Love at the Sea

Twenty-two: Kaleikoa

After about 30 minutes Lei walks out of her room and twirls on the top of her stairs. "Like?" I get up and leaned on the wall by the stairs and said, "Love." She smiled her innocent smile. "Lei, you ready?" "Yes mom," she said, "we're gonna go then." "Bye sweetie, have a good day of school. Kalei you better get her there safely." "Yes, ma'am." I hear Lei laugh then she said, in a quiet voice, "My mom doesn't like to be called ma'am." Then I hear Aunty Pua say, "Don't call me ma'am!" With that we were out the door. 

Lei opens the passenger seat door and slides in. Puts on her seat belt and just stays quiet until I turned on the car. As I made our way to the freeway, Lei turned on the radio to 104.3 and turned up the volume. 

When we finally got to the freeway, Lei pulled out her phone and plugged it in the radio and started to scroll. Then we hit traffic, no matter how early we leave traffic is inevitable, then I hear Lei sing. Soft first then louder. She is the singer between us siblings. 

"How soon do we forget how we fell?" I looked at her as she sang Best Mistake by Ariana Grande ft. Big Sean. I love when she sings, I look over to her and see her stare at the phone case she got me. "Break up, make up total waste to time." "Lei?" She looked up, I just shake my head and hold out my right hand. She immediately grabs it. "When did you do your nails?" 

She stared at her nails then said, "Would it be bad to say last night?" I looked at her and she smiled her it's-bad-isn't-it. "When last night?" She held up her right hand and asked, "Does it look good?" I glanced at her nails then back at the road. "Yeah, when did your nails." "Hmm," she says, "after you went to sleep." I looked at her and she smiled. "How much sleep did you get?" I asked her, "Hmm, four or five hours. I'm not really sure," she says. I shake my head. 

 Her fingers were french tipped: pointers and ring fingers were black french tipped and her thumbs and pinkies were white french tip and finally her two middle fingers had mini pandas on them. I do like her nails but I just wish she had more sleep though.

We finally made it to her school. I parked and looked at her. She held my hand tighter, "Do you want me to walk you to the office before I go?" She looked up, her eyes said please don't leave me but she said, "I can go by myself." She let go of my hand was opened the door. She stared at the ground. I opened my door which made her jump. I slid out and walked around and held out my hand to help her out of my truck. She slid out, put on her bag and after I locked my truck, I walked her to the office. 

We passed by a few people, Lei looked at some of them and then looked down. All of a sudden Lei stopped. I turn to her and then looked to where she was looking. I see why she stopped it was Dean. He looked at us and smiled, then started to walk over to us. 

"Sup, guys long time no see." Lei let go on my hand so I can hug him. She then took out her phone. "Brah, how you been?" He laughed, "Man, I miss you guys. I have no one to talk moke to here. Everyone is so proper." We both laughed but Lei wasn't. "Leilani?" She looked up and smiled. "I get it you don't miss me," Lei shook her head but didn't say anything. Am I missing? "Okay, if you didn't miss me can I hear you say it?" She shook her head again. 

Dean shrugged and then asked, "What are you guys doing here? Isn't your school Kams?" I look at Lei and then say, "Lei came here on a full ride until the end of senior year. Apparently Lei turned in a really good paper to the school." He nodded and then asked Lei, "I'm sure other school gave you scholarships too, right like La Pietra and Iolani and Mid-Pack?" Lei looked up and nodded. Then turned to me and handed me her phone I looked at the time and I realize I had 30 minutes to get to school. "Are you gonna be okay?" 

She nodded and then I pulled her into a hug which caught her off-guard then kissed her on the lips. "Text me, okay?" I whisper in her ear and she nodded. I waved to Dean and as I turned to walk away I hear Dean say, "Okay he's gone you can talk now." I walk and then turn a corner and turned around. I look at her behind a tree and then I hear her say, "Dean! Oh my gosh, I forgot you go here." 

I see Dean laugh and then I see Lei hug Dean. I hear her faintly say, "I missed you so much at Kams." I can't hear this. I turn around and start my trek back to my truck. Why was Lei acting all quiet when we saw Dean but after I left she started to talk. 

When I got back in my truck I sighed and then turned on the car and drove to my school. I'll ask Chelsea and Makana later about that.