30 Days Together

Chapter 13

Akina was pretending to be busy on her phone. She was mad at Kyle for almost standing her up after he had told Wyatt to tell her to wait for him. Who did he think he was to almost do that to her?

She sighed, this was one of the reasons that she never got attached to people and it was definitely the reason that she didn’t want anyone getting close to her.

“I’m really sorry,” Kyle apologised for the umpteenth time.

Akina placed her phone in her lap and folded her hands in her lap. “Where were you?” she asked timidly. It always felt like each time they were taking a step in the right direction, Kyle would take them two steps back and she hated it. She hated the fact that she now considered him as someone that she could spend her time with and talk to.

Kyle was quiet and Akina grabbed her phone as she mindlessly scrolled through it. If he wasn’t going to tell her where or what he was doing, then she didn’t want to spend any time with him.

“Can you just take me home?”

That made him snap out of whatever thought he was in. “No! I’m sorry for making you wait but I’m not taking you home,” he said slowing down the car down as they reached a red light.

Akina rolled her phone in her hands, she wanted to argue with him on that but somehow she also didn’t. “Okay.”

“I mean it, I’m sorry but I’m not taking you home,” he said. “Wait, did you say okay?”

“Yes.”

“Just like that? You aren’t going to argue or anything?”

“Nope.”

Kyle sent a quick glance in her direction but she just shrugged. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do at home anyway.

“Okay then I guess,” Kyle said. “I just figured you were like those girls and would have argued non-stop because you were mad at me and didn’t want to see my face or even hear my voice,” he admitted as he went back to driving.

Akina sighed, she didn’t want to be compared to other girls that Kyle had hang out with. She knew she would never compare to them and even if she tried. She wasn’t pretty and she knew that. She tucked her hair behind her ear.

“I wouldn’t do that,” she admitted honestly. “I like hanging out with you,” she added more to herself than to him.

“What did you say? I didn’t catch that last part?” he asked casually as he made a turn into their street.

“What are we doing back here?”

“Today we are hanging out indoors.”

Akina was glad for the change in topic. She wasn’t about to admit that she liked spending time with him. He already had a big enough ego that she didn’t want to inflate it any more than it needed to.

Kyle parked the car in the driveway and they got out. He nodded his head in the direction of his house and Akina followed him.

“I promise I’ll make it up to, just tell me what I have to do for you to forgive me,” he said as they entered his house. “Linda I’m home,” he shouted as he slammed the door.

Linda’s head popped up from the living room. “Akina, you came,” she beamed as she walked out and pulled her into a warm embrace.

It felt oddly comfortable and weird to be hugged by someone. Akina wasn’t used to getting any form of physical contact from anyone especially her mum and this, this just felt weird but in a nice way.

“You look so pale, have you eaten today?” Linda asked as she placed her hands on Akina’s shoulders and looked at her intensely. “Did you feed her Kyle?” she shot him a glare and Kyle looked away sheepishly.

“I wasn’t at school, I got suspended,” he admitted as he rubbed his neck uncomfortably. “Akina and I will be in the basement if you need us,” he added as he grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her in the general direction of the basement.

“Get back here,” Linda bellowed and Kyle sighed as he stopped walking and turned to face her with an innocent look. “How can you get suspended during the second week of school? You know your dad will not be happy about this.”

That would explain why Akina hadn’t seen him at school. He had been suspended but why, she didn’t know and she planned on asking him when they alone.

“It was nothing, Jackson and I just got into a fight. That’s all I swear,” Kyle answered frustrated. “Besides, it isn’t like dad is going to care that much and by the time he finds out, my suspension would have already ended.”

Linda walked over to him and said something in his ear which made him groan.

“I know, but it’s not like I started it or anything. Jackson said some pretty offensive things about someone I know and that didn’t settle well with me.”

Akina stood as she watched them interact. She wished she had the same relationship with her mum like Kyle had with Linda. But as soon as that thought crossed her mind, she almost laughed at how that wasn’t ever going to happen.

She wondered who it was that Jackson had said offensive things about and who they were to Kyle for him to beat up his own best friend.

“Earth to Akina,” Kyle snapped his fingers in front of her and she snapped out of her thoughts.

Akina looked at him sheepishly as she had no idea what he had just said. “What did you say?’

Kyle rolled his eyes but repeated himself nevertheless. “I asked if you wanted to wait in the kitchen with Linda or if we should just head downstairs to the game room.”

“What are we going to do in the game room?”

