First I wanna say a thanks to WildfireDreams for reviewing last chapter it was only one word but it was the only review I got and I was so glad to know at least someone was reading. I had a lot of lovely reviews and alerts that first chapter there and I'm pretty sure from my views you guys are still reading, so please take the time to tell me what you think. It might not seem like much but it means the world to me and truly brightens my day, so if it's not a both please state what you thought even if it is just a word. =D
And without further to do, I give you Chapter three, it was originally a lot longer with my plot development but I decided to put all that into chapter four. Hope you guys enjoy it!
The Runaway's Daughter
Chapter 3
I looked up from my purpled hands from a few squished grapes grimacing at the look of them. Just a few yards down the field the purple bandanna'd boy from the beach stood a slightly irritated smirk played on his face.
"Forget something?" he asked, and I have to admit it took me a second but I did remember. He'd made me promise to see him over lunch today…
"Noon already?" I asked.
His smirk turned into a grin and I saw Cliff come up from the cellar."K-Kai what are you doing here?" he asked.
"Trying to find out why I was stood up…" Kai said raising an eye brow at me.
"You guys know each other?" Cliff asked his eyes searching from me to Kai.
"Not really," I said.
"Oh come on baby," Kai laughed me of, "Cliff didn't you know she was my girlfriend coming in from the city?"
"What?" I gasped wide-eyed.
"That's right," Kai nodded his grin growing like he hadn't even realized he was so brilliant. I on the other hand had something more like stuck up and pompous in mind.
Cliff's eyes seemed to be pleading me to call the lie but one look at Kai said 'you want everyone to know who you are?' And well I'm sure you know the answer to that.
"Umm yeah," I nodded weakly. "Kind of you know slipped my mind," I offered a small forced smile and if I didn't know any better it looked like Cliff's ears were reddening.
"Mind if I take her off your hands for the rest of the afternoon?" Kai asked.
"Ah um.. No go ahead."
"I really should help-"Kai discreetly twitched his head towards my grandparent's house and I narrowed my eyes. "I'll try to be back soon," I told Cliff swatting Kai away as his arms came to wrap around me.
"See ya roomie!" Kai laughed it off waving good-bye to Cliff leading me down the patch.
"This is you small price?" I hissed pushing him farther away from me.
He laughed, "Come on I'll explain over lunch…" he paused then broke out in a grin, "sweetie." Then before I could raise my hand to beat his silly head he dashed off to the Inn doors waiting for me respectfully.
I didn't know what to think in all honesty. Who did he think he was?
"You'll catch bugs in your mouth if you stand like that for too long," he stated still waiting. Closing my mouth I quickly I followed him inside.
Two things came to mind when I was the Inn, one was small the other though was that it was well kept. There was a busy red headed girl probably around my age maybe a little younger mopping in the corner and a man whipping wine glasses dry behind the counter.
"Hey Ann!" Kai called getting the girls attention by waving; it appeared she had ear-buds in each of her ears music blasting as she popped them out.
"Oh hey Kai, new friend?" she asked.
"Something like that," Kai grinned waving me into the nearest booth as Ann ran around to grab to menus.
"So what's you're name sweetie?" she asked when she slapped the menus before me.
"Leila," I told her.
"Nice to meet cha I'm Ann," she smiled happily holding out a hand in which I took. "Normally aside from Zach I'm the first to meet new comers, did you just arrive?"
"Ah no I came in last night."
"Have any relatives in town?" she asked.
I hesitated, "n-no."
"Then where you staying in a ditch? If you haven't realized this is the Inn definition- ah well you get the idea."
"Oh," I smiled getting at what she meant. "I'm staying with Duke and Manna, it's kind a long story..."
"I have time," Ann smiled reaching over like she was going to pull out one of the other chairs.
"Ah Ann," Kai interrupted holding his finger up in protest. "It's not every day that I eat at such a fine place, being served by such a wonderful woman if I say so- Ow?" Kai's face grimaced as he looked at me, "what the-"
"What sweetie?" I replied a grin growing on my face. "Is this what you do every time I'm not here?" I asked if he wanted to play then fine, but as long as he was he wasn't going to have any fun at it.
"What are you- Oh right," he laughed uneasily looking at Ann who looked as if she'd just witnessed an alien invasion.
"Oh," she smiled. "How long have you guys been dating."
"Not long."
"Three years."
"What?" I hissed.
Kai laughed banging his fist on the table, "well it certainly has seemed that long. Three months Annie-pie," two feet banged into Kai under the table one Ann's the other mine. "Ow!"
Ann laughed, "I like you new girl," she smiled. "So what'll it be?" she asked.
