Thank you to everyone who's been reading this story! Shoutout to xXPokePotterIslandXx, who's been following this story since the beginning!
Kai idly strode down the main boulevard of Commonwealth City, trying to listen to his girlfriend's endless chatter. She clung to him like a prickly burr that gets stuck on your shoe, never letting go. Her sharp bloodred nails dug into his arm. Squeals flew at them from every direction every now and then, some people ecstatic at seeing the media-famous couple in public. Kai smiled and waved at the ogling fans, but Levana barely glanced at them, trying to act cool and collected. Someone to admire and fangirl over, but never someone to befriend. Levana didn't want friends. She wanted fame and glory.
The two walked past little cafes and antique furniture stores, jewelry shops and some small boutiques, causing Levana to roll her eyes and say, "Ugh, the clothing there is so last year." Obviously, Kai had no idea what was "last year" and what was "this year." He just smiled and nodded, as usual. Like a robot that couldn't do anything but take orders and smile.
If he had learned anything in the past two years of dating Levana Blackburn, it was that you should never cross her.
Bad things would come of that. Very, very bad things.
Levana had gotten a huge spike in media popularity a few years back, right when she moved to Commonwealth City from the booming city of Artemisia. It was all because of the murder of her soon-to-be husband, Evret Hayle. Levana was only sixteen, several years younger than Evret, but apparently they loved each other enough to want to get married so soon. Kai, a believer in true love, had seen nothing wrong with this. But when he was murdered, suspicious stories had started coming out. Close friends and family claimed that Levana had manipulated Evret into loving her and threatened him when he refused her proposal. Even her modeling agent had spoken up, saying that Levana had coerced him into signing with her. Kai had been shocked and horrified to hear of these stories. It didn't seem right. How was it possible for a person to have that much power over others?
When Kai crossed paths with her at high school, he had been wary. He saw the way she flirted shamelessly with every boy in sight, treated everyone around her like servants, and sweet-talked the teachers into giving her good grades. But then one day she had sat right next to him in class, looked him right in the eyes, and... that face. It was like the world had stopped. Kai could hardly breathe as he looked deep into the warm depths of her black eyes, admired her luminous white skin, gazed at her perfect lips.
He could feel the course of his thoughts change completely the second she made eye contact with him. Everything twisted from doubt, suspicion, disgust, to warm pleasure and joy. This was not the type of girl who would manipulate people or threaten them. This girl was welcoming, kind, caring... she was everything.
Later that day heads turned in the cafeteria as Levana strutted through the tables, hips swishing from side to side. She surveyed the scene, dark eyes flitting from face to face. And then, to Kai's disbelief, she turned and lowered herself next to Kai in one smooth motion. Next to him, Thorne's jaw went slack and he dropped his spoon into his soup. The girl who had been trying to talk to Kai got up and left the table with a huff. He barely noticed her, once again enraptured by Levana's beauty.
He had called a taxi to take them home, not wanting her to see his battered old Nainsi car. His eyes barely left her face once from the time they exited the school to the time they hopped out at his mansion - or rather, he hopped out, she floated out. She seemed barely fazed by all the wealth inside Kai's house, from the servants who handed them glasses of sparkling water to the plush velvet couches, so he assumed that she also came from a rich area. They sat on one of the couches, suddenly finding it hard to look at each other. Kai felt the tiniest bit awkward, next to this beautiful, unearthly girl. She certainly looked like no other girl in Commonwealth. It was almost like she had come from a different planet.
They sat in silence for a few moments, Kai's foot anxiously tapping the floor, beads of sweat rolling down his face. When Levana seemed to have gotten bored of drawing out the tension, she finally leaned over and pressed her body into his.
Hours later, when Kai heard the noise of his father's private helicopter landing outside, he immediately sprang off Levana and tried to tidy himself up. His father entered, eyes weary, so fatigued after a long day of work that he barely looked at Kai. Torin, his father's assistant, saw them. He raised an eyebrow at their rumpled clothes and hair but said nothing.
Once Levana had left, Torin came over and sat on the couch with Kai. He felt the fleeting urge to bolt upstairs and lock himself in his bedroom, but stayed put, wanting to show respect. Torin didn't say anything for a very long time, but Kai could feel the unspoken words and feelings emanating from him. We didn't raise you to act like this.
Finally, Torin sighed and stood up. "Be careful, Kai," was all he said before leaving the room, leaving the boy more confused and lost than ever.
So that was how he had gotten his girlfriend. One of the best and worst things that had ever happened to him.
Best because Kai had been waiting for a long time for a girl like this. He had had girlfriends before, but they had been brief relationships, full of nothing more than mild affection. When he had broken up with each and every one of them, it had been a quick goodbye. No hard feelings, no huge fights. They had simply moved on with their lives. But with Levana... Kai had never before felt this deep, passionate longing for a person. He felt like he needed her. He felt like breaking up with her would be the worst ordeal in the world, something that would tear him up and scar him for life.
Worst because now he had responsibilities. He was expected to be a good boyfriend, to sit with her at lunch and hold hands in the hallways and buy gifts for her. But how were you supposed to buy a gift for someone when the only things you knew about them were that they were extremely beautiful and a good kisser?
Yes, sometimes Levana could get mad at him. Sometimes she could ignore him at school or shoot hateful glares at him every time he looked at her or tell manipulative lies to friends behind his back. And sometimes she could convince him to buy her a thousand-dollar ring for her birthday, something that he wouldn't have done for any other girlfriend. But she was beautiful. And he loved her... didn't he?
