30 Days Together

Chapter 15

Akina’s day had started off on a great note, she had gotten to see and talk to Kyle which was now becoming one of her favourite things to do.

But as soon as she got to school, everything had gone downhill. People were staring at her wherever she went and that made her uneasy. She wasn’t used to getting any attention from anyone. Ever since Monday, they had been staring and whispering wherever she went.

“Yo Akina, what’s up?” Wyatt asked as he slung his hand over her shoulder as he and Vincent fell into step with her, each one on either side.

Akina tensed up and she quickly risked a glance and sure enough, people were still staring. “Nothing, I’m just trying to get to class.”

She wanted for Wyatt and Vincent to leave her alone so she could go back to her mundane life.

“Cool, cool,” Wyatt replied casually.

Akina was surprised why they were even talking to her. They were two of the most popular guys and they didn’t associate with just anyone. So why then were they trying to befriend her?

“How are you doing?” Vincent asked, “I figured you would still be shaken by what happened Friday.”

“What do you mean?” She asked. She knew something happened Friday but she didn’t understand why Kyle hadn’t told her. “What happened?”

Vincent and Wyatt exchanged a look before Vincent shrugged. “Didn’t Kyle tell you? I thought he would have told you by now.”

“What happened Vincent?” Akina snapped but then realised what she had done. “I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s cool,” Vincent replied, “I’d want answers to if I were in your situation.”

Akina was getting frustrated with his answers. He wasn’t telling her what she wanted to hear.

“Can you please tell me what happened?” she asked as calmly as she could without yelling at him.

“You almost got r***d and then decided to get drunk,” Wyatt answered instead.

Akina froze, she couldn’t process what he had just said and she hoped she heard him. “What did you say?” she asked as she took a breath.

“I said,” Wyatt said slowly as if talking to a child, “you were almost r***d by some college dude and then you decided to get drunk. Don’t you remember anything at all about Friday?”

Akina’s heart was now beating slower than usual. She couldn’t breathe and she couldn’t move her body, everything began to seem distant. She was at a loss for words. Why hadn’t Kyle told her anything?

“I…. I don’t remember anything,” she finally answered.

“Figured, you drunk pretty much. Man you should have seen Kyle, he went on a rampage after that and almost knocked the guy unconscious,” Vincent added. “He was like a mad man on steroids.”

Wyatt nodded his head in agreement, “yeah that was the angriest I’ve ever seen him. Since I met the guy, I’ve never seen him that angry not to talk off beating a guy like that.”

Vincent and Wyatt continued talking while Akina stood there hyperventilating. She couldn’t quite hear what they were saying as their voices moved further and further away from her.

“I need to go,” she said and turned around just as the first bell rang.

“Where are you going? Class is about to start,” Vincent asked as he finally turned to pay attention to her.

“Bathroom.” And then she was rushing off in the opposite direction of her class.

                                                            *******************

Akina spent the entire morning locked in a bathroom stall trying to get her breathing and heart rate under control. She now understood why people were staring and whispering, they felt sorry for her and she hated it. But what she couldn’t wrap her head around was why Kyle hadn’t told her when she had asked. Was it why he was still hanging around her? Because he felt guilty for what had happened or did he pity her just like everyone else?

She slowly wiped her eyes and stood up. It was the second time during school that she broke down and ended up missing her classes. Akina looked at herself in the mirror as she splashed cold water on her face, her eyes were puffy as though she had been crying.

“You can do this,” she told herself and then took a huge breath before she opened the girls’ bathroom door and walked out. “Keep your head high and act like everything is okay.”

Akina walked out of the bathroom to a sea of students rushing to the canteen for lunch. She had missed all her morning classes and she knew she had a lot of catching up to do if she were to graduate.

She walked aimlessly around the hallways and then finally decided to head outside. There, she found an empty bench hidden from the canteen’s view and she sat down. Akina’s thoughts immediately strayed and she soon found herself trying to recall what had happened on Friday. The thoughts were all a bit jumbled but she could make out a silhouette of someone pinning her up against the wall.

Shaking her head, Akina took out her phone and contemplated calling Kyle. Should she do it? She wanted him to finally be honest with her and tell what had happened, help her fill out the blanks that were in her memory.

Taking one finally breath, Akina dialled his number and he picked up immediately.

“Well, I didn’t think you would ever call me.”

Akina took in another breathe. This was going to be a hard thing to do but she had to do, she had to know.

“Where are you?” she asked as she fingered her collar.

There was a pause and Akina held her breath, she didn’t know what to expect but she had to try either way.

“I’m with Jackson. Why? What’s up?” Kyle finally asked and Akina released her breath.

“Can you come and pick me up?” Akina asked quietly.

“Did something happen? Are you okay?” Kyle asked in a rush and then she head a door open and close on his end. “I’m on my way, meet me in the parking lot.”

