sorry. ish.

Chapter 10

Unfortunately, John had other plans for Kim. Her nap was sadly forgotten when John ushered Kim to the office the second she stepped inside.

Kim was tired, she needed a shower, some pain meds, and good old rest. Apparently, John couldn't wait.

"Who is that boy?"

"Umm… Jack?" Kim sputtered, confused.

John frowned. "Not him. That boy. The cheater."

"Oh. Uh, Frank?"

"Yes. What is your relationship with him?" John demanded.

"Umm, I don't know… He has a weird crush on me, we always end up fighting, he's a jerk," Kim listed.

John nodded along, noting Kim's words before straightening out.

"Alright. You're free to go."

"Thanks…" Kim winced as she turned around and left the room.

The rest of the weekend and the beginning of the following week passed by in a blur of routine. On the weekend, Kim spent her days at home, inside, locked away. She got her homework done with plenty of extra time and stayed bundled up in her lonely room watching movies until Monday morning.

Then on Monday the day passed by like any other. Kim had cheer practice, but it was canceled since a quarter of the squad had strep. So, unfortunately for Kim, it was back to her cage.

Since it seemed she was spending so much more time at home, Anna was back to her usual self in full swing. It was all manners and productivity and the dreaded diplomacy. If Kim thought being trapped at home would be any kind of relaxing, she was sorely mistaken.

After a small nutritious snack, Kim was sent to do her homework right away. When she finally finished everything, Anna quickly filled Kim's schedule with teaching her to cook, giving her a list of must-read books (all boring and completely useless), supervising appropriate online shopping, and comments here and there about how to properly act.

By dinner time, the dinner Kim had prepared, of course, Kim had hoped she was finally free of any duties.

Then Anna insisted the small family ought to spend some quality time together. Family game night lasted nearly two hours. While Kim enjoyed her family and playing games to an extent, after a long day at school and an even longer day at home, she was exhausted. She went to the bathroom multiple times just for a few minutes of escape.

As Kim walked back from her most recent bathroom break, she noticed her mom watching her extra closely as she lowered herself to the ground.

"Kim, are you sure you're alright? That's the fourth time you've excused yourself to the bathroom since dinner," Anna commented.

"I'm fine, just tired. It's been a long day."

"Hmm," Anna hummed, nodding slightly.

She seemed somewhat sympathetic, but not completely sorry so it hardly counted in Kim's book.

"Anna, why don't you send her up to bed?" Chuck suggested, taking in poor Kim's face. "Let her get some sleep, she's still just a kid."

Anna begrudgingly agreed with Chuck and ended the game early so Kim could sleep. On her way up, Anna reminded Kim to use the new shampoo and be extra gentle when washing her face. Her mom's voice trailed off as Kim trudged up the stairs and into the bathroom.

As Kim stood in the shower for much longer than necessary, she began recounting the day's events. Besides a few minutes here and there at the end of class or while the casserole was cooking, Kim didn't truly have a single moment to herself. Was that her mom's goal? Obviously, it was, anytime she was caught sitting her mom reminded her that she expected Kim to finish the first of many autobiographies and history books by Wednesday. Kim's only question was why?

Reading and educating herself was good and Kim saw its merits, but what she didn't understand was why her mom was so insistent and why every second spent not reading or doing something was a second lost. Didn't her mom believe in the value of good old relaxing? Self-care?

Kim almost laughed at that. Her mom was the last person on earth who would ever encourage Kim to pursue self-care. Not that she didn't care about Kim, but apparently there were countless other things that were much more important.

Kim also had to wonder why it was suddenly so important now. Had her mom just been going easy on Kim after everything that happened in the parking lot? Probably. Her grace period was over, Kim realized with a deflated sigh. In her mom's eyes, she no longer had an excuse to go easy on Kim.

Kim had never fallen asleep so easily in her life. She fell asleep easier than even the most exhausting tournaments and the time she was jet-lagged from the trip to China. High school was hard.

The next two days were relatively the same for Kim. She had karate after school on Tuesday but the moment she got home her shower, homework, and snack were the first things done. The rest of the evening she was subjected to Professor Mom, as Kim began to address her.

On Wednesday cheer was canceled again. Kim tried to convince her mom it wasn't canceled, hoping to just stay at the school for an extra hour and a half. Unfortunately, she got a text from Jóse that if she wasn't outside within two minutes they were coming in after her.