"Snow-cone," Kai smiled.
"I'm sorry we don't serve those, you might want to talk to the cocky air-headed owner of the snack shake down the road." Ann replied sharply.
"Oo that hurt my dear Annie- Ow Leila!"
"Not sorry," I said.
"Just get me a hamburger and some water, please." Kai muttered.
"And you?" Ann asked me.
"Uh," I looked down at the menu, my eyes drifting to the most expensive thing. "Steak, medium rare please and a Pepsi."
"Alright," our waitress said writing each thing down and taking the menu's disappearing into the kitchen with her father.
"You're insane," Kai hissed eye wide at my menu choice.
"No just not pleased being forced into a fake relationship," I told him coldly. "Now care to explain why in the world you're doing this?"
"You going to tell me why you're not telling who you really are?" he asked.
"No."
"Then no."
There was a long silence in which both of us stared coldly into each other's eyes, Ann must have even felt the tension because when she brought out our drinks she placed them down lightly not chatting a word before quickly disappearing into the kitchen.
I thought about it, I was pretending to not me myself already what was adding on a fake boyfriend anyway. If he wanted to play well fine, with any luck I wouldn't be here long anyway.
"If we're going to do this then we might as well get our facts straight," I muttered taking a sip of my Pepsi.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I mean I'm supposed to be you're girlfriend as of three months, I think I should know a little about you."
"Like what?"
"Well what do you do here in town?"
"I'm the Snack Shack owner down on the beach," he replied straight faced.
"Snack Shack?" I asked biting my lip. "What you couldn't think of anything better than-" I stopped one look on his face and I'd felt I'd gone too far. "Uh okay so you serve food?"
"I don't know what does snack sound like?" he retorted. I glared at him.
"I don't know how in the world I could be interested in someone like you," I grumbled.
"Apparently you're crazy about me."
"Please," I snorted. "Maybe I'm dating you for money."
"Good luck with that I'm barley living pay check to pay check."
"I'm sure I could think of a reason."
"A reason to make yourself look bad?" he asked in disbelief.
I struggled there, "sure lets go with that." I decided on. "Now seriously we have to get this straight."
"Okay where'd we meet?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"How about on a vacation in Miami?" he asked.
"I thought you didn't have any money," I stated.
"I don't but I work there when my shift is done here," he said.
"And you don't always work here?" I asked.
"No."
"You're so difficult!"
"Ugh," I could tell he was already double thinking this whole thing and the thought made my sprites lift. I knew it shouldn't his unhappiness shouldn't satisfy me, but for goodness sakes the man was blackmailing me. And if I made his blackmail unpleasant then darn right I was going to be laughing myself silly.
Ann brought out or dishes disappearing soon after while I stuffed my face for such a small town they made good food I must admit. "At least you're eating it," Kai said and I looked up a large chunk of meat in my mouth swallowing I gave him a quizzical look. "I mean I thought you were ordering it just to be cruel to me," he stated.
"I did," I told him. "But I don't waste food."
"What the Kinsley's don't feed you?" he asked.
"They do," I stated, I didn't starve at home but we definitely didn't have the money for steak or anything that really was truly filling.
"How do you and Aj- uh your mother live?" he asked.
"None of your business," I snapped stuffing my mouth again. "Now figure out that story or I'll make up my own. And that includes you groveling at my feet calling me a goddess. So unless-"
"I get it," I said though he didn't look angry more amused curious. I tried to shake it off, why was it he wanted me to do this anyway. There was plenty more ways to blackmail, what in the world was his motive?
Once we were finished Ann came and handed Kai a check and took our dishes into her hands. "New girl," she said making me look at her face. "Me and the other girls of Mineral Town have this sleepover we do every night before the beach festival, wanna come?"
Sleepovers weren't always my thing; I never had many girl friends to be honest. Guys seemed easier to come by in school they didn't seem to judge… and a lot of my other friends were older than me not exactly ones for sleepovers even if I were interested.
But even though Ann said in casually I could tell from the look on her face she was hoping I'd come, "uh sure when is it?"
"Tomorrow night," she said her smile growing.
"Okay," I nodded. "Um where here?"
"Not sure yet depends on the guest load and if one of the other girls crack," Ann shrugged. "I'll come and get you though tomorrow after dinner."
"Alright thanks," I gave her a small smile and Kai pushed a wad of cash in her hand telling her his good-byes.
Out on the streets we decided to go back to his 'Snack Shack' and figure out everything, sleepovers in his terms weren't good news. And he agreed we'd have to get every detail of our little charade down before I went.
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