Wintercrest Academy

Alone, but not alone

“Come back here, Kaia.” Dad calls when Kaia’s about to go straight to her room when they return from the restaurant.

           “I’m not hungry,” she says, her back to him. On the days when they don’t have dinner at the restaurant, they eat together immediately they get home and then talk a little before retiring for the night. Today is one of those days but Kaia already munched on some snacks back at the restaurant and that’s enough to carry her through the night.

           “We need to talk.” Dad orders and goes to sit on the couch. Keanu just stands aloof, visibly nervous about the conversation his father and sister are about to have.

           Kaia stalks towards the living room and takes a seat on the smaller couch separate from her dad’s. Big K rests his elbows on his knees and taps his left foot repeatedly. He’s anxious.

           “Next week. She’d be here next week. And . . .I think it’d be better if you at least talked to her once over the phone before she comes. Keanu’s already done that so it’d be easier for him to welcome her. You should try it.”

           Try it? Kaia huffs. The only thing she wants to say to her mother over the phone is to tell her to go to hell and burn to ashes. She doesn’t want to see her. Ever again.

           “Kaia,” Keanu calls. “She . . .she’s been asking of you.”

           “Tell her I died.”

           “Kaia,” Big K warns softly.

           “I died 6 years ago when she abandoned us. I hope the plane she gets on crashes and she’s the only one who doesn’t survive.”

           “Kaia!” Big K bellows and rises up to his full, intimidating height. “How dare you say such words? How dare you wish such evil upon your mother?!”

           “Evil? Evil?” Kaia spits, getting up too. “What’s evil is what she did, and you know it. I don’t care. Let her come back, fix your marriage, allow her mother Keanu. I don’t care about any of that. Just leave me out of it. I’d get my stuff and leave the house while she’s around. When she goes, I’d return. But if she stays, then I’d go back to Hawaii and stay with Tutu. She’d be happy to have me, and it wouldn’t hurt to finish high school there.” She faces Keanu and then looks back at her dad. “Do whatever you want to do. Just . . .leave me out of it.” She slams the door when she steps into her room and plopping onto her bed, she wipes the tears off her cheeks.

           “Stupid emotions. How dare you almost disgrace me like this?” Talk about a horrible week. First being paired with Shira for a project, then news that her evil mother would be here next week.

            She dials Cliché, but she doesn’t answer. They had hung out on Saturday and Cliché teased her throughout about the ‘vampire kiss.’ Changing schools has left a little dent on their friendship. They still text, and call each other from time to time. But being in the same city and not seeing each other everyday like they used to, it’s definitely done something to them. She texts Astrid and she replies instantly. Kaia takes a shower, puts on a sweat pant and t-shirt and leaves the house.

           “Welcome to my not humble abode.” Astrid opens the door in the most dramatic way. Kaia had spent a good 15 minutes in Astrid’s garden identifying the numerous flowers planted there. “I hope you don’t geek off and start identifying every furniture in here.”

           Kaia giggles at that. “Of course not.” Astrid’s house is like Adan’s; fancy, classy, luxurious. She could bet on her belongings (which is not much) that one chandelier is worth more than everything in Big K’s.

           “Wine?” Astrid holds out a pinot noir wine glass.

           “Uhm, should we be drinking? We’re kind of. . .underaged.”

           Astrid tsks. “I’m not stupid, Kaia. I wouldn’t get drunk on a school night.” She wiggles the glass in front of Kaia. “Take it. It’s just red wine.”

           Kaia takes it and like Astrid wants to prove a point, she chugs down half of her glass. “Okay. Easy. Your house is so big and quiet.” Their voices echo.

           “Only child problems.” Astrid ushers them to settle into the extremely lush couch in the living room.

           “Aww, poor baby. When do your parents get back?”

           Astrid stares intently at the red liquid in her glass. “They don’t,” she says and pours herself another glass.

           “What do you mean?”

           Astrid smiles and it slices Kaia’s heart into bits. “I don’t know. They may come home, they may not.”

           “Wait,” Kaia’s eyes widen. “Do you stay here alone? All by yourself?!”