"Kim, what did you think of Winston Churchill?" Anna asked as Kim packaged her salad lunch for the rest of the week.

"I don't know, Professor Mom, what do you think of Winston Churchill?" Kim shot back. She had to admit, the book her mom had picked out was surprisingly interesting for a biography of a British prime minister, but it wasn't entertaining.

"Kimberly, you know I do not appreciate that name," Anna scolded.

"Okay. Sorry, Professor Mom," Kim apologized.

"Kimberly."

"What?" Kim asked innocently.

"Churchill. What do you think about Churchill?"

Kim shrugged. "Old guy, male politician, chubby."

"I mean what do you think about his politics? His strategies, his leadership. Did he react appropriately to threats leading up to world war II? Or do you think he played a part in causing it?"

"Well, Professor Mom, I think there are many things he could have done better. With our current, hindsight knowledge, Professor Mom, we would be able to avoid the gruesome deaths caused by the war. However, Professor Mom, Churchill did not have this knowledge. Then again, Professor Mom, he was the leader of a nation, he had a responsibility to stay informed and be good at making good decisions. But of course, Professor Mom, perhaps he did the best anyone could be expected to do, Professor Mom. I-"

"Enough," Anna groaned.

Kim smirked. She knew if she snuck in enough of her mom's favorite nickname she'd finally get somewhere.

"Go to your room. And bring the economics book with you. I want you to be prepared to have a proper discussion about its contents on Friday."

Kim skipped out of the kitchen, snatching up the new book as she made her way to her room. She felt a little bad for teasing her mom like that, but it was all Kim could think of to do. She needed a break.

"Professor Mom?"

"Yup," Kim grinned at Jack. "Worked like a charm."

Jack shook his head as he took Kim's books from her hand and set them in her locker.

"You should apologize," Milton informed her. "Your mother was just trying to give you a more well-rounded education and I, for one, would be extremely offended to have been treated that way."

"Well I was offended when she wouldn't give me a second to breathe," Kim snapped. "I'll apologize when she cools down. I don't want her to think I'm weak or anything."

"Kim's right," Jerry agreed. "Authority figures will double their efforts if you give an inch. Trust me, last time I did something like that, I ended up with two weeks detention instead of two days."

"Yeah… Thanks, Jerry," Kim thanked hesitantly.

Jerry offered her a thumbs up. "You got it, chica."

Kim knew that today her Professor Mom antics wouldn't work. She needed something else, something stronger. She could pretend to be sick, but then her mom would just tell her to read in bed. She could pretend to faint- oh! She could pretend to have a minor concussion! No reading for her then!

Kim didn't even realize she was smiling until Grace kicked her and smirked.

Jack? She mouthed.

Kim blushed and shook her head.

Professor Mom, Kim mouthed back, snickering.

Grace held back a laugh at that.

Suddenly the silent classroom was filled with the teacher's phone loudly ringing. It startled everyone and the teacher jumped to answer it.

"Mhm… Yes, she is… Okay… Uh-huh… Okay, bye Judy."

Someone got to leave early, the class quickly deduced. Only who could possibly be the lucky one-

"Kim? Miss Judy needs you in the administrator's office."

Oh.

"Okay… Do I need my stuff?" Kim asked, unsure why she was the one who was called down.

"Why don't you take it just in case? Finish up the lab questions at home for tomorrow, alright?"

Kim nodded as she gathered her papers and sent Grace a shrug as she walked out of the room.

Kim was only half sure she even knew where Miss Judy's office was, so she was proud when she walked down the small hallway and spotted an office with her name on it.

When Kim walked in she stopped at the sight in front of her.

Miss Judy was there along with Principal Crosby, Agent Alston, and John and Jóse. Okay…

"Have a seat, Miss Crawford," Principal Crosby invited, offering Kim a deceivingly sweet smile. Curse her sweet, grandpa Principal.

"What's going on?" she asked as she looked back and forth between the CIA agents that, until now, she had only interacted with within the walls of her home.

Mr. Crosby smiled again. "As you know, these gentlemen have been monitoring the school as a safety precaution. Recently there was an issue with the… well, I'll just let these men explain it. I'm not so knowledgeable about all this new technology." He waved himself off and stepped back to let Alston speak.

"This morning we noticed an inconsistency in the video and audio feedback from the school's monitors and a few of our own devices planted within the school," Alston began.