“Okay.”

Akina hang up and stared at her phone screen. She had to prepare herself for asking him. Contrarily to what Kyle had started thinking about her, she still was that sad lonely pathetic girl who was still afraid of a lot of things.

She sat there for what felt like hours but was only minutes as she counted in her head. A honk snapped Akina from her counting. She looked up and saw Kyle wave her over with his window rolled down.

Akina stood up and grabbed her bag as she made her way to his car. Kyle leaned over to the passenger’s side and opened the door for her. She got in and Kyle gave her a sympathetic smile as he started the car and they drove out of the school parking lot.

“Is everything okay?” Kyle finally asked. He threw a quick glance in her general direction and then turned back to the road ahead.

“Yes, I just….” Akina said but then stopped. How was she meant to bring it up without giving him the impression that it had broken her in the inside. “I wanted talk is all.”

Lies, lies and more lies. She figured it was better to play it safe and wait until he wasn’t driving to finally ask him.

There was a shocked look on Kyle’s face but it was quickly replaced with a smug one. “Well this is a new turn in events. I didn’t peg you as someone who enjoyed my company that much for you to miss school.”

Akina rolled her eyes. Of course he would think it was all about him. Everything had to always be about him even when it wasn’t.

“So where would you like to go?” Kyle asked as he casually removed on hand from the steering wheel and then threw her a look. “Anything in mind?”

“No, I guess anywhere would be okay.”

“How about Jack’s place? That was where I was,” Kyle said with hopeful eyes.

Akina considered it. She wanted them to be alone and not with anyone but she just couldn’t tell him that. He might get the wrong idea and tease her to no end. “Okay I guess.”

“Are you sure?” Kyle asked. “If you don’t want to go then we can think of some other place we could go to and be alone,” he added as a smirk appeared on his face. “I’d be more than happy to have you all to myself.”

“Really?”

“Yep,” Kyle said putting emphasis on the p. He had a cheeky smile, one that made his left dimple visible.

Akina fingered her phone. She always liked how childish and carefree his dimple always made him seem. He looked so innocent that Akina wondered if he had actually beaten up two guys in the last five days.

They drove in silence with Akina occupied by her thoughts while the radio played a slow country song in the background. It was oddly comforting, the music seemed to bring her a sense of peace that her eyes began to drift closed.

“Don’t go sleeping on me,” Akina heard Kyle’s voice as the car came to slow stop. “C’mon, we are here.”

Akina opened her eyes and found Kyle leaning over her. He had gotten out and opened her door. He passed her his hand and Akina looked at it, then looked back at him before she got out.

“Ouch, that hurt my pride,” Kyle placed a hand on his chest. “I’ve never had a girl regret my hand like that.”

“It’s nothing personal,” Akina replied and watched as Kyle closed the door and locked the car.

“You just break my heart each time hot stuff. I thought we had a connection, but guess I was wrong,” Kyle said as he led the way to Jackson’s place.

Once they reached, he swung open the door without so much as a knock.

“Jack, I’m back,” Kyle yelled and then slammed the door closed.

“Took you long enough.”

Jackson appeared from the what Akina figured was the living room. His nose was in a bandage and he had a slightly purple eye. Akina winced and Jackson seemed to notice her staring at him.

“I know; this arse really did a number on me didn’t he?” Jackson shot Kyle a playful glare and then turned back to her. “So what brings you here before school has ended?”

Akina swallowed and looked at her feet awkwardly. “I…. that’s not it. I wasn’t looking at you.”

Jackson shrugged it off, “it’s cool. I’d stare too. It looked worse yesterday, glad you didn’t me catch then.”

There was a tense silence that followed after that and Akina wished she hadn’t looked at him in the first place.

“She wanted to hang out with me,” Kyle jumped in and slung his hand on her shoulder. “Apparently she missed me just as much as I missed her. Isn’t that right?”

Akina shrugged out of his hold. She looked anywhere but at him.

Jackson burst into laughter. “I like her. Come on, let’s leave this one alone.” He jerked his head in the direction he had come from and Akina followed.

“Well to break a guy’s heart,” Kyle said right behind her and then walked and sat down on the couch. He popped his feet up and folded his hands at the back of his head. “I expected such treatment from Jackson but you Akina, I thought you were different.”

That only made Jackson laugh. He shook his head as he joined Kyle on the couch. “Stop being such a wuss and learn to get over it,” he said.

Akina stood there rocking on her feet and feeling awkward. She had never hang out with any of Kyle’s friends when sober and she wondered what Jackson thought of her after what had happened.

“You can sit down, you know,” Jackson said as he noticed her standing there playing with her hands.

She sat down on the other couch and folded her hands on her lap. “Can I have a glass of water?” she asked.

