Darkest truths, p.24
Darkest Truths, page 24
"Holy Moley," I exclaim, drawing their attention towards me. "Shit. Sorry. It's just. Well, you're fucking gorgeous. No wonder our Kyle here is gay." I exclaim. They stare at me in utter shock as they try to comprehend what I just said.
Blinking, they glance at each other before bursting out in laughter.
"Now. You must be the infamous Kayva. Kyle has told me so much about you. And I can see why he likes you so much." His smile beams towards me, and I cannot help but smile back.
"Damn, even your smile is gorgeous. Have you got a brother by any chance?"
"I am afraid not. I don't even have a sister," he smirks, guessing the next question I was about to ask him.
"Not surprised. It would have been too good to be true."
The rest of the evening goes without any more hiccups, and I become fast friends with Dean, just as I did with Kyle. To my surprise, even Joe came to join us near the end of the evening, letting me know that the bike should be all fixed up in the next day or so. And for the first time in days, I feel relaxed and not on edge, just able to enjoy my time around a group of people without
◆◆◆
Joining me to Mr Fields's office, Kyle keeps getting stopped by girls en route, all flirting and wanting his attention and ignoring clearly what is in front of them, me glued to his side. Fed up with their actions and behaviour, I grab Kyle's hand and drag him behind me, knowing that if we don't move on, we will be late for our first class.
"Kayva, what a pleasant surprise. What can we do for you?"
"Good morning, Principal Smithers. How are you?"
"Very well, thank you, and you? Oh, and Kyle, what do we owe this pleasure?"
"Morning, Sir. I'm just here with Kayva to see Mr Fields about moving her into the AP classes with me."
"Is that so? Why don't you come into my office and wait for Mr Fields while we catch up quickly?"
"Thank you."
"Kayva, what happened to your leg?" He suddenly asks, noticing the brace on me. "I hope it isn't anything too serious. Coach Philips has been begging me to get you into the next cross-country competition."
"Oh, this," I say, shaking my leg, "it's nothing, Sir. And I have decided to let him know in today's class that I will join the team for the competition."
"That is excellent news. Charlie wasn't wrong telling me you will surprise us all."
"I think you all overestimate me."
"Don't be stupid, Sweet Cheeks. You're amazing. You even stopped my sister from getting hit by a car last night," Kyle beams, knowing I don't like the limelight and has put me straight in it.
"Ignore him. He has an overactive imagination."
"For some reason, I don't quite believe you, Kayva."
The knock on the door saves me from responding, and I have to hold back a groan when Mr Williams steps in. Though he can sense it, his gaze zones on me, and we get sucked into our own little bubble as we stare at each other. A voice clearing soon has us snapping out of it, and we both get flustered at being caught. Kyle's eyes are screaming with amusement, and I know he has questions he wants to ask me as soon as we are out of here. All along the lines of getting down and nasty with a particular teacher.
"I am sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with you urgently, Principal."
"We will take our leave," Kyle says. Standing, he holds his hand out for me like a gentleman, and I cannot help but snort at the absurdity of it.
"Thank you, you two. Hopefully, next time, we won't be interrupted. I am sure Mr Fields will be in his office by now. Good luck with your request. I know he can be a pain sometimes." He winks at me, reminding me of when I was introduced to Mr Fields and having to stop him from arguing with my brother. Shaking my head, I give the principal a two-finger salute before leaving with Kyle to bump straight into the man I need to see.
"Kayva, Kyle."
"Mr Fields," we both say in unison.
"I wanted to let you know that I would like to take Italian and request to take the AP classes."
"I see. Well, if you are sure. Come on in, and we will sort that out for you. Kyle, you may head off to class."
"With all due respect, Sir. Being in the AP classes, I thought I could show Kayva where they are if I wait for her."
"Fine, wait outside."
Not wanting to spend long in his office, I am pleased that Kyle agreed to wait for me to attend class together. Automatically placing myself in the chair in front of his desk, I scoot it close to it and at an angle to ensure that Mr Fields cannot get into my personal space this time.
