Stepping Out of Me

8

KIERA

Kiera trained her eyes on the food as she slowly ate. The number of stares she got was actually disturbing. Even Luca who sat at a table close to them had to contribute his fair share. It took a significant amount of effort for her to remain calm. If she had known this would happen there was no way she'd agree to have lunch with him. Lance. Who the hell was he anyways?

"Knotty."

Kiera's eyebrows furrowed as she swallowed and looked up at the boy. "What?"

"Knotty," Lance repeated. "An adjective that describes you and starts with k. You're welcome." He smiled as if he knew something she didn't. And he would've been right. She didn't know the meaning of that word and never heard it used to describe someone.

She opened her mouth to respond but closed it soon.

"No, say what you were gonna say."

Kiera sighed to herself. "What does it mean?"

"It means you're complex, or complicated. Whichever one you want to use." Lance replied. "You're kind of hard to figure out."

Kiera looked away from him at that last statement. She didn't need to be figured out by anyone. Add in the fact that he was already saying she was difficult. Why did he even think that was a good thing to tell her? Maybe she already knew this and didn't need to hear it from anyone.

She poked the piece of meat with the fork and forced it into her mouth. She slowly chewed as she tried to ignore Lance along with everyone else.

"Are you sure you want more of that?" He asked. "You don't seem to be enjoying it very much."

Kiera rolled her eyes. She swallowed and then looked up at him once again. "Why are you acting like you know me?"

Lance's eyebrows raised. He held his hands up and said, "I don't. I'm just making observations. I can only know if they're true or not by what you tell me."

"You keep saying I'm this or that. I don't need you psychoanalyzing me." Kiera rebutted. Her frustration with him got higher by the second. She didn't realize that she had actually closed her food and set it aside. Yes, she didn't actually want it. Lance was right once again, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Especially since he was so cocky about it.

She could see that Lance held back a smile. "Okay. Can I ask you a question instead?"

Kiera nodded hesitantly.

"Do you dislike me?"

Kiera didn't respond immediately. She paused and looked at him. He had a hesitant expression on his face as if he was bracing for something. For her to tell him that she hated his guts. Kiera felt guilt inside.

"No, I don't."

Lance let out an audible sigh of relief. "That's good to know," he smiled at her. "I really thought you hated me at first."

Just as she thought. Why did she have to be so mean sometimes? She didn't try to be that way but it seemed that everyone outside had that view of her. First Luca, now Lance. She remembered her dad telling her to try but she didn't feel as if she was doing a very good job. It was hard being around all these new people.

The bell soon rang and alerted them that it was the end of the lunch period. Before they parted ways Lance informed her that he had a practice that afternoon and she should wait at the gym. Kiera thought about if she just wanted to catch the bus instead. She thought that was a better idea and he obliged.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Her last class went over time and when it ended she knew the bus had passed already. Reluctantly, she made her way to the gym. Inside, the practice had already started. As she looked to the stands she wasn't the only one there. A group of students sat on the far end.