Kaylas POV
They were all in there, only one knock away. Maybe they would think this is stupid? Maybe they won't even agree to come?
I'm going to save myself from the embarrassment. Turning away from the door I stared down the hall. Specifically at my bedroom door.
But when had I ever back down from something? Turning my attention back to the boys door, I took a deep breathe. The sheet of paper in my hand started to crinkle more from how much I fidgeted with it. Raising my other hand, it hovered in a fist. Ready to knock.
Before I could even lay it on the door. It opened. Revealing a surprised Ethan.
Awkwardly, I started to rub my arm as if I hadn't gone to knock on the door.
"What are you doing?" Ethan asked. His face full of confusion.
From behind Ethan I could see the peeping eyes of Gavin and Harvey. Looking back to him, I just had to bite the bullet. "I want to show you three something."
Ethan took a step back from the door entry way. Letting me take a step in closer to the boys room. Gavin laid on his bed, his phone in his hand which seemed to be blowing up but his attention was directed on me. The same with Harvey his game was paused and his headset was off ready to listen.
"I need to show you three something." I said again.
"What do you need to show us?" Gavin questioned.
"I'll explain when we get there. So are yous going to come?" My hands found themselves behind my back. Fidgeting with the page I held.
They all shared a look, as if they were speaking through their eyes. Nodding their heads they all agreed.
"Okay, well then I'll meet you downstairs." I sent them the most awkward smile. Rushing out of the room in the most natural and fastest way possible.
It's time I make them understand me.
****
We walked down the familiar street where the corner shop sat. I could count on Big Gus to give me some moral support and food.
Standing outside Big Gus corner shop. The boys all shared weird looks. Nidding my head towards the door so they wpuldnfollow me in. The bell rang letting Big Gus know of our arrival.
A big goofy smile sat on Bug Gus face as he leaned on the counter. Watching me enter the shop but with my brothers.
"Look at who it is! You seem awfully popular lately." Big Gus wiggled his eyebrows up and down as he looked at my brothers.
"Kayla who is this?" Gavin whispered to me.
"Big Gus meet my brothers. Gavin, Harvey and Ethan meet Big Gus. He has the world's best food in the most shittest shop." I teased.
"You have got that one correct darling." Big Gus winked. "So what can I get for you today?"
Looking back to my brothers they shrugged. But I think they were still just taking in Big Gus.
"Four of your famous lasagne." I smiled placing my money down on the counter. Just as big Gus was about to take my money. Gavin came over flicking through his wallet.
"Kayla I'll pay."
Big Gus looked to me and then to Gavin. As if asking for permission to see if it was okay if he paid. Slowly nodding my head. Big Gus pushed my money back to me and took Gavins.
"It will be ready in a few. Make yourselves comfortable." Big Gus took the recipt. Disappearing into the kitchen.
"Well this place is charming." Ethan commented as he looked around the shop.
I nodded in agreement. "I told Dad we didn't want dinner."
"Is this what you wanted to show us?" Harvey questioned.
I shook my head. Feeling my hands become sweaty again. "No, this is one place I wanted to show you."
"So then where are you bringing us?" Harvey pryed.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. Maybe this was a bad idea? All eyes were on me as they waited for their answer. "You will see when we get there." I said with the best of finality in my tone.
"Kayla." Someone called for me. Looking over at the kitchen door it was Big Gus.
"I'll be one second." I told my brothers as I made my way over to Gus.
I could tell they all had their eyes carefully on me. As if Big Gus was going to do something, I mean that man wouldn't hurt a fly if it came to it.
"So you going to fill me in on why you finally bringing your folks around after months of denial?" Big Gus questioned.
I protectively wrapped my arms around myself. "I'm trying to make things better. I'm trying to get them to understand."
Big Gus nodded in understandment. He glanced to my glaring brothers. Who I didn't even have to look at, to know they were staring daggers into our heads. "Well sometimes you have to make yourself uncomfortable if you want to get out of your comfort zone." Big Gus placed his hand on my shoulder giving it a tight squeeze.
"Thanks." I smiled. Big Gus nodded pushing me back to go over to my brothers as he disappeared back into the kitchen.
"What did he want?" Harvey questioned. His eyes glancing back to the spot we had just stood in.
I shrugged. "He just wanted to know if I wanted pasta as well."
