The Backup Plan

Eight

~Kayla~

After spending yesterday doing all the things we couldn't do over the past few years, I felt good. Really good. Well, that is until I finally dragged myself downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning Kayla." As soon as I heard Mrs. Harrison's voice, I knew something was going on. The Harrison's are usually long gone for work by the time I get up.

"About time you joined us," Reggie snarkily commented. "They are going to tell us some news but they wanted to wait for you to get here. What took you so long anyway. It's not like you look pretty after you get dressed anyway, K Bear."

As I was about to charge at Reggie, an arm wrapped around my waist to hold me back. I turned to yell at whoever was holding me back, when I saw the face of Lucas smirking at me.

"Let. Me. Go."

"Behave. My parents are here and they want to tell us something." Lucas didn't let go of my waist, but moved his arm so his arm was now around my back. I shivered as his hand lightly brushed against the bare skin where my shirt had ridden up. I could tell that Lucas noticed because he lightly laughed.

"What did you want to tell us, mom?" Lucas asked.

"Well," started Mrs. Harrison, "Kayla, you have been living with us for awhile now. It's nice to see you and the boys getting along like you used too. I-we think-maybe it would be best if-"

Pure fear took over my body at the thought that they were going to kick me out. I would have nowhere left to go. Lucas comfortingly squeezed my side as Mr. Harrison jumped in to finish his wife's sentence.

"We invited your parents over for dinner tonight Kayla. Mrs. Harrison was thinking that if your mom saw how much," he paused, "for lack of a better word, calm you have become, they would let you live with them again."

"I would rather live on the streets." I said before ripping myself out of Lucas's hold and stomping out of the room. I knew Lucas followed me out because I could feel his presence behind me.

I walked out the front door and to the park. I sat down on a bench and closed my eyes. The footsteps stopped and the bench slightly creaked, indicating that Lucas had sat down.

"When you called me, I never dreamed that you needed help. I figured one of your friends had dared you to call me. As soon as I answered, I could tell something was wrong. Before you even spoke, I heard you sniffle and I knew you were crying. I wanted to help you so badly that I was willing to do anything. Truth is, I missed you really bad over the last few years. You had meant the world to me and that hasn't changed. You don't have to go to the dinner tonight. We could go back to my-our house and grab some money and clothes and go eat somewhere and stay at a hotel for the night. We could leave the country, change our names." I laughed through the tears that were welling up in my eyes . "We could get married and move to Kentucky. I don't care what I have to do, I just want to make you happy."

"As much fun as all of those sound. I need to do this. I need to show them that I am better off without them, that I am happy with the Harrisons. With you."

"Then it's settled. We shall rub our awesomeness in their faces."

➳ ➳ ➳ ➳ ➳ ➳

~Lucas~

Her parents will be here any minute now. Is it bad that I am nervous for her? I believe in her. She is a strong capable girl; she can do this.

A knock sounded at the door downstairs and I heard the heels of my mom clicking as she went down the hall to get it. "Welcome! Welcome! Come on in. Let me just call the kids." my mom said.

"Lucas, Reggie, Kayla! Kayla's parents are here!" I never will understand why my mom is so happy all the time.

Instead of going down the stairs like Reg was doing, I went to the guest bedroom, Kayla's temporary room.

"Kayla. It's me, Lucas. Can I come in?"

"Sure."

I opened the door and saw her sitting on the bed, and as soon as I did, my heart skipped a beat. She was wearing a little white dress with sleeves that stopped a little above the elbow and just above her half a heart tattoo that matched mine. Hers was on her inner forearm, just like mine. We had gotten them together when we were seventeen. She had on white flats and her hair was in a neat bun on the top of her head.

"Wow. You clean up nice." She said to me, slightly laughing. I was wearing a red dress shirt rolled up to my elbows. My tree tattoo was hidden but my half heart tattoo was still visible. I had on black jeans and my favorite black converse.

"I could say the same about you, sugarcookie."

She smiled as she stood up, reaching her hand out for me to take. "Let's get this over with."

~Kayla~

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, the Harrison's, Reggie, and my parents stopped talking to turn toward us. Lucas squeezed my hand that was securely wrapped in his. My body instantly relaxed.

"Kayla, darling. You look so beautiful and more like a grown up. Isn't that much more comfortable than those silly converse, jeans, and boring monochrome t-shirts?"
If Lucas wasn't holding my hand and soothing rubbing his thumb along the side of it, I would attack her and make her wish she never said awful things about me my whole life. It is as if Lucas could sense this, because he took his hand out of mine, and securely wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me in place.

"Mother. I can't say that you look beautiful because that would be a lie. Hello father. I haven't seen you in awhile. How have you been? You still having that affair with Mrs. Wilcrust from down the street?"

My dad looked embarrassed, his cheeks turning a rosy pink color and my mom looked furious and also slightly like a tomato because of how red her face was. Of fury or embarrassment, I couldn't tell.

"Howard. Is she telling the truth?" My mom asked as she turned around to look at my dad's face. One look at him and that was enough for the tears to start pouring out and her running toward the front door. "I hope you're happy with her. Don't come back to the house tonight. Or ever. Your stuff will be on the front lawn if you want it." And with that, she slammed the door and left.

My father got up and lightly pulled me aside and out of Lucas' grip so the others couldn't eavesdrop. Even though it was no longer there, I could still feel the pressure of his hand on my hip. Why does this keep happening to me?

"Pumpkin. How long have you known? When did you find out?"

"I've known for a few years, dad. On my sixteenth birthday I was sitting in the backyard. Mom and you were fighting and I couldn't take it anymore. You came outside and sat on the front steps for a while. Then, Mrs. Wilcrust walked past and she stopped to, let's say she stopped to chat with you. She was saying how her husband wasn't home and how she could use some company. I knew what that meant and I prayed you would say no. You nodded your head and stood up, following her to her house.

"I remember that day like it was yesterday. I debated with myself all this time if I should tell you that I know or tell mom what you were doing. I would sit in the yard more often because it was more peaceful than you and her fighting all the time. Day after day, you would sit on the steps until she passed by. You would go back to her house with her and sometimes you wouldn't come back until the middle of the night. Every time I would see it. Every single time." By the time I finished, tears were streaming down my face.

"I'm so sorry pumpkin. I never meant to hurt you like this. I never knew that you saw. I never knew that you kept it a secret for me. It was never my idea to throw you out. I told her you were just a rebellious teen. She didn't listen and threw you out when I was at work. I am so so sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me for everything." When he was done, he gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked past me to the front door.

I let it all sink in; I just completely ruined whatever family I had left.