Skyville Boys

by Mia Belle

  She releases a frustrated breath. “So what do you suggest? To let her stay with you?”

  “Maybe for the weekend,” I say. “She’s all caught up with school. I’ll hang out with her and give her the attention she needs. You and Dad can pick her up when you visit.”

  Feeling a presence behind me, I spin around and find Kitty standing there with her eyes so wide I bet they can swallow the entire Earth. Then she springs at me and wraps her arms around my middle. “Thanks, Kara!”

  “I never said yes,” Mom says.

  “Please, please, please!” Kitty begs, yanking on my arm like it’s up to me.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this, Kara?” Mom asks. “You two will be alone in the house. You’ll have full responsibility for your sister.”

  “Don’t you trust her?” Kitty continues yanking on me. If she keeps this up, I won’t have an arm left.

  “Of course I trust you,” Mom says. “It’s just that…”

  “I know.” That damn stalker is still out there. “But we’ll be fine. Locked doors and windows.”

  Mom sighs a heavy one. “Okay. But tell your sister she’s not off the hook. She’s grounded as soon as she steps foot in New York.”

  Kitty plugs her fingers into her ears. “Didn’t hear that!” And she starts singing at the top of her lungs.

  “Thanks, Mom,” I say. “She needs this.”

  “Be vigilant, okay? I’ll call the school and ask them to let you out early. Love you, Kara.”

  “Love you. We’ll see you and Dad on Friday.”

  I hang up and close my fingers around Kitty’s arm. “She hung up. You can stop pretending you don’t hear her.”

  She flings herself at me again. “You’re the coolest sister ever!”

  I kiss the back of her head. “I have to get permission to leave early. Want to wait out here?

  “You kidding? I’m coming with. I haven’t even seen your high school yet.”

  I shrug as I guide her inside. “Looks the same as any high school.”

  The period’s just ended and the hallway is overrun with students, pushing and shoving to get to their locker or their next class. My fingers snake through Kitty’s and clasp her in a death hold as we make our way to the office.

  “Kara!” someone calls.

  Turning around, I find Jax heading our way.

  “Hey. Are you going to lab?” His gaze drops to my sister. “Hey, Kitty. Watched an interview with you a few weeks ago. You’re a little diva. I mean that in the best way possible.”

  She lifts her chin in glee. “Gotta own it. Are you Kara’s boyfriend?”

  I laugh and gently shove her behind me. “My sister’s visiting this weekend. I’m leaving early.”

  “Cool.” He smiles at Kitty who escaped her confinement. “Any fun plans?”

  “Kara?” Carter and Ezra have caught up to us, their gazes bouncing between me and Jax. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m leaving early,” I explain. “This is my sister, Kitty. She’s visiting for a few days.”

  Kitty waves with both hands. “Hey, handsome fellas.”

  Carter smiles. “You’re a cutie. Love the pigtails.”

  She bows. “Thank you.”

  The bell rings.

  “I’ll see you guys later?” I say.

  “I guess that’s a nix on the sleepover?” Jax asks, the disappointment blinking on his face in neon colors.

  “Yeah, but maybe you guys can still come over to rehearse,” I suggest. I, too, am a little disappointment about canceling the sleepover.

  “I’m game,” Jax says.

  Ezra and Carter agree.

  “Okay. See you later, then. Come, Kitty.”

  She waves both hands again before springing after me. We’ve only made it a few steps before she tugs on my arm. “Who are they?”

  “Guys in the musical with me.”

  “BS, Kara. They’re more than that.”

  I internally groan. It’s so hard to hide things from this one.

  “Well?” She gives me a hard tug. “Who are they? They’re so hot.”

  I give her a look.

  “What? I have eyes.”

  I laugh and continue toward the office.

  “Are any of them your boyfriends?”

  “No.”

  “Do you like any?”

  “I like them all.”

  “You do?”

  “As friends.”

  “Liar.”

