It Started As a Deal

Chapter 18: Accident

"She fell, she hurt, she felt, she lived. And for all the tumble of her experiences, she still had hope," ~ Sarah Dessen, This Lullaby.

* * *

"What are you guys up to?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen tying my hair up in a ponytail. Astrid, Vladimir, Kye, and Evangeline were sitting at the island surrounded by food and a basket of some sorts.

"Making food," Kye answered putting together sandwiches before placing them in a plastic bag. He then squished the bag to get all of the air out and then took a black sharpie to write "Ham & Cheese Sandwiches" on the Ziploc bag.

"For what?" I asked going over and sitting down next to Kye and looking at what they had laid out. There were Ziploc bags with different types of sandwiches in them, containers with fruits, water bottles, soda cans, chips, salad, cupcakes, and brownies. Is there like some type of family gathering that I don't know about?

"A picnic!" Evangeline says excitedly as she tries unsuccessfully to steal one of the cupcakes from the middle of the table.

"It's a family outing because we need 'bonding' time at least once a month," Vladimir said rolling his eyes and putting air quotes around the word bonding. It was clearly obvious that he didn't want to be doing this and thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

"Don't be like that," Astrid muttered to Vladimir before turning to address me. "Rosalinda likes to take us out to family outings once a month, and this month we are going to the park for a picnic."

"I forgot to tell you about it since you're still getting used to things around here, but I hope you don't mind it," Kye tells me with his eyes having worry swimming in them.

"I don't mind it really," I say putting a hand on his shoulder, "I just wished you would have mentioned it a bit earlier."

"I will next time I promise," he says putting his arm around my shoulder pulling me into him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Astrid and Vladimir giving us a look, but I chose to ignore if for the time being since Astrid's going to ask about it later on.

"You kids ready to go yet?" Rosalinda asks coming into the kitchen adjusting the bandana that was holding her hair back.

"Wait! Is this okay? I only found out just now," I say standing up. I was wearing a black tank top with a white sweater on top that hung off both of my shoulders a bit with jean shorts and black knee high converses.

"Oh of course its fine! We're only going to the park. Kye, why did you wait until now to tell Imogen?" she asks going over and packing everything into the basket as if she's done this many times before which I'm sure she has.

"I just forgot Mom," he says picking up Evangeline and carrying her outside to the van.

"I swear that boy," Rosalinda mumbles to herself. "Okay everybody, let's go have a great time!"

* * *

"Hey Kye, can we go take a walk over there?" I ask Kye pointing over to a stone path with steps by the trees a good distance away from where we just finished our picnic.

"Sure. I could use a walk," he says helping me to my feet. Kye doesn't let go of my hand as we start walking but holds on a little bit tighter and giving my hand a squeeze.

"So about the other night," I start off trying to get something that has been bothering me off my mind.

"You mean the night we kissed?" he asked looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face leaving me unable to tell if he wanted to talk about this or not.