Kim pursed her lips. "Okay… So, not to sound rude, but why does that involve me? Can't you just fix it?"

"We can, and we did, but the fact that it happened once means it can happen again."

Suddenly Kim began to see where the conversation was going. Her breath caught in her throat as she anticipated Alston's next words.

"We will continue to monitor the feed, but we have deemed it unsafe for you to attend your classes without immediate protection. For the unforeseeable future, Agent Pepper will be assigned to your person at all times. Agent López will continue to monitor from a video feed, only now in an office within the building."

Kim blinked. "So he's following me now?" she blurted out. "I mean, you said I could go to school like normal. You said nobody would know. You said that-"

"Kim," Miss Judy interrupted. "These men are here to help keep you safe."

"But…" Kim blinked, feeling the need to cry for no reason. She quickly pushed that feeling far away and cleared her throat. No crying. Especially not in front of her principal and three CIA agents.

"This is the best we can do for you, Kim," Alston said. "If you prefer, we can take you home now. Your school is prepared to offer all your required work online if you so choose."

"I don't want to go home!"

"Then it seems your only option is to allow Agent Pepper to escort you to your classes."

"That's what it seems like…" Kim muttered angrily.

It wasn't that she hated the idea of a bodyguard that much. In fact, she thought it was even a little cool. Except bodyguards meant a threat on her life. And in Kim's case, she didn't know the threat and neither did her classmates. She was just worried about the optics and the questions that she was certain people would ask.

Sensing the reason behind Kim's hesitation, Mr. Crosby spoke. "Kim, you do not have to answer any prying questions if you do not wish. Your teachers will be instructed not to bring it up and deflect any questions. If another student asks, it is your right to ignore their questions."

Kim sighed. It was clear these people had already talked about it and that they had tried to give Kim the best scenario possible.

She huffed. "Do my parents know?"

Alston nodded. "We called them about twenty minutes ago."

"What did mom say?"

"She wants you safe," Alston said carefully.

"You mean she wants me to go home."

"Yeah."

"Then I'm staying."

Alston nodded. "I think we're done here, then. John will take you to your next class when the bell rings. Until then, if you could wait in the reception area for the remainder of the bell Jóse is going to get set up."

"'Kay." Kim offered Miss Judy and Mr. Crosby a small wave before she picked up her things and ignored the others as she walked out of the office.

Kim settled herself on the comfy couch in the empty reception area. She pulled out her phone, eager to have some uninterrupted personal time for at least fifteen minutes until she would have to go to her next class.

About ten minutes into Kim's free time, she peaked up at John.

He wasn't exactly staring at her, but he also wasn't not staring at her. He would look at her, scan the room, look at her, check his phone, look at her, scan the room, look at her. Kim couldn't go back to her phone knowing he was looking at her that much.

"So… are you nervous for your first day of high school?"

John just scowled at her.

"How long has it been since you've gone to high school?"

No response.

"Is- Is someone trying to kill me?"

John's head snapped to Kim at the question.

"Cause I've just been thinking and… Well, why else would you all be here? You'd tell me, right? If someone was trying to kill me?"

John's eyes narrowed at Kim before softening the smallest bit. He waited until he had eye contact with Kim to speak. "Nobody is going to kill you."

"Well I know you're supposed to protect me but like, somebody is trying, right?"

"Nobody is trying to kill you. You're too… precious."

Getting over the shock that John was actually talking to her in full sentences, Kim wondered over his confusing words. If nobody was trying to kill her, then why was the CIA so concerned? Surely murder was the only thing she was good for.

Kim and John sat in silence for the last few minutes.

Before the bell rang, John picked up Kim's bag and held it out to her. "Let's go."

Kim pulled it on and took a deep breath. Everyone was going to see. Everyone was going to see. Kim froze right in front of the door.

John grunted at the sudden stop, annoyed. Then he saw Kim's shaking and nerves.

"You don't have to stay," he reminded her.

"But I want to," Kim whined, annoyed that she was stressing herself over something she wanted.

"Then go."

"But-"

John grabbed Kim's backpack in one hand and pushed the door open with the other. Shoving Kim into the hall, she had no choice but to go for it.

The bell hadn't rung just yet, they had a few seconds before the halls would be flooded with students. Students that Kim knew and more importantly, students that knew Kim. And they were all going to see her with John. Maybe it would be fine? Maybe nobody would notice? Maybe-

The bell ringing snapped Kim out of her trance.