"So why did you bring us here?" Gavin looked around the shop and then back to me as he awaited my answer.
Letting out a sigh, I told myself I would open up. "I have ate many dinners here. Sometimes even breakfast and I think you know why." I lightly smiled at Gavin who's whole posture slumped slightly in realisation. Looking at the other two, Ethan awkwardly looked around the shop. He couldn't make eye contact. While Harvey as always was unreadable.
A silence had taken over the room. You could only here the noise of the kitchen because it was that quiet.
"Here you are Darling. Four of my famous lasagnes." Big Gus placed a white plastic bag on the counter. Filled with the familiar black tubs of deliciousness.
"Thank you Big Gus. A pleasure as always." I smiled. Which Big Gus nodded to me. Ethan had came to stand beside me. Taking the bag off the counter.
Big Gus watched him before glancing back to me. He gave me one last nod before we left the shop.
One place down, another one to go.
****
"I could of drove us." We were now in the depts of Colorado City. Gavin walked along side me as Harvey and Ethan quietly walked behind.
"It's better if we walked." I said. Cutting off anymore converstaion Gavin tried to make with me after the conversationwe had in Big Gus's. Letting out a sigh, I remembered I have to play nice. "We are here in anyways." I sent him a light smile.
"A dark alleyway?" Ethan questioned. As we had stopped between two buildings. Infront of us was a dark alley. One I had spent much time in.
Taking a step forward someone grabbed my wrist. Looking back at Gavin in confusion. He looked worried.
"Kayla your not in trouble or anything?" He questioned.
Looking between the three of them, it looks as if they had the same idea. "No I'm not in trouble." I reassured. Letting out a sigh, they didn't believe me. "I just want to show you something. Plus if I was in troubled I don't think I would be bringing a feast of food."
"Okay." Gavin let go of my wrist. Taking that as a sign to continue, I started to walk down the dimly lit alley.
Once we were in the depts of the lane, there was a doorway, metal gate. Pushing it open to reveal another hidden wonder I had discovered.
"Woah." I heard Ethan gasp. I watched as the boys took in their surroundings.
The space was in a shape of a square. It was like a mini courtyard. Old brick buildings surrounded the small area. Fairy lights hung over our heads, building to building. The four picnic benches surrounded us painted by talllented artists. Brighting up the small space.
But what really caught my brothers eyes is the mural that had been painted on the side of one of the four buildings.
A woman with long brown, wavy hair. Her head resting in her hand as she stared out the huge window, at the painted night sky. The North star sitting in the top right corner. One of my most hardest and realistic painting I have ever done. One I spent many and much time doing.
I stood behind them, just waiting for them to stop looking. Harvey was the first to pull his attention away from it and to me. "Did you do this?"
I nodded my head.
His jaw slacked as he looked from me and back to the mural.
"So this is Mom?" Harvey questioned again.
Nodding my head again. "Yes, doesn't she look beautiful?" I smiled sadly.
"This whole thing is beautiful Kayla." Gavin commented. He was next to tare his eyes away from the mural. "This is talent. How did you even do this?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I met some people and they offered me to do this mural."
"How did we not know this? How come you never told us?" Ethan was next to start asking questions.
"You never gave me a reason to show you this till now. I didn't think you would care." I shrugged, my hands clutched eachother behind my back. I thought they would freak. But it still didn't make me feel any less nervous because I'm planning on fully opening up to these boys.
Ethan bit his lip. He look as if he felt bad. The tension seemed to grow as they stared between the wall and me.
"Kayla you need to show Dad this." Ethan encouraged, breaking the silence.
Shaking my head. I couldn't. "I can't."
"Why?" Harvey questioned.
"You know how he gets anytime we mention anything with Mom. He has moved on." I shook my head.
"He hasn't. None of have, even though we act like we have. I think this would make him truly happy to see your talent." Harvey explained.
I bit the inside of my cheek. "I'm not ready. I can't." I was going to do this slowly.
"Maybe you should just think of it." Gavin smiled.
"I will. How about we eat the food before it get cold." I said moving over to Ethan who still held the bag. Trying to grab it off him. But he moved around me and chose a bench to sit at.
Placing the food down on the table. The boys started to gather around Ethan. I just watched as they took everything into the bag. I took deep breathes as my heart raced.
