Well, summer is now officially in full swing and it is hotter than all get out so what better thing is there to do but stay in the cool and write the next Kaya arc chapter. Also, thanks to those of you who left feedback on the previous Kaya chapter. I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far! So, without further or do, here is the next Kaya chapter! Enjoy! :D

(Kaya's POV)

"Kaya? What the heck was that back there?!" I heard Sammie say behind me, knowing she saw me almost destroy Amber Albrekt in the middle of the junior class hallway.

Not that I even cared anymore.

Amber chose the wrong time to pick a fight with me and if she isn't willing to back off, then she's going to hell in a fucking handbasket for all I care.

"Just leave it." I said, clearly showing her how done I was with this day… and it's only now just half over.

Also, I just don't want to fight with her. Sammie's my cousin but she's also my best friend, always has been. That and yelling at Sammie is like going off on a box of stray kittens. You just look like an evil prick since Sammie is just such an innocent, straitlaced type and also kinda naive at times. She's not clueless but the day I hear her drop an F-bomb is the day I grow wings and fly.

But, hey, we've hung out and had each other's backs too long to stop now.

"Look Kye, I know Amber sucks but... " I interrupted her with the most snarky scoff I had as I remarked, "Yeah, like that's not the biggest understatement of the fucking year. And yeah usually I don't care what word vomit, trash she decides to spit at me, but she needed to know not to push me. I've had it today."

It was quiet until Sammie asked, "Aunt Karai on you again about stuff?"

"Again? Real question is when she isn't on me about anything? I'm surprised she doesn't just follow me around school and critique every move and breath I make." I remarked, showing yet again how much I was done with today.

I think Sammie knew not to push me anymore since we just walked a couple more steps before she said in a calm, cool voice, "Hey just try to chill okay?"

I looked away and rolled my eyes so she couldn't see as I immediately thought to myself, "Yeah, easy for you to say."

After that Sammie didn't even say anything and she knew just to let me stew in my own juices. But, hey, at least she doesn't judge or give me any crap like some people I know.

We had study hall before lunch so we got into the common room full of desks and looked around for somewhere to sit. We decided to take our usual spot toward the back so we could get our Trigonometry homework over with together.

But that still didn't stop me from having my blood at a rolling boil since all I could think about was mother nagging and chewing me up when she caught me sneaking in from patrolling last night.

I was so fixated on it that I barely noticed on the way to our seats was this guy, who I've never seen before, with a very pronounced cleft in his chin just looking at me. His dark brown almost black eyes were just looking in my direction with this disinterested glare that was slowly but surely starting to piss me off and irritate me like no other.

Honestly his whole face just had this look of disinterest and was almost neutral to bored at best.

He looked like he was some mix between Asian and European heritage like I was if I had to guess based on his appearance.

Sure my dad was adopted so I have no idea where he really comes from blood heritage wise and nor do I care, but by the way my dad looks I think I can make a fair assumption for myself.

Anyway, this guy had straight black hair that was just long enough to be pulled back in the shortest low ponytail I've ever seen on the back of his head. Then again, he also didn't really have a run of the mill guy's hairstyle to begin with.

Also, I couldn't help but notice the way he dressed also wasn't typical, at least not typical for New York.

He had what looked like a black t-shirt underneath a blue and black checkered flannel shirt that was completely unbuttoned, even though I had no idea why he was wearing it at all since its like hotter than hell outside. He had a pair of relaxed fit, faded blue jeans on being held up by a black studded belt with a big silver plated, oval shaped belt buckle and then it got really weird once I looked at his feet.

He was wearing literal cowboy boots. They were made of black leather that nearly matched his hair color with some dirt dusting the black rubber heels of both boots.

He was still looking in my direction as I narrowed my eyes at him before snapping, "What are you looking at?"

Right then he just looked me over up and down before shrugging and saying, his voice kind of catching me off guard by how deep it was, "Well, right now… Not much."

I was almost so surprised by how deep his voice was that I barely noticed he had a bit of an accent. It wasn't a complete southern drawl, but he definitely had a bit of a twang to his voice if I had to describe it as anything.

Honestly the cowboy boots and clothes made a little more sense now.

I was gonna brush him off until I realized how he said what he just did to me as I retorted, "What?"

He just crossed his arms as he shrugged again and said, "Well, right now I'm lookin' at a chick who feels the need tah bitch at me for no reason other than lookin' in a direction that she happens tah be standing in... so yeah, again… not much."

I clenched my fists together and my jaw was clenched so tight I thought my teeth were going to start cracking apart.

