N I C K
"KAYLA, I SWEAR to God if you don't get down here immediately I'll come and drag you," mum shouted from downstairs which made Kayla roll her eyes.
"Why is mum always a pain?" She huffed as she pushed off my bed and stood up. "It's not like I said I was going to help her."
I loved Kayla, after all she was my little sister and I swore to protect her from anything and everyone. Not after what happened a few years ago. Just the thought of it made my blood boil and body chill. I hated that man with a burning passion I couldn't stop.
Rolling around in my chair to face her, I scowled. "Just go before she really does budge in here and drags you by the ear," I replied flatly.
Kayla narrowed her eyes at me, "why are you always on her side? Aren't you supposed to be on my side? You said you would be on my side and look after me, that's what big brothers are supposed to do anyway." She huffed and threw her hands up in the air, waving them for a dramatic effect. "For once I need you to stop acting like my father and start acting like my brother."
That was a slap in the face. I hated that man, I didn't want to end up like him and the fact that she compared me to him made me pissed as hell.
"Watch it Kayla, you can't just say whatever comes to your head without thinking about the concerns and the effects it will have on others."
A wave of sadness flashed in her eyes and she took a step towards me just as mum opened the door and budged in, looking pissed.
"Kayla," mum said quietly, her eyes narrowing into thin slits.
Kayla started backing up, moving closer to my desk. "Mum, it's not what it looks like. I promise I was going to come," but her words landed on deaf ears because mum was not hearing her.
Mum marched over and pinched her ear as she dragged her downstairs with a trail of screaming, leaving me amused. I shook my head and turned back to my laptop. I had some homework I needed to finish before I could go and hang out with the guys otherwise mum would never let me leave the house.
I spent the rest of the morning in my room catching up on the homework I had missed when I was sick. I hated being sick and staying home, every time I got sick, I'd pretend I was fine just so mum wouldn't worry about me but sometimes, it got harder to lie when she could see right through me. Those were the times I hated. Having finished my homework, I went to Kayla's room and stood in the doorway, smiling when I saw who was with her.
"Hey babe," Hayley said when she noticed me. Her hair was left hanging around her shoulders and she wore her signature all black.
God I loved this girl. I didn't walk over but remained rooted by the door. "Hey gorgeous," I replied smiling.
Kayla rolled her eyes, "get a room you too. You're making me sick already," she pretended to gag but I could see the smile on her face.
Hayley rolled her eyes as she walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, making him wrap around her waist automatically. "Grow up Kays," she said before pulling me down for a kiss.
I loved this girl, I could give her everything she asked for if she just so much as asked. That was how hard I'd fallen for her and I didn't think I could live without her at this point. She had my heart and soul which was strange because I never thought I'd fall for anyone, much less someone who was the complete opposite of me.
Pulling away, I placed my forehead on hers. "I'm going to Kai's place, do you two want to tag along?"
Hayley pulled away and looked back at Kayla before she turned back to face me. "We're going to this new club that just opened up down street and I was hoping you'd come with," she said batting her eyelashes in that sexy way that always made my heart feel warm.
"Aren't you underage for clubs?" I asked through narrowed eyes directed at Kayla."Did she put you up to it?"
"Hey!" Kayla exclaimed."I'm not that bad or an influence you know."
I wanted to believe her but I couldn't. Kayla had a tendency to follow along with what everyone said and couldn't make her own decisions. If Hayley was putting her up to this, she should know that she can always refuse but I wasn't going to say that in front of Hayley, I loved her too damn much to ever say those words out loud.
"Mum won't allow you to go anywhere," I said pointedly at Kayla. "And neither will I."
But Hayley wrapped her arms around me and made my resolve falter. "Come on, Oli linked us up with some fake IDs and all we want is to just see the place. Promise we'll be back in no time."
Fuck, I couldn't say no even if I wanted to. Sighing, I racked my fingers through my hair and stepped back from her embrace. "Fine, but you don't go anywhere without me," I replied flatly. "Let me know what time you plan on leaving so that the guys and I can tag along, I don't trust anyone. If I'm not there, then wait for Kai or even Jake, I trust those to look after you the same way I would."
Hayley smiled in return, "gotcha. We leave at 7pm but we'll just tell your mum we're going to my place for a sleepover."
This was a bad idea but I couldn't say anything. Just because Hayley and I were dating didn't mean that I could control her and tell her what to do. She was her own person.
Nodding, I walked out of the room and made my way outside where my motorcycle was parked. 7pm, I could make it just before they left.
----*----
"Dude, where's your head?" Kai asked, bumping his shoulder with mine and pulling me from my thoughts.
I sighed and held the controller firmly in my hands. "It's nothing, let's just play." But even as I said those words, they didn't feel like my own. Something felt off and I couldn't place my finger on what exactly it was.
Kai paused the game and turned to face me while Jake was already looking at me with worry.
"Spill, what exactly is bothering you? And I swear to God if you say nothing I will punch right in the face."
