My mom is going to freak out when she sees this. I choke back the sob in my throat and force my tears away. I go inside and grab a bucket, filing it with warm water and bleach. I get a scrub brush from the laundry room and get busy scrubbing, and it is only just smearing and making it worse. Dropping the brush into the bucket, I think of my options. I can try to paint over it, but what am I going to do until I can get the paint to cover it. I sit in the cold on my front steps with my head buried in my hands, feeling utterly defeated.
A hand on my shoulder startles me. “Kat, hey, I am here to take you over to watch Khloe.”
I wipe my tears on the back of my hand, sniffling, mortified that Kai is witnessing this.
“What happened?” He gestures toward the red blip on the siding of the house.
“Nothing important. Give me just a minute, and I will be ready.”
He says he will be waiting in his car for me.
Going inside, I take a white trash bag and tape it over the red blotch for now.
As I slide into the passenger seat of Kai’s orange Camaro, I could swear I see Beckett down the street in his grandpa’s car, spying on me. Did he paint that hurtful word on my house? Screw Becks and Penny. I don’t need them.
Chapter 8
On the way to Kai’s house, I feel strangely at ease with him. We fall into a casual conversation about music. We share similar taste in bands, which I find amusing. We even sing a little together. He is oddly surprised by my natural ability. “You ever think about singing outside of church?”
“I hope to after graduation. I’m saving for a car or a ticket out of here. Which ever gets me to New York quicker.”
“What’s in New York?” he asks curiously.
“It’s anywhere but here,” I answer honestly.
“Yeah, I know that feeling. Graduation can’t come soon enough for me. My band and I are hitting the road first thing this summer.”
“That’s exciting. What’s the name of your band?”
“Cooper’s Religion, but we might change it. I’m not sold on it, but it’s all we could think of at the time. I just know I don’t want to end up like my father and my brother, Kirk.”
“I love the name, don’t ever change it. And you are preaching to the choir. I don’t want to be anything like my mom.”
He gives me a sympathetic smile. Does he know about my mom too? I am too ashamed to ask him.
We arrive at his house, and I already envy him. He has a nice car and a beautiful home I could only dream of growing up in. “Wow,” I whisper out when I unbuckle my seatbelt.
“Yeah, not too shabby, huh?”
I gulp, and I feel underdressed to even go inside, they have a freaking mansion compared to the tiny two-bedroom house I live in with my mom.
“Don’t do that Kat,” he says, as if he knows what I am thinking. Kai grabs my hand. “Come on, my mom will love you.” He takes me in through the garage, when we reach the kitchen door he lets go of my hand, and I am tempted to wrap my fingers back in his for support. Something about his hand in mine made all of my doubt and insecurity disappear.
His mom looks appears as though she just stepped out of a photo-shoot for a popular magazine or something. Not one hair is out of place on her head.
Khloe comes running toward us. “Khloe friend, you come to pway with Khloe.” She is clapping and jumping.
“Yeah, I came to play,” I tell her, and she takes my hand, tugging me forward.
“Slow down Khloe. Let Katie get in the door,” their mom tells her. “Kai, why don’t you start setting the table for dinner while I have a chat with Katie in the study? Khloe, help your brother and after dinner, Katie will play with you.”
“O’tay,” she says with a hint of sadness.
“Oh, shoes please,” she instructs me to leave my shoes at the back door. I hope my socks match. I kick my shoes off and place them on the rug by the garage door. I follow Kai’s mom into the study and dang the room is huge, it’s more like a small library. My inner book nerd is dying to run my fingers across the spines of those books.
She pats the spot next to her on the dark leather chaise. I take a seat next to her and try not to come across as awkward.
“Please, call me Kelli.”
I nod. My hands are feeling sweaty. I resist the urge to tap my foot nervously.
“So, Katie, you’re a senior in Kai’s class. Are the two of you good friends?”
“We are familiar,” I answer softly, stretching the truth a little.
“You worked for the Miller’s, why did that end?”
