The Color Of Love

Chapter 7 Aftermath

The thing about life is no matter how far away you run from your problems or how much you drink to forget you had problems. That bottle is gonna be empty after awhile, and you can run as fast as you want but your problems are still gonna be there.I thought about this as I sat in my living room telling the large group of angry people everything that happened yesterday, and I do mean everything. I could see the worry in my moms eyes when I mention the nus, the hurt on my dads face as I talked about  our conflict from yesterday. I even saw Ian twitch when I told them about meeting Jermy's cousin Evan. I felt Horrible about everything and the hangover I had wasen't helping.  Everyone just sat there not saying anything, staring at Anna and I. So I did what I do best in high stress situations. I excused myself from the room, went to the kitchen. and started baking a cake. Ever sense I can remember I have always baked when I felt stressed. I used an easy bake oven like no six year old never has. What in the world I could be stressed about at six years old I have no clue,  but I do know I went through two of those dang ovens. I was mixing ingredients when I heard someone walk up behind me. I turned around to Kyle standing in the door way.

"Channa I wanted to talk to you." he said sitting at the table. I didn't say anything I didn't feel like talking. My head was throbing and I sure didn't feel like talking to him.

"Fine then I'll talk you just listen."

"Ok."

"I just wanted to tell you that I had nothing to do with that nus."

"What makes you think I thought it was you." He stared at me with one eyebrow raised.

"I'm not stupid Channa, and I know I have done some less than honorable things."

"You're right."

"Look Channa I don't like the fact that you're with Ian-

"You're not helping your case here!" I yelled interrupting him

"Damit Channa can you just give me a chance here?"

"Why should I?" I asked slamming my cake batter down on the table spilling a little on the table.

"Because, You and Anna are all I have!"

"What are you talking about?"  I asked sitting down beside him.

"After my mom died." He paused."After mom died dad stopped caring about me and about Anna. Now he doesn't even come home we might see him once or twice a week if that. He pays the bills and stuff, but that's about it, and through all this you have always been there for Anna, and You've been there for me."

"Kyle, To be honest I never even thought about who was behind that nuse."

"Honest?"

"Yes honest." We sat there in silence just starring at each other.

"Channa, you remember that time you came over to the house back before momma got sick. When you me and Anna snuck out to go to that party in Pleasant Valley."

"How could I forget  we had to walk home cause we got drunk and you couldn't find your keys."

"Yeah."He said laughing "And when we got home momma was sitting on the porch waiting for us." 

"Your momma tore our butts up." I laughed

"I remember that." I looked up to see Anna, Ian, and Dylan standing in the door way."When we woke up the next morning we found Kyle's keys in his jacket pocket." She said sitting beside me.

"That was the last time the three of us hung out." I got up and  put my cake in the oven and leaned up against the counter.

I sat there for a minute just thinking about that night. Oh it was so fun we walked all of five miles from the bus stop to Ann's house. We had the best time ever just laughing about nothing. It was the first time any of us had gotten drunk. What I remember most though is the day after. When we woke up  Mrs. Lea cooked us breakfast while scolding us at the same time she always had a way of doing that. We where sitting at the table eating when it happened. Mrs.Lea just fainted out of no where we couldn't get her up so we called the ambulance. When we got to the hospital they told us that Lea had a brain tumor that was gowning rapidly. They told us she had at least six months to live, but about three days later she passed away while sitting at home. It hit all of us hard. Lea was like a second mother to me. Her and my momma cheered together in high school,and they had been best friends sense then. Leroy their dad, well he just shut down didn't talk to anyone,didn't eat. Hell the only thing he did was drink. Anna though she held on for all of us. Kyle though something changed in him; he wasen't the fun loving happy Kyle I once knew. No he was was mean, hateful, and he never laughed like he used to. None the less he still took care of me and Anna same as always. It wasen't till he started hanging out with the Richie boys that he started acting so hateful toward me. The Richie boys were twins and the most hateful racist people I have ever met. I don't know how or why kyle started hanging out with them, but I know I didn't like it.