A/N: I didn't proof read this so you're gonna have to point mistakes out when you see them, thanks.
Don't forget to vote or comment if you liked the chapter c:
It was easy for Kya to pretend that everything was okay when she was with Ezra. Her sister made her pretty happy anyway, even if she didn't mean to. It was mainly because Ezra never asked about anything. She probably knew, but she never made it obvious. Kya was thankful for that, even though sometimes she wished Ezra would say something. If there was anyone she would listen to, it would be Ezra. But the fact was, Ezra didn't mention anything, so Kya didn't have to think about it. Not thinking was probably the source of Kya's happiness.
Kya was good at pretending, she came to find, unless it was to her parents. For some reason, she just didn't have any patience with them. Mainly because they didn't have any patience with her. She hoped that they had gotten over the little argument about the grades. Maybe Ezra said something, because they didn't seem to mind when Ezra took her out to the cafe. She hoped so. They got home early enough for both of her parents to still be home. Sometimes they went out. Nathan and Amelia had been put to bed, so they were sitting in the living room when she came in. She and Ezra shared a look, something between sympathy and a good luck message. Ezra left the room, probably to go to her own.
"Kya," her dad said, "do you want to sit down?"
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" It wasn't a well-received statement. She sat down.
Then, her mum held a bottle of bleach in the air. "It was nice of you to clean up after yourself, but when were you going to tell us that you've been vomiting?"
Kya just blinked at them, stunned.
"We're worried," her dad said. She wished she could believe them, but something in her head told her that they were lying. Maybe she didn't deserve the truth anyway. She didn't know what to say. There were plenty of excuses she could make, but she didn't know what would be realistic.
"Does this have something to do with your grades?" Her dad said quietly. "Are you ill?"
"No, I-" Kya stopped. She didn't have an explanation. She was. She knew she was ill, but it wasn't the kind of ill that was easy to explain. There was panic rising in her stomach, bubbling over and upwards. "My grades were- I'm not- I just-"
"Kya, calm down," her mum said gently. She placed a hand on Kya's shoulder. "Can you just tell us what's been going on?"
She took a deep breath, spinning a lie in her head. It weaved around her as she spoke, dancing in her parents faces. Of course, they couldn't see it. "I've been anxious," she lied, "and I guess it's just been upsetting my stomach a lot."
Their faces softened, but whether it was with concern or relief, she didn't know. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"It's not an easy thing to talk about," she said, "you're not exactly reachable all the time."
"I know we work," her mum said, "but if there's something serious going on - like there is - then you shouldn't hesitate to let us know."
Kya wondered whether it was unfair to imagine her mum just spouting an automated message. It sounded like one. "I know," she said.
"We can't help you if we don't know what's happening," her dad told her.
Kya wasn't sure they could help her anyway, but she appreciated the thought. She shook her head. "What can you do?"
Her parents looked at each other for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not to tell her. It was her mum who finally spoke. "We think it might be a good idea for you to go to counselling."
