Chapter 35 Kai
“So, what happened with your mom?” Tabitha asks, buckling into my car after our peppermint mochas. Which, surprisingly, wasn’t half bad. “What did she say about Jamie moving in?”
“She kinda flipped,” I reply, starting the ignition. “My grandparents arrive tomorrow night and are staying for a week, so they’re taking the guest room.”
“Oh, so Jamie can’t stay with you?” Tabby says in a rush.
“No, she can,” I explain, pulling the car onto the street. “You didn’t think I’d go down without a fight, did you?”
“Is she staying on the couch for a week?”
“I suggested she take the pull-out bed in my room.”
Tabby’s mouth falls open until she swallows. “You want Jamie to stay in your bedroom?”
My laugh reverberates in my throat as I watch Tabby instead of the road. “You sound like my mom.”
“Okay, so what happened?”
“Mom compromised. She’s cool with Jamie staying over if she stays in Milo’s room.”
“Jamie and Milo are bunking up?”
“No. Mom’s forcing Milo to stay in my bedroom.”
“You don’t look pleased about it.”
“Umm, no. I can already hear his complaints.”
“You’re not exactly known for keeping your thoughts inside either.”
“Anyway, Jamie made me shut up. She figures she got a yes to staying over, and we can tweak the living arrangements once she’s in and Mom can’t take it back.”
Tabby sucks in a breath. “So, you do want Jamie to stay in your bedroom?”
I double take at her and then look back out at the road. “No. I just don’t want Milo invading my space.”
We’re coming up on Bellview Crescent and Tabby cups a hand over her mouth, doing a terrible attempt at hiding her giggles.
“What is it?” I ask, pivoting between her and the road.
Her hand leaves her mouth, and she points at the car ahead. “That’s my dad’s car.”
“No, why?” I blurt, shifting in the driver’s seat. “I thought he was working tonight.”
“He is. He must be coming home to get something.”
“I can’t pull up behind him. Can I circle the block a few times until he goes back to the hospital?”
Tabby giggles, enjoying my nervousness. “No, I need to be home. Mom sent us all a group message, warning us not to be late tonight. Oh, that must be why. Dad stole some time to have dinner with us.”
“Dang it,” I grumble, slowing to a stop as Dr. Jones’s car turns and parks on their driveway.
When I put the car into park, I reach a hand behind Tabby’s head and rest it behind her neck, pulling her in for a kiss. It’s just a peck because I’m very aware of her father getting out of the car.
“Do you want me to walk you to your door?” I ask, wincing.
She smirks. “Only if you’re man enough to do it.”
Dang it. A challenge. Why must I be so freaking competitive?
“Kai,” Dr. Jones says, sniffing me out immediately. “What a surprise.”
“He drove me back from dance class,” Tabby says, as we step onto the path that leads to her front door.
Dr. Jones smiles at her fondly. “How was it, sweetheart?”
Tabby beams. “Really fun.”
I’m half a step behind Tabitha, and Dr. Jones beckons me closer.
“How’s the arm?” Dr. Jones asks, peering around to see. “Hope it didn’t leave too much of a scar.”
I lift the sleeve of my long tee and turn my arm over, showing the small, raised scar. “It’s not too bad.”
Dr. Jones nods at it. “Yes, that’ll heal. It’ll just take some time.”
I attempt a joke. “Chicks dig scars, right?”
As I should’ve predicted, he’s not impressed. “I don’t want you collecting more scars to impress my daughter.”
“No. No, sir. I didn’t. I just…”
“He was making a joke,” Tabby’s quick to say. “Besides, we weren’t even talking when Kai had that accident.”
“Mm-hmm.” Her dad pivots between us. “Your mother told me you two have become closer.”
Tabby fidgets under his stare, but then finds the courage to stand taller. “Yes, Dad. Kai’s my boyfriend.”
Dr. Jones turns to me and I do my best not to flinch. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
Tabby stomps her foot. “Dad!”
“You two aren’t well-suited,” he says plainly to his daughter.
“With all due respect,” I say, like I have any for this man who is clearly a manifestation of ‘the man’ I want to overthrow, “it isn’t your call to make.”
Dr. Jones glares at me. “Are you telling me not to have a say in my daughter’s welfare? Nelson, I’d choose your next words carefully.”
“I’m not endangering her welfare,” I argue.
Dr. Jones points at Tabby’s ankle. “Why did I find you carrying her home that day?”
I smirk and plant my hands on my hips. “Because I’m a gentleman.”
Tabby sniggers and I catch the blush, turning her complexion rosy.
“Tabitha,” Dr. Jones says with a sigh. “Go inside.”
“No, Dad.” Her arms fold around her waist. “I want to…”
“Tabitha,” he presses, but is distracted by their front door opening.