  “Kitty—”

  “Hey, Miss Broadway!” the familiar voice of Jester calls. I grit my teeth and slowly turn around to face him. “Hiya, pal.” He playfully shoves my shoulder. “Were you able to snag those Hamilton tickets for me?” His gaze skids to Kitty. “Hey, it’s a mini Miss Broadway. You can score me Hamilton tix, can’t you?”

  She folds her arms and rolls her eyes. “You’re delusional.”

  “Leave us alone, Jester.” I slink my arm through Kitty’s and haul her along with me.

  “Is that what you have to deal with every day?” she asks.

  “Nah, it’s not so bad.”

  She scowls. “Shoot. So you do like it here.”

  I press my palm on the office door and shove it open. “I hope you didn’t come all this way just to convince me to come back home. Wait here.”

  My mom called the school already and I have permission to leave. I get a few things from my locker and then head outside with Kitty.

  “Who you calling?” Kitty asks when I fish my phone out of my jeans. “James?”

  “Yeah. You hungry? Should we pick something up on the way?”

  “I’m starving.”

  James is ecstatic to see Kitty. We stop at Kitty’s favorite Chinese takeout and then settle down at the kitchen table with our containers. Kitty wastes no time updating me on every single part of her life. A pang invades my stomach. I’ve really missed a lot.

  “They threw us a party after our last performance,” she says, her eyes bright with the memory. “Here are some pictures.” She hands me her phone.

  I tap through them. “I see a lot of photos with a certain young man,” I tease.

  “Not true!” She snatches her phone and thumbs through them. “Oh. I guess you’re right.” Her cheeks are a little pink.

  “You’re still in touch?”

  “Yeah. He had an audition for Merrily We Roll Along. I think it’s between him and another guy.” She pours more fried rice onto her plate. “Enough about me. Your turn.”

  I snag some sesame chicken with my chopsticks. “Nothing much to say. I’ve been busy with Beauty and the Beast rehearsals, dance classes, and voice lessons.”

  She clears her throat. “And the guys?”

  “What about them?”

  She kicks me from under the table. “I’m not blind. I saw the way they looked at you. Especially the first guy. Jack?”

  “Jax.”

  “Right. Cool name.”

  I try to eat some of the fried rice with my chopsticks, but it’s futile. I chuck it and go for the spoon.

  “You can’t dodge this,” she says. “You owe me.”

  My eyebrow kicks up. “I do?”

  “For ditching me.”

  “I didn’t ditch you.”

  “These are crucial years for me, Kara. I’m just about ready to enter adolescence. Things are happening to me, emotionally and physically. I need the support of my older, wiser sister.”

  I roll my eyes. “So melodramatic.”

  “Really, Kara, I don’t know how you handled it. A major show during the start of your awkward years.”

  I laugh. “I survived.”

  Her eyebrows scrunch. “How did we even get to this topic?”

  I shrug, shoveling more rice into my mouth.

  “Oh, duh! You were telling me about the three hot guys who are totally into you.”

  My spoon freezes in my hand. “They’re not into me.”

  “Uh, yes they are.”

  I shake my head.<
br />
  “I’ve seen things,” she says. “I know things. I’m more perceptive than people think.”

  “No kidding,” I mutter.

  “And I’m telling you the guys are really into you. Especially Jax. I think he’s even in love with you.”

  I lower my fork and scramble to my feet. “You done eating? We should clean up.” I sweep an empty container off the table and spin around toward the kitchen.

  “Why are you fleeing like that?” she asks, stopping me in my tracks. “Why does the thought of a boyfriend make you so uncomfortable?”

  I shut my eyes and release a breath.

  “Is it because of the stalker?” she whispers.

  I slowly twist around. “You know about that?”

  “I don’t live in a cave.”

  I lower myself back on my chair, my shocked gaze dead-locked on hers. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it? Or Mom and Dad?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want them to worry about me, too.”

  My breathing has gotten very heavy. The last thing I wanted was for Kitty to know all the details. My wish was for her to hang onto her childhood innocence as long as possible.

