I pace the dining room anxiously. Then I glance at my watch.
5:45
I haven't seen Kayla all day, and it has been an hour since I last spoke to her, when I texted her the address of my house. I had gone to her class and the art's lab after school to find her and talk to her, but she was nowhere to be seen, so eventually, I gave up and went home.
"She better be on time", I hear my mother say from the living room.
Time is the least of my worries.
Today, Alicia came to sit with me during lunch, and I felt a little rush of joy. I have been fake dating Kayla for so long that I am beginning to lose sight of my goal which is to try and win her back, so when she came up to me, I let her sit with me. However, it didn't take me too long to find out that I was not interested. I tried to laugh at her jokes and appear interested, but my eyes kept straying to the bad girl who sat on the table across mine. Immediately after lunch, I texted her my address. Instantly she replied that it was very close to her house, and she asked for the time of the dinner, to which I replied six o'clock sharp.
That was the last time I spoke to her.
I glance at my watch again.
5:55
I'm not worried about her being late – she's Kayla after all, the girl who comes late to most, if not all of her classes. However, she hasn't replied any of my calls or texts which is very concerning to me.
My mom walks out of the sitting room to join me. She is dressed very formally in a black and white dress with a huge black hat that has a large whit feather sticking out of it. On her neck are two strings of pearls, and she is wearing pearl earrings to match. She looks very regal and formal.
Intimidating.
"Are you sure this girl is coming?", she asks in a very condescending tone. I hate how she has judged Kayla even without getting to know her.
Then again, I judged Kayla without getting to know her. Maybe we are more similar than I thought.
"Kayla is going to come Mom", I say quietly. I don't want to start a fight. Also, Timothy is upstairs reading, and I don't want to disturb him.
"I must say she is very odd", my Mom continues, as if I hadn't spoken. "If it was Alicia, she would have been here ready and waiting."
"Kayla is ten times the person that Alicia is", I defend her fervently, almost shocked by how much I mean it. I have spent so much time putting Alicia on a pedestal but now I am realizing that there are people who are far better than her.
"Nonsense", my mom says sharply, glaring at me. "Alicia is an awesome girl. I can't believe that you allowed her to get away."
I am about to open my mouth to say that it was Alicia who left me, when the doorbell rings.
I glance at my watch.
5:59
She's early.
I move away from my mother and towards the door, quickly pulling it open in my anxiety to see her. But when the door opens, I can't help but stare in... shock.
The girl at the door isn't Kayla. It can't be. I mean, she has the same dark skin, dark hair and green eyes, but yet she's different.
Kayla is wearing a light green dress suit with cute white heels. She has on a simple pair of hoop earrings and her makeup is clean and modest yet elegant. Her hair is curled and falls down her back in soft waves. Around her neck is a white scarf, twined into an elegant style.
It is Kayla, but it isn't. Kayla's dressing is always wild, her tattoos always on show but now, she looks made up and proper, her long sleeves and white scarf hiding the tattoos that she usually flaunts. I feel like I have entered an alternate universe.
And then she looks up at me with her bright green eyes and winks, giving me a sly smile, and I cannot help but smile back. My gaze travels down to her hands, and I am pleased to see that she is still wearing the skull ring that she always wears. At least, she didn't change completely.
"Aren't you going to let her in?", my mom calls from the dining, breaking our spell.
"Please, come in", I say to Kayla.
"Of course", she says, and I can't help but notice that her voice sounds different – not the usual way she talks, but more formal.
I give a little smile. Despite her breaking the promise she made, I cannot wait to see how this evening turns out.
🏈🏈🏈
"So Kayla", my mom says after the soup has been served. Just in case you were wondering, she didn't cook, or else the meal would have been inedible.
Kayla looks up from where she was eating her soup – with the right cutlery might I add – and elegantly tilts her head.
"What do you plan to major in? Or do you even plan to go to college at all?"
I wince at the insultive tone my mother uses, but Kayla simply smiles.
"Thank you for asking Mrs Delany", she says with a smile. "As you know, I am in your son's class so I'll be graduating next year. After graduation, I'll be going to Brown university to study law"
I manage to hide my gasp but my mom and dad aren't as successful.
"You plan to go to... Brown University?", my dad asks when he finally gets his mouth to work. I relish the look of shock on both my parents' faces.
"Yes, I have already commenced applications, and I'm waiting to hear back from them."
My mom looks like she is about to choke on her soup, while my dad gives a silent grunt.
I hold in the urge to laugh out loud and instead, take a sip of my soup.
"What got you interested in law", my mom asks.
Kayla takes a moment to consider this. "I have always been interested in the arts – reading, drawing and debate – and I have also always hated rule breakers. I think that we need more people to keep law breakers off the streets and it was either to become a member of the police force or law", she shrugs with a calm smile, her eyes finding mine. I know her well enough to know that she is thinking how ironic it is that she, a rule breaker, is putting other rule breakers in jail. The thought almost makes me break into hysterics, but I hold it back.
"So why were you and my son engaging in sexual practices yesterday with my son?"
Now I choke on my soup, and I notice Kayla's gaze fall to the table.
"Mom, you're embarrassing her.", I snap, causing both my parents to look at me, annoyance clearly etched on their faces.
"Of course, I'll stop.", my mother says, and the meal continues in silence.
