It Started As a Deal

Chapter 7: First Argument

"Happiness is a state of activity." ~ Aristotle

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Sitting in the passenger seat of the van going to pick up Evangeline, I look out the window attempting to get a hold of my emotions.  I've been quiet most of the day since we've left the mall.  I don't know what to say.  I don't know how to feel about what happened.  Kye tried to talk to me earlier, but he realized that I didn't exactly feel like talking. . .to anybody.

The girls' exclamations and gasps of shock brought me back to reality and made me realize what was happening.  Kye was kissing me!  I wanted to move away because I was embarrassed with this being in public, but Kye was holding me in his arms.  To be honest, the kiss was nice.  His lips were extremely soft which I didn't expect.  I didn't really know what to expect since this was my first kiss.  He didn't try to stick his tongue down my throat which I'm sure some other person would have tried to do, and I'm grateful for that.

"Oh my gosh!  I can't believe it!  He's dating a freak!" one of the girls said.  Kye then breaks away from me and takes my hand in his free one.

"Well if you think she's a freak, then so am I," he says starting to move away from the girls.

"No!  That's different!" the brunette shouts from where they stand unmoving in front of the kiosk.

"Yeah!  You're cute, so it's okay!" the red head says her voice giving of the duh tone.

"The only freak around here is her!" the blonde says, but I can barely hear her as get closer to the door.  Their words sent daggers into my heart, and I felt bad about myself.  I know that I look weird and different than most girls, but it felt to me like a double standard since Kye isn't like most guys either.

Once we got in the van, he tried to talk to me.

"Imogen, don't let them get to you.  They're always saying stuff like that.  There aren't many people here like us," he told me starting the car.

"I don't care why they said it, I just don't want to hear them say it to me," I say softly with my head down and face burning with embarrassment.

"Well, I didn't want them saying those things to you.  That's why I kissed you," he said starting on the way back to the house.

"What do you mean that's why?"

"I didn't want to hear them say that either."  It was as if a knife was stabbed into my already empty chest cavity.  I thought he kissed me because he meant it and not just because those girls were talking shit about me.  I honestly didn't know why I thought he meant it.

"Imogen?  Imogen?  Come on Imogen, I didn't mean it like that," he said nudging me as he pulled into the driveway.

"Whatever.  I don't care.  I don't really feel like talking," I said getting out of the van.

"Okay then.  Look, I'm going grab something to eat and check my computer for jobs.  If I have nothing, we'll go get Evangeline from daycare."

Now that the van is full of silence, I don't know if this is better.  I can sort through my thoughts and emotions like I wanted, but this silence is killing me.  I want to say something, but I can't.  I want him to say something, but then again, I don't.

The car turns off, and I've lost track of time and sense of direction.  We've arrived at Evangeline's daycare.  I wanted to stay in the car, but Kye had other ideas.

"Look Imogen, I know you're mad at me right now, but Evangeline would want you to come in with me to get her," Kye says coming over to my side and opening the door.

"Kye, I'm not mad at you," I say getting out of the van.  "I was at first, but I'm better now that I've thought about it."  Don't get me wrong, I'm still upset, but I'm not mad at him.

"No, I can tell you're still upset," he says reaching out to me with his hand to see if I'll take it.  I do it more so because I feel bad than for myself.

We walk up to the doors, and Kye pushes one open.  The front lobby is decorated with children's characters like, Big Bird and Elmo painted on the walls.  There is a bulletin board on one side of the room with finger paintings done by all the kids there.  I walk over there to look for Evangeline's while Kye goes to the desk to sign her out.  It looks like the finger paintings were done today because Evangeline's shows me, her, and Kye holding hands frolicking through a field of flowers.

"Imogen, come on.  We gotta go in the playroom to get Evangeline," Kye says coming up behind me and taking my hand to lead me to the playroom.  We walked through another set of doors which opens up into a giant open room.

One corner of the room has mats on the ground along with pillows and blankets which I think is for naptime.  Another corner has bean bags and crates with picture books.  The corner closest to us was closed off, so I think it is a bathroom.  The last corner has easels set up for finger painting.  The middle of the room had a huge circular rug and boxes of toys dumped over.

"Evangeline," Kye calls out.  "It's time to go home."

"Aww Daddy!  I don't -," she starts to say but stopping once she turns around and sees me.  "Mommy!  You see guys!  I told you!  This is my new mommy!"  Evangeline runs up to me and throws her arms around me in a hug.  All of her little friends at daycare stared with wide eyes at me.

"Whoa!" one of the little girls said,  "You wished on the star and poof!  You have a mommy!"  Kye chuckles a bit at this, and I crack a small smile.

"Come on Evangeline.  Let's go home," I say scooping her up in my arms.

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Author's Note:  Ok, so I'm sorry for the month long wait, but I'm back!  The reason why I updated this story first is because my friend asked me to.  On Tuesday, I'll be updating A Short Story Collection, Friday I'll be updating Hearing Everything Around Me, and next Sunday, I'll be updating Can You Remember?.  I love you all, and I won't be taking a break anytime soon.

~jnicoleb1234 out!