SHADOWS OF KAYLA

DADDY'S BOY

Festus.

“Fes! Wait, Festus listen to me,” Gina called behind me. I could hear her sandals clashing against the cemented floors as she jogged to meet me. I was much too upset to turn, walking as fast as I could out of the premises of the house.

A throbbing pain rose from the sides of my head, eyes pulsed and stomach stiffened. My muscles grew slightly taut, making me worried that they would stretch tighter the longer I walked home. All I wanted at that moment was to sink myself beneath a cold bath and rid myself of all the thoughts dashing around every side of my head.

Gina's tender grip curled round my biceps as she pulled me to face her, heaving like she just finished a marathon.

“Listen to me,” she said amidst heaves, not taking her grey eyes off my brown ones. She had her fingers wrapped more tightly around my arm to sustain her grip, lest I slipped away from it.

James and Gina?

It was not hard to put the pieces together. I was being made a fool of. Gina and James were together, it meant that he was keeping his eyes on me in some way. It explained why Gina hired me so quickly without even asking any questions.

Like I wanted his help?

I grit my teeth, seeing flashes of red.

“I have nothing to say to or hear from you,” I blurted.

“No, I need you to listen. Please. I understand what's going on in your head and that's why I didn't tell you about James in the first place. We agreed we weren't going to tell you so you'd be comfortably earning your keep.”

I chuckled bitterly,

“What are you even saying? James had you hire me so he could take credit for me comfortably earning my keep? The same person I didn't want to be involved was the mastermind to how I make money to feed myself! Do you even know how hurt I am right now?”

“I know, I know,” Gina queaked concernedly, her two hands gripped my arms now.

“You don't know!”

“Festus…” James called as he neared where we were standing.

“Seems you just wouldn't let your hands off me, huh? I left home and now you're stalking me?” I fumed.

“Stalking's a bit too harsh. Helping's the word. I was helping.”

“So should I say thank you? For making me a loser who can't even get a job without stupid favours from his stepbrother? Did I ask for your help?” I screeched, holding back the hot tears that were soon travelling to my eyes. I felt miserable standing in front of them.

“Calm down Festus, you're no loser. You would have gotten the job either way had James not being involved…”

“But he's involved,” I interrupted sharply.

“It depends on how you wish to see it, Fes. You're taking it too much to heart. Pretend like he's got nothing to do with this.”

“It's too late to start pretending like nothing's wrong here,” I snapped.

“You were just being nice to me because your ‘boy-friend’, happens to be my stepbrother, and ‘poor Festus can't do without help, so help me get some kind of job for him in your shop before he starves to death!’ That was it, huh?” I spat angrily, feeling Gina's grip loosen and she let go of me, retreating a few steps.

“Really? Is this what you're going to say, Festus?” Gina quizzed with her hands folded across her chest.

I rolled my eyes.

“You're really a brat, you know?” She told me.

James held her shoulder to stop her from talking further, but she jerked her shoulder away and looked me straight in the eye. It was then I remembered I had actually seen Gina weeks before, although briefly, when James can to drop off a parcel for dad that was sent through him. I was at the balcony upstairs, and I had seen Gina sitting in the driver's seat of his car.

It was why she had looked familiar when I met her at the pizza shop. I wished I remembered earlier before taking the job.

Gina's mood was ready for scolding me already. She became a totally different person to me in those few seconds and it made my heart break secretly.

“Your brother here was so worried about you, he didn't want you struggling to find a job and insisted I took you in even when we didn't need more hands. James even promised to fund your pay himself, since it was an extra worker would be an extra cost.

“If I had told you from the beginning, you wouldn't have stayed. You can't deny you were desperate for the job, and you came to ask for a job willing. We didn't force you to come, right? So your making too much of a fuss even when you should be grateful.” She speeched, pushing me hard on my shoulder.

That was what I loathed, being indebted to anyone, let alone James. I shut my eyes tight for a few seconds and tried to absorb all that was happening.

“I'm sorry if you didn't like how it all came about. But you're my brother…”

“I am not your brother, James!”

James continued nonetheless,

“... you're my brother, and don't expect me not to care. Everyone's worried sick at home…”

“By ‘everyone’, you mean dad? Your mum? You? Amazing!” I scoffed sarcastically, pushing my hands into my pockets.

“Festus!” Gina chimed with eyes slightly buldged.

My heart was pounding furiously as I stood calm, trying to hide how deserted and hurt I was feeling inside. I wished everyone would just leave me alone and let me live my life without interference. Even Borderline Personality Disorder patients like me have the right to want to live how they want to.

Strength was slowly evaporating from my bones, and I felt like collapsing somewhere for a long time.

“Don't push me away, Fes,” James walked up to me, arching his body to meet my eye level. I looked idly away over his shoulder at nothing, before finally realizing I needed to leave from their sight and bury my head under my pillow.

“Thanks for inviting me, Gina,” I said with sarcasm laced in my appreciation, turning to leave.

“Don't expect me at work tomorrow either," I added.