New Lands | (Fantasy)

Chapter 8: Kyle's POV

"So you sounded worried on the phone," Jessie-May says. "I know you told me what happened but you didn't sound sad, you sounded more scared."

"Yeah, my dad started yelling at my brother that it was his fault that my mom left," I say, "but their marriage wasn't working out anyway. I could tell that, but my dad continued to push the marriage. He even started getting physical." She hands me a Pepsi. "Thanks."

"Yeah," she says. "Did your dad hurt you?"

"No. I was always his favorite," I say. "I was safe until my brother started yelling back. Then my dad tried to hit my brother but my brother ran outside. I went upstairs and grabbed the phone and decided to call someone. You were the first person to come to mind for some reason." I take a sip of Pepsi. "And that's it." Jessie-May nods. "I'm surprised I didn't think of Will first, but I suppose it makes sense since - since he's at Emma's." Crap.

"Okay now I know you're lying," Jessie-May says. "But I won't pry. It's not your story anyway." Her cell phone rings. "It's Emma." She is about to answer it but then she declines the call.

"Why didn't you answer?" I ask.

"Because I'm hanging out with you," Jessie-May says with a smile.

"Right. I came here also with a purpose," I say. I open my backpack and pull out my calculus textbook. "I was hoping you could help me with this. Since you're in AP calc."

"Yeah totally," Jessie-May says. "What do you need help with?"

"Everything I need to know for the exam," I say as I pull out the review guide. "I don't understand anything."

"I'm sure you understand something," Jessie-May says. "You just need to find out how you're going to understand it."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Like I use art to understand things," Jessie-May says. "What are some of your favorite things?" I think for a moment. I almost say that she is one of my favorite things but I keep that to myself.

"Baseball and soccer," I say. She begins drawing out an equation that has to do with a certain play in baseball. She hands me the pencil and tells me to solve it. I begin solving it but then her cell phone rings again. It's Emma.

"She needs to deal with Will on her own," Jessie-May says. She ignores the call again. "Okay so do you understand how to solve it?"

"I think," I say. I begin working on it again but her cell rings for the third time.

"What does she want!?" Jessie-May asks, getting frustrated. "Okay I'm turning my phone off. She's going to have to figure it out herself. I am not in the mood." She turns her phone off and throws it onto the couch. We continue with studying but then my cell rings. It's Will.

"Okay now Will is calling me," I say.

"Don't answer. They need to know how to put up with each other on their own," Jessie-May says. "Mr. Johnson partnered them up for a specific reason.

"Well what if they need some supplies?" I ask.

"Why would Will be calling you then? You live way far away," Jessie-May says. "Maybe something is wrong."

"Should we go over there?" I ask. Suddenly it is all dark outside.