We'll you're real tough cookie with the long history. Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me. That's O.K, lets see how you do it. Put up your dukes, lets get down to it!
Hit me with your best shot!
Why don't you hit me with your best shot!
Fire away.
~Pat Benatar
. . . . . . .
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
He had always pondered how breakfast played out in other people's houses. Was it chaotic and boisterous with everyone flying around the kitchen? Grabbing their meals on the go with yells of goodbyes and signs of affection.
Or was it a close family affair with everyone seating down at the table, eating their meals, while jumbling their words as they spoke about they're plans.
But than again that was the optimistic thoughts of a child that he once was. As he grew older he realize that the experience for breakfast was different from everyone.
Maybe people didn't even eat breakfast in the morning, maybe they didn't have any food at all, what if their families weren't big, and what if they lived in a single parent home and were the only child.
Whatever the case maybe, they're morning experience was far better than his.
Steff usually skipped breakfast and headed to school in search for Kaia.
More than likely, his parents were away on business trips or vacationing somewhere in Europe.
But when his parents were home it was minatory that he had breakfast with them. Today was one of those days.
It was always in the same fashion; they ate in the breakfast room. His father whose attention was more wrapped up in the news article than his meal seat at the head of the table.
He looked like a living sculpture, neither moving nor making a sound. Only doing so when he had to flip to the next page or when a certain article caught his attention.
That was Sean McKee Sir for you.
His mother seat further down facing his father seating in her chair likes a throne. Her arms resting gracefully on the arm stools with an unapproachable aura around her as she watched the servants moved back and forth around the room.
After which she would attempt to make breakfast more humane with the best of her abilities. Bless Salome McKee's good intentions, for it might as well go out the window. For her son gave her his short answers to her questions to only to become silent like his father. With her following both her husband and sons lead in being silent and barley touching the breakfast that was painstakingly made for them.
This was how breakfast played out at the McKee's home.
Steff ate his meal silently as he thought about the object of his plans.
. . . . . .
Marvin Gaye "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," greeted Kaia as she walked out the bathroom. The sweet aroma of maple bacon accompany along with the sweet tang of cinnamon and vanilla of her mom's famous French toast took over her senses. Making her mouth water at the meal her mom made.
Quickly she moved across the hall to her room throwing her pack of toiletries on the bed. Making a beeline down the hall with quick steps down the stairs. Hitting the corner of the entranceway to the hallway that lead to the living room, dining room, to end at the kitchen.
Entering the kitchen she was greeted by the sight of her mother flipping bacon. Bobbing her head side to side her body swaying in count with the beat. Softly singing along with Marvin as she flipped bacon.
Kaia expected her mother wearing her uniform of white with the cape to go along with it. In replacement to her white dress she wore her housecoat and to take the place of her cape was a big fluffy blue towel.
It was either a indicator that her mother was off today or she was going to be working a double tonight.
"Morning ma," she said as she tugged her housecoat closer.
"Morning honey," her mother turned with a smile.
Anna Davis was striking woman to be in her late thirties, tall and petite with striking bone structure she was a beauty.
"Your off today?" Kaia asked as she poured herself some orange juice.
"Nope, I have a double tonight at the hospital, so you have the whole house to yourself kid," her mother said taking the bacon out the pan to the plate and towards the small kitchen table that already held the rest of the meal.
"Your going to that place-what's that place name-" she snapped her finger on her free hand as if the answer would simply appear out of nowhere.
Kaia looked amusingly at her mother as she took a sip of her juice.
"That place where all the young punk kids go to-" her mother said as they made their plate.
"You mean Kats ma," she smiled
"That's the place, lets say grace," her mother said.
They bowed their heads holding they're hands together as Anna said grace.
"And those punk kids are New Weaver ma, not Punk that's two different groups," she said laughingly.
"Well whatever they all look the same to me," her mother said taking a sip of her coffee, "Are you going to Kats?"
"I never go to Kats, it's a New Weaver bar where the only course of discussion is hatred for the yuppie."
Both mother and daughter rolled their eyes in union to burst into giggles.
"No, The Ritz is more of my scene mother,"
"Sorry. You're writing an article for Mr. Lewis."
"Of course, and the hottest underground musicians-true musicians that's not trying to make all goes to the Ritz."
"Look at my baby the next editor of Rolling Stones. So how's school?"
"You mean the purgatory? Decent,"
"That's good, how's Lisa and Charles?"
"Bickering like there's no tomorrow,"
"That's even better…. so,"
Whenever her mother said so she was always in for the worse; because that meant her mother was curious, and when she was curious about something it always lead to the subject of Steff.
She was already apprehensive about going to school today. Even though Charles had given her sound advice to follow. Still she couldn't help be nervous as to see what he was going to throw at her. Now her mother had to start her day off with him.
She couldn't get a break if she tried.
"Before you start; yes, his still the arrogant jerk, and yes his still antagonizing me,"
"What? Is it wrong for me to ask?" her mother said using the cup to cover her smile.
"Yes! Now I must go off and get ready for school, thank you mommy for the wonderful breakfast," she said getting out of her seat and kissing her mother on the temple.
"Thank you sweetie, good luck in purgatory," she said
"I will!"
. . . . . .
The bold school colors were plastered on large banners that seem to decorate every single hallway. The annoying signs that spirit week and homecoming was just around the corner.
The excited buzz could be compare to that of an aphrodisiac high on desire running wild amongst the halls.
It was one of those ridiculous school traditions that were a plaque of your high school experience, which you ultimately try to forget years later.
Steff only went just to keep appearance; it wasn't something that he'll break his neck for like the fools that he associated himself with.
He turned a hallway and momentarily the feeling of regret for turning this hallway came in the form of Benny Hanson.