Okay, so I have to lie here. “They are going to need someone else when I go off to college in the fall, so they wanted to get Chase acquainted with someone new.”
“Well that could be a problem. Khloe already thinks you are her new best friend. But Kai says you are perfect for the job. I can pay you one-hundred and twenty dollars a week. I take it that you don’t have a car of your own?”
“No, that would be an issue. I can try to work it out with my mom though.”
“Nonsense, you can ride with Kai from school and he can drive you home. And when he isn’t able, my husband or I would be glad to.” She smiles graciously when I tell her that would be perfect. “Well then…let’s go eat.”
Kelli serves a side salad with baked spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner. It is delicious. Khloe insists that I sit between her and Kai for the meal. He seems to be a bit uncomfortable. I accidentally brush knuckles with him and he flinches away from my touch as though I am dirty. It shouldn’t hurt my feelings, but it stings a bit.
After we are finished eating, Khloe has her way and drags me away to her room to play.
Her bedroom is every little girl’s dream. There is a beautiful castle mural painted behind her canopy bed. Khloe has everything I ever wanted growing up…a dollhouse, any Barbie you can think of, and a trunk full of dresses. She has to point out everything, and names all of her dolls and stuffed animals off to me in rapid succession. I will never keep them all straight.
She is insistent upon giving me a makeover. I am hesitant, but I can’t say no to her little pouty face. “I pwomise to make you pwetty.” Her hands are clasped in front of her as her bottom lip sticks out in the perfect puppy dog sad face.
“Okay, make me pretty,” I tell her and close my eyes as I sit cross legged by her pink light up vanity. I always wanted one of those too.
When she is finished, she begins clapping, quite pleased with the job she has done.
“Now Khloe fix Katie hair.” She is so serious as she gets out her combs and bows, I almost laugh, but I’m afraid if I do I will hurt her feelings. No wonder Raven is so enamored by this kid. She’s adorable.
One second Khloe is dragging her brush through my tangled mess on my head and the next she is yelling at Kai to come play. I look over to see him watching us from the doorway. I have no idea how long he has been watching us.
“For a minute, but then mom says it’s bath time for you.” He walks into the room, seeming more relaxed. His hands are shoved in his jean pockets and he doesn’t have any idea how cute he looks right now perched on the edge of his sister’s bed.
“I made Katie pwetty. Kai be frog so Katie can kiss you and make you a pwince.” Her little green eyes are sparkling with excitement. “Pwease Kai, be frog.”
I feel a bit nervous about what she just said. I am in no way kissing Kai in front of his baby sister.
“’Mere, Kai, ‘mere,” she says to him sweetly.
He must have a hard time saying no to her as well. He comes over, standing behind me. “Katie knows a lot about frog lips,” he jokes.
I discreetly give him the finger.
“Up, Katie.” She pulls on my hands until I get up.
Khloe directs us, telling us how and where to stand. Kai swallows hard and brushes his hair back behind his ears. He grins at me and licks his lip. Oh my God. Does he really think we are doing this?
Just as he tilts his face toward mine
Khloe saves the day, yelling, “Wait, you need your pwincess wand, Katie. You break spell then kiss Kai frog.” She goes over to her toy box and starts digging through it.
Kelli comes in and tells Khloe it is time for her bath. She wants me to assist her because I will be bathing Khloe the nights I watch her.
Kai’s mom goes over an extensive list of don’ts. Khloe has really sensitive skin when it comes to anything with a fragrance. I feel like I should be taking notes.
Kelli watches on as I read Khloe a bedtime story after I dried her hair, got her into her pajamas, and assisted brushing her teeth. Khloe’s eyes flutter as I get halfway through Cinderella. I put her into bed and tuck her covers in around her.
I follow Kai’s mom downstairs to the family room where Kai is waiting to drive me home. Kai and I are given instructions to pick Khloe up from daycare after school and to bring her straight home tomorrow.
