CHAPTER 5
The diner seemed to be deathly quiet
"That's Seb with Jade and her boyfriend Nick."
Kirsty whispered.
"Go on, talk to them,"said Kane , and seeing
her hesitating added "I'll be O.K., don't worry, you heard Mr. Stewart , you
need to do this.
Kirsty got up and walked over to her them, they
did not smile as they normally would have done.She looked back at Kane and he
gave her an encouraging little grin , which gave her the strength to cross the
room and face them.
"How could you sit in here with HIM," spat Jade
, "in front of everyone?Don't you care what people will think and say?"
"Look , I'm sorry.I didn't know he was coming
back.But he is back and my feelings for him haven't changed.I've never felt
like this for anyone else, I'm sorry Seb , but you know that it's true.You've
always known how much he means to me.I can't help it,I wish you wouldn't all
hate me and judge me for falling in love with him.If you only knew how sorry he
was and how much he has changed, he isn't the same person who hurt Dani.I just
wish you could just give me the chance to show you all what he is really like
instead of judging him on one thing he did a long time ago.Even Mr. Stewart is
prepared to give him a chance."
"Have you forgotten what that "one thing"
was.He raped our sister!",Jade hissed at Kirsty.
"I know , but he can't be punished for ever, he
would do anything to change the past , you've got to believe me.He isn't the
same person.Don't you believe in people being sorry and changing and never
doing anything like that again?Please , why can't you understand , we're not
doing this to hurt anyone or for a sick joke.This is real.We love each
other.The only reason it didn't work out before was because he didn't want me
to get hurt, he didn't want me to be without a family.That's how much he loves
me , he puts my feelings and needs above his own."
"So why the hell has he come back?"
"He came back because his aunt is dying of
cancer, if you really must know!"Kirsty almost shouted, "not really a very
selfish reason is it?And he didn't know if I would have him back, but he took a
chance on it.And I'm glad he did , because my life has been half empty without
him.I just wish things could be different and you could see what I see but
you'll never understand.At least you can't say I haven't tried to explain it,
it's just so hard.Please promise me you will at least try to understand."
"Look why don't you do us all a favour and go
back to lover-boy!"
Nick cut in, "we've just come in for some
milkshakes not to listen to you going on about how you love that twisted jerk."
Jade looked as if she was going to say
something , but stayed silent.Seb just stared at Kirsty with a hostile glare.
Kirsty sighed , turned around amd walked
towards Kane.
He smiled and said, "Looks like school's gonna
be fun for ya tomorrow.Sure you can handle it?"
"Yeah!I can handle anything so long as we've
got each other.How about you?Work's going to be fun with Scott there."
"Don't worry about it Babe .I'll just
concentrate on my work , I'm good at it , first thing in my life I've been good
at , but me and boats we just click somehow."Kane replied.
"A bit like you and me then" Kirsty smiled.
"Except this time your boat's not going to sink and neither are we."
Kane really admired her optimism but he was
used to getting the raw end of the deal and couldn't help wondering if it was
all going to end in tears again.He wanted it to work so badly , he would do
anything for Kirsty , he knew if it came to it he would die for her , and
though he hoped and wished she felt the same, he still had trouble believing
it.After all why would a girl like Kirsty love a loser like him?
He smiled back at her and they left the diner
just the same way as they had walked in.Holding hands as though nothing would
ever separate them.So in love and so wishing that everyone would just leave
them be.
"Do you mind if we stop off at the hospital on
the way home, I just want to make sure my aunts OK?" Kane asked Kirsty.
"Ofcourse I don't mind, do you want me to go in with you?"
Kane was surprised at Kirsty's offer, he was so
used to doing things on his own , dealing with problems with no help, that he
hadn't thought to ask Kirsty.It would be nice to have someone to share stuff
with, he'd always found it so easy to talk to Kirsty , noone else made him feel
like it was OK to just be himself and say what he wanted to say.He was reticent
and cautious with most people, always expecting the worst possible reaction.But
with Kirsty it was different , shedidn't judge him.
"Yeah , yeah that'll be good."he said
Kirsy was pleased , it made them feel connected
, visiting his aunt together,like any normal couple.
The visit was brief , his aunt was very
tired.But when Kane went to fetch her some water , his aunt signalled to Kirsty
to come closer and whispered to her,
"He loves you so much , please don't ever throw
that away.It would kill him.He's had no experience of love , even his own mum
couldn't find it in her to love him so your love is a very precious thing to
him."
"I love him too and I always will" Kirsty
replied.The old lady smiled and fell asleep.
When they got back to Kane's house they sat on
the settee and talked and kissed and laughed and smiled.Despite the traumas of
the day , here they were together and in love.They would worry about tomorrow
in the morning.Kane slept on the settee downstairs and Kirsty went up to his
room.Neither would have felt comfortable taking his aunts room.But in the
middle of the night Kirsty found herself drawn to the settee and Kane
downstairs.She knew she would always have to make the first move , that Kane
was wary of doing anything that could be misconstrued.He had mistaken where the
boundaries were once before with dire consequences and would never risk that
happening with Kirsty.Kirsty didn't mind.She felt safe with Kane, and snuggled
up with him on the sofa,their arms around each other,until his alarm went off
early next morning.
