Rebecca
. . .
Time seems to blur together with Kai by my side.
I've been getting used to being with him, but I also can't shake the fear like everyone else I placed on a pedestal, he's going to leave me at some point. It's much too soon for unprecedented 'big talks' and Kai doesn't want to push me into anything else he feels is too much.
It chips away at my heart every time I see him settle for what little I give him, little facts about my life, random memories, but he doesn't complain.
He hardly ever does, which is for some reason more frightening than if he did it all the time.
I pull all of my hair up into a ponytail on either side of my head for the first time in a long time, securing each with a hairband before bounding out of the locker room.
We share a locker room with the girl's lacrosse team, the only girl's sports team any of the parents wished to fund, aside from the swim team. However, it also connects to the gym, which is where the cheerleading tryouts are being held.
We have a set of judges who aren't on the team, and per my request, not the principals, their son or one of the other girls' boyfriends. On the panel is the cheerleading coach, the eleventh-grade math and twelfth grade English teachers, as well as the secretary Mr. Macabee and... Kai?!
Instantly I sprint toward the table, squatting down so I'm not seen as the other girls stretch. "What are you doing here? I told them not to let you judge!"
Kai has the nerve to look flustered. "I know! I told them that too! Leo put me here, and I'm not arguing with your father," he whisper-shouts his reply, looking around to make sure that no one sees us talking. "I think he wants me to push you through in case there is anyone who kicks a little higher."
I purse my lips at him and furrow my brow. "There's only one of you and three of them. Exactly how much of an impact do you have?"
His tan skin manages to pale. "Mace is here as a tie-breaker," he offers weakly. "Please don't be mad at me, I didn't want to do this. I was planning on sitting in the bleachers so I could watch your tits bounce in that shirt!"
I scowl at him, having enough of an answer to my question. "Vote honestly or I sleep in Max's room."
The platinum blonde and I have become friends quite quickly, bonding over the TV show that Kai seems to hate. Though she likes Supernatural just as much as I do, she must have talked to Kai at some point as they both maintain that there are some false facts in the show.
Kai nods, and I stalk toward the other girls, sitting on the floor beside Frankie as I do my stretches.
"Looks like you have even more of an unfair advantage," a voice comes from somewhere behind Frankie.
I look around for the culprit, finding Karen. I give her a wan smile. I hadn't thought I'd made too bad of an impression on her when we first met, but it appears she doesn't feel the same.
"No. He's not supposed to be here but since he is, I made him promise to vote honestly," I state firmly, looking her straight in the eye.
"Well you gotta admit; we've never seen you cheer, and your daddy and your boyfriend's daddy runs the place. And now, said boyfriend is deciding whether or not you get on the team." This time, the hurtful words come from Frankie, and I'm shocked.
I vaguely hear a whistle being blown and we're told to stand as I respond with the only thing that comes to mind. "He's your best friend too."
Frankie laughs, straightening her sleeves as she stands. "But I'm not the one he sleeps with at night."
I feel my hands curling into fists, a defensive reaction that I picked up whilst living with my foster family, but I don't act on my anger, I pivot on my heel and walk away from the two unpleasant humans.
We follow through all the necessary motions and make it to the part that has to be scored. We sit off to the side, with me a couple of feet away from everyone else. It's not by choice, but by force, as the others seemed to side with Frankie in her distaste for me. I shrug it off, I've been ostracized by meaner girls... and boys.
I can practically feel the tension radiating off of Kai, almost as though he heard our interaction, though that can't possibly be true. However, he must have some inclination of what happened since I'm not sitting with the other girls and I hope he doesn't downvote any of them because of it.
I look over at him, watching as he murmurs something to Mason, one of the seniors, and another of Kai's friends. They're arguing heatedly, and I see Mason vehemently shaking his head 'no' before all of a sudden, Kai screams.
"Son of a bitch!" The shriek is a couple of octaves higher than his normal voice and I'm instantly on my feet jogging over to him.
"What's wrong?"
"I broke my finger," he whimpers, tucking his face into my belly like a giant four-year-old. "Can you help me get to the nurse?"
"Let's go."
I help him out of his chair and holding his hand, lead him to the exit door at the rear of the gym and once we're outside, we make our way to the nurse's station that's in the rear of the main office.
He allows me to lead him to the nurse, releasing my hand to cup his crooked little finger. He's wearing a silver ring that I haven't seen before, but I don't question it.
We walk into Nurse Hampton's office and since it is empty at the moment, immediately directed toward the first cot. "What seems to be the problem... Mr. Silverman?"
"I think I broke my finger," he says simply, holding up the hand with his injured digit.
"How did it happen," she asks. Nurse Hampton slips on a pair of purple rubber gloves and gently picks up Kai's hand.
Kai shrugs, the motion suspicious to my eyes, but Nurse Hampton just smiles with a nod.
"I'm sorry sweetie," she says, addressing me for the first time. "I'm going to have to ask you to sit in the waiting room for a second."
Kai narrows his eyes like he wants to argue but I nod before he has the chance. "Okay."
I can hear them talking behind the curtain, though I can't make out what they're saying.
