Chapter Three: Bad News
Kendra stared at me as if I were crazy. I suppose, since this was a first for me, letting him come here after only a few hours of knowing him, I would be a little crazy. "You've only known him a handful of hours and he's here?" she said calmly, though her expression betrayed her. "What if he's some crazy serial killer or something? He's like three times bigger than us, and his muscles are pretty big." She paused a moment. "He could hurt you."
Wait, now I'm the irresponsible one? This one thing and automatically I'm the bad twin? That just doesn't make any sense. "Okay, first of all he's only twice our size and is shaped like an athlete. Second, you and I are both in karate and we own guns. There's also two of us and one of him. There's strength in numbers, Kendra."
I took in a quick breath and hurried to continue before she could get a word in. "This is the first mistake I've made since I was about fourteen. I know this seems crazy, believe me I know, but I've never felt this way before. Not even with Daniel." Daniel's my ex-boyfriend of two years, we broke up about a year ago." So please, Kennie, let me see where this goes tonight." She crossed her arms, not buying it. "You can even watch the movie with us and if you still don't think it's a good idea to see him then fine. Just give him a chance. Please, for me?" I asked, giving her my best puppy dog look.
She blew out a breath through her clenched teeth. "Fine!" She threw her arms up. She never could refuse me. I am her favorite sister after all. "But," She took a step forward, "if he hurts you, don't come crying to the voice of reason. I'll laugh before I help you." She told me with a pissed off look that was softened by the tiredness in her eyes.
I squealed in delight (yes, squealed) and threw my arms around her. "Thank you! And because you're not throwing him out and I love you to death, I won't say anything mean about Nathan. Only good things about him will leave my mouth, I promise."
"Uh-huh, sure. I'll believe that when I hear it." She hugged me back, laughing a little. "Now go away and have fun and be quiet. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, yada yada. I'm going back to bed, goodnight." She nudged me out the door and quietly shut the door.
I shook my head at her. Anything you wouldn't do my ass. She's bad at pretending to act like the responsible one. "Love you!" I called through the door and heard her muffled response.
"Yeah, yeah, love you too."
I walked towards the living room where I found the modern day Egyptian god sitting on my couch, spinning a DVD in his hands. Being as quiet as I could, I snuck up behind Eric and put my hands on his shoulders.
If he was startled he hid it well. He reached up with one of his hands to hold mine. "Hey how was the talk? Does she think I'd hurt you? Should I leave?" He kissed my hand.
Could he seriously hear us from behind the closed door down the hallway? Those are some impressive ears he had. "She's just cautious, that's all." I smiled. "No, you don't have to go. I persuaded her to let you stay. I can be pretty convincing." I told him, my smile becoming a little smug, as I walked around the couch to face him.
He smiled back. And he thought my smile was nice? "Oh, I believe it."
"Good because I may use my Jedi-mind powers on you some day," I warned him with a laugh. "So beware." I waved my hands between us.
He held his hands up in surrender, his smile growing.
"Consider me warned." Then without warning, he grabbed my hips and pulled me onto his lap.
Whoa, he's strong, I thought. Not that I'm heavy, but I'm not light either. He kissed me again and I lost my train of thought. I sighed. I could seriously get used to being kissed like this... But we had to prove that we could behave.
We pulled back at the same time, as if we had the same thought. It seemed so since he handed me the movie. "We should start watching it before Kendra walks in and throws me out for not being able to keep my hands in more appropriate places." I laughed at the reluctance on his face. If only I could keep my mind away from inappropriate thoughts...
"Okay." With a wistful sigh I got up and took the movie from his hand. "Just remember, you're the one that pulled me on your lap and kissed me. Keep your hands to yourself during the movie," I told him teasingly. I didn't mean that in the slightest.
"That might be a little hard..." he paused, taking in my expression. He chuckled. "I mean, it's hard enough trying to keep my hands off you right now. I honestly don't know how long I can resist when you're so beautiful." He brushed my cheek. "It's very distracting."
I blushed. Okay, I really need to stop doing that. But I don't really see how he thinks I'm beautiful in pajamas and hastily made-up... Oh, well. "Thanks, I think." I went to the TV and opened the DVD player—Kendra and I got it from our half-sister, Kyla, as a house-warming gift—and put in the movie in when I felt a sudden warmth against my back. Warm hands ran softly down my arms to catch my hands, which were used to turn me around to face Eric who had the serious look on his face.
"Katra, can you honestly not see how beautiful you are when you look in the mirror?" he asked, looking deep in my eyes, his voice soft but serious.
If he was going to take this seriously, I'd answer honestly. "What I see is a girl that should always wear makeup because she looks way better with it on than without." My eyes welled with tears. "At least that's what a lot of people have told me..." I blinked hard and fast to keep the tears from falling. Don't cry, damnit, don't cry.
I could tell Eric didn't care much for my honesty. He looked almost angry when I finished. But when he spoke, his face softened. "Baby, I'm not them. Beauty is on the inside as much as it is on the outside. When I look into those gorgeous hazel eyes, I see a beauty no one could touch, and it shines through to your outside beauty. No matter what anyone else thinks, know that I'll always find you beautiful beyond words, beyond compare," he said, his gaze never straying from mine and I knew he was being sincere.
A tear fell before I could stop it. "Really?"
He wiped the tear away with his thumb. "Really. There's absolutely nothing you can do to change my mind." he said then kissed me softly, as if my lips were made of glass.
I pulled back. "So you want to see where this goes? Us, I mean?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't. Kat, I want to be with you if you want this as much as I do."