Pretty sure Sammie also noticed I was going to explode since she tried to get in between us and say, "Kaya, c'mon let's just go to the back and…" But, I brushed her off to the side as I interrupted, " Oh no, no, no. I wanna know why Hayseed Hank over here thinks he's so fucking hilarious?"

I was expecting this guys face to change since I blatantly insulted him out of impulse, even though there was a small part of me that wanted to let it go, and also realizing he probably was just spacing out before, if it wasn't being squashed down by how pissed I was to begin with, but… nothing.

This guy's face didn't move a muscle and just still retained its flat, bored expression as he pointed to his face and remarked, very cynically, "Okay princess, look at my face. Do I look like I think I'm funny? Trust me, I think a lot ah things about me. But, I can assure ya... that's not one of 'em."

I could see Sammie about to brace herself out of the corner of my eye until I heard Ms. Rosenfield call out, "Take your seats everyone! Remember, this is a quiet study hall so keep talking to a whisper level only."

After that I felt Sammie pull on my arm to drag me away from… whoever the hell that guy is?!

I looked back at him and he was just acting like nothing even happened and barely acknowledged anything as he just reached into his backpack and pulled out what looked like something from an earlier class to work on.

But once I got a little cooled off, I tried to forget about it… at least a little. But, really, who the hell did that guy think he even is anyway?!

Well… whatever?

If this is the only time I'm with this guy all day then I can deal with it.


Lunch went by and as much as Sammie was trying to bring me out of my mood.

It was pretty much pointless and especially after that thing in study hall with Mr. Brightside?... I seriously need to go out on patrol tonight and vent.

But 3 more class periods to go.

Chemistry, painfully boring.

English Lit, can I go now?

Then last but not least was my required junior elective at our school, Economics. The name is fancier than the class actually is.

It's basically an entire class based around things you'll need to know how to do after you graduate and become an "adult". Paying taxes and bills, how to budget, invest, job interviews, and from what Benji told me and Sammie… lots of group projects.

Joy.

Well, at least he said we get to pick our partners so at least whoever I get will be my own choice, even if Sammie's not in my class. She has economics before me in the morning, that and she has a different teacher so I have no idea what I'm in for.

I got into the room and took a seat at one of the desks blindly and shut my eyes until I heard Mr. Rodriguez come to the front of the room and slam his daily planner down.

"Alright, look alive guys! Welcome to first semester Economics! Now I know this class is a required elective and some of you may feel the need to not care at all about this class. But I'm telling you that unlike most classes you'll take here, this is something you'll actually use later in life. Someday all of you are going to go out in the world and make a life for yourself. Even if you move to another country, you'll still need to know about all the things you'll learn in this class. Pay bills, finding a job, and even learning how to do those things by cooperating with others… which brings me to our next order of business."

I glanced next to me and saw Melody Djokovic.

We're not friends but we've always had classes together before and have done group projects that always ended up pretty going well and not in a colossal train-wreck. Mainly that she actually does her fair share of stuff so, might as well stick with what I know, right?

I was about to lean over and ask when I heard, "Normally in the past, I'd let you choose your own partner for the to do projects with, but this year… we're not gonna do that."

Shit.

I stayed silent but a lot of other people around me complained and groaned, knowing what this meant.

Mr. Rodriguez grabbed his planner and shut everyone up as he continued, "Hey, this is what I mean guys. You're not always gonna get to pick and choose the situation you want. I've had plenty of roommates I was forced to compromise with and had to make things work. That's just reality and that's what I'm going to teach you through this. Besides, this way you may get to know other people you wouldn't otherwise talk to. Now I've already randomly assigned partners and once I tell you, you'll go sit with your partner. And remember, once I tell you, that's it. You're partners for the rest of the year."

I just sat there and hoping with every fiber of my soul until I heard Mr. Rodriguez read off, "Melody Djokovic and Lynn Weatherford."

Ugh… dammit. Who knows what idiot I'll get as a partner now?

The names kept being read off and then I heard mine, making my stomach clench at my name, "Kaya Hamato and Darren Lee."

Okay, I may not know everyone in my grade, but who the hell is that?

I slowly looked behind me as my jaw clenched again as my eyes widened.

Aw… shit.

You've gotta be fucking kidding me right now? It was him?! It was that guy from study hall!

Darren, I guess, whose face was still unchanged and making me wonder if he had any other emotions at all and looking bored as ever as he looked at me, rolled his eyes, before he stood up and walked over to sit in the desk next to mine.

