Heart Me

Chapter 2

Kayla's POV

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in my thoughts. The silence of the room was comforting, a stark contrast to the bustling school day. It was already past 10 PM when I heard a knock on my door. Who would be knocking at this hour? I got off my bed slowly, my curiosity piqued, and went to answer the door. To my surprise, Nate stood there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, letting him in and closing the door behind him.

"I really need your help," he began, his voice tinged with urgency. "Your aunt called me to her office after we parted ways. Then, I bumped into some school bullies, and they took my keys. I had no one else to turn to."

"So you don't have a place to stay for the night?" I sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy. He nodded, looking a bit helpless. "Okay, you can crash here, but only for tonight. And if anyone finds out, we are in serious trouble," I warned him.

"Thanks," he said, grinning with relief.

I locked the door and walked towards my bed. "No problem. You can sleep on the couch," I told him. I watched as he went towards the couch and sat down on its end. He still had his uniform on, looking a bit out of place. I walked to my closet and rummaged through it, finally pulling out a pair of baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"Here," I said, handing him the clothes. "You can change in the bathroom." I pointed towards the door to my bathroom.

He got off the couch and walked to the bathroom. While he was changing, I got back on the bed, grabbed my phone, and started scrolling through my social media feeds. A few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, now dressed in my clothes. The sight of him in my oversized sweats was oddly endearing.

"I sleep with the lights on. Are you okay with that?" I asked, trying to make him as comfortable as possible.

"Yeah, sure," he smiled. "Thanks for taking me in," he added, his gratitude evident.

The next morning, I woke up facing the couch, where Nate slept. My eyes fluttered open, and I was startled to find him already awake, his eyes staring at me. The intimacy of the moment made me feel uncomfortable, and I quickly averted my gaze.

"I... I'll go find the boarding mistress to get a spare key to my room," he said hastily, clearly sensing my discomfort. He got out of the couch and left the room in a rush, forgetting his uniform in my bathroom.

The day was uneventful until my aunt's P.A., Ms. Jade, came to my class to request my presence before the school board. I followed her silently, my mind racing to figure out what trouble I might be in. My grades were good, my class attendance was regular, and I had even joined the environmental club to bolster my extracurricular activities. But I was very inactive in the club. They never considered me a member. As Ms. Jade led me into the boardroom, my heart pounded in my chest. The room was filled with stern faces, and I was directed to a seat. My aunt sat there, her eyes downcast, not glancing at me even once.

"Kayla, good afternoon," the chairman greeted me. I didn’t know his name, but I knew he had a daughter in my classes.

"Good afternoon, sir," I replied, trying to stay composed.

"Do you have any idea why you were called here?" he asked.

"No," I mumbled, my heart skipping a beat as Nate entered the room and was led to a seat opposite me. Now, I had a clear idea why I was here.

"It's good that Mr. Anderson is finally here," the chairman continued. "You two are aware that this school has rules and breaking any rule has serious consequences. Some students have reported to the boarding mistress that Mr. Anderson has been sleeping in your room, Kayla. Is this true?"