"Kayva, now I know you have told me you want to move to the higher classes, but I would like to check that this is something you want to do and is not just something you have felt pressured into doing because of Kyle," he says gently sending shivers down my back and not the good type.
"I made this decision on my own."
"Very well. Let's make your new schedule and send off a notification to your teachers. Then you can head off to class."
Stepping into my first AP class, I am horrified to come face to face with the 'Royals' and end up backing up into Kyle. Why did I not think about this? Of course, the elite would be in the AP classes. How could people like them rule a school in the lower classes? How absurd would that be? Moving forward with the guidance of Kyle's hand on my lower back, I let him lead me into a seat beside him, ready for the teacher to do the roll call.
"Ah, Kayva," Mrs Thomas's smile lands on me. "I was impressed with the work you handed in. I look forward to seeing what you do in these classes. I will compile some work for you during this class for you to complete to catch up with everyone here. You will need to complete it by the end of the month, but I am sure you will manage it. For today, if you could join Kyle and his regular partner, Grey, that would be great."
Glaring at Kyle, the guilt rolls off of him in waves. The scoundrel never told me that his lab buddy was one of the ‘Kings’, and seeing the impression on Grey's face, he looks just as happy about this as me. Setting out my notebook and pen, I write down notes as she explains what we need to do.
"Why do we never get to blow things up?" I mutter under my breath so no one can hear me. The look Kyle gives out of the corner of my eye tells me he heard, though, and I am not entirely sure whether Grey heard me, too.
Whoops. Shrugging, I concentrate on taking notes until she tells us to get in our pairs to start the experiment or, in our case, our group of three. Thinking I am about to get an onslaught of shit thrown at me from Grey, I am stunned when he doesn't say a word. Not wanting to take my eyes off him just in case he decides to do something, I tilt my head in Kyle's direction in confusion.
"Okay. So, erm...how do you want to do this? My old lab partner always wanted to do it all by himself."
"I'm not doing all your work for you." Grey snarls at me, his spittle spraying all over me. Wiping it off with my sleeve, I narrow my eyes at him and point my finger in his face.
"One, I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Kyle. And two, I am happy to do this whole thing by myself. However, I wanted to consider your partnership and not overstep any boundaries or working patterns you may already have had with each other. Now, seeming as this is getting us nowhere. I am going to get the equipment we need." Storming off toward the things we need, I gather them in my arm, trying to avoid those attempting to hinder me at the same time by tripping me up.
Placing all the equipment down, I start setting it up like I have drawn it on my pad in preparation for the experiment while Kyle bickers with Grey about who knows what. Kyle doing most of the talking. Working through the steps provided, I get lost in the experiment, not realising that each item I have needed has been appearing in my hands automatically without me having to look for it.
"Huh?" I furrow my brow and stare at the apple in my hand. Then I hear the sniggers beside me.
"She really was lost in her own head." Grey's voice says gruffly in disbelief.
"Kayva, I don't mind helping you, you know." Kyle jokes.
"Sorry." kissing me on my forehead, he draws me into his side.
"No problem, Sweet Cheeks."
"Guh, that's disgusting. Kyle, you're part of the football team, and you've picked her to go out with. We have a reputation to uphold, you know."
"Grey, shut up, man. Can we do this experiment without all the bullshit?"
"Kyle, don't bother wasting your breath. Now, hand me the beaker, please. We are almost finished."
However, Grey chooses to be the one that passes it to me instead of Kyle, not wanting to cause another dispute. I take it from him suspiciously, and then, between the three of us, we all work together to finish the experiment.
"Exceptional work, you three." Mrs Thomas praises us. "Boys, this is the best work you've ever done. Keep up the good work. You too, Kayva."
