𝙰𝚖𝚘𝚛 𝚅𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚝 𝙾𝚖𝚗𝚒𝚊 》𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚎𝚋𝚞𝚜 𝙰𝚙𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘

1.04

KYRA DIDN'T UNDERSTAND why people like Gabe Ugliano had to exist.

He was crude, vain, and all above a horrible person. Just seeing him alone made the girl's skin crawl and nose hairs to shrivel up. Maybe that's why her allergies were so bad–all of her nose hairs were singed off from his horrid smell.

She didn't want to question Sally's decision in marrying him, but honestly, what did she see in him? There had to be something she wasn't sharing with anyone else. There had to be something she knew that nobody else did, Kyra wouldn't accept it otherwise.

So, when the first thing he did when Percy and Kyra made it to the former's apartment was ask for cash, Kyra lost it.

"You know, most people would actually greet their stepson when seeing him for the first time in months, but clearly it's not in your mental capacity to do so. Does your personal dictionary even include the word 'hi', or is it only filled with alcohol-related terms?"

The girl's face felt hot from the amount of rage coursing through her body. She hated when people treated her friends with disrespect and aggression. If there was one thing she wouldn't do, it would be to stand back and watch her best friend be mistreated by this pig.

The man rose from his chair and sauntered over to her, a dangerous glint in his eyes. If there was one thing in this world he wouldn't take, it was disrespect from a shitty little girl. Especially one who didn't belong within a hundred mile radius of him, let alone the country.

Noticing the look in his step dad's eyes, Percy stood directly in front of Kyra. "Wait," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a wad of cash. He pushed it against the drunken man's chest. "Here, that's all I have."

Gabe's fingers clenched around the money, yet he continued to glower down at the girl. If looks could kill, Kyra was sure she would be dead. Even so, she didn't stand down. She wouldn't give this man the satisfaction of it.

"C'mon, man," one of Gabe's friends–Eddie–said from the table. "Let's just finish the game."

With a crack of the neck and one last look up and down, Gabe sat down on his chair.

Percy gripped Kyra's bicep, keeping a firm grasp on it. "Come on," he murmured, tugging her away from the scene and into his room. As soon as the two of them made it inside, Percy slammed the door shut in frustration and set his suitcase down on his bed. He unconsciously let out a sigh of relief, glad that his stepfather hadn't done anything worse to Kyra than he had.

"I can't believe you put up with him everyday!" Kyra exclaimed, her face red in anger. "He's just so–ugh! I could rip out all his internal organs and shove them down his throat!"

The dark-haired boy couldn't stop the small laugh from emitting from his lips. Who knew his best friend was such a sadist?

"You wish," he quipped. "I wouldn't come within a hundred mile radius from you if you did that. The stench would be the worst."

Kyra's lips formed an 'o' shape at his words, as she was overcome with realization. "That's a good point. I will not be doing that lest it be my final action."

"Did you just say 'lest'?"

"It's called having a good sense of vocabulary," the girl shrugged. "You should try it sometime–it's fun."

"I think that was the meanest thing you've ever said to me," Percy replied, taken aback. "I don't know if I like it."

"Sorry," Kyra said, all of a sudden feeling a little embarrassed from her atypical word-choice.

"Nonono! Do not apologize. This is improvement. You are finally becoming a real human being."

"I hate you."