“I can’t believe you just forget what we were talking about now,” Kyle sighed dramatically as he threw his hands exasperatedly. “I’m going to teach you how to play video games, you know, so you won’t embarrass me when we are out in public.”

Akina rolled her eyes at his assumption. “And why would I want people to see us out in public together?” she wasn’t about to tell him that she was afraid of what people would say once they actually saw them hanging out. It was something that she wasn’t ready to admit, not even to herself.

“Because we are like that awesome power couple and we can’t deny the people what they want.”

Linda shook her head as she went into the kitchen leaving her alone with Kyle.

“Why do you say such things?”

Akina could never understand Kyle’s way of thinking or the fact that he liked saying things that left her feeling confused. Did he really mean what he said or was he just teasing her? Because that was the only plausible explanation for everything Kyle related.

“Things like what?” he said as he turned began heading downstairs. “C’mon,” he gestured with his head and she followed closely behind.

“What you just said about us being a power couple. Why do make such comments all the time?”

“Because it’s true and you should just accept it.”

Akina was at a loss for words. He always did that to her, confused her to the point she couldn’t come up with anything to say.

Kyle took the downstairs steps two at a time and Akina slowly followed as she tried to process his words.

“Walk like someone who still has their youth in them Akina,” Kyle said as he reached first and turned the TV on. “We don’t have all day and I’d like to get to it while I’m still a handsome looking youth and not some old wrinkled bald man.”

Akina rolled her eyes at his dramatic ways but took a seat on one of the bean bags available. She looked around the room and took it all in. The walls were white and there were two bean bags, a couch, a foosball table, a pool table, a mini fridge and of course, the huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall. Now that she was finally taking it all in, Akina could see how big Kyle’s house actually was. It was way bigger than hers, at least that’s what she thought considering hers had no basement or a downstairs.

“What do you think of the place?” Kyle asked as he took the other bean bag and turned to look at her. He had a game controller in his hands and he stared at her expectantly.

“It’s okay I guess.”

Kyle scoffed, “it is not just okay. I will have you know that it is the best man cave ever,” he said with a straight face.

“For it to be called a man cave, it means you have to be an actual man and not a kid stuck in an 18-year-old’s body,” Akina retorted as she folded her hands over her chest.

“How dare you utter such blasphemy?”

“It isn’t blasphemy if it’s the truth.”

“What kind of truth is that? Because that’s just being mean.”

Akina was taken aback by that. She was saying the truth and she had figured they were just joking with each other. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that or anything. You aren’t a kid stuck in an 18-year-old’s body.”

Kyle was silent as he continued to stare at her, his brown eyes looked darker and his dark hair was swept to the side making his features look hard but yet soft at the same time. It was oddly hot in a not so hot kind of way. “Where is all this coming from?”

“Where is what coming from?”

“The apology, why are you apologising?”

“Because I was wrong and I thought it was the right thing to do.”

Kyle sighed as he stood up and retrieved another controller. He handed it to her and took his seat once more. “Look, can we just play,” he said. “I’d like to teach you how to play FIFA, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Move over so I can show you which buttons to press and what they are used for.”

Akina stood up and moved her bean bag next to Kyle’s who pulled it even more closer to him. She shot him a look but he just smiled in response.

“Seriously?”

Kyle winked at her. “Let’s play hot stuff.”

He started up the game and they spent the next hours playing. But in Akina’s case, she was just pressing buttons and hoping they were doing something.

“Press the left button to turn and run,” Kyle said for tenth time. He was beginning to sound frustrated.

“I’m sorry,” Akina apologised as she saw the look of defeat on his face. “I really wasn’t cut out to play video games,” she sighed as she placed the controller down and turned to face him.

Kyle paused the game and turned to look at her as well. His face was close to hers that Akina could feel his breathe fan across her face. “You just need to practice, that’s all,” he said as he stared at her with an emotion that she couldn’t quite place. His eyes slid to her lips before they moved back to her eyes.

Akina held her breath as Kyle continued staring at her as his eyes kept glancing at her lips and back. Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to kiss her? It was question after question as she sat there staring at him as well. Kyle began to slowly lean towards her, or maybe it was all just in her head.

He was now closer than he was when they first sat down. His breathe was fanning her way more than it was before. Kyle tilted his head to the side and Akina didn’t know what to do. Was she meant to close her eyes?

“I thought I’d bring you some food,” Linda said, “oh sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“No!” Kyle exclaimed and then cleared his throat. “I mean no; you didn’t interrupt anything. We were just about to call it a day and come upstairs.”

