Issues ▷ Reggie Mantle

NINE

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NINE; PURE BLISS

     "NICE JERSEY, LANI," Veronica complimented Kalani as they strode down the hallway.

"Thanks. It's Reggie's." Kalani looked down to examine her figure, which was donning Reggie's last name on the back of her shirt.

The girls continued to laugh and catch up until Kalani spotted Lucas, who was entering an empty classroom with his head held down. Kalani squeezed Veronica's arm and promised to speak with her later before rushing off to her cousin. She found Lucas hunched over a teacher's desk, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

"Lucas?" She knocked, gaining his attention.

He didn't raise his head to look at her. "Cheryl broke up with me."

Kalani wished that she could say she wasn't expecting for it to happen, but she knew how Cheryl worked. It was the first time Kalani had ever seen Lucas invested in a relationship and she was really hoping Cheryl wouldn't break his heart so easily.

"You can say it, Kal," Lucas huffed. "You can tell me how you knew Cheryl would do this to me all along and I'm an idiot for believing it would be different."

Kalani frowned, walking over to him and laying a comforting hand on his back. "Do you honestly think I would do that to you? I've been spiteful recently, but I would never hurt you that way, Lucas."

He finally looks into her eyes. She can see the glossiness of his tears. "She just said it to me like it meant nothing. It was as if I'm this giant burden in her life and she was so relieved to finally have me off of her shoulders. I thought we finally meant something to each other after the countless hookups and makeups. I guess I was wrong."

He sniffled and Kalani pulled him into a hug. She was silently cursing out Cheryl in her head for bringing Lucas down like this. Usually, the boy would never be affected by love or relationships.

The last straw with the Cheryl incident doesn't come until later when Kalani was with Archie. He was drinking water out of the fountain, mindlessly mumbling to Kalani along the way.

"I mean, have you ever just thought about taking a break with Reggie? I'm not being critical, Kal, but he's supposed to be leading us as the varsity captain and instead he's hanging out with you every night," the redhead said through a mouthful of water.

Kalani winced at the sight. "I don't really think that taking a break is a solid answer, Archie. I'll definitely talk to Reggie about focusing on the team, though."

"Archibald and Kalani."

Kalani tensed at the voice. She knew that voice from anywhere — it had the same annoying ring to it as her daughter's.

Penelope Blossom smiled at the two together. "I thought you two were no longer together. Am I mistaken?"

Archie chuckled. "No, we're just friends, Mrs. Blossom."

"Well, I'm glad to see you here. I was just going to get Principal Weatherbee to summon you, Archibald."

When Penelope failed to mention Kalani's name, she took it as her cue to step out. Archie quickly caught her by the shirt, forcing her to stay by his side. Cheryl's mother tended to get weird around Archie because of the color of his hair, which reminded the woman of her deceased son.