"I hate you all!" Kat yells at us before running out of my room. On the way, she slams the door loudly.
"Kat, please try to understand," Dad calls after her.
I wince when I hear her shutting the door of her room with a loud bang.
"Looks like I messed up," I mutter.
"Don't worry honey," mom says. "I know you're just looking out for her."
Grisbee rolls over on the cushion. At least someone's enjoying being themselves.
I know none of this is her fault. After getting home, I told my parents that I don't wanna go to the party tonight. They let it go without asking me what has happened. But the problem arose when they said that Kat can't go either. She never went to a high school party before, and they don't want her to go alone without my supervision, especially when they'll be giving in an hour for Australia.
Kat started throwing tantrums when we told her about it. And now she hates me for ruining the night for her. It was supposed to be her first high school Halloween party and I messed it up.
And now I feel like a jerk.
"It's not like we don't want her to go because you're not going," Mom continues. "We're all just watching out for her. We don't want anything to happen to her when we aren't here."
"Do you think she'll be mad at me all week for it?"
Mom smiles assuringly. "She'll come around," she says just as her eyes turn brighter.
"Mom?"
"I think I know a way to make her feel better," she mutters."Or precisely a person." She gets on her phone and dials a number.
"Mom?" She shushes me to be quiet.
"Yeah Candace, no Kat, and Kiara won't be going too. Miles is going? Oh, don't worry. I'm sure it was just a rumor....hmm. Sure I'll let Kat know."
"Mom," I call her once she ends the line.
She turns to me with a smile on her face. "I was talking with Cadence earlier. She told me Dylan won't be going to the party tonight because he heard some rumors about it."
Dylan won't be going to the party tonight? "What rumors?" I ask mom.
She shrugs. "He didn't specify but none of his friends are going to the party," she says. "Dylan told Miles too but he said they're just some made-up rumors to scare the freshmen," she says. "I kind of agree with Miles. One shouldn't believe in things based on rumors. But I'm relieved that you two won't be going to that pert when your dad and I will be out of the country."
I nod. I mean at least some of the seniors would've heard of them if they were true.
"Anyway," mom says. "So I asked Cadence if Kat can go over to their place to have a movie night or something. She already asked Dylan and he's thrilled to have Kat over. You get it right?" She winks.
I gasp. "Mom, stop trying to play Cupid," I tell her. "They're not kids anymore."
"Chill, I was just joking," she says laughing. "And moreover, Kat won't mind if not partying means she gets to spend the night with Dylan."
I chuckle. That's true. Let's just hope nothing happens when they're alone.
Dylan might be her once upon a time's best friend and they're still on good terms, that doesn't make him less of a douche.
"By the way," mom says before leaving. "Your grandparents said they won't be able to make it here this year. So while I'm gone, you're in charge of the house, Candace will come to check up on you girls every once in a while."
"Grandma and grandpa won't be coming?"
Mom shakes her head. "Your grandma's school best friend had a stroke yesterday and they're going over to see her."
My shoulder slumps. I love spending the week with them. Grandma Sara and grandpa Justin are my maternal grandparents. They're the coolest grandparents the world has ever seen. Every year when mom and dad go out for their anniversary week, they come over to look after us.
When we were kids, grandma would let us have ice cream after dinner. They would take us to the amusement park or zoo after school. We went to watch movies together.
The reason they don't visit us all around the year is they're currently going through their retirement period and travel most of the time.
"Don't worry sweetie, mom said they'll visit us over thanksgiving."
"Yeah, But you want me to be in charge of the house while you're gone?"
Mom nods. "You're going to college next year, you should learn to take responsibility for things before then. And we trust you enough to know that you won't let us down." This almost makes my eyes tear. I run in her arms and hug her. "I'm gonna miss you mom," I mutter.
Mom pats my back. "We will miss you guys too. She pulls back.
"So who wants to break the news to Kat?" I ask her.
Mom smiles. "Let me, I earned it."
Not even a full minute later, I hear Kat screaming in excitement. She runs out of her room and pauses when she finds me by the door.
"Did you hear?!" She asks.
I smile. "Yes, Mom told me."
She squeals. "You guys are the best." She hugs me and runs for the bathroom in the hallway. "Love you guys!"
Behind me, dad doesn't look much happy (I don't blame him, he doesn't like Dylan either) but doesn't comment.
Mom, on the other hand, looks like she's already-never mind.
"When are you leaving?" I ask them.