At first, people didn't seem to connect that John was with Kim, just that he was some random guy. But then as it got more and more crowded, John placed one hand on Kim's backpack and walked next to her so as not to lose her in the crowd.

Kim hardly registered the walk to her next class. One second she was frozen as swarms of people passed by, and the next John was pushing her into a classroom.

The room was nearly empty so Kim felt the eyes staring at her and John extra heavily.

"Go sit down," John grumbled, nudging Kim further into the room.

Kim nodded as she took her usual seat. John nodded and stood near the door. He watched every single student who walked in, looking back at Kim every few people.

When Jack walked in, he did a double take at the sight of John. They seemed to recognize each other immediately, although John kept a straight face. Jack, on the other hand, made a beeline toward Kim.

"What is he doing here?" he whisper-yelled. "Did something happen?"

Kim sighed. "Apparently there was a security issue with the cameras or something. It's mostly a precaution; they just realized it was safer to have actual eyes on me versus a lense," Kim explained quickly. "If I didn't agree to this, they were going to send me home."

"Maybe you should go home… If it's not safe here then Kim…"

Kim shook her head. "Jack, I don't know how long this is going to last but from what I can gather, I'm in this for the long haul. Going home is a short-term solution. I can't just hide away for years though. We have to make this work long-term."

"I guess…" Jack sulked. Pushing it back, he suddenly sat up. "So, did you see the girl that broke that world record yesterday? It was all over the internet."

Kim smiled. She had managed to see that since she was able to get a little more free time. It was an impressive record anyways, and the fact that it was a girl martial artist made Kim even more proud.

"I know!" Kim grinned. "And did you know she-"

Sudden obnoxious laughter filled the room and Kim looked up to see Frank walking in. At the sight of Kim, he smirked and began to saunter over.

Jack positioned himself between Kim and Frank, subtly acting as a buffer between the two. Frank didn't seem to care, he only had eyes for Kim.

Then, before Frank was close enough to say anything, John assertively stepped in front of Frank. Kim's eyes widened at the move.

Frank seemed mildly confused and tried to step around John, but John simply followed his movements.

"Hey, big guy, I need to speak with Kim," Frank said, once again trying to get around John.

"No."

Frank sputtered and Kim let out a quiet giggle. This was fun.

Frank heard Kim's giggle and it was clear he had switched from playfully arrogant to mad. Clenching his jaw, he tried to forcefully push past John and get to Kim. Unfortunately for Frank, John had quickly grabbed Frank's arm and pulled him back, dragged him all the way across the room, and sat him down at the farthest desk from Kim.

When Frank tried to get up again, all it took was one look from John and he was back in his seat.

The class was in quiet awe, whispering to each other about what had happened and stealing glances at Frank, John, and Kim.

Kim was sure half the school knew about her and John by now.

I like this chapter. Maybe it's just because I'm in a good mood listening to a christmas song right now. don't blame me, i swear i didn't mean to listen to christmas music it just barely happened on accident and it put me in a good mood so I didn't change it. christmas music is simply top-tier.

also i'm like close to finishing this book (not posted, just writing, don't worry there are more chapters coming) but i'm not sure exactly how i want it to end yet. I have a few ideas but oh well.

you should go read my halloween short story

im also working on a christmas short story (that i've been working on for a few years only around christmas, just like the halloween one haha) and i'm hoping it will actually be done this christmas season.

and I have a few one-shots in the works, but forgot my inspriation or just didn't like exactly where i took it.

light of the world by lauren daigle is a good song. 10/10 recommend it.

any high schoolers reading this? remember high school is hard but enjoy what you can. things aren't as bad as they may seem. things do get better. and they get worse. and better again. life it full of ups and downs and that will never stop, but what can and does change is your outlook on life. i promise living for tomorrow is so worth it. it really really is. you have no idea the future that awaits you and i promise you it is wonderful. whatever you're worried about, i promise it will all be okay one day. maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, maybe not next year, but it will be okay. if anyone wants to chat about something their scared or nervous or stressed or worried about, big or small, i will happily listen to your worries or comments. even though you don't know me and i don't know you, i have met thousands of people and i can tell you not one of them is undeserving of love, not one of them is unworthy, not one of them. you matter and I love YOU! I really do!