So, in an effort to remain occupied, I pick up one of the many pamphlets that rest in a small rack.
I'm reading it, barely paying attention when my father and the older Mr. Silverman walk in.
"Rebecca," Mr. Silverman greets. "Is Kai alright? I just got the notification that he'd been brought in to the nurse."
"He's fine. Just a—"
"Not broken, just dislocated," calls Nurse Hampton as she pulls the curtain back. I've put it back in place and put a splint on it, but it should be fine in a few weeks. Days perhaps, depending on how fast he heals."
I feel a breath escape my chest, unexpected relief filling my body.
"Did you need to get checked out too? Are you expecting?"
It takes a second to realize the question is directed at me, and I'm instantly confused. I point to myself just to check, and when she cocks her head at me, pointing a finger at the pamphlet still in my hand, I finally catch the title.
'Teen Pregnancy: What are Your Options?'
"Oh, no I—"
"Silverman! Christ, you couldn't even wait until—"
"I'm not pregnant!" I shout, just as Kai says 'she's not pregnant.'
The two father's show vastly different expressions. Whilst mine is obviously red from anger, he is also very relieved and it's visible in his face. However, Kai's dad is almost expressionless, unfeeling.
"Okie-Dokie. I'll go get you some ice," Nurse Hampton says, stepping away from our group and its tension that fills the room.
It's at this moment I get a bit of insight as to why Kai is so gung-ho about our relationship. Kai mentioned in passing that his mother had died when he was nine, a very fragile age. As I look at his father, at the shell of a human that Kai must have been forced to live with. It makes me ache to be closer to him, to provide him with the affection he likely hadn't had in a long time.
"Do you need anything son?" Mr. Silverman asks, finally breaking the silence between the four of us.
"I'm good," Kai says, nodding his head at his father who does the same before walking away. "We are good." This statement is directed at Leo who is still scowling at Kai, specifically his hand that cannot be seen and likely appears to rest on my behind.
"Good." My father's voice is clipped and bordering on angry. He turns to me, his expression smoothing into a happier one. "The tryouts have been rescheduled for tomorrow sweetheart. Good luck."
"Thanks, daddy," I murmur, and finally he leaves the room.
Nurse Hampton returns with some papers and an ice pack and then finally we leave, heading back toward our dorm building. "Why are you having a pissing contest with someone twice your age?" I hiss, tugging on Kai's uninjured hand, yanking it back with a screech as a burning sensation spreads across my palm.
"What the hell?!" I cry out, jumping backward slightly. We've grabbed the attention of a few of the other students and I wish I could melt into the ground.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Kai reaches for my hand and I take another step backward. I examine the skin on my hand, cringing as I see it has mysteriously started to blister.
"I don't know."
I allow Kai to lead me away from the prying eyes of spectators and to our bedroom. I refuse the nurse, not wanting my father to worry and blame Kai.
My feet swing as I sit on the bed and let Kai dote on me. He ducks into the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit.
"What the hell happened," Kai asks for the billionth time, kneeling in front of me as he takes a look at my hand, I wince slightly as he dabs at my wound, his injured pinky sticking out like a snobby elitist drinking tea.
"I don't know. I just touched your hand and it... I don't know."
Kai pulls away and I look up from my lap. "What? What is it?" I reach for him, and he pulls back further.
"What are you allergic to? Like complete list," Kai demands, his eyes searching my face.
I frown but acquiesce his curiosity. "Uh, salt burns me if it's not dissolved in something else... Iron—but just the pure metal—oh and Silver—"
"Silver?"
"Yeah, ever since I was a kid. I had to use plastic utensils because the silverware gave me blisters."
The second the confirmation leaves my lips, Kai pushes back, sitting on his haunches. He lifts his right hand and cringing slightly, tugs off the odd ring that he'd been wearing. He tosses it in the corner of the room and pulls off his splint as well, causing me to reach for him in shock.
"Hey! The nurse said you need that!"
Kai hesitates slightly, before moving back and applying aloe gel to my burn. "It wasn't broken, Becks. I lied to get you away from Karen and Frankie."
The words don't sound like the complete truth, but nonetheless, my eyes widen in shock. "Why would you do that?"
"I heard what they said to you," he shrugged, bandaging my hand. "I didn't like it. I dealt with it."
I tug my hand from his when it becomes clear he feels no remorse. "That was wrong Kai." When he doesn't look up at me, I place my palm on his cheek, lifting his head and forcing his eyes to meet mine. "I don't need you to fight my battles. Even if it's just high school girls, I can deal with them. I'm from New York, remember?"
I smile shyly at him and he smiles back at me. "Yeah, I remember."
"Good." Content with his confession, I exhale in a quick rush of breath. "So... what are we doing for the next few hours? Since you got my tryouts postponed?"
Kai grins, rising to his full height between my legs. He opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by the sudden crackle of noise over the intercom system.
"Attention students, an unidentified male has been spotted on campus. We are currently on lockdown."
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Is it a good or bad thing when you don't recognize your own writing? Next update is on Wednesday! Xoxo —H