Chapter Five

"That's me and dad." I pointed at the picture. "And that ones with me, dad and my friends when we were at a camping trip." I explained as mom looked at each picture.

"I see; how old were you then?"

"Twelve." I answered. I had just turned twelve that June. These pictures, some confidential documents that belonged to my dad (which I didn't open because…they were confidential…), and my 'lost' cell phone were all contained inside the box addressed to me. My cell phone was in perfect condition except for a few scratches. It even worked just like it did before. I flipped it open and checked the address book – and I was surprised I still had Leslie's number in there. Matt was in there, Andrew, dad's work number, and a whole bunch of other numbers, including some girl named Kayla, who I don't even remember.

Anyways, there were a lot of pictures, like fifty of them or something, which even consisted of a few with me and Leslie (and some were a bit inappropriate…no not in that way…but just inappropriate…), but I had threw those ones away. Mom didn't have to know everything about me.

I looked at mom, and she kept looking at the pictures with dad in them. I think she was going to cry…and I didn't want her to…because it would make me cry…but it happened.

"Your father was a good man." She said finally.

"I know." I said. It wasn't fair. Why was it that all the good people had to die? Like Princess Diana, like John F. Kennedy…like my dad.

After a few minutes of (I hate this word) crying, we looked at a few other pictures.

Megan finally came downstairs, completely dressed up in this fancy black dress, which was completely strapless, and had an asymmetrical hemline. At least she wasn't slutty or anything…she didn't expose what most girls would expose: cleavage. Her hair was left out, and she had these black high heel sandals on. She looked very feminine, and that was a good thing, because to be honest, my sister wasn't hideous and ugly. She looked Mexican, you know, a cross between Penelope Cruise, and Salma Hayek.

"I'm going to semi." She declared.

"You look lovely, Megan." My mom said as she got up from the couch. Megan didn't say anything. "Aren't you going too, Kai?"

"Nah…" I said.

"But everyone will be there." My mom said, trying to convince me. Oh fine. But I wasn't even ready…

"Um, okay." I said.

"Great. And Megan will wait for you. You two can go together." Mom said.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Megan said. "I'm out." She opened the door and stepped outside.

"But honey! Please wait! And who's going to drive you there?" Mom yelled.

"I'm walking there!" She said. She walked away, and mom stood at the door. She finally turned to me.

"Well, I guess I can drive you there then." She told me.

"No, it's okay. I can walk there mom." I said, heading upstairs. I just wasn't ready to be inside a car yet. I'll probably always be paranoid of cars, for the rest of my life. I quickly got dressed into another pair of jeans, and this black button up shirt with a red tie…hmmm…that Billie Joe Armstrong style was really in right now.

I went downstairs, got a whole lot of compliments from mom, and how I'd get numerous offers for a dance at the semi and all. I told her I'd walk there. She wanted to walk with me, but I said I'd be fine. I didn't bother going to Tyson's place, because I'm positive he was going to take his car, and take Hilary with him, and I didn't want to ruin that for him.

I got to the semi in no time. I got inside, and the earsplitting music almost made me deaf. They played everything: the worst music ever (like Marilyn Manson), to okay music (like The Killers), to really good music (like No Doubt, of course, along with others) to a few party anthems (you know, Beyonce, some Usher…other crap).

It took me about a decade to find Tyson and the others since the hall was sooooo dark, and there were flashing lights everywhere which I'm sure gave a few people seizures.

"You came!" Hilary said. Oh my fucking…she was so hot! She had this navy blue dress…which showed a lot of cleavage for some reason…maybe because she wanted to impress Tyson or something…one thing I didn't like though, was she went too heavy on the make up. But oh well, she was still hot.

I didn't feel like an idiot when I saw all the other guys dressed up casually like me. I guess all the women really like dressing up.

"You're lucky, we reserved a seat for you just incase." Miriam said. "Sit." I took a seat in between her and Mr. Pervert: Ray. He had his eyes on every girl. It was funny, but I don't think very many girls appreciated that.

"Have you seen my sister?" I asked.

"No." Hilary said. "God, why would we?" She gave a dirty look, and grinned at Tyson for some support…and I was surprised when he didn't back her up. He kept shut.

Finally the food came along and what luck…it was all meat. I ate everything else, except the meat of course. For some reason, they were serving wine…I was surprised, aren't we all underage to have alcoholic drinks? Especially since the semi was a school thing. I didn't complain though. But I didn't like the wine. God, it was disgusting.

Tyson didn't mind. Apparently, he had wine since he was two (yes, I know this is odd…he is odd) because in France , having wine after dinner was like having water after dinner. He said it's what French people did…

Ray had some. I don't know whether he liked it or not. Brooklyn , like me, didn't like it at all, and passed. Miriam was okay with it, Hilary too. Kane had one glass, and then asked for water instead. I don't think Tala liked it very much either.