"Hayley convinced Kayla to go to some new club with her and I don't like the idea of my kid sister going to any club."
"I thought you already knew your girlfriend was a bad influence on your sister. How did it take you this long to realise what everyone already knew?"
I glared at Kai but he just shrugged nonchalantly as if he hadn't just called my girlfriend a bad influence.
"What? We all knew it, I don't even know why you asked her out in the first place," Kai shrugged. "But if she's forcing Kayla to go then I'm sorry but I can't keep quiet, Kayla is like a sister to me and I wouldn't want anything bad happening to her."
"Exactly what Kai said, Kayla is basically our sister and you don't expect us to sit here while your crazy girlfriend ruins her life," Jake added which earned him a scowl from me as well.
"I thought you liked Hayley," I said flatly because arguing wasn't going to get us anywhere.
"Nope," they both said at the same time and I inhaled a sharp breath.
"I'll talk to her."
"You better, or I will," Kai said flatly, then resumed the game.
"I'm not playing anymore," I tossed the controller to Jake who caught it with ease. "We leave before 7pm to meet up with them and probably stop them from going out which will no doubt make Kayla hate me since she's finally bonding with someone."
The guys played Mortal Kombat, FIFA and COD before they finally called it quits. I stood up without saying anything because it was twenty minutes till 7 and I wanted to make it on time.
"I'm going," I said while walking out of Kai's basement turned entertainment room.
"Wait up, I'm starving and your mum makes the best enchiladas," Kai said moaning. "I can't take takeaway anymore."
"Suit yourself, I'm sure she'd be happy to have you over," I replied flatly without looking back.
Jake and Kai both jumped to their feet and ran after me which made me roll my eyes subtly.
Hopping on my bike, the guys got in Kai's Ashton Martin and followed me until we were parking in my driveway and making their way into my house uninvited.
"Mum, we're home," Kai yelled and then we heard mum laugh from the kitchen.
The three of us went to the kitchen where mum was cooking supper, enchiladas for that matter and the guys hugged her while I stood by the doorway staring at them blankly.
"I missed your food," Kai said which earned him a pinch on the cheek and then he corrected himself. "I meant to say, you," he added sheepishly.
"Mum, where are the girls?"
Mum finally turned my way, still smiling as she said, "they went to Hayley's house about 2 hours ago."
The words made my whole world freeze. They left without me even when I explicitly told them to wait and they couldn't even tell me. My blood was boiling and I knew the guys felt the tension in me. Checking the time, it was already past 7pm and I still had no text from either one of them.
"Mum?"
"Yes Nicholas?"
"Kayla and Hayley are going to a club, I told them not to go alone but to wait for me and now I have to go and look for them," the words left my mouth, not giving me time to process what was happening around me.
"We'll go with you," Jake added but his words sounded faint, all I could hear was the blood rushing to my ears. "But I think we should try calling them to find out where they are and which club it is." He was still talking but I was already out of the house and now my bike.
I grabbed my phone from my pocket and dialled Hayley but she didn't pick-up. I tried Kayla but she didn't pick-up as well. I was starting to lose my mind with worry.
"They aren't picking up dammit," I snarled and almost hurled the phone to the ground. "Where are they?"
Jake walked over to me and held my shoulder. "Breath, we'll find them. There's no point in stressing yourself out," he said in that calm voice of his and I took a deep breath.
"Thanks," I responded, finally getting my shit together. I had to believe that she'd be okay and nothing was going to happen to her. I could do that. "We'll check all the newest clubs and hope for the best." I hopped on my bike and sped out of the driveway.
We went to every club I knew but they went there and we'd been at it for over 3 hours. My anxiety was starting to get the best of me. I had to find her, they weren't at Hayley's house nor any of their friends and none of their friends knew where they were either. Fuck, I hated my life.
Just as we were leaving the last club, I received a phone call from mum and I immediately answered. I'm sure she had good news.
"Nick, can you get to Central Hospital now," she said and I couldn't hear any emotion in her voice.
"Mum, is everything okay? Are you sick?"
"No, please, just get here as soon as you can," she said again.
"What happened? Don't keep things away from me, mum."
I heard mum take in a deep breath and then followed by a painful silence before she finally spoke. "Your sister was involved in an accident and died in the spot, but Hayley was still alive when they rushed her in."
I felt my whole world crumble and I didn't hear what she said next as the phone slipped from my hand and fell to the ground. Everything was spinning, I remember seeing Kai rushing to me and holding me from falling while Jake picked my phone up and listened to what mum was saying before he's face turned ashen.
Kayla was gone. I'd lost my little sister because of my own ignorance. It was all my fault.
The words kept echoing in my head as Kai drove us to the hospital. They still kept echoing as mum hugged me tight and cried her heart out.
I'd failed as an elder brother and mum should hate me. I'd killed my only sister.
I didn't feel anything even when the doctor came and told us we'd lost Hayley as well. I couldn't bring myself to cry because it was all my fault.