Timeless • A Kyle Kuzma Fanfiction

iv

astin

I'm learning very quickly that Kyle doesn't know what it means to go grocery shopping. Or shopping in general it seems.

"She's two, Kyle. She isn't eating turkey legs."

"Okay, but I eat turkey legs."

"Okay, but I'm not shopping for you."

I'm sure my eyes will be good and stuck in the back of my head by the time we're done. Kyle's mom, (Karri, I've learned) I'm so sorry you had to deal with this. Shout out to you though because if Kyle were my child, I'd put him in the child seat part with tape over his mouth every time we leave the house.

I look down at the cart and see that I only have fruits, fruit snacks, and oatmeal in my basket.

"I already have dinner type stuff." I mumble to myself.

"Do you think she needs anything else? She's kind of picky."

"I'm hoping and assuming you already have groceries at home?"

I roll my eyes. "Yes, I have groceries at home."

"You should be good." I nod and then start walking towards the clothes section. I'm an absolute sucker for buying Blake things she doesn't need and what she definitely doesn't need is more clothes.

But oh well.

I flip through the clothes, adding some pieces to my pile and putting the others back. I'm half way through the entire first rack when I hear my voice and a grinning Kyle looking at his phone.

"Kyle! Let me see!" And I thought Austin was a pain in the ass. He giggles childishly and I finally wrestle his phone out oh his hands to see a video of myself mumbling like a freak show while looking at each item. I delete the video and turn back to him with a playful glare.

"Choke." Is all I say before heading to the register. I place my items on the conveyor belt and wait for the register worker to finish with the person in front of me.

"It was a joke, Ms. How Is Things There." Kyle snickers, dropping the turkey legs on the conveyor belt.

"First of all, I didn't know what to say. Second of all, no."

"Astin," He whines.

"Kyle," I mock back, my eyes touching my lids for the 1000th time today.

"Thanks for- oh my fucking God! Astin Parker! Sis!"

Shit.

"Hi." I murmur, trying to deflect from the scene she was causing.

"I love you! You're the person that made me want to pursue modeling! Like, the fact you're not a toothpick is so comforting and-"

"Hi, I'm really sorry for interrupting you, but we're in a hurry. Do you want a picture? I'll post it on twitter so you can save it?"

The girl seems as if she's going to faint. I hand Kyle my phone and he takes a couple while she rings us up.

"How much was the turkey legs? Those were mine."

I wave Kyle off and offer the girl my card. "I got it."

"I'll pay you back." He promises.

"No need, you'll just buy my pizza at Chuck's."

Kyle laughs and grabs our bags and we head for the doors but stop dead when we see photographers already posted outside.

"Shit. Just keep your head low and get to the car as fast as you can." Kyle nods and then we go through the doors. Immediately, the sound of camera shutters and jumbled questions hit us.

"New couple alert?"

"Astin, is it true you're in the middle of a bidding war?"

"Is that Kyle Kuzma? Kyle!"

"Is Blake's dad really dead? Or is that a coverup?"

I stumble but Kyle grasps my waist and basically pushes me the rest of the way. I don't hear the rest of what they're saying or care enough to block myself from their pictures. Kyle helps me into the car, even puts on my seatbelt because I'm frozen. I can't even stop Kyle from getting in the driver's seat and taking off without extreme, cautious, care for my baby.

Is it a coverup?

"I can't believe they asked me that." I. choke out. It feels as though there's a golf ball lodged in my throat, making it harder than necessary to talk.

"I know. I'm sorry."

I try and bite my quivering lip to stop the tears from flowing but it doesn't help as a couple tears still spill over. I press my palms over my eyes and take deep breaths.

"Just take us back to my parent's house." I mumble, my head in my lap and my heart heavy.

Kyle slides a hand onto my thigh and I know it's not an advancement, just a comforting gesture for a friend.

That doesn't stop the goosebumps that now lie on my arms from his touch.

This entire situation was embarrassing. Crying over your passed ex next to the guy you completely went dumb blonde on not even an hour ago? I want to sit back and say I'm fine, but I can't because all I can think about is that there are sick fucks who think I, my family, his family, and our friends would lie about Blake dying.

I was in love with Blake. Since middle school we had been closer than peanut butter and jelly and when he passed, two months before I gave birth to his daughter, it felt like my entire world had shattered. To be asked if I was trying to cover something up by publicizing that my daughter's dad had passed away, hurt like a bitch.

We pull back up to the driveway and Kyle comes around to my door, opens it, and then pulls me into a hug.

"It's not like I asked for him to die, you know? I'm not a liar, and I'm not trying to cover anything up. Why would I want the father of my first child to pass away right before I have his baby? I don't get it. I want my mama." I sob into his shoulder.

He helps me out the car and wraps an arm around my waist so I don't have to carry all my own body weight. He knocks on the door and Austin answers, but I barely register what she's saying as I look for my mommy.

"Astin, wait-" Kyle holds my hand and pulls me back. He holds my face and wipes my tears.

"You need to take some deep breaths, okay? Just calm down. Austin is getting your mom, okay?" I nod and he sighs, probably glad I wasn't sobbing hysterically.

I hear heavy footsteps and I turn to see my dad with my mom close behind and my face starts tingling again.

"Mommy," is all I get out before I'm being pushed upstairs, a comforting arm around me.