After the disastrous dinner on Saturday night, where everyone seemed to want to coddle her, she was now over her family’s constant attention. She had assured them that she had worked things out with Isaac, and that everything was fine. She had to insist to every family member that nothing was wrong, but nobody seem to believe her.
She stared at the complicated maths equation in front of her, and came up blank. She pushed them aside, and tried some science instead. She was deep in her work when she heard a strange, consistent tapping noise. It had grown darker outside without her even noticing, so she felt confused, as she stood up and stretched.
She tried to trace the sound of the noise, and eventually realised that it was coming from outside her window. In the blackness of night, she could barely make out a figure standing under her window throwing stuff up at it.
She grinned, thinking that it had to be Isaac. With excitement rushing through her, she didn't think before racing to the front door, and flinging it open to greet him. She couldn't believe how much she had truly missed him.
She stopped short at the person who actually stood there. She felt her mouth go dry, as it flopped open in astonishment, and she stepped back quickly, until she clutched at the door. Steve had a huge grin on his face, looking all dressed up, while Kayla felt her throat dry up.
He had been pestering her all day, to the point where it had drove her crazy. A few comments he made to her seemed to be borderline threatening, but he always followed them up with a smile. Even now, she felt a trickle of fear slice along her spine. Steve just couldn't be trusted.
"Hey, Kayla. I didn't get to catch up with you properly today, but I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight?" He asked happily.
Kayla could detect a hint of defiance in his tone, as though he expected her to refuse, but he also looked determined. She had a feeling that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Kayla only gripped the door handle harder, and wished that she hadn't told her Dad to leave.
This guy had been involved with drugging Isaac. Then he went into his house and invaded his privacy. She didn't want to think what he might want to do to her. All she wanted him to do was leave, and the sooner the better.
"Do your parents know that you're here?" Kayla blurted the only thing she could think of.
"Come on, Kayla, you know mine are just as bad as your mum, too busy at the hospital to care what I'm doing," his words came out smothered in bitterness, and Kayla gulped.
"I don't remember you ever mentioning your parents. Are they nurses like my mum?" She asked, keen for information now.
"They're doctors in the mental health department." Steve grumbled out the words.
"I didn't know that," Kayla tried to keep him talking; not liking what he was telling her at all.
"Well, they are." Steve crossed his arms over his chest.
"You mustn’t get to see them often." Kayla encouraged.
"I would see them even less if they didn't make me work there part time. Those people in there are so damn crazy." Steve told her going onto a different tangent that only seemed to make him sound increasingly bitter and full of rage.
Things clicked into place for Kayla. Now she knew where the drugs used on Isaac had come from. If he were helping at the hospital then he would have access to all kinds of drugs. Steve must have drugged Isaacs’s beer that they had been having with their other friends. No wonder Isaac had felt so ill. Alcohol and drugs often didn't mix very well. She felt her anger build in knowing that Steve could have seriously injured Isaac.
"At least you have a part time job." Kayla she said through gritted her teeth. It was hard to hold in the need to yell at him.
"So do you want to go out?" Steve's mood changed so quickly that Kayla didn't even know what to think.
"I can't, and I don't want to with the horrible way I'm feeling anyway." She forced a sad face, and his eyes flared with a smugness that appeared cold to Kayla.
"Yeah, I knew it was probably too soon, but unfortunately I heard he has already moved on with Melissa. I thought maybe you would want to move on to." His voice went hopeful, and it took everything in Kayla not to want to gag at him, instead she let the anger go free.
"Melissa?" She raised her voice. "She was the one in the photos! They must have been going out behind my back."
"Ah, you know what, Kayla, I heard they were." Steve's arrogance went up a notch, so Kayla wondered how she was going to get rid of him.
"Why would she do this to me? I don't even know her, and I've done nothing to her." Kayla decided to bring out the one thing all guys seemed to hate, tears. "I just don't know what to do!" She sobbed loudly, making Steve slowly begin to back away.
"I guess this was a bit soon for you. Maybe we can go out next week." Steve soothed awkwardly, which Kayla responded to by howling out her despair.
She continued to cry dramatically, and shout out Melissa's name every so often, as he disappeared into her street. Just for good measure, she cried a lot louder and mournfully wailed Isaac's name, until she was sure that he was gone. She then quickly ran into the house and locked the door behind her.
She was both furious and upset that Steve had turned up at her house to ask her out. He had drugged her boyfriend, and now expected her to date him? That was never going to happen. If he could do that to Isaac without remorse, then he could easily do the same thing to her.
A light tapping noise now came from the back door, and she hesitated. She felt apprehension creep along her nerve endings. She tried to reassure herself that it wasn't Steve coming back. She made sure to turn on the back yard sensor light, which brightened everything to day, before seeing who it was.
Isaac stood there beaming at her, and a huge sense of relief flooded her system. She opened the door, and pulled him in for a long hug. Warmth seeped into her, as he enclosed her in his embrace. She rested her head against his solid chest, and felt everything go calm around her.
"It's so good to see you, Chickpea," he muttered the words into her hair, as she reached back to switch off the light. The ambience from the kitchen light was enough to leave it comfortably bright outside.