“Sure, would you like something to eat?” Jackson asked as he stood up. “I would offer you some snacks but someone here finished them all,” he shot Kyle a look but he shrugged with an amused smile.

“I told you to have enough food, didn’t I?” Kyle asked incredulously. “It’s not my fault that you didn’t have enough food for the both of us.”

Jackson ran a hand through his hair. “If you weren’t my best friend, I’d have kicked you out of my house right now. Heck, I don’t think I’d ever invite you to my house ever again after today.”

“Quit whining and just bring Akina her water,” Kyle said with an amused smile toying on his lips.

“Water is just fine, thanks,” Akina said.

“All right.”

Jackson left the room and Akina risked a glance in Kyle’s direction. He was already looking at her curiously.

“What?” Akina asked.

“Nothing, I’m just thinking,” Kyle replied still staring at her.

“Thinking while looking at me like that?”

Kyle half shrugged half smiled. “Yeah I guess I am.”

“Could you stop it; it’s making me uncomfortable.” Akina adjusted the collar of her school shirt as she squirmed under his smouldering gaze.

“Why? Do I make you uncomfortable?” he asked with an arched eyebrow.

Akina froze for a moment as she thought it over. She was silent for some time as Kyle still held her gaze, urging her to answer. “I don’t know, honestly.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Kyle asked. “You can’t obviously expect me to believe that, can you?”

“I’m not asking you to believe anything,” Akina said, “but I don’t know what you make me feel. All I know is that I feel something.”

A huge smile broke out on Kyle’s face. He stood up and moved to where she was sat. “Aw, you are forgiven for breaking my heart.”

“I didn’t apologise.”

“You did, indirectly. Just now.”

“I still didn’t.”

Kyle rolled his eyes but his smile didn’t falter. “You just said I make you feel something. That in itself is as a good apologise I’ll ever get from you.”

Akina shook her head with an incredulous smile. She couldn’t believe the nerve of the guy. He always took whatever she said and twisted it for his own convenience. Typical guy, always thinking he was right and everyone liked him.

“How am I still hanging out with you?” she asked.

“Because you love my company.” Was Kyle’s cheeky reply.

“Uh-huh, let’s go with that shall we?”

“Of course hot stuff, we’ll go with whatever you want. No problemo.”

Jackson finally returned with the glass of water. He stood as he looked at them. “Weren’t you just sitting on the other couch?” he asked Kyle with a raised eyebrow and Akina smiled.

“Yep, but she,” Kyle jerked his head in her direction, “wanted me by her side. So here I am.”

“What? No I didn’t,” Akina tried defending herself but Kyle only rolled his eyes.

Jackson shook his head with a huge smirk on his face. He handed Akina her water and sat back on the couch where he was sat with Kyle not too long ago. “Are you sure you still stand by what you said Kyle?” he asked.

A look of confusion flashed on Kyle’s face. “Said about what?”

“The thing I asked you today about, you know,” Jackson’s eyes quickly glanced in Akina’s direction but she saw him.

“Oh that, don’t worry yourself about it. It’s still true so you’re gonna have to keep waiting for that I told you so,” Kyle replied with a half shrug and then slung his hand at the back of the couch, just right next to Akina’s head. “It won’t be happening for a long while, probably won’t even happen now that I think about it.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yep.”

“Only time will tell,” Jackson replied and then turned his attention to Akina. “Do you know how to play video games?”

Akina and Kyle exchanged a look before they both burst into laughter. She laughed so hard that tears now rolled down her cheeks. She couldn’t play to save her life that was for sure.

A look of surprise was on Jackson’s face once they had both sobered up. “You’re hilarious Jack,” Kyle wiped a fake tear. “She can’t play; she sucks so bad that it actually hurts.”

“Hey!” Akina protested. “That’s rude.”

“Truth hurts hot stuff, get over it.”

“Did you try teaching her how to play?” Jackson asked incredulously, “because knowing you, then you probably just shoved a controller in her hand and expected her to know how to use it.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “Of course I tried teaching her but I just couldn’t. She is one of the worst students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. Thank God she’s pretty because I would have thrown her out of my house.”

Akina blushed at him calling her pretty while Jackson smirked in response.

“I’ll teach her. Everyone knows you’re an impatient teacher,” Jackson said laughing. “C’mon Akina, let’s teach you how to play, the proper way.”

“Suit yourself,” Kyle replied as he casually leaned on the couch and made himself more comfortable. “I can’t wait to tell you I told you so once you fail.”

Jackson rolled his eyes as he stood up and retrieved two controllers. He handed one over to Akina and she reluctantly took it.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be able to play by the time I’m done with you,” he said with a smile that made his blue eyes lighter.

“Let’s make it interesting.” There was a twinkle in Kyle’s eyes. “Let’s make a wager.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal Thornton.”

They shook on it while Akina sat there feeling used but a little bit excited at seeing Kyle lose.