  “It sucks it happened, Kara,” she says, her voice ringing with emotion. “And if I could, I’d stab him in the balls.”

  “Kitty!”

  “I hate that he drove you away from us. I hate that he’s driving you away from happiness and everything you love.”

  I slick my hair away from my face. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

  “Screw him. Don’t let him tear you down.”

  “Kitty, it’s not so easy. You have no idea what horrible, disgusting things he said to me.”

  “Okay, maybe I don’t. But you’re letting him win. He’s taken everything from you.”

  I play around with the discarded, cold rice on my plate. I wish I was as strong as her. Maybe I’m just too sensitive.

  “If you fled here to get over the past and build a new life for yourself, I get it. But you’re hiding away just like you did back in NYC.”

  She’s right. But I don’t want to hear it. I’m too afraid.

  She gets up and folds me in her arms. “Don’t be so scared, Kara,” she whispers in my ear. “You have so many people who love and support you. We’ll always have your back. No asshole will dare mess with my awesome big sister.”

  I laugh as I wipe tears from the corner of my eyes. “You need to watch your language, Kitty.”

  “The occasion called for it.”

  I snort another laugh.

  We clean up the kitchen and get comfortable on the couch with Netflix. Kitty hasn’t watched any age appropriate shows in a while, and we find ourselves laughing our butts off at some silly kiddy show.

  Just when the next one is about to start, Kara grabs the remote and pauses the screen. “So which one of them do you like?”

  I shrug. “They’re all pretty funny.”

  “I meant the guys. Jax, Ezra, and Carter. They all have such cool names.”

  We’re back to that again?

  “C’mon, Kara.” She yanks on my sleeve. “I need the scoop.”

  I puff out some air. “The truth? I like them all.”

  “Ooh.”

  “Ugh, it’s been driving me insane! I can’t stop thinking about all three of them.”

  She grins widely. “That’s awesome.”

  “What’s so awesome about it?” I lean back on the couch with a groan. “My heart’s torn in three different directions. I have no idea who to choose. Maybe I shouldn’t. I don’t even know if I’m ready for a boyfriend anyway.”

  “Um, yes you are. You are so ready for a boyfriend. And who said you have to choose?”

  I gape at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “Ever heard of polyamorous relationships?”

  I mouth the word. “I think so.”

  “It’s having a relationship with more than one person.”

  “Okay…”

  “What? You can totally have that.”

  “I doubt anyone actually wants to share their partner with other people, Kitty.”

  I entertain the idea for a few seconds, imagining if something like that was actually possible. My being in a relationship with Ezra, Jax, and Carter at the same time…

  The bubble pops a few seconds later. Only in my fantasies.

  The house phone rings. I answer it and learn it’s from the pharmacy. They’ve been waiting for someone to pick up Grandma’s pills for a few days now.

  “Okay thanks.” I hang up and am about to call James, when I remember the pharmacy is only a few blocks away. There isn’t a need to bother James. He has a life of his own.

  “Where are you going?” Kitty asks when I shrug into my jacket.

  “I need to pick up some pills for Grandma. You’re okay being here all by yourself?”

  “Duh.”

  “Okay. I’ll fetch some ice cream on the way.”

  “Kara, you’re like a dream.”

  I chuckle as I swipe my keys off the counter and leave the house.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Kara

  Grandma’s pills and ice cream in hand, I push the house door open and go still in my tracks when I hear voices coming from the living room.

  “Oh my gosh, no!” Kitty enunciates. “It’s polyamorous. P-O-L-Y-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. Having a relationship with more than one person at a time. Like the three of you with Kara.”

  What…the hell?

  I barge into the living room and nearly stumble over my feet at the sight of Jax, Ezra, and Carter lounging on the couch and recliners with Kitty.

  She smiles brightly and waves. “Hey, Kara. Your future boyfriends stopped by.”

  My face heats up so quickly I get dizzy. I blink at the guys then laugh sheepishly. “Hey.” I totally forgot they’re here to rehearse. “Can you excuse me and my sister for a sec?” I wrap my fingers around her elbow and drag her into the kitchen.

