The 9th Hour

Kayla

4:01 to 4:25

I lean back on the door once more. It closed. I didn't want to climb out but I also didn't want to just sit here. I wonder if this was about last year. We both were family. I regret my decision. we all just one happy family and it happened and ruined my life. 

"No one. Ya'll don't know where they are. He walks past the bathroom door again and then I hear a shuffling. He must being go through the crowd. "You. Your friends with Kayla. Come with me." I stiffen. Who does he have? I hear low murmurs that only people outside could hear. Who is it. That is when I hear a faint knock. Then another. Then another. I knock back. Then two more times. I hear a low sigh and the door nob begins to twist. I then realize my friends knew I was in here. If he had one of them then...

I hold the nob still. The nob tries to spin under my hand but I put force to keep it from. Then the turning stops. I hear more murmurs. I can't believe it. My friends sold me out. They really did. I am fine with it if they live but they could have, I don't know, said they didn't know, or I was sick and checked out. I hear paper folding and more footsteps. They come up to the door and her something slid under the door. I reach down and unfold the paper. Classic clique move. My friends love cliques. I read what is says.

Let me open the door. You are safe. Trust me. 

Nice try. But then another note comes through. 

James would want you to

A shock goes through me. My vision goes blurry as I think back to James. I slowly remove my hand from the door and give a little knock. I couldn't do anything else. It was like I wasn't in control. Well I wasn't the door opened and I saw him. I haven't seen up close in so long. He pulled me out the bathroom, I follow obediently. I try not to cry so he won't here. If he does, he will tell me to be quiet. I follow him and when I sniffle. He turns. He wraps his arms around around me and I cry in his shoulder. I only have a few words. 

"I didn't think he was serious, Luke."

He pulled me closer. "It's OK."

I let go and looked him in the face. "No. No it isn't." 

He sighed. "I know." We made sure it was a coast clear and went to the dressing room. Luke's friend, Jake, leaning on the wall. He had a book sack swung over his shoulder. He smiled up at me, but didn't get the chance to say hello, for Luke dragged me closer out of the dressing room. He makes a few turns when I realize he is taking me to the back exit.

"Stop. What are you doing." Jake was following close behind and he piped in. "Yea, man, what's the deal?" I turned and gave him a hug. "Nice to see you again, Jake." 

"You too, Kay." I smile at my nickname they gave me. When Luke and I first started dating, Luke would say 'every kiss begins with Kay'. It was meant to be a joke and i hated it because I am not a big fan of diamonds from Kay Jewelry. Or diamonds in general. They are too big and expensive to put on a necklace,  bracelet, earrings, and definitely rings; they are to easy to steal. But after a while of being called Kay by both of them and even sometimes from my friends when they needed to get me to tell them something. It just stuck.

I turned back to Luke to see him with his face in his hands. "Look, Kayla, he has a gun if you haven't noticed."

"Of course I have." Does he think I am blind. I know I need reading glasses but my eyes aren't that bad that I can't identify a gun when I see it. 

"He might not hesitate to.." I don't want to hear the rest. So I cut him off. 

"My brother, would not shoot me. He loves me to much to shoot me. I am part of his family. He can't point a gun at family. How dare you think him capable.." I guess it was his turn.

"He was willing to kill James." 

Now that I began to think about. I haven't forgotten about James. I with I hadn't listened to Kyle. I should have listened to Luke for that part but I guess he will never let me forget. Never let it all disappear. It will always be a blot in my life that will not disappear. He will be in my mind when I get married and have kids. I will see him when life is normal and seems perfect. But life won't be perfect. Because he won't be there. My parents said I was too young for him. My brother said I was too young for him Luke never thought that. He accepted him. He was family.

"Don't you dare bring James into this." Water fills my view but I wipe them away, "He has nothing to do with this." I think something snapped in the both of us. I knew he had everything to do with this. Luke knew I knew.

"He has everything to do with this." He points to door to the stage where Kyle stands this moment. "He is out there with a gun because of James. It is his fault." He realizes what he just said a regrets it. "I'm sorry. It isn't his fault. It's Kyle's."

"No it is our fault." He looks up from his feet that he was just staring at. "If we hadn't have.."

"Don't say that. Kyle is the one killing people. Not James. Not us. Him. You have to remember James was my son as well."

He had that right.