Right in Front of You

27. Back to school

Her conversations with Max and Sophie kept Kay's mind busy for the reminder of the day which was a blessing and a curse at the same time. She still wondered what it had all been about, but she was also glad that she'd skipped worrying about going back to school.

Joey and Kelly showed up in the evening, drove Kay home, and Kelly even stayed overnight to help her with her homework for the following day. Swamped as she was by projects, Kay only started to feel a bit of anxiety before bed, but that was quickly silenced when she fell asleep like a log. All that training left her body exhausted and her mind followed suit.

Unfortunately, the next morning, she found herself trembling in front of the mirror. It was a Thursday, and Thursdays meant Kelly had different classes in the morning, so she was alone until lunch.

"You can do it. Kyle's right. It's just people talking," she said to herself. God, why wasn't he in any of her classes?

"You ready, Kay?" Kelly called from outside the bathroom door.

Kay raised her chin, steeled her gaze and looked at herself one more time in the mirror before nodding. "Yes, let's do this."

She and Kelly hurried down the stairs, their books in their backpacks and arms. Kay's mother stepped out of the kitchen, seeming slightly worried.

"Have a good day at school, honey." She gave Kay a tight hug then caught a lock of hair between her fingers. She hadn't been crazy about Kay's new look, but didn't make any negative comment about it either. "Don't let high school gossip affect you or Donnie. You both know you're good kids with nothing to be ashamed off."

Kay pulled back, a bitter taste in her mouth. Donnie. Why did she have to bring up Donnie? Turn him into a victim. She wished she could lash out at the unfairness of it all, but after what happened with William, Kay didn't have the heart to upset her mother.

"Thanks, Mom," she said, and hurried out the door before she said anything else.

"I'm so sorry for you, with your parents being this way," Kelly mumbled, shutting the door behind them. "But she's right about one thing. Ignore the idiots at school."

"I'll do my best," Kay mumbled. She knew the theory, she knew how it worked. But facing reality was a lot harder.

She raised her eyes from the pavement and towards the driveway, and almost dropped her books. Joey's Camaro and Kyle's Ducati were parked in front of her house and the two were grinning at them.

"Ah, the cavalry is here," Kelly said satisfied, hurrying to greet them.

Kay threw a worried glance over her shoulder, hoping her mom wasn't watching them and rushed to Kyle.

"I'm only here for moral support," he said, taking her books and shoving them in the backseat of Joey's car. "I know you hate the bike so you can ride with them."

"I don't hate the bike. I love the bike and I want to ride with you." She said the words before she could chicken out. Riding on the motorcycle might keep her thoughts focused on staying alive rather than school.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "You didn't seem too excited last time."

"I also was with Donnie and thought you were an ex-con asshole last time."

He grinned mischievously and her stomach fluttered. The more she saw of his wild side, the more she liked it. When he took out the spare helmet and handed it to her, she was half tempted to ask if he had a gun in there.

"See you at school," Joey called as he and Kelly got in the car.

Kay swung her leg over the bike and settled behind Kyle. It felt more comfortable than last time. Probably because she was no longer stiff and had absolutely no problem wrapping her arms tightly around him.