           “Oui,” Astrid clinks her glass with Kaia’s and downs what is left of her wine. She’s about to pour another glass when Kaia grips her wrist. No way. There’s no way they’d leave their 17-year-old in a mansion. All by herself. No way.

           “Don’t empty the bottle. We’re sharing.”

           Astrid chuckles. “There’s a lot more where this came from. Be calm.”

           “Do you really leave here alone?” Kaia asks and Astrid stares at her. In that stare, Kaia has her answer. In that stare, Kaia sees an Astrid that is not all biker jacket, dark clothing and tough kid. Kaia sees an Astrid that is . . .alone.

           “Don’t get mushy with me.” She wriggles her wrist and Kaia releases her grip on her.

           “Astrid. Why did . . .how can . . .can you explain to me. Please? We’re friends, right?”

           “Of course, we are, you dummy. They’re busy. They didn’t want to have kids anyway. When I came along and was way past abortion, they had to have me. Every successful business man/woman must have an heir, so they didn’t have to option of putting me up for adoption. It’d have raised dust in the media. So, they kept me. They clothe me, feed me, take me on expensive trips, built me a f*****g castle. They don’t owe me anything else.”

           What on earth did they do to Astrid? “Astrid, this is—you feel like a liability right now. You shouldn’t be feeling like this.”

           “Don’t exaggerate it. Everything is okay.”

           Heck no, it is not! Kaia sees it now, why Astrid is so fond of Keanu. Why she’s mostly the one who initiates hangouts with Kaia and Adan. The almost sadness in her eyes when they have to part ways. She’s been lonely. Astrid is a lonely princess in this too big castle.

           Kaia scoots closer on the couch and pulls Astrid in for a hug. “Don’t you ever, for another moment ever think you’re alone. Ever. I’m not talking to my dad right now, but he’d always love to have you in the house. Come anytime. Sleep over. If you need me to stay here, drag me with you. You’re not alone, Astrid.” Kaia feels Astrid’s tears wet her t-shirt. She pats her back for a little while before Astrid pulls away.

           “I told you not to get mushy!”

           “I didn’t.”

           “My mum,” Astrid heaves after a brief silence. “I don’t even know what country she’s at right now. It was Australia last week; she may be in Japan as we speak. And my dad, he’s somewhere in America, I just don’t know where. They actually wired me some huge cash yesterday. Wanna go shopping this weekend?

           Kaia smiles and wipes tears off her friend’s cheek. “Food shopping. Let’s cook, and bake and stock up your fridge.”

           “Nooo!” Astrid whines. “The housekeeper already does that.”

           “Well, let’s relieve her a little.” Kaia prods and even though Astrid whines about it for the rest of the evening, she gives in. Food shopping this weekend! They talk about everything, Kaia’s fight with her dad, the SATs, school, Astrid does a sketch of Kaia’s eyes, and then they finally talk about Bren.

           “So . . .what you’re trying to say is, Bren kissed you, and now you have a group project with his demon b***h of a best friend?”

           Kaia wants to correct Astrid on the ‘kiss’ thing, but she lets it rest. “Kinda. I hate it. She’s going to try to frustrate me. I know it!”

           “Dude, who cares about Shira? Brennon freaking Kang kissed you!”

           “On my neck. Astrid, please don’t make this a big deal.”

           “Well it is a big deal. How the heck are you two loving up on each other when you were rivals some weeks ago?”

           “I was never his rival,” Kaia says, resigned.

           “Yeah, say it till you believe it.” Astrid laughs. And then in an almost whisper, she asks, “does . . .Adan know?”

           Kaia shakes her head. “I didn’t tell him. And why are you murmuring? He’s not here.” Astrid’s expression becomes a little pensive. “What?” Kaia asks.

           “Nothing,” Astrid replies. “I just . . .are you going to tell him? Adan, that is.”

           “Pfft. Why? It’s not important.”

           Astrid just shrugs and picks up her pad. “Let’s sketch your nose before you go home. It’s late.” They chatter away as Astrid sketches, and Kaia’s mind is cluttered, project, mother, Astrid.