  “Watch it! I won’t land any roles with broken limbs.”

  I toss the ice cream onto the counter. “What the freakin’ hell were you talking to them about?”

  She raises her shoulders. “They’re in a major dilemma. I was helping them out.”

  “What dilemma?”

  “All three of them like you. They were pretty bummed about it. But don’t worry, I opened their eyes to a great possibility.”

  I press my palms on the counter and shut my eyes, my chest rising and falling wildly. I don’t think I’ve ever been this mortified in my entire life.

  “Why are you so bent out of shape? I did you a favor, because you don’t have the balls to do it yourself.”

  I rub my forehead. “Kitty, Kitty, Kitty. Life isn’t fiction.”

  “I know that.”

  “Do you?” I whirl around. “Because right now, you’re messing with my life. And it’s not cool.”

  She looks hurt. “I was just trying to help.”

  “I’m sorry.” I haul her to my chest and hug her tight. “I didn’t mean to snap.”

  “It’s okay. I know you’re just stressed because you really like them. All of them.”

  I hear footsteps and then Carter appears in the doorway. “Everything okay here?”

  “Yeah, we’re okay.”

  “Kara’s just being stubborn and a scaredy cat,” Kitty says, dislodging herself from me.

  “We’ll be out in a sec,” I tell him.

  He nods and returns to the living room.

  I place my hands on Kitty’s arms and look into her face. “I appreciate the help, Kitty Kat. I really do. But can you please do me a favor and not get involved in my love life?”

  She twists her nose and then her lips. “But you don’t have the balls to make it happen.”

  “Then give me the chance to grow them,” I say.

  She mulls it over for a few seconds. “Fine. But if they’re not your boyfriends by two weeks, I’m swooping in.” She marches out of the kitche
n.

  After scooping the ice cream into glass bowls, I place them on a tray and carry it into the living room, placing it down on the coffee table.

  “Thanks, Kara.”

  Everyone digs in, our focus on the kiddie show on the screen.

  “I watch this with my younger siblings all the time,” Carter says with a laugh. “This show is hilarious.”

  “They’re okay at home?” I ask.

  “Yeah. Peyton has a few friends over and they’re holding the fort.”

  “What roles do you play in the musical?” Kitty asks.

  “I’m Lefou,” Jax answers. “Ezra is the Beast. Carter’s on piano.”

  “Oh, so you get to share the romantic dance with Kara.” Kitty’s all smiles.

  Ezra’s eyes flick to mine, and he gives me a small smile.

  “Okay.” Kitty stands on the couch. “Let’s do the dance scene. I’m the director for the night.”

  “We already rehearsed it,” I tell her.

  She gives me a look. “Who’s the director?”

  “Kitty…”

  “I’m game.” Ezra stands, lowering his empty ice cream bowl onto the table. “I’ve been practicing in my room the past few days. I think I’ve gotten better.”

  The prospect of dancing with him again sends goosebumps all over my arms. I lower my bowl to the table, hoping no one notices how shaky my hand is.

  “Cool. I’ll play Mrs. Potts. Ugh, Carter, we don’t have a keyboard.”

  “That’s fine. I have an app.” He sweeps his backpack off the floor and digs around until extracting his school-issued tablet.

  “This’ll be so much fun! I’m totally recording this.”

  “No posting it online, Kitty,” I warn.

  “I know.” She scowls. “Asshole stalker.”

  Jax howls with laughter. “I love this kid.”

  “Don’t encourage her,” I say as Ezra and I push the couch to the back wall. “Or I’ll have to make a swear jar.”

  Ezra uses so much force that he loses his balance for a second and his shoulder rams into mine. Goosebumps pop out all over my body again.

  “Sorry,” he says. “I promise I have more balance than that.”

  “We ready?” Kitty asks when all the furniture’s been pushed aside. There’s definitely enough room to dance. Ezra and I stand on opposite sides of the room as Kitty warms up.