The Lost One

Chapter 7: Friends

(Friday-the next day)

I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday. Why would Kale do that? No matter how much I tell him to stay away or leave me alone, he gets closer and closer to me. What's his deal anyway? Of all the people in this school, why does he pick me? I sighed. Probably for the stupid deal of his. I wasn't in the best of moods now. I had a nightmare about that night last year and couldn't sleep well after.

I was laying in my bed, even though it was 1 in the afternoon. I closed my eyes and thought about the kiss. He seemed so gentle...kind...I've never been kissed like that before. I opened my eyes and looked over at my desk. His sweatshirt that he gave me was sitting on the back of the desk chair and the dress was still on the desk.

"Kale...you idiot..." I sighed. There was a knock on the door. "E? It's Lauren. Are you there?" I called out. "Yea, one sec." Lazily, I crawled out of my bed and walked over to the door, still in my pj's. I opened the door and saw Lauren in a pretty, short dress. It looked like mine, but had short sleeves covering her shoulders.

She raised her eyebrows. "You were still in bed? Kale will be here in two hours to pick you up. Can I come in?" I nodded and closed the door after she walked in. "Why are you dressed up?" I asked, watching her pick up my dress. She smiled. "I can't leave you alone to be tortured by my brother. Besides, his friends are two guys and they can be a bit obnoxious sometimes."

I nodded and she lifted a big bag she'd been carrying. "So, how do you want to look? We're going out to a club in the city tonight." I sighed, slouching down to the ground. "Of course..." Kale knows I don't like being around people. He would take me out to a really public place. "Wait, don't we need to be eighteen?" I asked with hope.

Lauren shook her head with a regretful smile. "My stepfather, Kale's biological father, owns several buildings in the city. Since we're related, me and Kale can bring whoever we want, as long as they're sixteen or over. All of the workers there know who we are, so they tell him if we were there and 'misbehaving'."

We laughed a little. "But i'm fifteen. My birthday isn't until the June 21rst." She held up the bag. "You won't look fifteen when I'm done with you." She smiled and pushed me into the bathroom. It doesn't matter if they're only half siblings, Lauren and Kale really are alike in some ways.

After taking a quick shower, Lauren gave me my pj's back, I put them on and she helped me dry my hair and churl it. "So, do you like my brother?" She asked. I tried to nod, but the curling iron didn't want to cooperate with me. "Yea, although he can be a pain in the ass most of the time, he's okay to hang out with."

She chuckled and shook her head. "No, I mean, do you like him as  a guy?" I hesitated. "I don't know. I mean, he seems to like me...I think, but I don't want to be used just because he doesn't want to be in a committed relationship with anyone." She nodded. "I'm kind of in the same situation."

I looked at her in the mirror. "Really? How?" She smiled. "I really like this guy Scott, but he's like my brother. Half the time he's goofing around, so I can't tell how he really feels. The other half is so sweet, but the first half makes me think it was a joke." I scoffed. "Good to know I'm not the only one in this boat."

She laughed. "Don't worry about it though. I know Kale. He's not a bad guy. You saw how he was with Josh that one day. He hates guys like that, and since this place is full of them, he always gets into fights." Lauren finished my hair and let me get changed. I was comfy in my jeans, and the dress did make me look older.

After I finished, she came back in and started with my makeup. As she put my eyeshadow on, I sighed. "Lauren, can I ask you something?" "Sure, anything." I paused, nervous to ask. "Why were you so nice to me? For the past year, you heard all of those rumors about me, but you still were so nice and helped me whenever I'd get hurt. Why?"