After a few minutes, my mom calls for the maid to clear up the table and bring in the main course.
As we begin to eat the Chinese rice with roast beef sauce, my mom looks up again.
"So what do your parents do?"
"My dad is a sports coach, and my mom... she's no longer with us.", Kayla twists the ring on her finger a bit.
"Oh my dear, I am so sorry to hear that", my mom says, not sounding sorry at all. I guess that she gets stories like that all the time but at least she could pretend to sound remorseful.
"What did she die of? Cancer? Covid? Was it contagious?", my dad says and I glare at him for being so insensitive. How can he ask that just out of the blue?
"She had a... car accident", Kayla says. Her voice breaks a bit, and for a moment, she sounds a bit sad, a shard of her exposed, but she quickly regains her composure.
"Did she give you that ring?", my mom asks, gesturing to the ring on Kayla's finger, and she nods.
"Oh", my mom says, her voice slightly disgusted. "It looks quite tacky, but I guess it has significance to you. I would suggest you sell it, but there isn't much of a market for items like... that."
Kayla's eyes darken, and I sense her internal battle before she takes in a deep breath. "I probably wouldn't sell it even if there was a market for it", Kayla says with a smile. "It may be different, but some things are too valuable to give away."
Her voice sounds strong and eager, and when I look up to look at her, she isn't looking at my parents anymore. She is looking straight at me, a look of earnest longing hidden behind her eyes. Her scarf slips down a little bit, exposing a bit of her tattoo, and she breaks eye contact to drag it back up.
"Aaron darling", my mom chirps out. "Why don't you help me bring out the dessert?"
I frown. My mom never calls me darling, and why do I need to help her bring out desert when she hired cooks for the exact same purpose.
Still I can't refuse. That would be rude.
I get up quietly, and my mother waits for me to pass her at the table before she does the same. By the time I reach the kitchen, she is right behind me. The kitchen is empty, except for one maid who promptly leaves as soon as my mom and I enter.
"I don't like her", my mom says, the huge hat on her head making her look like an angry ridiculous chicken.
"What is wrong with her?", I ask back.
My mom opens her mouth to answer, but the door behind us creaks open, revealing my dad.
"Something is off about that girl", my dad growls.
"If you're here, then who is watching her?", my mom says, her voice quiet but her dark eyes glinting in anger.
"What do you mean 'who is watching her'", I glare at my parents. "Why are you treating her like a criminal?"
"Look son, I know you are devastated about breaking up with Alicia but how about you just try to get her back instead of having sex with every random hooker you see." My mom says.
"I'm certain she has neck tattoos", my father muses. "When her neck was exposed, I saw a bit of black. I'm certain it's tattoos or moles."
"Ok mom and dad, that's enough", I yell out. They stare at me in shock.
"This girl is bringing out the worst in you Aaron", my mom says sternly. "Lately you have been rude and ungrateful. I have never been more disappointed."
I feel a tug in my heart. I don't want to disappoint my parents, I never have.
"And her father is a sports coach", my mom continues. "That is such a negative influence on you. He'll start putting ideas into your head and you may lose focus on your goals to become a doctor and play football at college or something."
"Of course we won't fund you if you decide to go down that road.", my father chips in.
My heart sinks at their words. I always knew that they didn't support me playing football, but I never knew that they were so focused on medicine that they wouldn't help me through my education otherwise.
"Aaron,", my mom says, softening her voice a little. "Aaron, I know that at this point in your life you feel like you're in charge and that you know what is best, but you need to understand that we as your parents will only tell you to do what you know is best for you."
I know this tactic. It's one that my mom uses on her opponents all the time, convincing them that she is on their side then convincing them to do what she wants. It's a manipulative skill, one that works every time.
"Let's go back out, ok?", my mom says, patting my hair. "Get the pumpkin pie out of the oven, and we'll hurry up and send our guest on her way."
"Good riddance", I hear my dad mutter under his breath.
I am so sad, angry and upset, but I manage to keep it under check, getting the pumpkin pie from the oven and heading back to the dining, my parents right behind me.
"Sorry for the wait", my mom says, flashing Kayla a smile.
"Not a problem at all", Kayla replies, although she looks a bit worried. The thought that she might have been concerned about what my parents might say warms my heart a bit.
The rest of the meal passes in near silence and the tension is so thick, it could be sliced with a butter knife.
Finally, the meal is over, and my mom walks Kayla to the door, while my dad makes me stay with him. I am worried about what my mom might say to Kayla, but there is nothing I can do about it.
When my mom comes back, she has a look of smug victory on her face – the same look she has after she has won a case.
"I don't think that girl will bother you anymore Aaron", she says brightly. "Now you can focus on your studies. Without distractions."
I am about to answer when I feel my phone buzz, and somehow, I know it's Kayla.
I wait for a few minutes before I mumble something to my parents about needing to do homework, then I flee to the safety of my room.
Once I am settled and the door is locked, I take out my phone, smiling as I see Kayla's name on the notification.
I quickly open the message.
Kayla: Hurry up rulebook. Open the window and let me in.
A/N: So what do you think of this chapter? I don't really like Aaron's parents because they are so judgy. What would you do if your parents were against your relationship with someone. Would you break it off, or hope that love wins?
Don't forget to vote and comment your opinions. See you in the next chapter loves 💋💋💋