"In an hour," dad says checking his wristwatch. "The boarding pass will take a long time."
"Okay, then let's check everything one last time," mom suggests. Dad agrees with her and they leave for downstairs.
I smile as I watch them. It's been a while since they remained decent together this long.
They will make it work, I tell myself. My family will be fine.
With a last glance at my parents, I walk inside my room.
Kat is happy, my parents are happy. Ashton and I are friends again. Everything's back to normal. Everything but my love life. Or shall I say one-sided love life?
It's almost eight now and he hasn't called me yet. Or reply to my text.
'Maybe calm down, for now, everything will be fine.'
Fine? How can things be ever fine again? Derek chooses everything- school, football, parties, his friends, and even college over me.
We're together for almost two years and I know we're not like Payton and Luca, who are so in love, but I never thought we were this bad.
In the beginning, things weren't this bad. Derek did show he cares for me. He took me out on dates, bought me flowers and presents, he was such a sweet guy. Even after when we came back from Uganda last summer, he was so caring, he listened to my every story.
But then school started, that picture of Ashton came out, he got kicked out of the team, and all his responsibilities fell upon on Derek and-
And that's it. Why haven't I noticed it before? Derek and I- we are not falling apart. How can we fall apart when we are over the day he became the captain of the football team?
All the time, it felt like I was the only one trying, Derek- he just needed a girlfriend or something- not that I've ever complained. But there's this one thing. Love, friendship- these things can't be one-sided, it goes both ways.
And if it doesn't, things are meant to shatter sooner or later.
And that's why Derek and I need to have a serious talk.
Derek, we really need to talk, I don't think I can do this anymore- I hit the send button.
I wonder if Ashton chose his football career over everything too. If he dated someone-like really dated-I wonder he would've treated the girl the way Derek is treating me now.
'No he wouldn't,' my conscious mind says. 'Ashton said himself.'
'If I loved a girl enough, I would've always wanted her to be my first, last, and only priority'- his words ring in my ears.
Life is really disappointing at some point.
I scroll down my messages. There are lots of them from Miles and Grace, asking me if I'm changing my mind. I replied to both of them with a 'NO'.
Grace replied saying she understands and told me to call her if I need anything.
Miles's reply was a bit amusing.
Miles: 'first thing tomorrow morning we're going to do is plot Derek's death'
I wonder how they know I'm upset over the Derek situation.
Did Ashton tell them?
I was so engrossed in my own thought that I almost missed the rattle on my window. I sit up staring on my bed and stare at the window.
Was I imagining things?
That's when I hear it again. It sounds more like a tap.
I frown and look over at Grisbee, the lazy fat cat is sound asleep on my pillow.
When the noises don't stop, I get from the bed and step closer to the window.
Is that a robber? Or a phantom? It's Halloween after all.
'Don't be ridiculous. They don't tap.'
Right, it has to be a vampire. Yet, despite my best intuition, I throw the curtain open. For a moment I thought I saw a silhouette on the other side.
But it's one before I can blink my eyes.
Followed by a loud yelp outside.
Getting out of my daydream (or perhaps 'eveningdream' in this case) I rushed to open the window and stick my head out.
My eyes go wide when I discover the person laying on his back in our backyard and groaning in pain.
I can't see his face because of the lack of light outside but his figure can be cut out in the dim moonlight. The person, or rather, the boy looks tall (and sexy), his hair is all over his face hiding it from me.
I almost didn't recognize him until I heard his deep-sexy-voice.
"This woman will be the end of me," he groans.
"What are you doing here?" I yell.
"You-you-" He might've answered my question if he still wasn't in pain. The fall looks good.
"Hang on! I'll be there in a minute," I yell again and sprint out.
"Kiara, did you hear it too?" Mom asks me. Dad follows her out of their room.
"Don't worry guys, everything's under control," I assure them and skip downstairs, taking two steps at a time.
When I get out of the house, he is still laying there.
He opens one eye when he hears me coming and gives me an adorable grin.
"Did I just land in heaven?" Ashton asks cheekily.
"No buddy, you just dropped in hell," I tell him. "And you really would've been there if you had fallen directly under my window. I thought I warned you about those rose bushes."
"I'll be fine," he says and tries to stand up. And falls back with a groan.
I cross my arms and watch the foolish idiot in front of me.
Ashton gives another dashing smile. "But a little help will be appreciated."
I shake my head, feeling sorry for his future wife already and help him to get inside.
ð¸
Someone was trying to be romantic...ððð