~/~
"Where are you going all dressed up?" Justin pried.
Kayla picked up a bottle of perfume she had borrowed from her mom earlier in the day. It had been a full 24 hours since she had made the initial connection with Chris. He disgusted her, consciously she knew this, but for some reason, her heart fluttered when she thought about what might happen that night.
"I'm just going out to see my friends. You never know who I might run into."
"But I thought you were with Jayden. Y'know tall, black hair, blue eyes, long legs, smooth swimmer's build? Mmm."
"Stoppit!" Kayla laughed aloud, "We broke up." Her face turned somber after she said those three words, and Justin began to get worried. "Anyway, no need for concern. I'll be fine." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead, first sweeping his hair out of his eyes.
"I think you're full of shit right now, but I guess I can trust you to be all right... By the way, I went to go and get one of my yearbooks and it was open on Chris Hobbs' page. Any takers?"
"I wanted to see what the face of Satan looked like. I never new Satan looked like a brunette Macaulay Culkin with down syndrome."
"Oh my god!" Justin sputtered in laughter. He appreciated his sister's feelings toward his attacker, but like Debbie, Kayla suddenly realized that Justin was not so naïve. "Have fun tonight. Oh, and if you need a ride home for any reason at all, here's Brian's cell number."
"Okay sugar. Hey-..."
Justin turned back from his ascent toward the bedroom door. "Yeah?"
"What time is it?"
"'Bout 7:30. Why?"
"I have to meet them at eight. We're going to LeForet. Heard of it?"
"Heard of it? I've even dreamt of it! Are you sure you aren't going to meet a date?" Upon receiving the feared mortality frown from Kayla he let up. "If you're gonna be on time you'd better go now!"
Kayla jumped up from her spot and rushed out of the house. She got into the car and once everything was mapped out in her mind, she went to meet Chris. Everything was going as planned, -Except for these damned butterflies.- She thought.
~/~
"Hey Deb."
"Well hi sunshine! You're sure early today!"
"I have something I need to ask you."
Deb had caught wind of the scent of concern coming from Justin the second he walked into the Liberty Diner, but being the least nosy person she knew, Deb was going to wait for a while to pry the juicy info out of him. "What's the problem sweetie?"
"I heard that you met Kayla yesterday..."
"Yeah? She wasn't upset by what she saw was she?"
"No, it wasn't that. Did you notice that something just didn't seem right about her?"
"Her smile."
"Come again?" Justin didn't follow, mainly because his sister's smile was that of which stories were adoringly composed. It was radiant.
"Her smile was fake. It was beautiful. Don't get me wrong. But there wasn't much of anything human behind that smile." Just the subject worked up a visible shudder.
~/~
Kayla walked from the entrance to a podium where a somewhat snotty looking waiter stood.
"Do you have reservations?"
Just as Kayla prepared to answer, Chris came into view from the dining room. He looked stunning in shined wingtip shoes, black slacks, and a crisp clean white long-sleeve button down shirt.
"She's with me. Hi Kayla." He smiled.
-Shit.- She thought. His smile released the butterflies from her stomach and let them flutter about her spinal chord as something she never expected to happen began to commence.
She took his outstretched hand and he led her to their table. He took her wrap, he pulled her chair out for her, and he laid her napkin across her lap and even complemented her on how she looked that night.
Kayla received the unexpected that night. She and Chris laughed, touched, and looked into each other's eyes for ridiculous periods of time. She liked it-and that scared her.
Would she be able to carry out her plans if indeed she fell for the person charming her?
The end of their rendezvous was approaching. Kayla could tell by the more and more frequent awkward silences that is was time for them to depart. "Well Chris," She began.
"Yes?"
"It's been a wonderful night, but it's getting late."
"Okay. Can I say something before we part ways?"
"Sure." Kayla's stomach turned. She had the sick feeling that somehow he knew that Justin was her brother.
Nah.
"I must confess-I'm surprised you even gave me the time of day, y'know, considering-."
"Considering what?" Kayla folded her arms to keep him from seeing her hands shaking.
"Considering I did what I did, and that it was all over the news."
-Motherfucker.-- Kayla thought. -He has no remorse.-- "I'm sure you felt justified."
"You're goddamn right." Chris said as his eyes began to twinkle.
--No, Kayla. Don't you kiss him, don't you even think about it. I refuse to let you!--
Chris Hobbs, homophobe and attempted murderer, now the person who in his better moments is managing to melt Kayla's heart. Leaning forward, he tilted his head to the side, and Kayla surrenders to what she would never admit was the best kiss she'd ever had.
~/~
"Deb, how do you do it?" Justin posed. He loathed the thought- the mere thought of closing shift at the diner. Deb simply endured it.
"Well, sunshine, I've been doing it for years. I could give you some lame example like: 'oh, it builds character', but that would be bullshit. Character obviously came with the package." She grinned, primping her red locks. "Back to your sister."