I heard the slight yet distinct 'clomping' sounds of his boots hitting the tile floor with each casual step he took.

As he got closer I realized I didn't get a good view of him physically before. Body type wise was hard to guess since he was wearing relaxed fit jeans and a loose flannel shirt, but height wise he was a little above average like my dad or Kaito, probably about 5'9" or 5'10". Still taller than me but not by much since I'm a little under 5'7", but whatever.

He sat down next to me and barely even acknowledged I was there and honestly... same here and fine by me.

The class kept going and we went through the syllabus and Mr. Rodriguez also told us that our assigned partner will be who we will also be sitting next to and doing things in class with in addition to the projects for the rest of the year.

Just… great. Why not?!

Class was almost over and I felt like I was having a burst ulcer and an aneurysm simultaneously. I felt like just yelling up at the sky to see if the universe wanted to do anything else to me today.

I was still this close to just losing when I heard that same deep and almost monotone voice say, "So… what now, ice princess?"

I slowly looked over at him and I felt this close to just snapping and breaking my desk in half when I just kept seeing him look at me that same bored expression, only this time he was quirking up his right eyebrow at me, almost waiting for me to say something.

I gave him the most pissed off death glare I could summon from myself as I snapped, trying to keep myself quiet through my teeth, "Don't call me that ever! And you're one to talk. At least I don't have the Grand Canyon dividing my chin."

Okay, now that I said that, I knew it wasn't necessary to just take a low jab like that at his appearance… but, dammit I was just pissed!

But, Darren barely batted an eye as he just looked me right in the eye and said flatly, "Hey, you started it. Besides 'least I'm not ah pissed off, ragin' bitch for no apparent reason."

Oh that is it! I was about to snap until I saw Mr. Rodriguez look in our direction, making me take control of myself. I've only spoken to this guy for barely a collective minute and he already just pisses me off no end.

The bell rang and Darren immediately stood up and one strapped his backpack over his left shoulder and started to walk out.

As much as I was reveling in him going away… I had to make something clear.

I got up with my stuff and managed to catch Darren in the hall.

Him still not showing any emotion other than cynical boredom as I directed, "Look, I can clearly tell you don't like me and trust me I already really don't like you either. But, we don't need to be besties for this, okay? I just want to get this over with, get my A, and move on. Cool?"

Darren's eyes just kept giving me this unreadable glare that is starting to grate on me more and more as he shrugged and said, "Fine by me, princess."

As much as I just wanted to punch him in the face so hard, he walked away. Probably for best, but still.

But… ugh, dammit! What is up with that guy?!

Well, everyone, I introduce to my latest addition to the story, Darren Lee. For the longest time I have wanted to make a character modeled after Daria, one of my favorite cartoon characters of all time. By the way if you're in your mid-teen years or older and you've never seen Daria, I'd personally really recommend it. Especially if you enjoy sarcastic and slightly cynical comedy. Anyway, I just really wanted to make a deadpan, cynical, tell it how it is kind of character and I managed to create my own rendition of it through Darren. Yes, I kind of took the name as inspiration from Daria's name in a way, but also because I just thought the name fit him so well. Haha. I won't give too much away about him just yet since you'll get to know him more in depth with time. But, for now all you need to know is Darren is an almost 17 year old junior in high school that recently moved up to New York from southern Kentucky with his family and now attends school with Kaya and isn't the most emotionally expressive kind of guy. Darren is pretty cynical, quiet but when called upon can deal out some pretty sassy yet truthful comebacks, much to Kaya's dismay. Haha. XD As you can tell, Kaya, much like Karai, isn't used to having someone who knows how to handle her or challenge her. Again, Kaya's not a bad or an evil person. But, she's a very complex and contrary teenage girl who can be a bit of a rough diamond to put it nicely. A lot like her mother, Kaya's used to having everything go her way in the way that people just avoid her and stay out of her way. Even as far as her family and friends. As much as Leonardo thinks he knows how to handle his daughter and his wife or Sammie thinks she knows how to handle her friend/cousin… they just eventually take a step back and just accept that it is what it is with Kaya and Karai at some points. Darren; however, pisses Kaya off since he just doesn't let her do whatever and forget it and that he actually bites back if you will. Especially since he didn't much appreciate being spat at for no reason other than just spacing out in Kaya's direction at the wrong time. Haha. But, this is just a small taste of Darren's character thus far. But, thank you all for reading and constructive reviews are always appreciated. :)

Have a nice weekend!

Dexter1995