall and walks out of the barn. “I’m helping her,” he calls over his shoulder. “You would understand that if you knew anything about your sister.” And with those parting words he leaves Tommy and I alone with nothing but our silent thoughts.
    Time freezes, and I stand in the uncomfortable silence, appreciating that Tommy has brought me back to earth. I’d been in the clouds momentarily, but he’s right. I don’t need Parker messing with my head. I’m fragile enough as is. No matter how he makes me feel, I need to keep my feet on the ground, not in the clouds with Parker.
    I finish prepping Onyx to head out into the yard, and all while Tommy’s eyes burn into my back. I can feel his anger, and my stomach ties in knots knowing that I’d been caught in a moment of weakness.
    “Damn it, Katie, use your fuckin’ head. I love Parker like a brother, but you know just as well as I do that you can’t handle him,” Tommy bites out.
    Deep down I know he’s right, again. To take his advice and ignore Parker would be the best thing to do. But I can’t ignore him. That was why I had run away in the first place. Parker McKenzie had a hold on me, whether I liked it or not. I ignore Tommy long enough that he finally gives up, huffing as he walks out of the stable.
    For the next few hours I busy myself with Onyx, trying to focus on her rehabilitation, and not worry about mine. But my mind continues to wander between the possibilities, and the guilt. With each day that I gain strength, I lose a few more of my memories of them and it makes me question whether I’m really healing, or if I’m just forgetting. It isn’t fair that I get to continue on and get a