◆◆◆
With the morning classes out of the way, I split up from Kyle when he goes in search of Coach Philips after being told that he was looking for him. Not wanting to deal with any more snide remarks or glares from anyone, I bypass the cafeteria that Kyle and I had planned to go to and head to the library instead. Only to get ambushed by the 'Queens' of the school.
"Oh look, the trash has been thrown aside. I told you that Kyle was only playing with her." Willow sniggers. "Now, he's thrown her away. We can have some fun. Right girls?"
Unbelievable, I avoided the one area where I knew they would be with the 'Kings' and ended up right in front of them.
How did they know where I would be?
They are all normally in the cafeteria at lunchtime, lording it over everyone else. However, this seems preplanned and to well thought out to be a simple chance meeting. Were they following me on the off chance that they would catch me alone?
"Kyle has gone to see-" I tell them to see if he was part of a preplanned ambush to be interrupted by the smug Charlotte.
"Coach Philips. Oh, we are very much aware," she sneers, confirming my suspicion that they have set me up. Turning away from them to take an alternate route far away from them, one of them catches my ponytail in their grasp, sending me to the ground with a thud on my damaged ribs. Damn it, they are never going to heal at this rate.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Panting through the sudden pain from my injury, I catch a glimpse of glee from Willow at the thought that she has finally landed a painful blow to me, which she hasn't, but she is obliviously unaware of my previously acquired injuries. Fed up with acting meek and feeble around them, I reach the conclusion that staying out of trouble is something I should forget about because it is definitely not going to happen with all the little shits around this school. It's about time I show them who they are messing with, and I am going to start by knocking them on their arses for a change.
"Kayva, what are you doing down there?"
Seriously, have I got a tracker or something attached to me that helps them locate me? Peering in the direction of the voice, I find none other than Mr Williams standing before us, or should I say, next to me.
"Mr Williams," Willow coyly says, fluttering her ridiculously long eyelashes at him. Oh puh-lease.
"Ah, Miss Springs," he sighs, looking down his nose at her as he reaches under my armpits and lifts me back up onto my feet. His hand slips down to my hips once I'm standing, and he leaves them there. "I'm assuming you were helping Kayva here due to her bad ankle."
"Of course, Sir," Willow says sickly-sweet as she sidles up to his side and wraps her arm around his in a poor attempt to pull him away from me.
"Very well. Why don't you girls head to the cafeteria before it is too late to eat."
"On our way, come on, Kay." Charlotte chimes, moving towards me.
My whole body stiffens at the name, putting me on edge. Charlie is the only one who has called me Kay or Kay Kay since I have returned, and coming from her mouth, it makes bile creep up my throat. My mind goes blank as it refuses for me to be called Kay and that I need to be called Ava. I'm not sure why I have never felt this way with Charlie calling me it, but with Charlotte calling me it, I get a sense of forebode, most likely due to her meaning me harm along with her posse.
"That is okay, Miss Murphy. I need a word with Kayva." He tells them. Muttering under their breaths, they leave me with Mr Williams. "Come on. Let's go to my office. I need to catch up with you about a few things."
"You should put that leg up on the couch, Kayva. Otherwise, it will take longer to heal." Rolling my eyes at him, I do as he has asked, hoping it will get me out of this quicker if I do as I am told, rather than argue. "Right, I am going to get straight to the point."
"Okay."
"Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the culprits to the prank that left you naked."
"It is fine. Don't worry about it, Sir. Is there anything else you wanted me for?"
"Kayva-"
"Sir, it is fine, honestly. What else did you need me for, or was that all?" I say nonchalantly. I knew no one would be able to find out who did it, but I was pretty sure it was a group of them known as the bitch brigade and their minions.
"As a matter of fact, there is something else I would like to talk to you about," he says, scrubbing his hand down his face.
"Oh, what is that, sir?"
"Mr Fields mentioned other pranks-"
"That is nothing to worry about. Everything is absolutely hunky dory."
"Kayva?"
"Thank you for your concern, but I am honestly fine."