"That's Seb with Jade and her boyfriend Nick."
Kirsty whispered.
"Go on, talk to them,"said Kane , and seeing
her hesitating added "I'll be O.K., don't worry, you heard Mr. Stewart , you
need to do this.
Kirsty got up and walked over to her them, they
did not smile as they normally would have done.She looked back at Kane and he
gave her an encouraging little grin , which gave her the strength to cross the
room and face them.
"How could you sit in here with HIM," spat Jade
, "in front of everyone?Don't you care what people will think and say?"
"Look , I'm sorry.I didn't know he was coming
back.But he is back and my feelings for him haven't changed.I've never felt
like this for anyone else, I'm sorry Seb , but you know that it's true.You've
always known how much he means to me.I can't help it,I wish you wouldn't all
hate me and judge me for falling in love with him.If you only knew how sorry he
was and how much he has changed, he isn't the same person who hurt Dani.I just
wish you could just give me the chance to show you all what he is really like
instead of judging him on one thing he did a long time ago.Even Mr. Stewart is
prepared to give him a chance."
"Have you forgotten what that "one thing"
was.He raped our sister!",Jade hissed at Kirsty.
"I know , but he can't be punished for ever, he
would do anything to change the past , you've got to believe me.He isn't the
same person.Don't you believe in people being sorry and changing and never
doing anything like that again?Please , why can't you understand , we're not
doing this to hurt anyone or for a sick joke.This is real.We love each
other.The only reason it didn't work out before was because he didn't want me
to get hurt, he didn't want me to be without a family.That's how much he loves
me , he puts my feelings and needs above his own."
"So why the hell has he come back?"
"He came back because his aunt is dying of
cancer, if you really must know!"Kirsty almost shouted, "not really a very
selfish reason is it?And he didn't know if I would have him back, but he took a
chance on it.And I'm glad he did , because my life has been half empty without
him.I just wish things could be different and you could see what I see but
you'll never understand.At least you can't say I haven't tried to explain it,
it's just so hard.Please promise me you will at least try to understand."
"Look why don't you do us all a favour and go
back to lover-boy!"
Nick cut in, "we've just come in for some
milkshakes not to listen to you going on about how you love that twisted jerk."
Jade looked as if she was going to say
something , but stayed silent.Seb just stared at Kirsty with a hostile glare.
Kirsty sighed , turned around amd walked
towards Kane.
He smiled and said, "Looks like school's gonna
be fun for ya tomorrow.Sure you can handle it?"
"Yeah!I can handle anything so long as we've
got each other.How about you?Work's going to be fun with Scott there."
"Don't worry about it Babe .I'll just
concentrate on my work , I'm good at it , first thing in my life I've been good
at , but me and boats we just click somehow."Kane replied.
"A bit like you and me then" Kirsty smiled.
"Except this time your boat's not going to sink and neither are we."
Kane really admired her optimism but he was
used to getting the raw end of the deal and couldn't help wondering if it was
all going to end in tears again.He wanted it to work so badly , he would do
anything for Kirsty , he knew if it came to it he would die for her , and
though he hoped and wished she felt the same, he still had trouble believing
it.After all why would a girl like Kirsty love a loser like him?
He smiled back at her and they left the diner
just the same way as they had walked in.Holding hands as though nothing would
ever separate them.So in love and so wishing that everyone would just leave
them be.
"Do you mind if we stop off at the hospital on
the way home, I just want to make sure my aunts OK?" Kane asked Kirsty.
"Ofcourse I don't mind, do you want me to go in with you?"
Kane was surprised at Kirsty's offer, he was so
used to doing things on his own , dealing with problems with no help, that he
hadn't thought to ask Kirsty.It would be nice to have someone to share stuff
with, he'd always found it so easy to talk to Kirsty , noone else made him feel
like it was OK to just be himself and say what he wanted to say.He was reticent
and cautious with most people, always expecting the worst possible reaction.But
with Kirsty it was different , shedidn't judge him.
"Yeah , yeah that'll be good."he said
Kirsy was pleased , it made them feel connected
, visiting his aunt together,like any normal couple.
The visit was brief , his aunt was very
tired.But when Kane went to fetch her some water , his aunt signalled to Kirsty
to come closer and whispered to her,
"He loves you so much , please don't ever throw
that away.It would kill him.He's had no experience of love , even his own mum
couldn't find it in her to love him so your love is a very precious thing to
him."
"I love him too and I always will" Kirsty
replied.The old lady smiled and fell asleep.
When they got back to Kane's house they sat on
the settee and talked and kissed and laughed and smiled.Despite the traumas of
the day , here they were together and in love.They would worry about tomorrow
in the morning.Kane slept on the settee downstairs and Kirsty went up to his
room.Neither would have felt comfortable taking his aunts room.But in the
middle of the night Kirsty found herself drawn to the settee and Kane
downstairs.She knew she would always have to make the first move , that Kane
was wary of doing anything that could be misconstrued.He had mistaken where the
boundaries were once before with dire consequences and would never risk that
happening with Kirsty.Kirsty didn't mind.She felt safe with Kane, and snuggled
up with him on the sofa,their arms around each other,until his alarm went off
early next morning.