After a while, I was left at the table alone to rot…okay, not rot, but just be very bored. Tyson and Hilary went off dancing, and then off to some corner…I don't even wanna know…everyone else went dancing too. I sat there…I wasn't in the mood.

I finally spotted my sister, with most of her friends…just enjoying the semi. She didn't have a date either, but at least she was having a good time. For a minute, I felt like going up to her, and talking to her (which I guess would be pretty impossible with all the loud music), and the next minute, I felt like an ass hole for thinking that.

I didn't understand why Hilary would hate her…I mean, Meg was so sweet – okay, not to me, and maybe not with mom, but she was very generous when it came to her friends, and other people. I've seen her with her field hockey team – she was extremely cooperating. And with her coach, Meg never disobeyed her commands.

And I've noticed some things; she'd never give Hilary a dirty look when she walked past her in the school hallways, however, Hilary would. Every time my sister would pass by, Hilary would start whispering something about her to Tyson.

I know my sister's not scared of Hilary. My sister's got this temper problem, but she never did anything to Hilary yet, and I hope she won't.

Finally, it was eleven o'clock , just one hour more, and I could leave, go home, and sleep, because I was nearly falling asleep on this table here. I came back to my senses when I heard my name.

"Kai? Have you seen Tyson?" Hilary asked. She looked a bit pissed. She took a seat beside me. "I swear! He just disappeared! I've been looking for him for an hour or something!"

"Really?" I was a bit shocked. Why would Tyson just ditch her like that? Or maybe he just kinda got lost and couldn't find her (I doubt that). She just looked so gorgeous. I wanted her to stay here for the remaining hour.

"Yeah." I watched her, and I swear I couldn't take my eyes off her. She kept looking left and right to look for Tyson. That idiot…does he not have any respect for his girl? "So, what were you doing here anyway?"

"Nothing." I shrugged.

"Aren't you bored?"

"Um…kind of." I admitted. I wanted to go home.

"Wanna dance?" She asked, out of the blue too.

"Excuse me?"

"I asked if you wanted to dance, because you know, you're bored, and I have no idea where Tyson is." She said, grabbing the nearest glass from the table and taking a sip of water. "So? Want to?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure!" I answered without thinking. Great. What if Tyson saw us? He'd kill me. But what if he didn't see us? I can't always be negative. I watched Hilary smile as she got up.

"Come on, then!" She said, happily. I got up, and almost fell down. "What happened?" She asked, worriedly.

"My foot's asleep."

"Oh, I hate it when that happens." She rolled her eyes. "Come on, I'll help you then." She held my arm, and we walked off into the crowd.

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"Tyson! Where were you last night! I looked alllll over for you!" Hilary whined, as she stood by Tyson near his locker. I was there as well. I wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Sorry baby." He said. "Had a few too many." He referred to the drinks. "Ray took me home, I think."

"Tyson!" Hilary complained. She looked for a deeper explanation. I could tell.

"I promise it won't happen again." He said, quickly giving her a kiss on the cheeks.

"That's what you said last time." She looked sadder than ever.

"But this time I mean it." He said. "Really."

"Really?" She asked. She was going to forgive him. I knew it.

"Yup." He said. "I'll walk you to class." Without talking to me at all, Tyson put an arm around Hilary and walked down the hallway. I didn't mind, we had physics together first period anyway.

After the anthem and announcements, Mr. Earl came around checking everyone's homework. No one did theirs of course; everyone was at the semi-formal last night.

"So where were you last night, Tyson?" I asked quietly, as Mr. Earl continued with his lesson.

"I told you," He said. "Ray got me home."

"Oh come on, Tyson." I said. He was lying. I mean, I'm sure he didn't just walk away from Hilary and grab some wine or beer or something. He didn't even have a hang over. He was pretty sober.

"What?" He asked. "It's the truth."

"I'm sure." I said, and hopefully he understood I was being skeptical.

"Why would I lie?" He said.

"Yeah, why would you?" I asked. "And you left Hilary."

"I didn't, she just – "

"Boys…" Mr. Earl looked at us. "Please don't act like you two are in a relationship. That would be quite disturbing, especially when I'm teaching." Most of the people in the class laughed. I think I went red, and Tyson had his mouth open.

"Sorry, sir." I apologized quickly. Mr. Earl lowered his glasses and looked at the both of us.

"I'm sending you two to the office if I hear another word from you guys." He said. He looked at us for a while longer before carrying on with his lesson.

At lunch, Tyson and Hilary seemed fine – I mean, would anyone really think they were mad at each other when they literally sucked each others' face off for the entire lunch? I wouldn't.