A woman—who I assume is her mom—rushes out. She waves hurriedly at me. “Hi! Hello, there. Is this Kai?”
“Yes, Mom.” Tabby groans. “Don’t pounce on him.”
Mrs. Jones reaches out her hand and vigorously shakes mine. “Hi honey. So nice to meet you.”
So much for never meeting this woman. “Umm, yeah, hi.” Man, I wish she’d let go of me.
“Juliette,” Dr. Jones says, frustrated. “Don’t welcome the boy. It’s time he left.”
“Don’t be silly,” Mrs. Jones says, ushering me closer. “You should join us for dinner.”
I wave off the suggestion. “No, I really can’t.”
“Well, what about tomorrow night?” Mrs. Jones ask, ignoring her fuming husband. “Andrew, maybe you can make time for dinner again.”
Thank goodness I have an excuse. “Can’t. My grandparents arrive tomorrow night.”
“What about Thursday?” Mrs. Jones says, latching onto my forearm.
I look down at her hand on me and alarm bells ring inside me. Why the heck does she want me over for dinner so badly? Especially when it’s so obvious her husband hates my guts.
“Kai has soccer practice on Thursdays,” Tabby cuts in, saving me from the panic surely in my eyes. “You guys said we needed to rush to dinner, so why don’t we?”
Mrs. Jones releases me. “Okay, okay. It only leaves Friday, and that’s game day.”
“Yes.” Dr. Jones nods, eyeing me. “Game days are sacred. We don’t need anyone bringing bad energy that day.”
Bad energy? Like I’m a bad luck charm? Oh boy. I’ll bet Dr. Jones has no clue he’s prompted the first reason for me to attend a football game.
Tabby steps in close to me and whispers, “You’d better get out of here.”
“You’ll be okay?” I whisper back, clutching her wrist.
She smiles. “I’ll be thinking of you.”
“Tabitha,” Dr. Jones says dryly. “Say goodbye to Kai.”
Tabby lifts on the balls of her feet to kiss me goodbye, but her dad clears his throat, stopping her.
“With words, Tabitha,” he says sternly.
Tabby rolls her eyes and then waves at me. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
I back away toward my car, thinking about smuggling her under a bleacher at the football game. “Sure thing.”
I get in the car and waste no time starting the ignition. Tabitha and her parents enter their home, and I drive away before my head spirals with all the questions Dr. and Mrs. Jones are probably probing her with right this second.
Tabitha’s mom really took me off guard. Why was she so excited to see me? Was Tabby getting a boyfriend on her bingo card? Is it something she can boast to her country club friends about?
When I get home, I walk into the house via the garage, and Mom is leaving the dining area.
“Kai, can you set the dining table please?” Mom asks. “I’m almost finished with dinner.”
“Okay.” I move through the dining area and into the kitchen, happy for the distraction.
Milo is leaning against the kitchen island bench, head hung over a book he’s reading. That’d be right. Mom would’ve asked him a few times to set the table, and he ignored her because she’s not a character on the page. Yet, if I ignore her, she’d totally rage on me.
Milo looks up. “Oh, you’re home.”
“Yep. Is Jamie still here?”
“No, her aunt picked her up.”
As I move toward the cupboards, I lick my lips and get a hint of chocolate and peppermint. “Have you ever had a peppermint mocha?”
Milo flinches. “Doesn’t that have coffee in it?”
“Yeah.”
He grimaces, closing his book. “I don’t drink coffee.”
I shrug, pulling the plates out of the cupboard. “I didn’t think I’d like it either, but Tabitha drinks them, and I tried it. It’s actually amazing. The girl has good taste. But we know that, right… I mean, she’s dating yours truly.”
“How can you be with Tabitha?” Milo says bluntly.
I set the plates down with a thud. “What did you say to me?”
“You know she’s still doing horrible things to Jamie.”
“I know she did. Past tense.”
“Kai, I saw it with my own eyes.”
“What, all four of them?”
Milo groans, fixing his glasses against his nose. “Can you stop being so full of yourself and hear me out?”
“No, because you’re talking crap.”
“I saw them in the hall at school today.” Milo’s voice raises. “I thought you were Jamie’s friend.”
I narrow my stare. “I am.”
Milo curls a fist and then slams it on the kitchen counter. “Then act like it.”
The outburst takes me aback. “I thought you were a pacifist.”
Milo rolls his eyes and turns his back on me without a reply.
As he walks out of the kitchen, I can’t help calling out, “How come I’m the only one you’ll raise your voice at?” He disappears through the dining area and into the living area. “I’m supposed to be your brother!”
“What is all the yelling about?” Mom asks, rushing into the kitchen.
I grab the plates and move into the dining room. “Nothing.”
Mom checks on dinner at the stove, and I arrange the plates around the dining table.
