Healing

Chapter 3

(Kiara)

I had been wandering around town the whole day and I finally decided to go home. Evening fell as I walked home and I felt a little guilt thinking about tonight. But the guilt didn’t stay. Nothing ever did.

The house was dark as I walked up the driveway. My parents weren’t home thank god. I quietly crept into the house and silently laughed at the absurdity of the situation. I was sneaking into my own house in the dark like a petty thief. I went to my room and looked through my closet. I picked out a tight lacey black sheath dress and paired it with my super high yellow heels. What can I say? I have an obsession with yellow, so sue me. The dress came to mid thigh and didn’t show too much flesh. But it was tight in all the right places and I know I look great in it. I forgo wearing underwear but put in a pair along with jeans and a t shirt in a duffel bag along with toiletries for the night. I walked out to my car and threw the duffel bag in. I’ll admit I speeded a little while going to Cole’s house. I sat outside and texted him.

“Can I come over tonight? Don’t feel like being alone. – K”

A few seconds later my phone pinged.

“Ofcourse babe. You’re always welcome. Fair warning, a few of the guys are over for dinner. You mind? – C”

“No. – K”

“Sure? I’ll throw them out otherwise, no problem. – C”

Idecided not to reply and instead just go in. In so many ways, Cole was the perfect boyfriend. He was sweet, caring, and great in bed. But he deserved better. Way better than anything I could give him. I dread the day he realizes this and leaves me. But till that day, I’m going to take full advantage of his attention.

I walked in expecting to see a couple of guys from the football team but what I found was a completely different animal. Almost the entire football team along with a couple of girls was sitting around the television watching some movie. I only even knew that they were teammates of Cole’s because they were all wearing their team jackets. I had no idea who the girls were. Everybody stopped talking as soon as I entered the room. They were all staring at me like I was the imposter. One of the girls, a blonde, detached herself from the group and sashayed towards me. Giving me a smirk she loudly, fake-asked, “Who invited the class freak here?”

I just looked at her refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction, not that I would have reacted either way, but it was more fun this way. I coolly looked her up and down, then said in a flat voice, “Who are you? Do I know you?”

She gasped loudly along with the other girls. “You slut,” she started but I cut her off and looked at one of the guys.

“Do you know where Cole is?”

“Listen you bitch,” the blonde started, “Cole is mine and you better keep your dirty paws off of him.”

I didn’t acknowledge her because she started to bore me. So I just turned and ran right into Cole. He steadied me and kept his arm around my waist.

“Either you apologize right now Janice or you can leave. Choose now.” Cole commanded in a low, deep, almost dangerous voice. His fight voice.

“But she’s a nobody. Why do you even care? She’s just a slut who can’t keep her pants on.”

“That is it! Apologize right now and leave! How dare you call her a slut in my house?”

“Whatever Cole. Call me when you’re thinking straight again and not high.” Then the blonde, apparently named Janice, turned her back and quickly left.

“Does anybody else have a problem?” Cole threatened. I sighed and decided to intervene. I was tired of the incessant noise.

“Cole, stop it. You know it doesn’t matter to me anyway. I don’t even know who she is. By the way, who is she?”

Cole just stared at me and then laughed. Like a hyena if I do say so myself. “Babe, she’s the head cheerleader. You must have seen her in the hallways. She’s in our Math and English class too.”

“Oh. Well.” I said. Cole just shook his head at me and led me to the arm chair. He plopped down and then pulled me down onto his lap. I was sitting sideways on his lap and my head was resting in the crook of his neck.  I was facing away from the t.v. screen because honestly, I wasn’t here to watch a movie. We sat like that for the entirety of the movie. Throughout, Cole had kept kissing my cheek and my forehead periodically and whispering how beautiful I looked, how I sexy I was, and how lucky he was to have me, in my ear. He loved doing this romantic couple-y crap. By the time the movie finished, I was half asleep and extremely hungry. I got up before the credits began to roll and informed Cole that I was going to go look for something to eat.

“Just wait a few minutes and I’ll cook you something. When was the last time you ate?” Cole offered and asked. He was really too sweet and good to me.

“I don’t really remember, maybe today morning?”

“Damn K! I told you to eat regularly.”

“Sorry.” I said and walked into the kitchen looking for a beer.

Sometimes I wondered why I dressed up for Cole. It’s not like I’m in love with him and he was a sure thing. Plus he wanted me no matter what I wore, or didn’t wear as the case happens to be. Before I could theorize further on the topic, Cole, and two more guys walked in. Cole shot me a disapproving look but didn’t say anything about the beer.

“So Kiara, how are you?” The blond guy asked me. He looked familiar but I couldn’t quite place him. Then it suddenly dawned on me.

“Hey, you’re Cole’s friend Dave right? We met this morning?”

“Uh, no. I’m Cole’s friend Gabe and yes we met this morning. I can’t believe you didn’t remember me.” He said the last part so softly that I think I wasn’t meant to hear it. But hear it, I did.

“Don’t worry about it dude, she doesn’t remember more than half the people she meets.” Seeing that I wasn’t contributing, Cole continued, “She’s really bad at names, and faces, and connecting those faces with those names, and numbers, and basically anything that involves any memorizing. Lord knows how she handles academics.”

I was staring at Cole cooking and then I realized that I was physically exhausted. So I got up and was about to leave when Gabe asked, “Hey Kiara, where you going?”

“To Cole’s room.” I yawned and left. “Wake me when the food is done.” I called out before ascending the stairs.

AN: Sorry people, it's a filler chapter but i swear the next one will be from Gabe's Pov and it'll be better. Promise.