Giving them a lame excuse, I got up and walked out of the school. I needed fresh air anyway. Being in school all day was like suffocation. I just wanted to think about stuff – especially last night. Don't go thinking dirty now, ass hole. I'm talk about the semi. Like I said before, Tyson never showed up, so Hilary was mine – literally – for an hour. She actually touched me (no, not that way, moron). I mean, we were slow dancing for like, thirty minutes, and then we talked for a bit, and then I walked her home. She looked more than amazing last night.

As I walked, I nearly tripped over something – a basketball. It just rolled out of no where.

"Yo! Hiwatari! Pass the ball, man!" I looked back, and I wasn't too surprised to see Aidan. He was dressed in his basketball jersey and shorts. The entire basketball court was filled with our school's basketball team. "Pass the ball, dick!" Aidan walked towards me. Fine, if he wanted the ball so bad…I picked up the ball, and I was standing almost halfway from the net, and so I took a free throw. I watched – as did everyone else – as the basketball motioned in the shape of a parabola (ah, a math term, impressed yet?), spun around the ring of the basket, and went through.

Within seconds, I heard clapping. I looked at the basketball team. They looked like they had just witnessed a hippo having sex with another hippo. Okay, I have reasons to believe you guys are getting jaded with my corny sex allegories.

"You play basketball, son?" I watched some man come up to me, and I think he was the coach – he did have the whistle. "Or was that a lucky throw?"

"Um, I play basketball, sir." I said.

"That was amazing, you know that? What's your name, son?"

"Kai." I answered. I was a bit uneasy since everyone was looking at me.

"Why haven't you tried of for the team, son? You have great aim." He told me.

"I uh, just moved into the school a few weeks ago." I answered. "I was on my old school's team."

"That's amazing." He said. "Uh, listen, you uh, should try out for this team, you know, we could sure use players like you on this team. You can maybe teach these boys a thing or two."

Oh my god…holy fuck! I was getting a promotion! Well, not exactly, but that's what it felt like. I can't believe it; he wanted me on the team! And he wanted me to teach the team some stuff! Awesome!

"So what do you say, son? You wanna join us after school today? We have practice. Maybe you can stay and watch, or get in the game." He said.

"Um, yeah, sure." I said. "That would be great."

"But coach, we already have enough players." Aidan said. God, that guy can suck my fucking dick. It's right here baby, he just needs to come and get it.

"Quiet, Aidan. Players like these, come once in a lifetime – in my lifetime at least." The coach said. "Welcome to the team, son." He patted me on the shoulder.

"Thanks!"

After school, I met Tyson and Hilary by the lockers, like always, and right away, Hilary started questioning where I was during lunch.

"Oh, I uh, got into the basketball team." I said flatly. What else was I supposed to say? Besides, I was telling them the truth.

"What! No way!" Hilary exclaimed.

"Uh, yeah way." I said. "It happened at lunch."

"But you said you were just going to the washroom – we don't have a washroom outside." Tyson said. Wow – he should be a lawyer or something.

"Well, yeah…after using the washroom, I went outside." I said.

"Oh. And then you just got accepted?" He asked. "Isn't that weird? I mean, for the soccer team, we had try-outs."

"All I had to do was just shoot the basketball and score. And then he was like he needs me on the team, which reminds me, I have practice right now. He told me to come after school."

"Can we watch?" Hilary asked.

"Yeah, if you want to." I said. Awesome.

"I can't. I have to go home." Tyson said. "My cousins are coming over today, so my mom probably needs my help preparing dinner and whatever." He seemed so responsible.

"Can't Myles do that?"

"No…" He said. "He's busy – and then he has work." To me, it seemed like he just didn't want to stay, and I don't know why. Hilary was staying, why wouldn't he?

"Um, okay." I said. No point in forcing him. He can do whatever he wants to.

Me and Hilary said our goodbye's to Tyson, and then the two of us headed to the back of the school, where the basketball court was. I was a bit late, but I don't think coach cared – he was the one who wanted me on the team anyway.

"I'm glad you made it, son." Coach said.

"No problem." I said. Hilary stood by the sidelines. There was also this other blonde – who I believe was from my physics class. If I remember correctly, her name is Elaine. She didn't talk to Hilary though, because I'm guessing they didn't exactly know each other. I wonder why she was here…

Coach told me to start shooting hoops with the others, and then everyone on the team wanted to see how far away I could shoot from, so first, I had to shoot from half court, which I got in, and then every time I scored, I had to take a step back. I admit, it got a bit harder, and on the fifth step, I missed. I tried to get it in a zillion times, but I couldn't.

By 4:30 , practice ended. I watched Aidan put an arm around the blonde – which I found strange, they didn't even make a good couple. She seemed a bit pissed for some reason though. I overheard Elaine complain about why it took so long for practice to end, and the fact that she almost got sunburned for staying out here so long.