"Were you here for his little visit?" Kayla jerked a hand towards the front of the house.
"Yeah, I was going to be the one throwing the stones to get your attention, but the bastard stole my idea." He sent her an affronted look, and she smiled.
"That's really sweet," she told him with a warm grin.
"I had to jump your fence so he didn't see me, but if he had of tried anything I would have been around there super quick." He told her firmly. A happiness engulfed her, and she found herself loving him all the harder for his protective side.
"That's okay. Mentioning Melissa, and pretending to cry was enough to send him scurrying. I still can't believe he drugged you. I mean I believe it more now, knowing that he had access to that sort of thing. Did you hear what he said?" She asked, as she pulled back a little, and led him over to the porch chair that her parents always liked to sit on.
"Yeah, I crept up the side of your house to make sure that he didn't try anything. Don't they keep all those tablets and stuff under lock and key?"
"They do normally, but he still would have had limited access to them. I just don't know what to think." She sighed and shook her head.
"Steve's never really liked me. I mean he always acts friendly enough, but he tends to send me these glares when he thinks I'm not looking. When I became captain of the team, he was one of the ones that protested loudly, so I passed it onto Fletch. He's always had a snide remark about me, and I've just ignored him mostly. He has always been the annoying, but quiet guy of our team. I never saw him as a threat, until now." Isaac said, as he stared into her backyard.
He sat down on the chair, and pulled Kayla onto his lap. She threw her arms around him, as she absorbed his wonderful presence. She had missed him so much that this moment seemed extra special.
As though waking from a dream, she realised something important. She loved I
saac. Sure, she had always had a crush on the unobtainable Isaac. This Isaac, he was much sweeter, caring, and infinitely more lovable. The way he was now, made accepting that she loved him much more tangible.
"I need to tell you something," she whispered to him, feeling her shyness return at the need she had to tell him her revelation.
"Okay, that sounds a bit diabolical," he said dubiously, as he played with the strands of her hair.
"Whatever happens with this Melissa and Steve stuff, well it doesn't really matter... you know." She trailed off and frowned to herself.
Maybe it was too early to tell him that she loved him. They hadn't actually been dating for that long. Isaac hadn't even known of her existence. She hesitated and bit her lip. Isaac sent her a penetrating look that she caught and held.
"You can tell me anything, Chickpea." He assured her and she took in a deep breath.
"I love you. I mean I've had a massive crush on you for years, but getting to know you... well I've fallen in love with you even more." She blurted out the words only to stop and bite her lip again.
Before any more words could pour out, he kissed her. He laid one of the hottest, dazzling, and breathtakingly beautiful kisses on her lips. Her thoughts were lost to her, as a sea of pleasure swept her away. She was in a blissful heaven created by those soft lips of his. She didn't even care that he didn't say the words back to her.
Chapter 23 - The joy and despair of a photo
It was Friday before Kayla knew it. She was still having moments where she regretted saying she loved him. He hadn't once returned the words, but he had kept on being the best boyfriend ever. Sometimes she would see a look in his eyes, as if he wanted to say something, but he never did.
Kayla tried not to let it bother her; she had to give him time. He had in fact been incredibly patient with her when she had refused to contemplate being his girlfriend, so he deserved the same patience in return.
At school, it was as if she was in a complete alternate universe. There, she had to be mad at him, which was only getting more difficult. Every time she thought of those pictures, it gave her the anger at Melissa and Steve that she used on Isaac.
Their secret clandestine meetings in the evening were so thrilling to her that it made up for the pretend anger all day. Every night, he came to her house, and with her Dad's permission, they would sit on the back porch chair. They spent hours talking and stealing kisses, when her Dad wasn't looking.
Today, they were sending the first picture of Melissa. She was as nervous, as she was ready to see that girl get her comeuppance. Both Melissa and Steve had become quite smug in the last couple of days. In their minds, they seemed to have achieved exactly what they wanted. Neither Kayla nor Isaac had encouraged the other two, but they all seemed happier to have broken them up.
They had decided to keep it more low key than originally planned, mostly because they didn't want any trouble from the school about it. Hayley had not been impressed about the change of plans, but it was for the best.
Hayley was going to be the one to send the photo, with a new sim card in her older phone. She would send the photo to Melissa, Isaac, and Kayla only. Though Isaac and Hayley fought a lot, Kayla knew how much she loved her brother. Hayley had been livid that Melissa had done such a thing.
"Operation Take Down has commenced." Hayley sent Kayla a text, and she smiled with grim determination.
The squeal was loud enough to echo through the whole school. Kayla's phone beeped, as she received the message, and she prepared her face to be both stern and furious. She quite deliberately walked into an area where she knew Melissa liked to hang out. She repeated in her head what she wanted to say to that horrid girl, but she didn't get the chance.
"You did that! You saved the photos, you bitch!" Melissa screeched, as she towered threateningly over Kayla.
"I came here to tell you to stop sending me these photos. You should be happy! You won. I've been told that Isaac's gone back to you, so why do you need to rub it in by showing me these photos again?" Kayla's voice grew louder and more furious, while Melissa seemed too shocked to respond.