Kelli tried to pay me for tonight, but I declined. I really had a good time. It was a great end to my craptastic day.
Sliding into the passenger seat, I buckle my seatbelt and wait for Kai. He said there was something he needed to get. I hear him put something in the trunk before he gets in. He reaches over and brushes his thumb over my knuckles. “I don’t know what happened, but you didn’t deserve that from your friends today.”
“Thanks,” I choke out, trying not to cry at the word waiting for me on the front of the house when I get home. “I made a mistake the summer before ninth grade, in case you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t...I didn’t need to ask, Kat. You don’t have to explain. I know we might not talk much, but I know you aren’t like that. I have known girls like that and you definitely aren’t one of them.” I can’t help but wonder what he means by I am not like that. I want to ask him, but I am too much of a chicken.
He withdraws his hand from mine, and I have that feeling of missing his skin against mine. Backing out of the driveway, he tells me to pick something on the radio. I settle for The White Buffalo, I am the light.
I can’t help it as I belt the lyrics out. It is one of my favorite songs. Kai turns the volume down and listens to me intently. I feel naked…exposed, and vulnerable letting him share in this with me, but I like the way I feel when he looks over, flashing his dimples at me, impressed with my vocals.
The drive to my house feels a lot faster than it did coming the other direction, but it seems that is how it goes. It seems like it takes forever to reach your destination, but the road back is shorter. The car is idling in front of my gate and Kai is grinning at me. Silence stretches between us, neither of us knowing what to say, but not ready to say goodbye.
“What would you have done if I kissed you earlier?” He asks with hungry eyes.
“I wouldn’t have kneed you in the balls again as long as you didn’t lick my face,” I tease.
His lip twitches and he lets out a low chuckle, clearly remembering our seven minutes in heaven. “If I recall correctly, I tried to tongue you, and you got scared, and turned your head,” he says smugly.
I’m not sure if I can handle another kiss this weekend, so I say the first thing I can think of. “Well then, maybe one day I will give you a second chance to prove that you aren’t just a frog.” I click my seatbelt, undoing it and take the door handle in my hand.
“Oh, I got some paint in the back for you. I’m not sure if it’s even the right color, but it is better than having whore spray-painted on your house.”
“Thanks, that was really sweet of you.” We both get out of the car and he goes to his trunk to get the paint. He refuses to let me carry it and walks me to the door. I can see my mom peering out the curtains at us.
“So, I will see you tomorrow,” I tell him as I get ready to dart inside the house and face my mom.
“Can I give you a lift to school in the morning? I mean, it is supposed to be really cold—the weather man said it would be blustery in the early hours.”
“I couldn’t, I mean it isn’t even on your way.” I am more shocked that he watches the weather than I am at his offering to drive me. Kai never has struck me for someone who would care about the weather.
“I don’t mind. I have to drop Khloe off at her daycare for my mom in the morning anyway.” He shrugs. “Besides, Kat, whoever did this…” he motions to the red paint. “…that is only the beginning.”
Not wanting to be alone in the morning, I take him up on his offer. He is right, who knows what else they will try. Whoever they are. I have a good idea who they are though—Penny and Aaron, or him and his friends on the basketball team. And possibly Becks, which makes my chest hurt, and it feels like strong steel hands are squeezing my heart.
He sits the paint down and brushes his finger across my cheek, making me feel dizzy. “See ya, tomorrow, Kat.”
Chapter 9
I hurry inside of the door, I was afraid Kai was going to try to kiss me anyway.
My mom is waiting for me with a hard look on her face. “Who was that boy?”
“I left you a note, I got a new job babysitting for Kai Cooper’s little sister.”
“I called you, Katie, and you didn’t answer me, then I come home to find that awful word painted on the house. And then a note saying you took off with some boy. I expect better from you. Why is that shit on the house?”
“Maybe it’s for you,” I mouth off at her, tired of her back and forth mood swings. “Oh, you want to be a caring mother now that I am getting old enough to leave, is that it?” My brow is arched as I finally feel strong enough to stand up to her for once.