"Jesus, you love a good mystery, don't you? Well, here's another thing. She must have been looking for someone or something pretty specific because she left my senor year annual open to the page with Chris Hobbs' picture on it."
"Well isn't that just great? We just can't seem to get the fuck away from him, can we? I wonder what she'd want with that little sack of shit."
"She told me she wanted to see the face of Satan."
Deb's jaw dropped, and the plate she was holding slipped out of her hands. The shatter made them both jump.
"Goddamn carpal tunnel." Deb griped as she and Justin picked up the pieces.
~/~
Kayla pulled abruptly away from their kiss.
"I'm sorry, Chris. I can't do this. Not now." She explained as he stood wide-eyed.
"Was it something I did?"
"I have to go. I'll be seeing you soon." To mark her departure as somewhat positive, she left him with a light kiss on the cheek. Kayla ran to her car, climbed in and shut the door, soon on her way home.
And as though the clouds called revelry on Kayla's disposition, her bright eyes dulled, her mouth drew into a frown. "Talk to me." Kayla greeted, answering her ringing cell phone.
"What the fuck were you doing with Chris Hobbs?!"
"Who is this?" Kayla asked, frightened.
"Michael Novotney, Deb's son. Now you answer my question."
"I don't believe I need to answer to you. I don't even know who the fuck you are!" The fear began to subside as Michael's vulnerability and general concern for Justin's well being showed gradually. "Michael, how did you get this number?" "Your mother left it with mine. Are you trying to prove something? Your brother nearly died because of him."
"No shit, Michael. No. Shit. I'm only going to let you in on one of my little secrets. Just one. I feel for Chris. I feel remorse, hatred, disgust and the overwhelming urge to commit homicide for every second I had to spend with him. Soon enough neither he nor I will pose a threat to anyone. Just wait and watch."
"Yeah, well you're just lucky I don't go and let someone know. And you're goddamn lucky I was the only one who saw. Justin has more friends here than you can fathom."
"Goodbye, Michael."
"Fine. You don't need to listen to me. Hell, I bet you can't even hear your own conscience. Have you gone and told him who you are? Any last names, elaborate directions to your house?"
"For your VERY UNDESERVED INFORMATION, he knows nothing but my first name."
"I'd suggest you stay the hell away from that little prick before he finds out who you are and finishes the job he started."
"No. No he won't, Michael. Trust me." Kayla ended the call and heaved a sigh of relief as she pulled in front of the Taylor house.
Meanwhile, Michael sat at home, Emmett sleeping soundly in the next room.
"My spidey senses tell me something isn't right."
More to come *_^
"Where are you going all dressed up?" Justin pried.
Kayla picked up a bottle of perfume she had borrowed from her mom earlier in the day. It had been a full 24 hours since she had made the initial connection with Chris. He disgusted her, consciously she knew this, but for some reason, her heart fluttered when she thought about what might happen that night.
"I'm just going out to see my friends. You never know who I might run into."
"But I thought you were with Jayden. Y'know tall, black hair, blue eyes, long legs, smooth swimmer's build? Mmm."
"Stoppit!" Kayla laughed aloud, "We broke up." Her face turned somber after she said those three words, and Justin began to get worried. "Anyway, no need for concern. I'll be fine." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead, first sweeping his hair out of his eyes.
"I think you're full of shit right now, but I guess I can trust you to be all right... By the way, I went to go and get one of my yearbooks and it was open on Chris Hobbs' page. Any takers?"
"I wanted to see what the face of Satan looked like. I never new Satan looked like a brunette Macaulay Culkin with down syndrome."
"Oh my god!" Justin sputtered in laughter. He appreciated his sister's feelings toward his attacker, but like Debbie, Kayla suddenly realized that Justin was not so naïve. "Have fun tonight. Oh, and if you need a ride home for any reason at all, here's Brian's cell number."
"Okay sugar. Hey-..."
Justin turned back from his ascent toward the bedroom door. "Yeah?"
"What time is it?"
"'Bout 7:30. Why?"
"I have to meet them at eight. We're going to LeForet. Heard of it?"
"Heard of it? I've even dreamt of it! Are you sure you aren't going to meet a date?" Upon receiving the feared mortality frown from Kayla he let up. "If you're gonna be on time you'd better go now!"
Kayla jumped up from her spot and rushed out of the house. She got into the car and once everything was mapped out in her mind, she went to meet Chris. Everything was going as planned, -Except for these damned butterflies.- She thought.
~/~
"Hey Deb."
"Well hi sunshine! You're sure early today!"
"I have something I need to ask you."
Deb had caught wind of the scent of concern coming from Justin the second he walked into the Liberty Diner, but being the least nosy person she knew, Deb was going to wait for a while to pry the juicy info out of him. "What's the problem sweetie?"
"I heard that you met Kayla yesterday..."
"Yeah? She wasn't upset by what she saw was she?"
"No, it wasn't that. Did you notice that something just didn't seem right about her?"
"Her smile."
"Come again?" Justin didn't follow, mainly because his sister's smile was that of which stories were adoringly composed. It was radiant.