"You didn't send this?" Melissa finally asked, as she appeared to be holding her breath.
"Some number that I don't know sent it to me just now," Kayla exploded at the other girl who backed away.
"Steve." Melissa muttered under her breath, before scurrying off.
Kayla stormed away, knowing that she had Melissa worried now. Everyone else in the school seemed overly curious to get a hold of this photo, and Kayla had to stifle a grin. Everything was working out just as they planned. Melissa fell neatly into their trap, without the whole school ever seeing those photos.
As they had previously organised, Isaac came to join her in the queue at their lunch break. This was the part that Kayla was most looking forward too, their relationship repaired, and back on track.
It was time to continue setting the scene for their many gawking, curious, and strangely growing audience. Kayla had to admit that she was beginning to enjoy the role that she was playing. Sure, they had started it to take down the ones that had caused the problems to begin with, but Kayla was having a blast.
"Is this the photo she sent you last weekend?" Isaac asked seriously, attracting attention from everywhere.
"Did you send it to me today? It's bad enough that you're dating her again, but I don't need you to constantly remind me of it," Kayla flinched back from Isaac's phone.
"Someone sent it to me, and I swear to you that I've never seen it before," Isaac assured her.
"But... but you're supposed to be dating her again."
"What? I'm not dating Melissa! I don't know who started that rumour, but I'm not going out with that girl again." Isaac told the room loudly.
"Really?" Kayla asked. as she stared at him.
"I want you to be my girlfriend, but these stupid photos keep getting in the way." Isaac insisted, and Kayla heard the happy murmur that spread through the watching crowd, which was a welcome relief.
"Next! What do you want?" The lunch lady had ignored their dramatics to ask, so Kayla quickly ordered.
She felt a bit off kilter with her argument now that she had been distracted. She held her lunch tray awkwardly, until she simply stuffed her lunch in her bag. She waited for Isaac and wondered what they should do next. When he glanced to his phone, she knew that she had the perfect answer.
"I need to know where those photos came from, before I agree to anything from you, let alone go out with you again," Kayla turned back to Isaac, once he had ordered.
"Steve did it!" Melissa's voice shouted triumphantly around the room, as she pointed to a disgruntled looking Steve.
"What?" Steve exclaimed, as he stood up from the table that he had been sitting at. "Don't blame me for something that was all your idea," he quickly defended himself.
"Hey, you did most of it." Melissa accused him pointedly.
"Shut up, Mel." Steve's voice turned dangerously cold, and Melissa clammed right up.
"Are you telling me that Steve took pictures of you, and claimed that it was Isaac?" Kayla asked Melissa sternly. The crowd seemed to wait anxiously for an answer.
"I um...." Melissa tried stammering out words, and failed, as her face flamed brightly.
"You know what, don't answer. I don't really care anymore," she turned to Isaac and smiled. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier. Do you want to have lunch with me?"
"No! No, that's not what's meant to happen!" Melissa almost broke down in tears, as she stared at them aghast.
"Does this mean you want to be my girlfriend again?" Isaac asked, ignoring Melissa's breakdown.
"I tell you what, we'll start with lunch and I'll think about it." Kayla said with a grin, as Isaac steered her from the room.
"Isaac, wait!" Melissa pleaded, but Isaac ignored her completely.
"Wow, now that was fun. Maybe I should get into acting instead of architecture." Kayla said with a laugh, as the adrenaline rushed throug
h her from their little show.
"You were great. Well you've been really great with everything all week actually." Isaac replied, grinning all the while. He placed an arm around her shoulders, and squeezed her in closer next to him.
"What's next?" She asked, as she peered up into his happy, dark blue eyes.
"We leave them to sweat. You're going to come to the game tonight and support me, aren't you?"
"If we are officially back to being a couple, then the answer is yes." She smiled up at him, and felt immensely happy.
"It's officially a yes."
Isaac led her up under one of the trees, and sat down on the ground. He patted the spot next to him, and she dropped gracefully down beside him. She pulled out the lunch she had just bought, and tucked into her bag. They proceeded to have a picnic together under the gentle sway of the tree above them.
When they had finished he finally pulled off her hat, which was a relief for her not to have to wear it anymore. He let her hair loose from its braid, and she loved having his fingers trailing through its length. He wrapped his arms around her, and felt that everything was right with the world.
The bell for their next class was the only disappointment in the day. Isaac carried her bag and walked her to class. It felt immensely special to have him doing that for her again.
"Hussy." An angry voice uttered.
"Really Steve?" She turned around in the seat that she had taken to look at the guy. "Is that because I said I didn't want to go on a date with you?" The class exploded with laughter at her comment, and Steve withdrew into himself, as the teacher entered the room.
She dared a glance at Steve again, only to find him staring at her. He appeared quite ill to her. His skin seemed pale, and he looked overly sweaty. His eyes were often unfocused, only to then turn maniacally in her direction. It was incredibly creepy.
This wasn't the Steve that she tutored last year. He had been a guy obsessed with football, and the need to get ahead. Failing his class had been an utter disaster that took him from his precious football.
How We Began Page 24