I smiled slightly at that. If only he knew how much I wanted this. "I doubt very seriously that you'd be here if I didn't want this, Eric. One thing about me is that I don't take risks like this." My smile grew. "So if we're going to happen, I think we should at least pretend to watch the movie in case Kendra comes out again and it's too quiet. If you know what I mean." I winked and turned back to close the DVD player.
"Hey, where's the remote?" he asked.
"Couch," I said without turning around.
"Okay, got it." He said right before picking me up from behind. I laughed; Eric was very fun to be around, and he's very strong.
"Put me down!" I told him, still laughing. I still wanted him to hold me though. I loved having his arms around me. They made me feel safe.
He laughed with me all the way to the couch. "Your wish is my command." He said as we fell on the couch with me in his lap. He handed me the remote. "Here you go, beautiful."
I started the movie as I snuggled into his side and got comfortable. But just as the beginning credits to the movie began, the doorbell rang. I looked at my phone to see the time. Three a.m. "Who could that be so late?" Or early.
I got up and slowly walked to the door. I looked through the peep-hole and laughed. It was so like her.
I opened the door to let my sister in. "Oh, my god! What are you doing here Kyla?" I asked as I hugged her. I haven't seen her since Christmas, six months ago.
It really had been too long since I'd seen her. "Well, I decided to take a road trip from New York to your doorstep, though I did stop and to see Dad and Crystal on the way." She trailed off, something flickered in her eyes but when she blinked it was gone.
Kyla is my half-sister through our father with a woman he met a year before he met my mom, Crystal. She lives near her mother in New York most of the time, so Kendra and I only get to see her a few times a year. "You're birthday just passed and I missed it. So I am your guys' birthday present from me this year! Do you like it?" She asked with a pose. She's older than me and Kendra by a year and a half but doesn't act her age. She still acts like a teenager.
But all that mattered was that she's here and I was beyond excited. "I have to go get Kennie!" I whirled around and ran into a wall. "Ow..." I rubbed my nose as I looked up. Nope. Not a wall. I ran into Eric. "Wow. You're solid..."
Eric and Kyla laughed at me. "Who's this Kat?" Kyla asked when she stopped laughing.
"Oh, right." Apparently my manners have gone on vacation... "Kyla, this is Eric. Eric this is my older sister Kyla. Eric's my—"
He cut me off, "I'm her boyfriend," he said. Smiling politely at Kyla, he stepped forward and put his hand out. "Nice to meet you." Boyfriend?!
She smiled appreciatively as she looked him up and down as she stepped closer and shook his hand. "You too." Turning to me, she said, "Damn girl, nice job!"
I grinned and glanced up at Eric who smiled back with affection. I looked back at Kyla. "Thanks," I said chuckling. "I'm going to go get Kennie now. You guys go sit on the couch and get to know each other." I turned around a little slower so I wouldn't run into anyone again. As I walked away I could still feel their eyes on my back.
I burst into Kendra's room and jumped on her bed. "Kennie! Wake up! You'll never guess who is here."
When she just rolled over and put a pillow over her head with a mumbled "Go away," I grabbed her other pillow and smacked her with it. "Kyla is here, lazy ass! If you don't come with me now I'll have her come to you."
"Go ahead!" She shouted but with her head under the pillow it was muffled.
"Okay then." I walked out of her room and followed Eric and Kyla's voices to the living room. "So," they glanced up at me. "Kennie won't get out of her bed so you can go and jump on her if you want, Kyla."
"Yeah, I'll go get her. I have to tell you something so it'll be better if she's here too. You guys stay here, I'll be right back," Kyla said quietly, very out of character for her, as she got up and walked toward Kendra's room. She looked...sad. I wondered what was up.
Eric looked at me. "Do you think I should leave? This is probably a family matter."
"No, because if it's bad, I'll need someone to hold onto and a shoulder to cry on." Even though it was probably way too early for him to see me cry. "If you don't mind, I mean."
He put his arm around me and pulled me closer so I leaned against his side on the couch. "Not at all. I'm here any time you need me," he said and kissed the top of my head.
I smiled as I saw Kyla dragging in a very groggy Kendra, still holding her pillow, and sitting her down on the couch next to me. "So what's up?" I asked Kyla when she remained standing in front of us. It looked as though she was trying to figure out how to say whatever she was going to tell us. After fidgeting for a few moments and still not saying anything I started to get nervous. I exchanged a glance with Kendra. This can't be good, I thought.
I looked back at Kyla and saw that her eyes were shining with unshed tears. I've never seen her cry before, she's one of the strongest women I knew. Seeing her eyes shine like that made me jump up. "Just get it over with and tell us. Rip off the Band-Aid already!"
A tear fell from Kyla's eye and slowly rolled down her cheek as she started talking. "Kat, Kennie, it's Dad and your mom...." She broke off with a sob and her tears came faster.
Now Kendra, looking wide awake when she found out this was about our parents, jumped up. "What? Just tell us."
She cleared her throat, gathered herself and tried again. "Our parents...were...attacked last night... They were murdered."
Kendra and I both froze, staring at Kyla in disbelief, our minds going blank. "No, they can't be dead..." I whispered in denial. Eric stood up and rubbed my arms in a comforting gesture.
"No... We just saw them last weekend!" Kendra yelled.
Kyla looked at us with despair in her gaze. "I went to see them before coming here. The police were there and told me what had happened. They had me identify their bodies."
"Oh, my God..." Kendra and I whispered in unison.
This is too much, I thought as black spots appeared in my vision. I started falling.
The last thing I saw was Eric's concerned face, blurred from the tears welling in my eyes, before I made contact with the floor. Then everything went black.