"Her smile was fake. It was beautiful. Don't get me wrong. But there wasn't much of anything human behind that smile." Just the subject worked up a visible shudder.
~/~
Kayla walked from the entrance to a podium where a somewhat snotty looking waiter stood.
"Do you have reservations?"
Just as Kayla prepared to answer, Chris came into view from the dining room. He looked stunning in shined wingtip shoes, black slacks, and a crisp clean white long-sleeve button down shirt.
"She's with me. Hi Kayla." He smiled.
-Shit.- She thought. His smile released the butterflies from her stomach and let them flutter about her spinal chord as something she never expected to happen began to commence.
She took his outstretched hand and he led her to their table. He took her wrap, he pulled her chair out for her, and he laid her napkin across her lap and even complemented her on how she looked that night.
Kayla received the unexpected that night. She and Chris laughed, touched, and looked into each other's eyes for ridiculous periods of time. She liked it-and that scared her.
Would she be able to carry out her plans if indeed she fell for the person charming her?
The end of their rendezvous was approaching. Kayla could tell by the more and more frequent awkward silences that is was time for them to depart. "Well Chris," She began.
"Yes?"
"It's been a wonderful night, but it's getting late."
"Okay. Can I say something before we part ways?"
"Sure." Kayla's stomach turned. She had the sick feeling that somehow he knew that Justin was her brother.
Nah.
"I must confess-I'm surprised you even gave me the time of day, y'know, considering-."
"Considering what?" Kayla folded her arms to keep him from seeing her hands shaking.
"Considering I did what I did, and that it was all over the news."
-Motherfucker.-- Kayla thought. -He has no remorse.-- "I'm sure you felt justified."
"You're goddamn right." Chris said as his eyes began to twinkle.
--No, Kayla. Don't you kiss him, don't you even think about it. I refuse to let you!--
Chris Hobbs, homophobe and attempted murderer, now the person who in his better moments is managing to melt Kayla's heart. Leaning forward, he tilted his head to the side, and Kayla surrenders to what she would never admit was the best kiss she'd ever had.
~/~
"Deb, how do you do it?" Justin posed. He loathed the thought- the mere thought of closing shift at the diner. Deb simply endured it.
"Well, sunshine, I've been doing it for years. I could give you some lame example like: 'oh, it builds character', but that would be bullshit. Character obviously came with the package." She grinned, primping her red locks. "Back to your sister."
"Jesus, you love a good mystery, don't you? Well, here's another thing. She must have been looking for someone or something pretty specific because she left my senor year annual open to the page with Chris Hobbs' picture on it."
"Well isn't that just great? We just can't seem to get the fuck away from him, can we? I wonder what she'd want with that little sack of shit."
"She told me she wanted to see the face of Satan."
Deb's jaw dropped, and the plate she was holding slipped out of her hands. The shatter made them both jump.
"Goddamn carpal tunnel." Deb griped as she and Justin picked up the pieces.
~/~
Kayla pulled abruptly away from their kiss.
"I'm sorry, Chris. I can't do this. Not now." She explained as he stood wide-eyed.
"Was it something I did?"
"I have to go. I'll be seeing you soon." To mark her departure as somewhat positive, she left him with a light kiss on the cheek. Kayla ran to her car, climbed in and shut the door, soon on her way home.
And as though the clouds called revelry on Kayla's disposition, her bright eyes dulled, her mouth drew into a frown. "Talk to me." Kayla greeted, answering her ringing cell phone.
"What the fuck were you doing with Chris Hobbs?!"
"Who is this?" Kayla asked, frightened.
"Michael Novotney, Deb's son. Now you answer my question."
"I don't believe I need to answer to you. I don't even know who the fuck you are!" The fear began to subside as Michael's vulnerability and general concern for Justin's well being showed gradually. "Michael, how did you get this number?" "Your mother left it with mine. Are you trying to prove something? Your brother nearly died because of him."
"No shit, Michael. No. Shit. I'm only going to let you in on one of my little secrets. Just one. I feel for Chris. I feel remorse, hatred, disgust and the overwhelming urge to commit homicide for every second I had to spend with him. Soon enough neither he nor I will pose a threat to anyone. Just wait and watch."
"Yeah, well you're just lucky I don't go and let someone know. And you're goddamn lucky I was the only one who saw. Justin has more friends here than you can fathom."
"Goodbye, Michael."
"Fine. You don't need to listen to me. Hell, I bet you can't even hear your own conscience. Have you gone and told him who you are? Any last names, elaborate directions to your house?"
"For your VERY UNDESERVED INFORMATION, he knows nothing but my first name."
"I'd suggest you stay the hell away from that little prick before he finds out who you are and finishes the job he started."
"No. No he won't, Michael. Trust me." Kayla ended the call and heaved a sigh of relief as she pulled in front of the Taylor house.
Meanwhile, Michael sat at home, Emmett sleeping soundly in the next room.
"My spidey senses tell me something isn't right."
More to come *_^