Akina looked at him and she deflated. It wasn’t like he could ever look at her like that, not to talk about him wanting to kiss her. She was stupid for almost allowing herself to think like that.

“O-kay,” Linda replied as she placed the tray down and turned to leave. “You are welcome to stay over Akina if you want. I know your dad works late on Mondays.”

Akina had forgotten all about going home and that her dad won’t be back until late, it wasn’t like her to forget something like that. But now that she thought about it, she didn’t want to be in the house all alone.

“I’m sure she would rather go home,” Kyle answered instead as he looked anywhere but at her. “Right Akina?”

“Umm, yeah I guess.”

Linda gave a her a look that showed she didn’t believe her. “Are you sure? Because you are always welcome to stay any time,” she urged on.

“Of course she’s sure Linda,” Kyle piped in again and Linda shot a look which immediately shut him up.

“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night?” Linda asked once more. “Because I’m sure it can get lonely being all alone.”

Akina wanted to stay over, heck she didn’t want to have to be alone after she had gotten a taste of having people around that made her smile and laugh. But the way Kyle was acting left no room for her to agree. “Yes, I’m sure.”

“All right, if you say so,” Linda replied. “But at least eat before you go. I’ll bring you some juice.”

Akina abruptly stood up and grabbed her plate. “There’s no need, I’ll come upstairs with you.”

“Okay.”

Linda turned and headed back stairs and Akina picked up her school bag before she followed her. They entered the kitchen and she took a seat at one of the bar stools at the island. Mike was sat at one of the chairs hunched over his phone but he quickly put it away when he saw her.

“Hey Akina,” he beamed.

“Hey Mike, how are you?”

“I’m great now that I’ve seen you,” he replied with a smug smile.

Akina chuckled under her breath. Mike was like his older brother and she could tell he was going to break a ton of hearts when he was old enough.

Linda rolled her eyes as she sat down with a plate of lasagna and a glass of orange juice. “Quit being a perv Mike and eat,” she scolded with an amused smile.

“I’m just being honest with her and myself,” Mike huffed and turned to glare at Linda, “how is that being a p*****t?”

“That’s how it starts. First, it’s the comments and the next thing you know you have turned into one,” Linda replied as she pointed her folk at Mike who huffed and shoved his plate away.

Akina sat there laughing as tears began to fall from her eyes. She had never laughed this much in her life and it felt good. This was what she had been missing when she decided to stay alone.

“That’s not true, I won’t be a p*****t or player like Kyle.”

At the mention of his name, Akina’s laugh slowly died down until there was only the tear stains left in its wake. He hadn’t come upstairs with her and she was beginning to worry which wasn’t like her.

“What has Kyle done now?” Kyle asked as he stood by the kitchen door with his hands folded over his chest. His hair was wet from the shower he had no doubt just taken and he wore matching black sweat pants and a sweat shirt.

“You are player and Linda said I shouldn’t be like you,” Mike replied casually which made Linda nearly choke on her juice.

She coughed and splattered while Mike burst into laughter. “I did not say that,” Linda said once she had regained her composure.

“You did,” Mike said through laughter.

Kyle rolled his eyes as he took a seat next to Akina who now sat there feeling like she wasn’t welcome. Her food sat untouched and Kyle looked at her plate before he looked at her and the away.

“I’m not a player,” he said, “you can ask Akina and she will definitely back me up on it.” He threw her a quick glance.

Mike and Linda both turned their attention to her expectantly. What did they expect her to say? She had only started knowing him. Why had he put her in a such a position? Akina didn’t know if she ought to lie or tell the truth.

“Come one Akina, back me up here,” Kyle urged her as the gave her a pleading look.

“I don’t know,” Akina finally answered.

Mike and Linda gave each other a look before they turned back to look at Kyle. “See, player move right there,” Mike said as he pulled his plate back and took a bite. “You just wanted her to lie but she isn’t like those other girls,” he added through a mouthful of lasagna.

“I feel so betrayed right now Akina. I thought we had something special going on,” Kyle feigned hurt as he placed a hand on his chest and shook his head from side to side. “You’ve really hurt me that I can’t even look at you.”

Finally taking a bite from her food, Akina gave him a sheepish smile as she continued eating.

“Leave the poor girl alone would you?” Linda said amused. “Does this mean you are staying over?”

Akina checked the time on her new phone and nearly choked on her lasagna. It was past 8pm and she still had homework that was waiting for her.

“I can’t,” she said as she quickly got up and picked up her bag. “I’ll see you at 7:30 tomorrow,” she added and the she was gone.