Troubled Boy

Nine

It was only a day before Kylie was released from the hospital. She had a minor concussion that she developed from the fall and a few dizzy spells here and there. Other than that she was in the clear to leave.

Mia insisted on buying her something to eat once she found out what happened.

"You need it," she had said.

After many attempts at refusing Mia's gratuitous offer, Kylie finally caved in and they went to Carter's Coffeehouse. The scent of pastries and caffeinated drinks crashed into Kylie and almost knocked her off her feet as she grasped Mia's shoulder to steady herself. It was almost two in the afternoon, meaning a full house in Carter's. Mia led Kylie to the bar and she plopped down on the wooden stool.

"Two iced coffees, please. Mocha." Mia said to the woman behind the sticky bar. She had greying hair and lipstick as bright as the red-checkered table cloths on each table that surrounded them. Her thin hair was pulled into neat bun with only a few stray hairs sticking out. The woman was burly. She looked like someone you wouldn't dare fight with. A name tag poked out from her bosom. Marla.

"Hard day I presume?" Marla said to Kylie, who was staring at the coffee machine just behind the hefty woman.

"Yeah..." She didn't want to talk about everything that happened. Especially to a stranger.

The woman continued to pour ice into a cup. She had dark half-moons under her eyes. Kylie looked down at her bracelet (a gift from Mia two Christmases ago.)

"Here you go sweetie."

Kylie bounced at the woman's voice as she handed the two girls their coffee.
Mia was to involved with her phone to notice. Kylie sipped through a straw she found in front of her and the cold liquid trickled down her throat.

Briiiing!

The glass doors to the café swiveled open and four knowingly attractive men popped through, catching Kylie's eye.

One of the guys she knew from her Psychology class. Liam. The other guy was his brother, Niall. The two boys behind them were unrecognizable. Mia finally spun around and her eyes widened at Liam's sharp jawline.

"Goddamn..." She breathed.

Kylie looked at her. "He's in my Psych class. Let's go talk to him."

"Oh, now you're okay with talking to boys."

"He's asked me to help him with a few things before. He's cool and besides--" Kylie leaned into Mia's ear, whispering,-- "he's bi."

Mia grasped Kylie's arm in excitement.

"Oh my god! You're lying! Is he really??"

Kylie nodded.

"Do people know?"

"Only a few. He hasn't been comfortable making it public yet. I'm not sure why he told me. Just keep it between us, okay?"

"Affirmative!" Mia said, gazing at Liam. She smirked a bit and Kylie noticed and took a deep breath.

"Please...tell me you are not thinking about that..."

Mia kept her eyes on the boy. "Uh-huh."

"Oh god...Mia! Come on! Now you have me imagining it!"

Mia gave Kylie a side glance and winked. "I wonder who he would do it with..."

"Josh. It's gotta be Josh. He's the only gay guy in our class. Plus he's open about it and I'm positive he's hooked up with almost every other gay dude in the city."

"Holy shit! I forgot about Josh!"

Kylie gave a knowing nod. "Definitely Josh."

Mia stopped staring long enough to glance at the text on her phone.

"He was hurt pretty bad but he's okay and he will be back in school in a few weeks..." She mumbled, still buried in her phone.

"Wait, what??" Kylie averted her attention to Mia's phone.

"Its Harry. He's okay and is no longer in the ICU. But Jess said he won't be in school for a while." Jess was one of Mia's friends and according to Kylie, an acquaintance.

"Are you sure he's okay? Jess can twist up a story sometimes."

"Yes," Mia said. "He's at home now is what she said. She saw him leave the hospital as she was trying to visit you, I guess. She asked the doctors if he was okay and they gave her minimal information but yeah, that's all I got. I told her you left and that she could see you in a few days or whatever."

Kylie nodded. The only thing on her mind was Harry. She wanted to text him. But before she could even second guess herself, Kylie's phone rang.

Unknown number...

Kylie answered on the fourth ring.

"Hello?" She croaked.

"Harry? You sound a bit chipper. Are you okay?"

"Um...this isn't Harry. May I ask who I am talking to?"

"Erm, this is Louis...Tomlinson? And who might you be?"

"Kylie...I'm one of Harry's friends. Wh-how? How did you get my number?"

"Harry texted me the number saying he got a new phone and to call if I ever need help with anything."

"I'm confused but we'll get to that later, I guess. Is everything okay?"

There was a pause before Louis spoke.

"It's his mum...something happened."