To Where Destiny Leads Us//SM

Chapter 21: "I can't believe it."

~*~Kim's POV~*~

"I was manipulated. See, Revealing Things is..." I start, but then I see the look on her face. She's too eager to know, way to eager. I won't ruin Valentine's Day for her. "You know what?" I shift uncomfortably, "Enjoy this date with Eddie. I'll tell you later."

She curtly nodded. Eddie led her to the picnic he and I set up.

I go back into the house. On the way to my room — well, the guest room — I hear a muffled sob coming from Aunt Rose's room. I stop dead in tracks just outside the door. Is something going on? Ugh, these days weren't pretty. The days where I've been acting like a brat. I lost my best friend from home, Jamie was her name, my mother has been giving me lectures every now and then, and Aunt Rose has been acting strange with me.

I don't blame them. I hated myself in these moments too.

"Rose, Rose, honey..." I hear Emma's dad say with a soft tone, "She's gonna be okay. Kim will be okay, too. They all will."

What? Why does she think we won't be okay? Is something going on?

"But, David, if she doesn't find a job soon — or even go to an interview — none will be okay! She can't keep being lazy! Kim will have to go to public school—" I stop listening to Aunt Rose's response and run to my room.

No way, no way, no way! I will have to go to public school?! WHY ISN'T MOM TRYING TO FIND A JOB?! I collapse on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. What is going on with Mom? During the divorce, she seemed so strong. This little thing is gonna bring her down?!

I wipe a tear that escaped my eye. I don't wanna change school. George Washington High School has been so freaking welcoming to me. I have made such amazing friends: Mark Jay is annoyingly a pro at acting like my boyfriend when I need him to, Christy Sandie is the sweetest person alive, Amanda Husk lights up the room with her intelligence, Connor James just makes us laugh to the floor with his goofiness... I didn't wanna leave all these people. Not like when I left my old school. Now barely anyone from there talks to me anymore, I assume Jamie has told them what happened. I don't blame her. I purposely acted like a crazy person on Instagram so if Emma ever reads it, she thinks its serious. Not that I care now.

I hear the doorbell ring. I drag myself out of bed, wipe the tears I haven't noticed were flowing out of my eyes, and I go down the stairs to see who is it.

I open the door and almost faint.

Why is Shawn Mendes at the door in front of my eyes?!

"SHAWN MENDES!" I freak out.

He lightly laughs. "I see your a fan."

"YEAH! I MEAN, YOU ARE, LIKE, ONE OF THE BEST ARTIST OUT THERE! OH MY GOSH, AM I DREAMING? EMMA WASN'T KIDDING WHEN SHE SAID YOU GUYS WERE FRIENDS!" I start blabbering.

He laughs at everything. "Want a selfie or an autograph...?"

"YES!" I exclaim. I take my phone out of my pocket and hold it up for a selfie. We both grin in the picture and I honestly wanna cry from joy now.

"So...Where's Emma speaking of her?" He asks, scratching the back of his neck.

"She's on a Valentine's Day date with Eddie in the backyard," I explain and step back to let him into the house.

"Oh, okay," He nods as he steps into the house. "So, what do you wanna do?" He asks me.

I frown. "What do you mean? Me and you...hang-out?" I am honestly caught by surprise. During this whole encounter, I thought he secretly hated me because of what I did to Emma. That he was just being nice to me because I'm a fan. "I thought you hated me?"