Wintercrest Academy

Conflicting Emotions

Adan and Bren help Kaia load the now empty cart into the mini truck she drove, and an awkward silence sits heavy between them.

“Thanks,” Kaia starts.

“Are you okay, little K?” Adan says.

“Why did you have to deliver it?” Bren spits, and all their words clash because they talk at the same time. Above her head, Kaia can feel Adan and Bren glaring at each other.

“I’m fine, Adan. Thank you.” Kaia gives him a small smile and shifts her focus to Bren. “We have two celebrations at the restaurant right now and we’re kind of short-staffed so everybody is busy. Keanu is serving. Do you know what that means? He never does that! The least I could do was help with the delivery so everyone else could focus.” The restaurant was packed when she left and every literal person was busy doing something. Two regulars had even volunteered to help.

“You should have called me. I’d have delivered it instead,” Adan says and Bren snorts in a very mocking way. Kaia shoots daggers at him and he gives her an innocent face, like he didn’t just do something rather offensive. Adan had gone to pay her a surprise visit at the restaurant but she was absent. When Diane told him where she went, he ordered a ride and sped over before anything would go wrong.

“Why? Because it’s a party filled with elite kids? I didn’t know that Lance goes to our school. When he called, I assumed it was just some random party.”

“Everyone was talking about the party, Kaia. How did you not hear it? Do you have any idea what would have happened if I hadn’t been around?” Bren says and he sounds genuinely upset. What is he angry about?

“They’d say mean things, make videos, trend another hashtag. Anything new? I mean they already know I’m a delivery girl so why should I be bothered?” Kaia fires back and she notices an uncertain emotion cross Bren’s face. He looks away from her.

Adan tugs gently at her elbows. “Let’s go. Astrid’s waiting at the restaurant.”

Kaia nods and considers Bren once more. He shifts his gaze again and his jaw does that clenching and twitching thing. What is up with him? Kaia asks herself. “Thank you, Brennon Kang, the knight in shining armour. For helping me offload the cart, and preventing other stuff.”

Adan throws an arm casually around her as they get into the truck. He decides to drive and Kaia settles into the passenger seat. From time to time, Kaia catches him stealing glances at her from the corner of his eyes and it shouldn’t feel weird, right? Maybe it feels weird because just that morning, he had stared at her lips for too long, and then touched them. Then what? If Keanu hadn’t done what he’s very good at—yelling—what would have happened then? Kaia shakes her head. Maybe she’s overthinking things. Should she ask Cliché what it means when a boy touches your lips? Should she ask Astrid? She’s still deep in her head space when Adan parks the truck, gets down and opens the door for her.

“What’s on your mind?” he beams and his beautiful smile catches her off-guard.

“Nothing.” She smiles in a pretty awkward way and gets down. She hadn’t even realized they had arrived. When Adan slips his hands over hers, it shouldn’t bother her. And yet, it does. Hand in hand, pushing the cart, they go through the doors and into the restaurant. One celebration has ended so there’s less crowd now.

“Kaia! What happened?” Astrid runs over and grabs Kaia’s arms in panic.

Kaia pats Astrid’s sleek hair. She’s not wearing a leather jacket today. “Hey, you. What are you so bothered about?”

“You were at Lance’s party. How could you deliver food to Lance’s party?!”

Kaia groans. “Why are you and Bren making such a big deal out of it? And how did you know that?”

“It’s online, genius. I should be asking the questions and you should be answering. Why was Bren so . . .protective over you? Just like that time that b***h slapped you across the face.”

Kaia brushes Astrid’s hands off her shoulders and goes towards the counter where Keanu is showing Adan a lame magic trick. “He wasn’t.”

“Oh, really?” Astrid arcs a brow and then swiping her phone, she turns it towards Kaia. Kaia cannot deny it. Bren is holding on to her tightly. Protectively. “Tell me. What’s going on between you two?” she gives Kaia a judgy look.

“Don’t be ridiculous. And stop giving me that look!”

“Shira looked like she was on the verge of death. If she’s getting worked up, then something really is up.”

“Why don’t you ask Bren then? I didn’t ask him to come help me. He just did.”

Astrid watches Kaia likes she’s reading her. She heaves. “The painting’s ready,” she says and starts to leave, so Kaia follows her towards the wall and woah!

“As . . .Astrid? What did—how did . . .is this even?” Kaia gapes, stuttering on her every word.

“You like it?” Astrid says, a smile in her voice.

“Are you kidding? I love it!” Kaia squeals and jumps on Astrid. She had painted a picture of Big K, Kaia and Keanu laughing over dinner. Kaia had no idea when or how Astrid had captured such a moment, but the painting is so beautiful and radiates pure warmth. The colours of it make the restaurant pop. It makes it livelier.

“If I’m doing a painting for the business, it’s only normal that I portray the essence of it.”

“Family,” Kaia smiles and hugs Astrid again. She immediately feels a longing pang. She misses her dad but she’s bent on not speaking to him till he changes his mind about their mother. But he doesn’t seem ready to do that so their relationship would be temporarily strained.

“I take it you love the painting.” Adan appears beside them and Kaia nods. “You should have seen how excited Big K was!”

“Okay! Since you love it, you have to feed me. Let’s go, I’m starved.” Astrid begins to push Kaia towards the kitchen and Kaia laughs as they go in. Keanu is there and when he notices them, he flinches and hides something behind his back. Kaia’s smile fades.

“Keanu,” she calls, approaching him slowly. She holds out her right hand. He tries to run but Astrid blocks him.

“Tiny K, what are you doing?” she asks softly.

“Nothing. I was playing a . . .game. On Diane’s phone. I have to—”

Kaia grips his shoulders tightly already smelling the rat. She crouches so she’s level eyed with him. Keanu is never nervous or panicky. Nothing scares the 12-year-old. So for him to be acting like this, he’s definitely hiding something.

“Keanu. Hand the phone. Now.”

Shakily, he hands the phone and Kaia goes through it. He wasn’t playing a game. She goes to the internet to see if he was viewing some X-rated content, but thankfully, he wasn’t. What then was he—

A call comes through and Keanu attempts to snatch the phone. “That’s for Diane. I have to give her!”

Kaia swats his hands away and swipes green.

“Hello. Keanu, are you still there baby?” the person on the other end of the line says and Kaia freezes at the sound of the voice. All too familiar. Keanu, stupid, stubborn Keanu!