Stepbrother

27: Don't Cry

I walk towards the entrance of my school, pulling my coat close to my body to keep myself warmer in the autumn air. I go through the doors, my eyes scanning the large crowd of students, hoping to catch a glimpse of a girl with black curled hair passing through.

I go deeper and deeper into the crowd of students in search of Kendall. I need to speak to her, because I need her in my life again, because she's the greatest friend ever imagineable, and I can't let our friendship end without a fight.

"Kendall!" I quickly call out when I see the brown-skinned girl going around a corner. I accidentally shove people when I sprint to her and grab her forearm, and Kendall looks at me with eyes of shock. "Let me talk to you," I say, and she looks down at the floor.

"I'm not in the mood, Maya," Kendall says under her breath, appearing slightly embarrassed at the sudden attention we had just caught from all the students around us.

"Kendall, please let me-" I insist, until Kendall cuts me off.

"I said I'm not in the mood," Kendall tells me in a higher voice. She shrugs my hand away, clutching onto the notebooks in her arms, and she speed walks away from me, disappearing at the end of the hallway.

I bite my lower lip, feeling discouraged by Kendall's actions. I'm about to continue my way to my first class, until I feel a hand lightly tap my shoulder, and I turn myself around, only to find myself facing Kai. His pale blond hair is brushing his eyes, and he gives me a sympathetic look.

"She just needs some time," Kai explains. "I was like that too."

"Oh," is all I manage to say to him. I look down at the ground.

"Hey." I look up at Kai. "Don't worry, okay? I'll watch over her for you."

I give Kai a small smile. "Thanks, Kai."

"No problem."

"Did you know?" I ask.

"Know what?"

"That she was keeping this secret from me."

Kai sighs, pressing his lips together. He's hesitant, but speaks anyway. "Yeah, I did. Kendall told me the day she got in trouble in the cafeteria. She told me she defended me because she knew she wouldn't want to be insulted in that same way."

"Kai," I mumble, tears forming in my eyes, "it was a misunderstanding, I swear. I never meant to hit her. I didn't know about it until we fought, a-and this guy I like heard what she said. He got upset, and Kendall vowed to never see me again. I didn't know what to do, Kai, and I should've ran after her, I should've-"

"No," Kai says, hushing me. "It's a good thing you didn't run after her. She needs time to herself, Maya." A tear slips down my cheek, and Kai shakes his head. "Don't cry. It'll be fine."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

After Kai had spoken to me and calmed my heart down, I go straight into an empty bathroom to wipe my eyes and make sure my eyes aren't red. I wash my face to cool it down, and once I was done with that, I make my way to my first period.

For the whole day, I go to all my classes, and it feels like the day is going by very slowly. I keep thinking of Kendall, and I keep considering whether or not it's a good idea to tell Sean about what happened between me and Kendall.

"Hey, Maya. Feeling' alright?" Sean questions me when he catches me walking down the hallway.

I've recently been distancing myself from Sean, because I was afraid that he'd leave me too.

"Yeah, just busy," I lie.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong with you now?" Sean asks, raising his eyebrow at me.

Sean and I slow down, and we eventually stop walking. We're now standing at a slightly empty hallway, where students barely walk down it. I avert my eyes away from Sean, still thinking about what I should and shouldn't tell him.

"I don't even see you and Kendall talking to each other. Something must've happened." Sean moves to the side to meet my eyes. "Am I right?"

I nod my head, feeling scared to speak to him.

Sean sighs. "Maya, just tell me already. Kendall refuses to say anything to me. Please don't do the same."

I tilt my head up to look at him again, only to find concern in his eyes. "If I tell you, you might hate me."

Sean laughs and smiles. "Maya, I could never hate you. We've been good friends for years now."

"Kendall likes me," I blurt out all of a sudden, hoping that if I say it quick enough, it won't be as bad. But then, I notice Sean's expression immediately change.

"What?"

"I-I know, it sounds insane, but I swear I never knew until I had this fight wither her. Then Jordan heard her, and I had beg Jordan not to be so upset. That's when Kendall promised to never see me again." Every words starts to spill out of my mouth, causing Sean to try and comprehend what I'm trying to say.

"Oh," is the only thing I hear Sean say.

"So, do you hate me?"