“What do you mean leave? Katie, you aren’t going anywhere. I talked to Jason. He has agreed to take you back watching Chase. I told him in time you might be more open to him.”
Did she really just say that?
“I am nothing like you, and I never will be. I will never spread my legs for money,” I yell loudly and hope Kai is long gone.
She comes toward me like she is going to strike me again as she did earlier.
“Going to hit me again? Go ahead. You can’t hurt me anymore. I am going to get out of this town and away from you. You must be sick in the head to think I would want to sell myself.” I start to go to my room and get ready for bed.
She is right on my heels, following me. “Katie, everything I have done has been to provide for you. You think it was easy for me to keep you. Every time I look at you I relive that horrible night,” she cries at me, trying to make me feel sorry for her.
I spin on my heel facing her. “Then why did you keep me?”
“I didn’t want to be alone,” she whispers out between her sobs.
“Wow,” I say closing my door in her face.
I lock my door so she can’t come in and bother me further. Changing into my pajamas, I go to bed without brushing my teeth. I don’t want to see her right now. I can hear her in the kitchen drinking. Here we go again. One step forward and two steps back.
~**~
When I get up the next morning, my mom has already left for work. I open the fridge. Looks like she bought milk. There is a note on the refrigerator door, it reads:
Sorry, Katie, love Mom.
I crumple it up and throw it in the trash. God, I hate it here.
After my usual bowl of cereal, I get dressed, settling on a blue knit sweater and jeans. As I am smoothing my brush through my hair, there is a knock on the door—Kai.
“I forgot to get you a paintbrush last night.” He holds up two brushes with a grin, flashing his dimples at me when I greet him. “We should be able to get a coat or two on before we have to be at school. I dropped Khloe off a few minutes early, so I could help you.”
“You help your mom with her a lot, don’t you?” He shrugs with a nod. “I think it’s sweet. Most guys would get annoyed by doing what you do to help out.” I take a brush from him and he pops the can of white primer open with a flathead screwdriver.
His dimples pop and he blushes. “It’s nothing really. Khloe is my sister, I’d do a
nything for her. My parents work a lot of long hours to provide for us, so I don’t mind giving back and pitching in.”
“How does your family feel about your band touring right after high school?” I ask as the red turns to pink.
“They have no idea. My dad sees my music as a joke. He thinks after graduation I will be like him and Kirk — get my miners card and hard hat and fall in line.”
“I know what you mean. My mom thinks I am going to stay around here with her. She has some weird thing about being alone.” I can’t say my mom expects me to be a whore like her.
We finish the coat of paint in the cold and in a comfortable silence.
The sidewalk is still a little slick. I nearly fall on my ass as I go to get in Kai’s car.
Having Kai drive me to school was a great distraction until we pull into the parking lot, and I realize that I actually have to face Penny and Becks today.
“Hold up,” Kai calls to me when I start walking toward the school. I feel like all eyes are on us. Who would have thought that getting a ride to school would garner so much attention? He takes something from his key ring and tucks it in the palm of my hand. “Just remember today when you feel alone that you aren’t.”
Opening my hand, I look down and there is a metal square, it is engraved with the words just breathe. “None of those assholes who can’t see your worth aren’t worth your time.”
“Thank you, Kai, that is really sweet.” I smile sheepishly.
He grabs my hand for moral support and walks me to my locker. Hushed whispers are murmured as we walk down the hall. I don’t see Becks or Penny at her locker as we pass by. When we get to my locker the word SLUT is written across the red metal in bold black letters.
I refuse to let them see me cry. Kai squeezes my hand tighter. I still have his keychain in my hand, and I smile, because I feel like he really has my back.
“Until this is cleaned off, you can use my locker. Get your stuff, no is not an option.”
I decide not to argue with one of the only friends I have right now and move my books and folders to Kai’s locker down the hall, near Penny and Becks. Awesome.
Falling For The Bad Boy Page 5