"Well, if you are sure. I suppose you better go get something to eat. But I expect you to come to me if anything else happens."
"If anything did happen and I did that, it would just cause me more problems. Anyway, I was actually going to attempt to find something interesting to read in the library."
"Really? Now, I would advise reading the book for my AP class then." He picks a book up from his bookshelf, and passes it to me alongside another one. "If you have time, you might also want to read the next book in the syllabus." The door slamming open stops me from telling him I have already read both books, and I turn to see who it is. Of course, it would have to be the fucking 'Kings' who storm into the room.
"Ki-Mr Williams. You called for us?" Tristan snaps, glowering at me. "Yet you already have someone here."
"I am leaving, so that won't be a problem." My brace catches on the table as I stand up, sending me flying into Mr Williams's arms.
"Terrible habit you have there," he whispers in my ear. "Cannot say I hate having you in my arms, though."
My face turns flaming red hot as my hands press against his rock-hard chest, where they are trapped between our bodies. Staring into his gorgeous eyes, I am drawn in by the hint of danger shining within them. Shit, this is not good. I need to keep as far away from his sexy arse as possible. Nope, I cannot think about him that way.
"Yes. Sorry." Pushing against Mr Williams's chest, I sidestep around the guys blocking the doorway.
"Fucking trash is everywhere." Benji sneers at me the way he always does.
"Try being her lab partner."
"Try having to put up with you idiots," I gripe back at them, keeping with my decision not to let them walk all over me anymore. They do not know what they have unleashed. I have spent over a week holding it back as they tormented me with all their childishness, but now it is time to show them what I am actually made of.
Perching my hip against the window in my next classroom, I gaze out of it while I wait for lunch to end when a warm body steps up behind me, taking me by surprise. I am about to elbow the perpetrator in the abdomen when a familiar, friendly voice speaks. "I'm sorry, Kayva. Are you okay?" Kyle, it is just my Kyle. Leaning my back against his chest, he wraps his arms gently around me. "Did they do anything to you?"
"They tried but failed."
"I am so sorry, Sweet Cheeks."
"Don't worry about it, Ky. I think it is time we turned the tables on them, though."
"Yes, yes, I think you're right." Hearing the bell ring to indicate the end of lunch, I turn in Ky's arms with an evil grin. "Owh, you have an idea."
"Kings seats?"
"Fuck yes."
The menacing looks we receive from the 'Royals' as they walk in is absolutely perfect and definitely worth their fury. Storming up to us, I cannot help the grin that spreads across my face as they loom over us with their arms crossed over their chests. If they expect me to move, they have another thing coming.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tristan snarls, always the one to do most of the talking.
"Waiting for the teacher," I say innocently.
"I don't know what you're playing at, but you will not defy us," he growls, slamming his hands down on the desk in front of me.
"Buon pomeriggio. Everyone, take your seats now."
"We would if certain people weren't in our seats, Signor Russo."
"Ah, Kayva, I heard you were joining my class. I have heard great things about you from your Spanish teacher."
"Gracias, Signor Russo. Espero no decepcionarte." Telling him I hope I don't let him down makes his eyes twinkle with pride.
"Es cierto que tienes talento."
It is nice to hear someone telling me I am talented, and coming from a teacher makes it even better, especially with all the stunned faces around me too.
"Come diavolo fai a sapere parlare italiano?" Grey whispers as he slides into the desk next to mine, and the curiosity on his face is almost comical.
"Probably the same way as you, Grey. I learnt," the corner of his mouth twitches as he tries to cover up his smile while the others get told to sit down again, high-fiving Kyle under the table. I feel like I have taken a step in gaining a part of myself back, and it's only just the beginning.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Even after deciding to ensure the 'Royals' didn't walk over me a few days ago, I have utterly failed to stop it. Kyle has tried to help me go against them, but there are just too many of them to do anything apart from giving them a bit of sass when they attempt to verbally abuse me. But today, today is going to be absolutely pure bliss.
