“Yeah we worked it out.”
“That’s good Kat. I am surprised you lasted this long without talking to her.”
“Why’s that?”
“Just never seen you two without each other much, always attached at the hip with Beckett. Does that mean he is back too?”
“I don’t know Kai, but he was one of my best friends.”
“I won’t tell you not to talk to him. He just better not try to swoop in and steal you away from me.”
“Told you Kai. Wild horses.” He flashes his dimples with a heartbreaking smile. I say heartbreaking because he is so dang beautiful.
“Wanna’ help me go through my song books so I know what to take on Monday?”
“You got it.”
I am lying on Kai’s bed going through his stack of notebooks with him. It makes me feel good that he trusts me with his most private thoughts. It makes me feel…special.
His mom and Khloe make it home. Khloe comes running up the stairs and jumps up on the bed giving me a tackle hug.
Kai mocks offense and says, “what about me?”
Khloe jumps from me to Kai and he tickles her as she shrieks, rolling over his notebooks. Kelli comes and fetches Kai. His dad is waiting in the study to talk to him. He takes a deep breath as he walks slowly to the hallway. His hand is resting against the doorframe and he looks back at Khloe and me with that weird expression again.
What are you hiding Kai Cooper?
He smiles at me halfheartedly and goes to face his dad.
“Okay, Khloe-bug…how about you help me put these notebooks away for Kai?”
“No, Khloe go play.” She slides from the bed and takes off to her room. She is so rotten. I start gathering the books and stacking them back next to his desk, only leaving the ones out he needs to pull from. Kai’s phone is vibrating on his nightstand. I can’t help but look. It’s Raven.
Raven: Kai you can’t avoid it forever. We need to talk about this.
There it is—COMPLICATED flashing in my face. It’s as if a neon arrow is pointing at the message, begging me to respond pretending to be Kai, to see what she says, or at least read their messages and see what I can uncover. I stand here debating for nearly five minutes. I keep hoping someone will interrupt me—to stop me. My finger twitches over the screen.
Deep breath. Stop it Katie, you are getting crazy over this boy.
I put the phone face down. I won’t be one of those girls. I won’t get all nutty like Penny. You won’t see me spray painting shit on the side of anyone’s house.
I throw myself face down into Kai’s pillow and muffle my frustrated scream. Rolling over I pull the pillow over my face and kick my legs out.
“Are you okay?” My cheeks burn red. Slowly I lower the pillow and sit up. I see Kirk standing in the doorway chuckling.
“Yup, I’m good. Perfectly fine. Nothing to see here.”
“Must be hard?”
“What?” Kirk Cooper…what are you getting at?
“Being in the dark?”
“Then shine t
he light on me,” I mouth off.
One second Kirk is getting ready to say something back to me and the next he is ripped from the door by Kai.