Wintercrest Academy

Confrontation and Communications

“What are you doing?! Are you trying to get yourself in trouble?” Bren spits at his seething best friend.

           “She’s already enough trouble, Bren! Look at what she’s cost you. How dare a peasant like her call me a messenger?!”

           “That’s enough, Shira.” Rosco pulls Shira to himself. “You’ve caused a scene.” He takes off her glasses and attempts leading how out of the classroom.

           “Why are you two acting like I’m the villain when that little witch is right there?!”

           “You better watch your mouth, Shira.” A voice says and when Bren turns towards the direction of the voice, he sees Astrid charging towards Kaia. “Are you okay?” she asks, ignoring Bren. Kaia just nods, tears already forming beneath her eyes. Astrid goes to Shira and shoves her chest. “What is your problem? Do you want me to file this and take it up against you?”

           Shira smirks. “You’re a loser, Astrid.”

           “Better to be a loser than to be you, asshole.” Astrid cusses as Shira storms off with Rosco beside her. Astrid swirls to face Bren. “Can you talk to her? I swear I’d rip her face off.”

           Bren realizes that his arm is still protectively on Kaia’s shoulder. But she throws it off her, blindly fumbles for her and buries herself into Astrid who runs her hands through Kaia’s braids.

           “You’re okay,” she says in a soothing manner, shoots daggers at Bren before they both leave the class. Bren’s jaw ticks as he launches a frustrated hand into his hair. This is his Dad’s fault. Everything is. So, he’d do the right thing.

           “Didn’t I ask you not to come back here?” His Dad says when he gets to the last stair and sees Bren leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen.

           “You can’t keep me out forever. It’d be terrific news for reporters and bloggers to find out that the impeccable Jacob Kang kicked out his 17-year-old for doing absolutely nothing. Don’t you think?” Confronting his Dad. It wasn’t an option he’d ever considered, but desperate times.

           Jacob Kang strolls past his son, burying one hand in the pocket of his shorts. With his free hand, he retrieves a bottle of water and gulps it. “Tell whoever you want whatever you want. I’m Jacob Kang. Impeccable, like you stated. The news would die out before it gets to the public. Don’t you think?”

           Shoot. He saw this coming. “Mum’s coming back from Germany tomorrow. If she finds out that I’ve spent two days outside this house . . .”

           Jacob Kang stares his son straight in the eye. Bren does the same. “That foundation. You have no idea how much money I’m pumping into it because of you.”

           “It’s not because of me, Dad. It’s because of the plans and ideas you have for me. I never asked you to invest in building a medical foundation and a hospital. You took that decision on my behalf even when I didn’t want it.”

           “I am a father. And that’s what we do. We look out for our children’s future.”

           “Hmm,” Bren strokes his chin. “I see. So your definition of looking out for your son’s future is going blind to what he wants?”

           “You don’t know what you want, Bren,” Jacob says with a sureness that irks Bren. Because it’s true. He may not know what he wants yet, but he surely knows what he doesn’t want. To an extent.

           “Stop coming to my school. Stop talking to Kaia. Don’t congratulate her, if she greets you, do not respond. Just—act like she doesn’t exist. She shouldn’t exist to you.”

           Jacob huffs. “You’re handing me instructions like I’m your son. Why are you so concerned about me talking to her? Are you scared of all the truths I tell her? The fact that she’s taken over my son’s spot that I used to treasure.”

           Bren’s face goes hot with anger and he clenches his jaw. His Dad would never stop doing this. Fuelling him on for competitions that re not necessary.

           “I’m calling Mum. And I’m calling Willow. I’d tell them you hit me yesterday. Whatever Mum does, take it in good faith.” He revs the engine of his car and drives to Rosco’s place. When he gets to the front of Rosco’s house though, he changes his mind and reverses.

                                                                                   ****

           Evening is creeping in, some customers are still eating and a few more are joining in. Dad has a cold so he’s at home with Keanu, while Kaia and Diane look over the place.

           “I think,” Diane squints, keeping her focus on the bare, white wall. “I think she’s going to add a splash of colour. That’s all.” They’re behind the counter, taking a break while the other staff attend to the customers.

           Kaia coughs out a small laugh. “What? Give her some credit. There’s no way she’d just splash some different colours on the wall after letting us build anticipation.”

           “Oh, ho, ho, you have the slightest idea how artists operate.”

           “And you do?” Kaia gives her a mocking expression.

           She purposely ignores it. “Yes. They’re rich people who drool over regular paintings that make no sense to an average person and costs too much for something so mediocre, or outright pointless.”

           Kaia gasps and cups her lam over her mouth. “Diane!” she wats Diane’s shoulder. “I would not let you say that. My friend is a true, understandable artist!”

           Diane just shrugs. “Let’s see how that turns out. Oh, new customer.”

           Kaia look to the door and sees Bren. In flesh and blood, coming towards her.

           “Kaia, isn’t that the boy who won that nerd competition with you?”

           Kaia would usually have taken out the time to lecture Diane on why she shouldn’t call the Metleys a ‘nerd competition.’ That is seemed sarcastic and demeaning. But she’s too stunned that Bren is here, walking towards the counter. Is it just here or has he been walking for way too long?

           “Kaia,” he says when he’s closer now, in that rich and deep voice he has. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”