Lego House | ✓

7. selfish

Vik had one thing that kept him sane. Kidding, "it" was a person and she practically disappeared off the face of the earth.

There was a party occurring later at night. Vik wasn't really planning on going, but his other friend, James, who'd he only started speaking to a few days ago, insisted that he attend.

He wasn't a party kind of person, not now, not then. Vik had nothing else to do and Lillian was okay with him going out a living a little, as long as he didn't get in a car and drive. She made him promise. Deep down on the inside, Vik knew that he didn't want to go at all; he was sucking it up for Josh's sake, who had pleaded and begged for the former to come.

"Here," Josh offered, arm outstretched and holding a beer, "live a little."

"Yeah, I'll love living when the cops come and we're all busted," Vik muttered. "I'm not eighteen yet and there's no adults here."

"We won't get caught."

"Okay, sure," Vik replied sarcastically.

"Just one drink."

Vik stared at the red Solo cup. "Just one."

Sure enough, one turned into two, which then turned turned into three and so on. By the eighth drink, Vik was completely drunk and wasted.

Somehow in the midst of all the insanity, Vik's thoughts wandered to Kayla. Was she okay? He hadn't really been bothered about her disappearance until now. She could be on the verge of suicide or something crazy and he hadn't even been concerned about her. Selfish, he thought.

He mindlessly ditched the party and began walking. Vik didn't know where he was going, but his feet were taking him somewhere. Turns out his conscience knew exactly what it was doing.

***

Kayla couldn't sleep. Her thoughts stirred endlessly in her head and someone banging on the door certainly didn't help her either. After a minute or so, she decided to finally address the latter, which wasn't going away.

She shuffled out of bed, leaving her blanket as a heap of messiness. Her eyes adjusted to the lack of light while she opened the door. "It's late. What are you doing here?"

"I— I needed to s-see you."

"That's sweet, but you should go home. You're drunk."

"No, Kayla," Vik slurred, "I— Can I come in?"

Kayla walked back inside and an intoxicated Vik followed, closing the door behind him.

She was petrified. Her thoughts drifted to those nights were her dad was absolutely wasted. He would beat her, demanding to know where his wife was. Kayla would just sit there, eyes shut tight and holding back tears, for if any salty water leaked from her eyes, she would get hit harder. Kayla shuddered at the memory.

Vik walked closer to her. In one swift motion, he pressed his lips against hers. However, Kayla's mind was lost. Her dad's drinking habits were the first that came to mind and tears began to flow down her cheeks nonstop.

"Kayla, are you okay?" Vik asked, sobering up.

"No, I'm not. I'm really not. I'm sick of pretending that everything's perfectly fine. My life is so screwed up, Vik. My mom, she died in a car accident a little more than two years ago," she paused and hiccuped, "and my dad— he drinks. Like, a lot. He would beat me after my mother died and then he, he—" Kayla broke down in tears.

"Kayla, it's fine. You don't have to tell me," Vik replied, guiding her to the couch and sitting beside her.

"No, you deserve to know. You've always been there for me and I keep pushing you away. I'm sorry, Vik. You're such a great person and you deserve to be friends with someone who is better than me. I'm a disappointment."

"You can't say that. You have no idea what you've done for me. You practically saved me and you have no clue."

"No. All I do is mess things up. Even my mom's death is my fault."

"I'm sure it's not," Vik coaxed.

"Yes it is! I asked her to buy me some film for my Polaroid camera when she had the chance, and when they examined the car, there was a newly bought box of film. If I had just bought it myself, I wouldn't be in this situation. I'm so selfish."

"You had no way of knowing that would have happened, Kayla. My parents," he stopped momentarily, "they passed away, too."

"Both of them?" Kayla was bewildered. She couldn't imagine losing her mother and father. Those were the days where he still loved her and Jack and he wasn't afraid to show it. Ever since the accident, Kayla's dad had been corrupted by alcohol.

Vik nodded indifferently.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kayla said, barely above a whisper while pulling him in for an embrace.

Vik couldn't help, but to comfort the vulnerable girl in his arms. It didn't bother him that much anymore. Sometimes, it would linger in his mind, but there would be no way Vik could forget about the people he raised him and created him.

"My sister says I act like they never existed, but I secretly think about them every single day. I miss them and I could never forget them and I still love them, no matter how I show it. I bet you feel the same way about your mother, Kayla," Vik said serenely.

Kayla looked up into Vik's eyes, still wrapped by his arms. Vik smiled shyly before gently pressing his lips against hers, treating her as a fragile piece of glass. This kiss was much more different from his previous one, which had been filled with pain and desperation.

Kayla knew it was exactly what she had ever wanted, with the only word to describe the gesture of affection being perfect.

When they pulled away, Vik being first before things could've potentially gotten too out of hand, he ruined the moment. "I— um, I have to go home."

"Vik, please," Kayla's voice croaked out, barely above a whisper, "stay with me."

−−−−−

I NEED A SHIP NAME (and no, not 'kik' like the messaging app.)

anyways, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! There's only a chapter and an epilogue left. Lego House is finally slowing down to an end.