Milo’s words float around my head. Tabitha is still doing mean things to Jamie.
No. No, she wouldn’t.
I can’t help letting my mind cycle through all the times I witnessed Tabby and her friends teasing Jamie. Their wicked words would hit home and leave my friend a defenseless, frozen statue.
Tabby promised me she wouldn’t target Jamie anymore.
I search for Milo in the living room, but he’s gone upstairs.
He wouldn’t lie, would he? What would he have to gain? Is he jealous that I have a girlfriend and he doesn’t? Does he want me to break up with her?
He literally said, how could I be with her?
But this is Milo we’re talking about. He’s not a liar. All Mom has to do is look at him and he caves, spilling any and every secret he has.
Crap.
Milo isn’t lying.
Crap.
My girlfriend is bullying my best friend.
I pluck my phone from my pocket and wander into the living area. I have to confront Tabby about this. I can’t ask Jamie because she’ll deny it. She hates looking weak in front of me.
With a quick sigh, I unlock my phone and call Tabby’s number. The phone rings one and a half times before I swiftly hit decline.
I brace myself against the back of the sofa, leaning forward as I sigh harder.
How can I ask her? I don’t want to know the truth.
I get a text from Tabitha. "Did you mean to call me?"
With immense pressure in my jaw, I bite down hard. Dammit. I gotta do this.
I stand up straight, shaking out my limbs while bouncing on the spot. I scoop my phone back up and hit dial one more time.
“Hey,” she answers on the second ring. “I wasn’t sure if it was a butt dial or not. You ended the call so fast.”
“Umm, yeah. I gotta ask you something.” I freeze after that last word. I stare at the window, focusing on nothing. If I speak again, I have to ask her. When she answers, there’s a good chance this is all over.
“Yeah? Kai? Are you still there?”
I clear my throat. “Are you still bullying Jamie?”
There’s total silence on her end. I keep the phone pressed to my ear as I look down at my sneaker, tracing the timber floorboards.
When she still doesn’t breathe a word, I murmur, “Tabby?”
Her sigh rattles through the phone. “What did Jamie say?”
It hits me in the chest. “So, it’s true?”
“No.” It’s like she’s gasping for air on the other end. “Not exactly.”
“Tell me the truth.”
“Camila’s still gunning for her, and Yvie is her shadow.” Another gulp of air. “They look at me, waiting for me to add something. I… I… Uh, you’re not gonna like it.”
“I already don’t like it.”
“I tried to help, I promise.”
“What does that mean?”
“I tried to say something to defend Jamie, but it came out all wrong. I didn’t know what I was saying. I don’t mean for things to come out nasty, but somehow, I still offend people.”
Her tone. Her bratty, mean girl tone. It still comes out, even though she’s trying to fight it.
“I fall apart under their stares,” she whispers. “I hate this. I don’t want to keep doing this.”
I rub the ache from my brow and pace alongside the sofa. “You keep trying to save yourself from them.”
“Kai, I just… Oh, I hate the idea of you hating me.”
“Tabby.” I halt in place, not knowing where my words will take me. “I don’t hate you, but you can’t keep doing this.”
“I know,” she murmurs. “I don’t want to.”
“You need to stop. If you don’t… If you’re going behind my back and harassing Jamie, I can’t…”
“I’m not,” she blurts. “I promise.”
“I couldn’t be with you, if you were.”
There’s a distinct whimper through the phone line. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“Then why were you with Camila?”
“I walked away from her. That’s why I was in the library instead of social studies.”
“Why didn’t you tell me the whole story?”
“Because I wanted to forget it happened. It made me sick. Plus, I knew you’d side with Jamie instead of me.”
“Tabby, I pick you. But you know I don’t tolerate anyone ragging on my friends.”
“I know. Ugh. It’s just Camila. She keeps trying to have a hold over me.”
I groan. “Tabby, do you still want to be friends with these girls?”
“No.”
“Then stop letting them rope you into stuff.”
“Camila ambushed me.”
“I told you, I’m not letting her get to you anymore, and it’s time to put my money where my mouth is. You’ll hang out with me and my friends from now on.”
“What?” it comes out of her shakily. “Will your friends be okay with that?”
“Sure. The guys are cool with me dating you.”
“Does that include Jamie?” she asks skeptically.
“You know, it’d be really great if my girlfriend and my best friend were friends, too.”
“That was my thought too, but Jamie hates me.”
“I’m important to Jamie, and you’re important to me. Therefore, she’ll want to make nice with you.”
There’s hesitation in her tone. “If you say so.”
“You’ll sit at my lunch table at school?”
She brightens. “I’d love to.”
“And no more joining in with Camila and Yvette when they make nasty cracks at other people?”
“Absolutely not. I swear.”