"Great game." Hilary said.

"It was just practice." I said.

"Um, great practice then."

"Thanks."

"That half court thing was wicked." She added. "Not even Aidan can do that. Bet you he was really jealous. You should have seen him; he was looking at you the whole time."

"He was?" I asked. She nodded. Wow, then I guess Aidan really was jealous of me, and to be honest, it felt good to know someone was jealous of me…because it just meant I was far better than them. Suck that, Aidan.

I walked Hilary home – sort of, just like on the night of semi: her house was a few blocks away from mine, so I got home, and then she had to walk the few extra blocks herself, which I'm sure she's old enough to do. If my sixteen year old sister can go outside at night without getting sexually assaulted, then I know Hilary can too – especially in broad daylight.

As I got closer to my house, I could hear shouting. Hilary looked at me for a while, before waving at me, and walking off to reach her home. I was a bit embarrassed, there was always something going on in my new house.

I unlocked the door fast, and the shouting stopped. My mom stared at me, and so did my sister, who was standing half way up the stairs.

"I hate you!" My sister yelled at my mom, before speeding off to her room, and slamming the door shut so hard, that I jumped a little.

"What happened, mom?" I asked, following my mom into the kitchen.

"Nothing, Kai." She said, as she started washing a few plates in the sink.

"But mom – "

"Go to your room, Kai." She said.

"What?"

"Go to your room!" She yelled at me – and she stared at me with these scary, wide eyes. I liked the fact that she yelled it me; it was mom material, and I have experienced this for the first time in a long time. I wanted to get in trouble on purpose ever since I moved here so I could hear her yell at me. I know you think I'm odd, but it's the truth.

I obeyed her. I walked up to my room, and then changed my mind, and went to the washroom to take a shower, because I really needed one, and my clothes seriously needed to be washed.

I wonder how Hilary was able to walk home with me, because honestly, it looked like I had dived into a lake. I had like, nine gallons of sweat on me. My clothes were dripping. It was sickening.

I was nearly done my homework when mom had called me down for dinner. Mom knocked on Meg's door a few times, but she didn't answer, so me and mom ate without her. I went upstairs to my room after dinner to complete the last bit of my homework, which was really boring, but I did it anyway.

By eleven, I felt bad for Meg. She didn't have dinner yet. Mom was probably asleep, because she wasn't downstairs watching TV or anything. I went downstairs and served some spaghetti on to a plate. I grabbed a clean fork, and walked upstairs. I knocked on my sister's door a few times, and since she didn't welcome me in, I decided to welcome myself in. I opened the door, surprised to find out it wasn't locked.

Her room was collaged with posters of The Killers, The Vines, and The Strokes. She had tons of Adam Brody posters, as well as Ashton Kutcher (a shirtless one), and I'm guessing Craig Nicholls of The Vines was her sex god, because his posters dominated everything else. She had some hearts cut out from construction paper, and stuck them on every single Craig Nicholls poster. Wow. Apart from these posters, she also had many hockey posters.

Anyways, she was sitting on the edge of her bed with her back facing me. She had her earphones on, listening to the music from her pink iPod.

I decided to get closer, because I don't think she realized I was even here. I walked right up to her, and she didn't even bother looking at me. I took a seat beside her, and now she knows I'm here, because she was startled, trust me, she nearly had a heart attack by my presence. She shut off her music. I looked at her tear-stained face.

"Here…" I said, placing the plate near her. "Um, I'll go now…because…you don't want me here." I was about to get up, expecting a bunch of curse words and everything from her. But I was a bit surprised when she didn't bite my head off. She began crying again, quietly. I sat beside her for a second time. "Are you okay?" As her older brother (who she doesn't even know that well…), it is my responsibility to know what's going on in her life, even if she doesn't want me to.

She didn't answer me, she kept crying, and it got to the point where she couldn't even eat. She put her plate away. She wiped her face with her hands like a million times.

"You wanna talk about?" I asked. She didn't react. "It's okay if you don't want to."

Becoming conscious of the fact that she wasn't going to say anything, I got up. "I'll be in my room, if you wanna talk." I said, heading to my room of course.

By one in the morning (yes, I waited for her till that long), I realized she probably didn't want to talk to me, so I decided to go to bed. Besides, I was really sleepy.

Tonight I really wished dad was here. I really wished I could be in my home, in Vancouver . I just hope this is a dream. I really want it to end. Maybe it's just a part of my punishment…may god have some mercy on me then…

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Sorry about the delay. I had to format my computer, and lost all my saved chapters, but no worries, these chapters are better. And then I also had tonnnnns of homework. Oh my god...I was so behind...and I even failed a chemistry quiz...and so I was realllly scared. R and R. I willlll update when I can!