His relationship with Benny was sketchy. They had never truly dated; they knew each other through their mothers. There was no emotional connection between them only a sexual one.
They went together for the convenience when neither had someone else to be physical with. And that was the basics of their relationship, until junior prom where she made it known that she was looking for something more than sex.
He had been surprise by her statement to say the least; especially coming from a girl who practically walk, spoke, and smelt like sex.
And so, the only thing that tied him and her together disappeared that night. Steff didn't waste a breath to think, speak, or see her again. The only time he heard anything about her was when Blain had announced (thinking that Steff would care to know about his ex-bed partner) was dating the captain of the football team Jordan Quinn.
He couldn't help, but to find the amusement of two of the worlds biggest dimwits to get together.
And there she was with her equally dimwitted boyfriend lip-locking like two animals in heat.
On instinct he scrunch up his noise. Steff was never big fan of PDA and the sight before him was the proof as to why.
He was becoming nauseous at the sight.
Subtly Benny lifted her eyes towards Steff a little smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. As if her little smut scene was casing him some sort of envy.
It wasn't.
But he couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at her attempt at the game she was trying to play?
He looked down at the brown paper bag that he held close to his side. The only game he was playing was worth more than this slop mess before him.
Walking the hall in the causal manner that spoke volumes of what he really thought. Brushing pass them Steff casted an amused smile at Benny and continue on as second hour bell ring.
. . . . . .
He didn't show at her locker.
He wasn't in class.
And she was getting pretty worry.
Despite her apprehension in seeing him after the pure foolery of they're last encounter; when Steff wasn't around to give her pure hell she missed him like crazy.
Everything felt out of place without him to antagonize her during school and she needed him there to keep everything at a balance.
Lisa had kept throwing her dirty looks at the locker since her mind was on searching for Steff then the nonsense that she was talking about.
It was worst in class as she kept her eyes posted to door becoming stiff when the door open hoping it was he to only become disappointed when it wasn't him coming through the door.
Charles and Lisa was at her side; Charles teasing Lisa as she threw back insults to him. All of it deaf to her since her mind was on Steff. Wondering what in gods green earth where he was.
She knew it was common for Steff to skip classes, but never were there a day that he misses an opportunity to taunt her. That was simply not his style.
So where could he be?
Despite the little charade that was going on between the Charles and Lisa they both were on the same wavelength. They knew their friend thoughts were on Steff.
Kaia wasn't good of keeping her thoughts from showing. Each expression she made was like a chapter to them the story writing itself out for them.
She couldn't understand where in the hell could he be!
Her nervousness was turning into angry. Holding tight to her books she imagine his throat was there instead as she chock the living daylights out of him.
If he was doing this to get a rise out of her than he was succeeding, because she was highly annoyed.
Her steps became quicker as she came to her locker. Letting loose of one hand she put in the combination. Unlatching the beige metal door she swung it wide open. Her eyes caught on one thing a thin brown paper bag.
"Hold this," she gave her books to Lisa.
"What the hell do I look like?"
"Someone holding books," said Charles as he smirked at Lisa.
"Go to hell Charl-" she had tuned them out as she grabbed the bag. Turning it around in bright bold letters had the words Trax on it.
She stared at the bag for a while as if searching her mind for something as to why a Trax bag would-than it hit her.
She moved to open the bag to see the albums cover for clarification. Pulling the albums out she could see the cover art of Miles Davis and Prince these were the albums that she hadn't paid for at the store when she bump into.
Kaia moved away from her locker to go search for him ignoring her friend's shouts. She needed to see him right now.
She turned hallways going in a direction she didn't even know she'll even see him. She didn't know a place where he'll hang out. He was omnipresent wherever you went around this school Steff would surely be around the corner or a few feet ahead.
As she came to the stairway that no one usually use making it easy for her to get to the next floor without bumping into people.
As she ran down the stairs she had turned to see Steff sitting on the window ledge.
They stared at each other neither one saying anything.
The sound of third hour bell ringing in the distance alerting that class was to begin.
He was the first to speak.
"You know you're late for class," he said as if they were just having a causal conversation.
"Why?" it was the only reasonable thing she could say.
"Excuse me?"
"Why did you buy me these albums?"
He looked down at the bag in her hands and than back to her.
"It's it obvious?"
"No,"
He let out a small chuckle as he looked at her.
"You ran out before you could buy them, so I took the liberty to get them for you, obviously you wanted them," he shrugged his shoulder as if it wasn't nothing, but not to her.
"Most people would say thank you," he said jumping off the window ledge as he moved closer to her.
"I'm wondering what you're trying to play at?"
"Play at what? I simply bought you something that you'll like,"
"I know you Steff, you'll probably want something in return?"
"If I wanted something it return I would've stated it already."
"I know, so why aren't you?"
He couldn't help but smile at her.
"You've never gone to homecoming."
"Yeah, and I plan not to waste my time on such either," she said trying to figure out where he was going at.
"Good, so wouldn't mind going to Trenton on the day of homecoming."
"Are you asking me out?" she said not believing her ears.
"Yes,"
"What if I say no?"
"Your not going to say no, because you've did so just a minute ago,"
She looked at him a smirk came to her lips. In his typically arrogant way he knew her well enough.
"Okay,"
"Okay," and for the first time he had given her smile that wasn't full of his typical bullshit, but something more…something like relief.
He turn towards the stairs than stopped and turn to her, "It's going to be hot that day so were something light I don't need you getting heat stroke on me."
"Where are you taking me?" she said
"You're late for class Kaia," he said running down the stairs without answering her questions.
She stood there.
"Jerk," a smile tugged on her lips as she shook her head at him, until finally taking his advice to head to class.