Lego House | ✓

5. rivalry

"Hey, Jack!" Kayla cheered, seeing her brother on Skype.

"Oh, hi there, Kayla!"

She observed as a female wandered around in the background. She was definitely pretty, long blonde hair that fell down in waves and piercing blue eyes that were most definitely unforgettable; they seemed like ice almost, cold and hard.

"Jack, who's that?" she asked quietly, not wanting to come off as rude.

"G, come here," he called. Kayla watched as the blonde came closer and sat beside her brother, holding his hand. "This is my girlfriend, Gina."

"Hey Gina, I'm Kayla," she introduced.

"Oh, I know," she replied.

Gina definitely wasn't going to be a name she would be forgetting anytime soon.

"I'm going to get a glass of water. Do you want water, G?" Jack said.

"I'm good, thanks."

As soon as Jack left, Kayla snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know for a fact that you have been dating my brother for about two years, which is fine, but why did you take over and come between us?"

Gina let out an awkward laugh. "I am not allowed to spend time with my boyfriend?"

The way Gina stretched out the word "boyfriend," and managed to fill it with venom ticked Kayla off even more. "I didn't say that; I know that a healthy relationship requires time that has been spent together, but why haven't you let my brother talk to me?"

Jack walked into the room, holding a plastic bottle of water, and had heard the entire conversation. "Uh, Kayla? Maybe it's best if you leave now."

"But—"

"Trust me, I'll talk to you again soon."

***

If there was one thing Kayla hated more than anything, it was crying. Whether or not other people witnessed it, although crying in front of others is still awful, she couldn't stand the fact that she was admitting weakness to herself and the demons in her head.

It was one of those rare occasions where Kayla desperately wanted to sob into a pillow, wishing all of her problems would flow away through her tears, but she couldn't. She had hardened and became more zombie-like, emotionless.

Her mother's death seemed to slowly, yet hurtfully, kill her, until she grew a hard skin and numbed the pain. It was that same tough outer shell that made her seem robotic and not humanlike.

After a half an hour consisting of Kayla simply sitting crosslegged on her bed and looking straight ahead, she finally felt a single tear fall from her right eye.  Letting the salty water flow down her cheek, she got up and walked over to the open window in her room. The view wasn't the most breathtaking, but it was an interesting composition.

The backyard lawn was covered in a blanket of green grass and occasional yellow stands. Dandelions were scattered about, but all was cut off by a white picket fence. The street wanted wear and seemed empty and clear of tire marks.

A knock on the door caught Kayla's attention.

"Come in." Kayla was shocked by the shakiness of her own voice.

She watched as the doorknob rotated and a short, dark-haired boy walked in. "Hey, Kayla."

"Oh, hi Vik."

Vik carefully observed the countenance of the girl in front of him and sat next to Kayla on her bed.

"Kayla, are you okay?"

"Yeah..." her voice trailed off.

"You can tell me what's wrong."

"Jack's a dick."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah."

"You seemed so happy to get his call."

Vik was right; Kayla was ecstatic to have seen his sacred number on the screen, but Gina, or G, as Jack called her, took priority over herself in his life. She had always thought that blood was thicker than water. Clearly, she was wrong.

"Yeah, but Jack rather be with his stupid girlfriend that his family— his sister."

"Oh," Vik answered, "that must suck."

It wasn't something that would normally bother Kayla. Jack and her, they had shared countless childhood and young teenage memories. She had expected him to put family first, but his girlfriend, who seemed to be a complete bitch, had to come first.

It made Kayla feel unwanted, which wasn't much of a new thing. However, coming from someone who held a place in her heart, it really stung. She always thought that her brother had her back, but when Jack left for college and never bothered to call or anything, Kayla couldn't help but crumble.

"Kayla?" Vik's voice quavered, "it's okay. Everything is going to be okay. Trust me, your brother still loves you, but there's just someone else in his life how."

Kayla remained silent. As much as she hated to admit it, Vik was right. I'm probably just overreacting, she told herself.

She was still struggling— still teetering under the weight and trying to find the perfect balance and combination of both strength and fear. One day, the two elements will live in a dynamic equilibrium and Kayla would finally be at peace. Until then, the journey was going to be long and arduous.

***

One week later, Kayla hasn't talked to anyone, other than the occasional, "hey, dad. Good morning," each day or the typical, "good night," in the evening to her father.

She was afraid to let anyone know or let someone in.