Shattered Reflections

Chapter 18

March 7, 2024

It was a day before International Women's Day, March 8th, and Fae, Fiona, Ally, and Sophie were gathered at their usual spot in the school cafeteria. The atmosphere was casual, filled with the usual banter and laughter. But suddenly, the mood shifted when Sophie brought up Kai.

"You know, Fae," Sophie started, her tone slightly accusatory, "I don't think Kai likes you as much as you think he does. It's been months. If he really liked you, you'd be dating by now."

Fae's eyes widened, a mix of anger and hurt flashing across her face. "That's not true, Sophie. He likes me, he just... needs time."

Sophie scoffed. "Time? How much more time does he need? You've been waiting around for him forever. Maybe he's just not that into you. Maybe he's just a bad person. Especially because we do know about his troubled past."

Fae's heart pounded in her chest, her emotions teetering on the edge. She knew deep down Sophie might be right, but she wasn't ready to accept it. "Kai's not a bad person! You don't understand him like I do."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Fae. You're just making excuses for him. You deserve someone who actually wants to be with you, not someone who keeps stringing you along. He's just keeping you around."

Tears welled up in Fae's eyes. She couldn't stand hearing this, especially from one of her closest friends. "Stop it, Sophie. Just stop."

Unable to handle the confrontation any longer, Fae abruptly stood up. Fiona, sensing her friend's distress, quickly followed her. "Come on, Fae, let's get some fresh air."

Fae stormed out of the cafeteria, with Fiona close behind. They found a quiet spot outside where Fae could try to cool off. Fae's hands were shaking, and tears began to spill down her cheeks.

"Why does she have to be so harsh?" Fae choked out, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Fiona wrapped an arm around her. "She's just worried about you, Fae. We all are. But that doesn't mean she's right. Only you know what's best for you."

Fae nodded, sniffling. "I know... it's just hard. I want to believe that Kai cares about me."

Fiona squeezed her shoulder. "Take your time, Fae. You don't have to make any decisions right now. Just focus on what makes you happy."

Fae took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Thanks, Fiona. I just need to clear my head."

As Fae and Fiona stood outside, trying to calm down, they noticed Kai and David approaching. The boys were laughing about something, but Kai's expression shifted when he saw Fae.

"Hey, Fae," Kai said, waving and offering a small smile. "Happy upcoming Women's Day."

Fae's face hardened. The recent argument with Sophie still stung, and seeing Kai now only made her feelings more turbulent. She didn't respond, instead giving him a sour look and turning away.

Kai looked taken aback by her reaction, confusion flashing in his eyes. 

Fiona shrugged, giving Kai a look that clearly said, "Not now."

David, sensing the tension, nudged Kai. "Dude, maybe now's not the best time. Let's just go."

Kai hesitated for a moment, still looking at Fae, but eventually nodded. 

As Kai and David walked away, Fae let out a shaky breath. "I can't deal with this right now," she muttered.

Fiona patted her on the back. "It's okay, Fae. Let's just focus on you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Fae shook her head. "Not really. I just need to be alone for a bit. Thanks for being here, though."

Fiona nodded understandingly. "Of course. I'm here for you, whatever you need."

Fae felt horrible for ignoring Kai, and it made her overthink the entire day. By the time school was ending, she was determined to find him and apologize. As she was hurrying through the crowded hallways, Sam stepped in front of her.

"Hey, Fae," Sam called out with a smirk. "What's up with you and Kai, huh? You two finally a thing or what?"

Fae rolled her eyes and flipped him off. "Mind your own damn business, Sam," she snapped, pushing past him.

She spotted Kai in the waiting hall, gathering his things from his locker. "Kai, wait up!" she called, rushing over to him.

Kai turned around, a mix of surprise and concern on his face. "Fae, hey. What's up?"

Fae took a deep breath, feeling the guilt and anxiety gnawing at her. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have ignored you like that."

Kai shrugged, but his eyes softened. "It's fine, Fae. Really."

Fae hesitated, trying to find the right words. Before she could say anything, Kai interrupted, changing the subject.

"Did you hear about Nelly and her boyfriend? They broke up," he said, shaking his head. "I predicted that shit, didn't I? I mean, who cares, though? Nelly's always been a mess."

Fae felt a knot form in her stomach. Kai's words seemed indifferent, but his tone betrayed a hint of something else. "Yeah, we did," she replied, forcing a smile. "But, uh, why do you sound like you care?"

Kai scoffed. "I don't give a fuck about her, honestly. Just saying, it's interesting how people are so predictable."

As he kept talking, Fae felt more and more uneasy. His words didn't match the indifference he was trying to project. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure.

"Anyway," Kai continued, "I'm glad you came to talk."

Fae nodded, still feeling a bit off-balance. "Yeah, I just... I didn't want you to think I was mad at you or anything. I guess I just had a rough day." Except for you were the reason I felt this way. Fae thought to herself.

Kai's expression softened again. "It's okay. Everyone has those days. Just... talk to me next time, alright?"

"Alright," Fae agreed, feeling a bit better but still unsettled by their conversation.

As they walked out of the waiting hall together, Fae couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Kai's feelings about Nelly than he was letting on. But for now, she decided to let it go and focus on making things right between them.

He was the reason I felt like shit, but he was also the reason I felt much better afterwards. Fae thought to herself.