Chapter Six: Problems Solved and Salted Wounds
Only Zannie seemed to notice the pained exchange of eye contact between the two, but she recognized it immediately, and leapt to her feet and pointed an accusing finger at the two of them, sitting innocently beside each other on the sofa.
"You're together? You two? Since when?" demanded Zannie. Kaya stiffened, but gasped when the tension in the room lessened, the parents sighed in relief. They seemed to think that Garrett was safe.
Kaya began to speak, but Garrett's voice overlapped hers:
"For a few months now, actually. We were afraid to tell you guys," said Garrett, taking her hand from where it rested, and silently praying she'd stick to his plausible story.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kaya saw her grandmother clutch her grandfather's hand in apparent shock, her father's eyes bulge out even further, amazement on the face of Marissa, and the usual poker face of Ryan.
Summer spoke first.
"You mean you're in a relationship?" she asked. Kaya nodded slowly, swallowing the guilty lump in the pit of her stomach.
"Have been for a while now," said Garrett, squeezing her hand. Kaya attempted to appear to welcome the unfamiliar feel of his gentle, pseudo loving touch.
"That's great," she said, her mood abruptly changing. Kaya sighed in relief and attempted to smile.
"Yeah," said Seth slowly, disbelievingly. Kaya blushed under her father's searching gaze.
One by one the rest of them uttered their disbelieving congratulations. Garrett smiled secretly, proud of his plan. In some ways, it was perfect. Both families were wealthy, but neither of the two were "purebred": Sandy was in Kaya's background, not the man that anyone would ever have wanted Kirsten with, and Ryan and even Julie clouded Garrett's family in the eyes of the pickiest Newpsies.
Zannie remained agonizingly quiet throughout the entire ordeal, worrying Garrett and almost frightening Kaya, who stared anxiously at her best friend of so many years.
Eventually the two of them managed to slip away from the excited gathering, most of whom, or so it seemed to Kaya, were already planning their wedding.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded in a harsh whisper.
"I took the fall for you! How do you think your parents would take to the news that we've been sleeping together for months yet seeing other people?" he asked.
"But now we have to pretend to be together! Without breaking up, ever, because if we did "break up" they'd never stop scheming to get us back together! And by the way genius, way to make it so that we're never allowed into a room alone together ever again," she said in annoyance.
"It's not so bad. We say we're going to the movies and then we go to your room," he suggested. She resisted the urge to slap him.
"Yeah, because that's romantic," she spat back.
"Since when do you care about romance?" he asked coolly.
"I'm a girl, not your right hand. Remember that," she commanded, her eyes narrowing.
"This relationship is already working out super well," said Garrett sarcastically, as Summer's voice floated out to them from the kitchen, followed, amazingly, by a delighted chorus of giggles.
Ten minutes later the eight of them were sitting around the table, Garrett and Kaya mysteriously side by side, Zannie across from them, occasionally shooting out murderous looks.
"So, now that we know, are you guys going to go to cotillion together?" asked Marissa, as the meal went on. Garrett shot Kaya a sideways glance, begging her to follow his lead.
"Yeah, of course," said Garrett.
"So I guess that's why you didn't want a date? Because you didn't want your secret girlfriend to get jealous?" asked Zannie, her voice politely inquisitive but poisonous at the same time.
"Of course," said Kaya, answering ahead of him. Kirsten glanced over, and noticed how forced her look of tenderness appeared.
"Aww," purred Summer, not noticing anything amiss, always eager to hear of someone else's romance.
Seth continued to stare at his daughter, overlooking his wife's comment. He didn't want to believe it. He saw Garrett as a lot of what Ryan had once been, only more dangerous. Less sincere.
"So it's not remotely like kissing your cousin?" asked Sandy, unable to resist the dig. Kaya saw the look that Ryan shot him, the laugh that Kirsten held back, but she didn't understand why.
"Not at all," clarified Garrett, slinging an arm around the back of Kaya's chair.
"Well they're not related," said Summer defensively.
"Ryan is our legal son, as is Seth, so…" began Sandy.
"Sandy, don't," suggested Kirsten, laying a hand on his forearm. Kaya almost smiled.
"Because you know what this reminds me off?" persisted Sandy.
"Yeah, I know what this reminds you off," said Ryan, looking tense.
"It's okay, I don't mind," said Marissa, obviously holding back a laugh.
"What'd you do, date your cousin?" asked Garrett, not noticing Ryan's pensive look.
"His Aunt, actually," said Seth. Only he was surprised when after this, the table fell to silence.
The three Cohens waved goodbye to the four Atwood's and the elder Cohen's as they left the circular drive before Kaya was plunged into an inquisition.
"So, how long have you been with him?" asked Summer, sitting her daughter down.
"Three months," said Kaya.
"Has he cheated on you?" asked Seth. Kaya struggled for an answer. It was complicated-he didn't exactly cheat on her, he cheated on other girls with her.
"Of course not," she said eventually, attempting to look offended.
"Why did you keep it a secret?" asked Summer.
"Because I didn't want you to know," said Kaya.
"Does he ever pressure you?" asked Seth. Kaya gasped.
"Cohen, why do you always have to see his downsides? He's a good kid!" said Summer, her attention diverted from her daughter.
"Have you seen him? With his hair, and his… his…"
"3.0 grade point average? Sports legacy? Money? Manners? Excuse me, but his father's looks?" demanded Summer.
"Oh, you did not," said Seth, beginning to grow angry.
"Ever wonder what went on behind closed doors, Cohen?" asked Summer.
"I.. You… Ryan… I slept with Alex!" said Seth. Summer narrowed her eyes quizzically.
"As did Marissa. She's not exactly pure," shot back Summer. Seth's eyes immediately swiveled to where Kaya had been sitting, but thankfully she'd already left the room.
"Nice going," he said.
"How old are you, twelve? Way to get us in trouble with Mom. Oh no wait, I'm the mom, she's the daughter," said Summer.
"That did not even resemble clever," said Seth.
"I've heard worse," she said, turning away from him and gliding away from the room.
