The Yellow Umbrella

Chapter Twelve: Decisions

"Come on, let's get to the beach house, it's cold." Grayson motioned.

I shook my head, "I want to go to the sea wall."

"Seriously?" He asked, "Dude I don't think you would make it down the block. Come on, it's dark."

"I can take him." Kai said, her voice gentle, but steady.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Alright, but if you harm my Jakey poo..."

"I won't. I won't." She smiled cheekily.

We watched Grayson and Lily walk back to the house. The world felt like it was churning. I sat  down in the sand. Kai looked down at me and cocked her head.

"I thought you wanted to see the sea wall." She said.

I closed my eyes, "Let me enjoy this moment."

Silently, she sat beside me. A small space separated us, an invisible line, an unspoken stillness resting in the space.

I snuck another glance at her. She was wearing ripped boyfriend jeans and a cropped hoodie. For some reason, I always thought if I saw her again, she'd be wearing the same overalls.

"Caught you." She smirked.

"What?" I choked.

"Caught you checking me out." She laughed.

"I-I wasn't-" I tried to explain.

Kai shook her head, "I'm not stupid, I can tell what you were doing."

"Wow." I breathed, "You haven't changed."

She still called everyone out on their crap.

"You are exactly how I remember you." She said with a glint in her eye, "So tell me do you still write?"

"You remembered?" I asked, taken aback.

Drunk Jake was withering down a little bit, but a piece of me feared I would say something stupid and make things weird.

"You wrote this poem I really liked in the school magazine." She nodded.

"Stalker." I joked, though I was touched she remembered.

"You're the one preying on girls on the beach." Kai teased.

I laughed and scribbled in the sand with my index finger. It felt unreal. Talking to Kai was so easy. All the nerves in my body fizzled away. With Mia, there was all this anxiety and pressure to be perfect. 

Kai felt familiar, safe.

"How are college applications going?" She asked.

"I sent in the last application a few days ago." I said, crossing my fingers.

She nudged my shoulder, "You're cutting it a little close there bud."

"Yeah, yeah make fun of me now, but in a year you'll be in my seat." I laughed.

The stillness of the night was making my skin prickle. 

She rolled her eyes and looked across the water, "So, are you going to school for writing?"

I shook my head, "Film. I might minor in creative writing though."

"Film?" She repeated dubiously, "Your mom must want to kill you."

"My dad actually." I laughed, "My mom isn't an Asian tiger mom. She doesn't care what I do as long as I'm happy. My dad wants me to major in business or law."

"My parents expect me and Lily to be nurses." Kai sighed, "There's no way in hell I'm doing that though. Needles freak me out. I'm gonna be a dancer."

"Wow." I breathed.