Chapter9

I gasped as I saw the numbers on the check. Never before have I ever held this much money. It seemed unreal.

"Mom?" I yelled, hoping she was home.

Thankfully she was. She walked in and stopped, seeing the look on my face. "What's wrong?"

"Do you… know about this?" I asked, handing over the check.

Her expression went from confused to shocked in a second. "I had no idea. When did this get here?"

"It came in the mail today. But it doesn't say who sent it."

"Who would do this?" She asked, almost to herself.

I pointed down to the bottom. "Someone bought a house a few blocks away. They even paid off the morgage to it."

"Who-who would have that much money?"

"I… don't know." I said, the shock disappearing from my body. Of course I knew. "Mom, can I go to Kyle's tonight?"

"Um, yeah." She said, not looking up. She got the phone from the counter and started dialing. "Be back by seven."

I nodded. "I will." I grabbed my jacket and walked out the door.

…

"Did you send us a check?" I asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm sure you do." I said, kissing him.

"I had nothing to do with that."

"Who else would have enough money to buy a house and pay it all off? For someone else."

He shrugged. "The President?"

I kissed him again, my lips sliding down his neck. "I'll bet you everything I have that you sent it."

"Fine." He said gently. "I did it."

"Why?" I asked, lifting my head up so I could see his face.

He sighed. "I thought I'd do something nice for once. And, by the way, I'm the one who got your mom that amazing job."

"Thank you."

He smiled. "Anytime."

I kissed him, my lips melting as they touched his. He placed his hands on my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Want me to help you pack?"

"I guess."

"What do you mean you guess?"

I shrugged. "I don't really know."

He laughed and kissed my nose. "Stay here with me."

"I can't. My mom wants me home by seven."

"Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Sure."

He smiled and kissed me. "Let me take you home."

"But I still have half an hour left with you."

"We'll walk there."

"You'd have to walk home then."

He shrugged. "It's not very romantic to drive you there. Besides, I can call a cab."

I kissed him lightly before sitting up.

He sat up beside me and ran a hand through my hair. "I love you, Kylie."

"I love you more, Kyle." I said, putting my arms around his neck.

He pressed his lips to mine.

"Where'd you get this?" Kyle asked, holding up a jewelry box.

I looked up at him. "You gave it to me, remember?"

He looked at it for a while before he said anything. "I can't believe you still have this."

I took it from him and set it with the other things I wanted to keep. "I like it. And I figured if I threw it out, it would hurt your feelings."

He shrugged. "Not really. It was a gift; what you do with it is entirely up to you."

I sighed and pulled a drawer out of the dresser, laying it beside Kyle on my bed. I pulled out most of my clothes, tossing some of them out.

"You're not packing much." Kyle said, confusion in his voice.

I shrugged. "I don't have much. I haven't gone through anything in months."

He sat down beside me and looked around at my stuff.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him.

He shrugged. "I'm… thinking."

"About what?"

He took my hand and pulled me close, kissing me. "I love you."