Troubled

FORTY THREE

CORA PHILIPS

I was supposed to go to school today, but like all teenagers, I didn't want to go. Let's face it, I'm not the only teenager who did not want to go to school ever, but I was the only one blessed or cursed enough to not have any parent around to care about me not attending school. Mom was still feeling guilty, or something close to guilt I think. She made me breakfast this morning, although if she got a call from the school saying I missed school twice in a week, she knows she is the cause of it, so I think I'm allowed this much privilege. I will not be attending school till I want to.

"Did you have breakfast?" Kyle asked as he drove.

I didn't quite understand him, I don't know why he came here as soon as I sent the text, I did send it to both Xander and him. Xander hasn't responded yet and he was here already. And I was riding shotgun.

"Yeah. I ate an apple. You?" I didn't eat what mom made, if peanut butter and jelly sandwich was her way of apologizing, she could shove down her throat, I wasn't having it.

He snorts,

"You call that breakfast?"

I shrug.

"Yeah, what do you call breakfast?"

I see him smirk.

"I haven't had breakfast yet, let me show you what I call breakfast."

He drove to a breakfast place, I haven't seen it before but he says they make the best breakfast.

"You should taste their pancakes, it's the bomb."

"What if I don't like pancakes?"

He gives me a glance, his eyes staring at every inch of my body in disbelief.

"You're kidding. Everyone in America loves pancakes."

I snort as he open the twin door to the breakfast place, he held the door open as I step inside before him, the place was warm and cozy. It looked more like a relaxation corner rather than a breakfast corner. Fresh coffee scent wafted through the air, and my mouth watered.

He steered me to a seat tucked away at the back of the breakfast place.

"It does look nice." I commend.

The interior was made with light brown wood, and everything else was in that shade of brown or a bit darker or lighter.

"They did spend enough on the decorations. But wait till you try their cooking, it will knock the socks off your feet."

I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm not wearing any sock."

He bent down to look under the table. It took everything in me not to burst out laughing. When he came back up he was smiling.

"You are, unexpectedly they aren't in black or white."

I give him a lazy shrug of my shoulders.

"What are you having? I already know I'm having blue berry waffles."

"Not pancakes?"

"Do you honestly think there is a difference between them?"

"Then why aren't you having pancakes? If there is no difference between them."

"I like the shape." He shrugged.

"I'm trusting you, I'll have the pancakes."

"You don't like pan.."

He narrowed his eyes towards me.

"You said you don't like pancakes."

"Are you kidding? Who in America doesn't love pancakes?"

He threw his head back in laughter. His body giving off happy vibes. I almost laugh but I think I enjoy watching him laugh better. He was like a child.

"You really had me there." He says while laughing.

I don't say anything, I only watch him laugh.

"I'm really hungry, if you may. Let's place our order."

"Yeah I am hungry too. So pancakes? Plain pancakes?"

"Blue berry. I'd like an orange juice with it."

"You got it." He went to the counter to place our order.

Just as I watch him, I feel a headache press on the sides of my skull.

No. No. No. Please. Not here.

The headache pressed even harder against my skull. I felt like someone was crushing it from both sides of my head. I place my head on the cool surface of the wooden table in an attempt to hide my suffering from the world. I didn't want anybody else to see me.

I almost scream. It felt like my head was put in between those metals they used to crush cars. I bite down on my lip to keep me from screaming out loud.

"Cora? Cora? Are you okay?"

I want to tell him no but I cannot, if I open my mouth I was pretty sure a scream was going to tear out from my lips.

He takes my hand in his hand and I realize just then that I had forked a fist.

"It's okay, I'm right here. I'm here okay Cora? I'm here. It's okay."

He hugged me and I melt into his arms. We stay like that for the remaining minutes, before I felt it dissipate as quickly as it came.

"Kyle.." I whisper hoarsely.

"Cora?" He pulled me away from his chest to look into my eyes. I saw worry swirling around in his eye balls. Something I haven't seen in my own mother's eyes.

I want to tell him I'm okay but I want to stay that way for a while.

"You're bleeding."

He finds a paper towel and cleans my lip, I had drawn blood from clamping down on it so hard.

"Thank you."

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Much." Because it's true, I was feeling better than I was when it came.

"Okay, our food is ready, will you be okay while I go get it?"

"Do I look like a princess in distress? I can handle myself for a few minutes."

He smiles at me, his smile is as confident as it always was. But he was still worried.

"I'm fine Kyle, go. I can handle being on my own for two minutes. Our food is getting cold."

"Okay. I will be back in two minutes."

He lets go of me slowly, unexpectedly I missed the warmth of his body. I liked the way he wrapped himself around me protectively. I felt good. It felt good for someone to throw themselves at you in a bid to protect you, even when they don't know exactly what they are protecting you from.

He should have protected himself first, I was more dangerous to him.