"Mkay, Mom. I'm all packed up," Kayla said. She put her last bag into the back of her car. She turned to her mother to see her with a tight frown on her face.
"I really don't think I like you living with that Gerard boy for the next four years."
"Mom, it's fine. You can trust him, you met him before. Remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. The boy brought you home late. I said be back by nine, he didn't sneak you back until eleven. What were you two doing, anyway?"
"We just got caught up in conversation with Frank's mom when we were taking everyone home. Oh yeah, and it wasn't just us. It was also his brother and a few of his friends."
Kayla's mother's eyes welled up with tears, and she pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, Kayla!"
"Um, okay. Can you chill a little? You're starting to break my back."
"Your father would be proud too," she said, and she broke down.
"Mom, it's okay. Don't cry. Look, Taylor's coming out. Be strong for her. She can't see you cry, you're supposed to be her hero."
Kayla's mom spat out a hollow laugh. "Then why are you?"
Just then Taylor came out of the house. "Laya when are you coming home?" When Taylor was little she couldn't say "Kayla" so she just said "Laya". She wasn't even a year old. She still calls her that, even as the intelligent little ten year old she is now. Her friends call her that too.
"I haven't even left yet, you already want to know when I'm coming back?" she barked out a laugh but immediately regretted it when Taylor started to cry. "No, no, no, no. Don't cry! It's okay. Hush," she said, dropping to her knees and wiping the tears off Taylor's face. "I'm coming back in November, just in time for your birthday. Sounds good, yeah?"
"Okay. Bye Laya." Taylor wrapped her little arms around Kayla's neck, holding her tight enough to stop her from breathing.
"Alright, bye Taylor," she croaked. She pulled away from Taylor and stood up.
Her mother did the exact same thing. "Mom, I'm dying here."
"Behave, you hear me? Don't let that boy keep you from making good grades."
"Mama," she shocked herself, she hadn't called her mother that for years, she had better get going before she broke down, "he's just a friend. It's not like-" she stopped herself before she said something that would make her mother faint. "And besides, he's 24. I'm only 19. Do you really think I like old people?" she joked. She smiled and Kayla secretly thanked the lord that she didn't take it badly. That would put her in a really awkward position. "See you in November." She gave her sister a kiss on the forehead and hopped in her car. She drove off, proud that she hadn't cried in front of her family.
When she looked in her rear view mirror, she saw her mother kneeling down comforting her crying sister. At that sight, she broke down, tears spilling down her face. She continued to cry the whole six hours to Gerard's house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When she pulled into Gerard's driveway, her jaw dropped. A huge banner displayed across the house. "WELCOME HOME, KAYLA!"
She got out the car and stared at it. "No fucking way."
The door to the house swung open and out ran Gerard and Mikey. Frank and Ray tried to go through at the same time but got stuck. Frank pushed Ray back and they ran out too. "KAYLA!" They all yelled. They tackled her and piled on top of her in the grass.
"I missed you!" Frank said.
"What took you so long to get here?" Ray asked.
"I haven't seen you in so long!" Mikey said, a huge grin on his face. He never smiled. Kayla felt good seeing him smile.
"How've you been, Laya?" Gerard asked.
"I was fine until you assholes bulldogged me!" she said.
"But we missed you!" Gerard said.
"Yeah I kind of gathered that. Now get off me old man!" Gerard pushed the other guys off him and got up, offering Kayla a hand and a smile, and pulled her up.
"C'mon," Frank said. "We're celebrating tonight!"
"We bought a twelve pack while we were waiting on you," Ray said, walking into the house.
"Oh, I don't know if you forgot, but I'm 19. I don't drink."
"You will tonight," Mikey said.
"Come on, it'll be fine," Gerard gave her a sly wink and immediately looked away, running toward the house. "Ray! Toss me two!" He caught both and tossed one to Kayla.
Kayla looked at the can, hesitant on whether or not she should do it. "Just drink the damn thing Laya!" Frank's voice came from inside the house.
"How can you even see me?" she asked to herself. She shrugged and opened the can, taking a sip.
"There you go!" Gerard put an arm around her. He made sure nobody else was in earshot and whispered in her ear, "You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know."
She smiled. "Thanks for the concern, poser, but I'll be fine."