He knew he loved her, because every time he looked at her and talked to her it was like a hundred lightning bolts zinged through his body. He felt electrified whenever she looked at him. He hadn't felt that way with any other girl. That was definitely a sign of love, he decided.
He was able to use this argument with himself for months. Months of being lied to and persuaded to do things he didn't want to, months of being "accidentally" cheated on, months of serving Levana's every whim and need and desire. He forgave her for every mistake and did everything a good boyfriend should do because of their love. It was true love.
He was completely sure of everything in his life. He had a loving family, popularity, hilarious friends, a loving girlfriend, and a wallet stuffed with money. Kai was living the American dream. Everything was amazing.
Until he met Cinder.
Until he met someone who didn't laugh at him for his sentiments over his Nainsi. Someone who listened with their full attention when he was talking, like he was about to say the most interesting thing in the world. Someone who saw past all the masks he put on to be deemed social media-worthy to the real him. He wanted to see her again, talk to her again. And at the same time, he wanted to run away.
Kai had an eerie feeling that Cinder was going to change his life.
Cinder looked up as the door to the mechanic shop opened with its familiar creaks and clanks. "New Beijing Mechanics, how may we help you-" she started to say in a bored voice, but then looked more closely at the boy entering the shop. She gasped as he pulled his hood down, then regretted it as his warm look hit her piercingly.
"You again," she tried to say nonchalantly, acting like cute, popular boys strolled into the shop all the time. "Don't tell me that your car is still acting up."
"Honestly, I wish it was," Kai smiled, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "That would give me an excuse to come here again."
Cinder's heart quickened. Did he just say that he liked being around her? She tried to act annoyed. "You do realize it's the middle of shop hours, and I'm very busy right now," she said in an aloof way, trying to act immune to his flirting. With a closer look at him, she noticed that he was wearing a thick black sweatshirt. It was nearly ninety degrees outside, how was he not overheating in that thing? Then she remembered that he had had the hood pulled low over his head when he had entered. Was he trying to disguise himself, not wanting to be seen with her?
Kai snorted. "Oh, yeah. You look very busy right now." Cinder looked down embarrassedly. She was doing her science homework on her worktable, since no customers had come by in a while.
"As a matter of fact, we're expecting a big parts order soon and I have to be here to receive it," she announced, proud of her believable lie.
"Come on. You have to talk to me. I ditched my girlfriend to come in here." At the mention of his girlfriend, Levana, her stomach twisted.
"I'm not worth that, Kai. Go back to her." If there was anything Cinder didn't want to do, it was getting caught between Kai and his girlfriend.
"Actually, I think you are," he said with a smirk. Then Cinder looked him right in the eye for the first time since he had entered, and all joking dropped off his face. They held each other's gaze, each waiting to see who would be the first to back down.
Finally, Kai dropped his eyes. "I really mean it," he whispered. "Cinder..." But whatever he was about to say was interrupted by a chiming from his phone. Kai looked down. "Dang it. Levana's wondering where I am."
He straightened up, dusting off the filth that had accumulated on his sweatshirt from the dirty shop and frowning at a grease stain near his collar. Cinder's heart sank, even though she had originally wanted him to leave. If he really thought she was worth it, he would be staying, rather than bending to his girlfriend.
Not that she wanted him to stay. In fact, the best thing for both of them would be to stay far away from each other. She averted her eyes and bent back over her homework.
But instead of heading out, Kai swung himself easily around the side of Cinder's table and crouched back there. "Are you doing the homework from Mr. Darnel's class? It looks really hard."
She looked hard at him, but he was looking away, scrambling around behind her. "I don't suppose you have an extra chair? Well, whatever - this will do." And with that he plopped down on top of her enormous standing toolbox. Cinder stared.
Kai opened his mouth to say something, but the words that came out were different from the ones that had first formed. "Are you going to try out for the musical?"
She continued staring at him, mouth open like a fish. She was also pretty sure she had a grease stain on her forehead. Finally, she found her voice. "That's seriously what you want to talk about?" It was literally the most random thing in the world.
He shrugged. "What better topic is there? The musical is one of Commonwealth High's biggest events."
"Why would I take part in something as silly as a musical?" As soon as she said this, she knew he was hurt.
Kai thought for a moment. "It's just that... every year, when I'm in the musical... not just that, actually, every movie and TV show I've ever been in, I feel like I'm part of something. The cast, the crew... we're all working together to create something beautiful for people to enjoy. And when you finally step out on stage and the audience admires the singing and dancing and scenery and costumes, it's just an amazing feeling, to know that you helped make something that has an impact on the world."
"I've never thought of it like that," Cinder said softly, daring to look him in the eyes. The softness and vulnerability in his face when he talked about his acting made her realize how much passion he had for it. She felt herself inclining her head slightly closer. Realizing how strange this moment had gotten, Cinder pulled back and closed up the softer side of her heart. "Of course, though, I would never be able to be in a musical. I'm terrible at singing."
"Your skill level doesn't matter," Kai said. "Everyone gets in and everyone has fun."
She was still doubtful. Kai must have seen it in her eyes because he leaned forward suddenly and grabbed her hands. "Just give it a try, all right? Please?" There was something in the earnestness of his voice that made her want to appease him. She relented.
"Fine. Maybe."