Right in Front of You

41. Finals

After sending out her college applications, Kay spent most of her time studying and texting her friends. She quit all her extra classes, stopped training and never lingered after school. It sucked, because she barely saw Kyle every day. Fortunately, as finals approached and revisions extended into the night, that was no longer an issue.

She was too tired to think about her gloomy punishment and the little visits Kyle made once a week and all the texting was enough. But she had to admit that she strangely missed the times they'd be forced together by Joey and Kelly. Come to think about it, she'd give anything to spend some relaxed time with him.

Joey was actually the only one who wasn't grounded, but he was staying away from Kelly for her own good. Kelly's parents had gone ballistic, even wanted to sue Joey for her injuries. After much negotiations between their parents, they settled, and Joey was to stay away from her. Which made Kelly terribly unhappy.

It was all doom and gloom and the only silver lining ahead was the prom. Thanks mostly to Cecily's persuasive ways, the Oscars theme had won, so Kay and Kelly managed to get one free afternoon to go dress shopping. Unfortunately, Kay's mom came along as a chaperone.

"It's like we're criminals on parole, honestly," Kelly hissed, pulling on a long silk red dress.

"I know it sucks, but they kind of have a point," Kay said, pulling her own emerald green dress on.

It was very uncomfortable and they barely had space in the same cabin, but Kay was sure she couldn't pull any of these over-complicated dresses on and it was either Kelly or her mom. The choice was obvious. Kay still hadn't forgiven her mother for what she'd said over Christmas break and she doubted she ever would.

Their relationship hadn't gotten any better either, especially after the accident. Cassandra claimed Kay was doing it on purpose and wanted to die like William and leave her alone in the world. Kay found that very unfair, but was also aware William would've blown his top and yelled his head off at her. That didn't mean she still didn't miss him and wished he'd come home.

"It was an accident. It wasn't Joey's fault or yours or mine," Kelly continued viciously. "I don't know why we have to suffer for it."

Kay knew Kelly hadn't mentioned Kyle because she thought he had nothing to do with it, not because she thought it was his fault, but it still sounded ominous. Because if Kay were to believe Max, it was Kyle's fault. She still hadn't wrapped her mind around the information, around Max's warning. All she knew was it didn't make her want to stay away from Kyle. Maybe stay a bit closer, have his back when and if he would need her.

She tried her best not to give a name to her feelings for Kyle either because she was a little afraid of what she'd find, and she sure as hell didn't need that type of distraction now. But she wasn't as crazy as to deny that the accident had changed everything. But since they'd silently decided to figure it out at the prom, she focused on their exams. Which were days away.

"Joey got into Dallas," Kelly said all of a sudden, snapping Kay out of her thoughts.

"What, really? He got his letter already?" Kay hadn't, and by the dejected look on her face, neither had Kelly.

Kay hadn't been bothered because most universities waited for their final results before sending out letters, so it was weird that Joey got his even before their exams. It meant he gave them something they really wanted.