Right in Front of You

20. Speeding Cars

The next morning found Kathy at the kitchen table with a huge cup of coffee in hand and a monster headache. Her night had been plagued with dreams of an alternative Donnie and a perfect relationship which ended with her somehow screwing everything up. It left her aching and missing Donnie like crazy which was so unfair.

She looked at the dark blue mug and wondered if filling it with strong booze would flush him out of her system. The pain was so annoyingly powerful, she'd try anything at this point. Even talking about it.

Except, she hadn't seen or heard anyone since she woke up. Kyle was not on the couch and she wasn't sure whether Joey and Kelly were still in their room or not. Plus, getting into this with Kelly might put quite a damper on her mood, and Kathy didn't want to sabotage hers and Joey's big night.

The screen door to the patio opened behind her, scaring her half to death. Kyle walked through, swinging an axe from his right hand. He still wore trainers and the cargos but had a black tank top on which showed off his toned arms and shoulders.

She blinked, a little taken aback by how good he could look just wearing normal stuff and moving around like any normal person.

"Morning, sleepy head," he said cheerfully, as if he wasn't twisting a potentially lethal weapon around.

"Morning. Been to the cabin next door killing teenagers?" she asked, nodding at the axe.

He chuckled. "Nope. We actually have a grill outside." He punched his chest and grunted. "Man chop wood for fire. Women prepare steak. Men grill steak."

Kathy would've laughed, but it felt wrong. Her mood was so foul, she couldn't even properly enjoy a Neanderthal joke. Kyle dropped the axe out on the patio and joined her at the table, looking a little worried.

"What's up?"

"Where are Joey and Kelly?" she asked instead.

"Having coffee, marshmallows and kisses down by the lake. They're going swimming after, so if you want to join them, we could do that." He tilted his head as if detecting she'd probably refuse.

"I can't go swimming, I didn't bring a swimsuit because no one told me there'd be a place to swim," she said, seething a little. She would've loved to swim. Why hadn't Kelly warned her about all this?

"Oh." Kyle scratched his head. "Maybe Kelly packed a spare."

Kathy huffed. Even if she had, it's not like it would fit her. Though they were similar in size, Kelly had a B cup while she had a D, but that wasn't something she was going to share with Kyle.

"I'll ask later." She looked at the bottom of her cup miserably, fully aware that she was being annoying. But she couldn't help it.

"Are you okay?" Kyle asked carefully.

She raised her eyes to him, feeling even worse. Of course he was weary. She'd shot him down so many times, refusing to talk, yet he still asked every time and read her mood better than anyone she'd ever known.

"I think I'm ready to talk." She returned her gaze to the coffee cup. "And I think I want to talk to you about it."

Kyle got up, closed the screen door behind her, then retook his seat in front of her. She dared sneak a peek at him. He didn't frown or smirk or even look concerned, just focused and ready to listen, and it was that more than anything that gave her the courage to raise her head and look at him while talking.

"First," she said, taking in a big breath, "I want to know how you knew Donnie was doing drugs."

Kyle frowned slightly. "I had someone tailing him."