"Kayla ate you coming over?" Ethan pulled me out of my thoughts. Putting on a brave face, I made my way over to the table. Taking a seat beside Harvey. Gavin and Ethan sitting indront of us.
"This stuff is good." Ethan pointed at his lasagne. A mouth full of food.
"Well it's Big Gus's famous lasagne." I said as I jabbed my own fork into my lasagne.
"Shit this is good." Gavin said as he scooped another fork full into his mouth.
"How did you find him? I mean you must of had a death wish or something if you wanted to go in there." Harvey asked as he unlike my other two brothers. He slowly ate his good.
"It was a dare. Back to when I didn't care." I shrugged.
"Well it was a pretty good dare. Who gave it to you?" Ethan questioned, a goofy smile on his lips.
"Wyatt." Just as I spoke I shoved more food into my mouth.
"Oh yeah him." Ethans face had gone sour. He let out a small laugh trying to play it off.
"So let me get this right after all the shit you two have been thr_"
"Gavin I don't want to talk about this. We all have our own personal choices. You are not the one to judge." I said.
Gavins tongue rolled around the inside of his cheek as he stabbed his lasagne with his plastic fork.
I let out a sigh. "In full honesty, I'm being careful this time. I won't do anything stupid." I pushed around my leftover pieces of lasagne.
This seem to bring all the boys attention on me. I only glanced at them, but I didn't give them much of my attention. I just wanted them to know I'm being safe. I just want them to trust me.
"That's our job Kayla, we are suppose to make sure you don't do stupid shit and we are sorry we didn't start till now." Was it me or was Gavin being really nice?
"Thanks." I smiled. I was grateful that they were finally listening.
****
It wasn't long after our chat that we were finished with our food. Making sure to clean up after ourselves. I had one last place I wanted to show them.
"Why are we back home?" Harvey questioned as we walked through the front door.
"I told you I had one more thing to show you guys. Just follow." I waved them to come. Making my way up the stairs, once I got to the landing. I moved to the cupboard pulling out the metal hook that opened the attic door.
"Let me do it." Gavin the tallest took it off me. Opening the attic door and pulling down the folded ladder.
I didn't miss the strange look all the boys shared. Just before I had started to climb the ladder. Everyone following behind me.
"Soooo why did you bring us up here?" Ethan questioned as he looked around the dusty attic. All of our old things were up here, growing old old.
I swallowed hard. Its time to talk. "When I was younger, I came up here to specifically Moms stuff." Moving over to the deep corner of the room was all of her belongings. Removing the paint splattered tarp to reveal all of her box's and paintings. "I gained comfort from these items. Something I never got from my own family. One that moved on too fast." Glancing back to the boys they looked deeply confused.
"The painting. The one I sold, the one I got sent to juvie for. In a strange way as a child it gave me comfort. My reason of giving it away was because I wanted others to find comfort in it as I did. I want you to know the real reason to why I did it. It was a dominio affect. Starting way before we even knew it was going to happen." I explained.
I hope they wouldn't think I'm crazy.
"I thought Dad got rid of all of this." Harvey moved to stand by my side. His finger tips running carefully around the edges of the canvases. "Why aren't any of these hung up?" He questioned. I shrugged so he looked to Gavin and Ethan.
"I guess we never thought of it." Gavin shrugged.
"Or you didn't care." I spoke up.
"Kayla don't say that. Of course we do." Gavin defended.
"I'll believe it when I see it." I muttered.
"You will believe what when you see it?" Our attention all snapped to Dad whose head peeked up through the attic doorway. "What are you all doing up here? I heard you coming in but you all disappeared." Dad asked.
We all shared a look.
"Oh I see. You found her stuff." Dad said as he climb more into the attic. Coming over to me and Harvey, he crouched down beside her paintings. Running his own finger tips along one that had been unfinished.
"How come we never hung one up?" I questioned. Pulling Dads attention off the paintings.
He shrugged. "We never thought of it. Is that why your all up here?"
"Yes. We were picking one out for the living room." Harvey said.
"Well then pick one. I'm sure she would love it." Dad stood back up moving over to where Gavin and Ethan stood.
"This one."
There we go Chapter 37....
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Kayla is finally opening up. Plus her brothers are listening. Character development??
What was your thoughts on Kayla slightly opening up??
Any suggestions??
Any questions??
Any theories??
Thank you for reading. Don't forget to vote and comment...
(Edited)