Somewhere Only We Know

XXI - Deeper Than a Knife

I looked straight ahead. No one had spoken in the last 20 minutes. Chase was yet again drifting in and out of sleep. Edward had been staring out the window since he got into the car. And Kai, well. I could see him through the rearview mirror looking at the back of my head and mumbling something. Almost like he was literally talking shit behind my back.

I would say it was the cannabis that made me act like that earlier. But honestly, Kai didn't seem like himself the entire day which affected how I felt and acted. Not that I was concerned or anything like that.

As I drove into the guest parking lot, I turned the engine off and watched everyone get out of the car, except for Kai. After a few minutes, Kai opened the driver's seat door to let me out, like a subtle apology for our heated argument earlier. I was still annoyed, so I got out and slammed the door, causing Kai to jump from the noise.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Max!" He shouted as I walked away. Before I could walk into the lobby of the apartment, he chased after me, his footsteps heavy. I could feel him closing in, and when we reached the elevator, he grabbed my wrist with a grip that made me wince. I pulled away naturally, my irritation flaring. I was so close to slapping him. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Would you just stop? I'm sorry I called you that. Can we just forget about it? It's been a long day." Kai's voice was sharp, almost too loud for the quiet lobby, which made the concierge and the guard by the door look in our direction. "I was just frustrated at the situation. Please, I'm sorry." He pleaded as he let go of me.

I looked at him, unable to tell if he was being sincere or not. His apology was so hollow, so obviously forced, that it made me even angrier. "Oh? That's it? You called me a fucking bitch."

Kai's face flushed, and he stared at me with a mix of frustration and refusal to back down. "Come on, Max. I said I'm sorry. What more do you want from me? Do you think I'm just going to grovel? I mean, you really were acting like a bitch earlier! You left Edward on the streets of nowhere."

I scoffed loudly at him, "This isn't my fault. You've been acting like a bitch since the moment we step foot in that school! But I didn't call you out for it, did I?"

"Because you guys got high at 8 in the morning! How the hell am I supposed to react to that? I went with you guys so I could watch how your rehearsals go. But, no! You decided to get high on the corridor floors like two idiots!" Kai's voice rose, his anger now matching mine. "I'm trying to fix this, but you just want to keep dragging it out."

"I'm not dragging it out!" I argued, my voice loud now. "And it's not like we purposefully got high." I followed, my breathing starting to go quicker from the anger I felt. "What's up your ass? Mind you, we've only just met!"

Kai's eyes narrowed, and he clenched his jaw. "Whatever, Max. I acted like that because you didn't show up when you agreed to meet me at a coffee shop. You could've just said you were seeing someone." His voice was cold now, his anger barely contained. "I'm done with this."

Without another word, he turned and went into the elevator. The door slowly closed. He stood there, avoiding eye contact. I sighed in annoyance and frustration. It's been a long day, and that was the first day I ever missed a rehearsal. "Dick." I muttered, continuing, "Can you believe that guy? I mean, get off my dick, man!"

I turned my back to the other elevator, hoping this was the last bullshit I'd have to deal with today.

"That your boyfriend?" A woman standing in front of the elevator asked, startling me. I didn't notice she was there. She had a subtle southern accent which made me assume she wasn't from around here. "Excuse me?" I asked. The woman was facing the elevator, so I couldn't tell who it was.