Learning To Live

Chapter 3: Limits

Once I was settled in, I laid on my bed and tried to fall asleep. It was nearing dinner time, and my stomach was grumbling so much that I couldn't fall asleep. There was no way I could just stay locked up in my room the entire time I was here, but the thought was sure tempting.

I decided to try and venture out. I flung my door open so it hit the wall and hopefully made a dent, then I stepped out of my new room and shut the door behind me. I really didn't need anyone snooping around my personal items.

As I finished shutting the door tight, the room across from me opened. I froze, not sure what to do. The person who'd just come out of the room, I assumed, was one of Jim and Leilani's sons. He was about Jim's height, and was nearly just as muscular. He had sandy blonde hair, and Jim's blue eyes. He was wearing swim trunks and no shirt, which put his perfect beach body on display.

I stood there, too shocked to say anything. I hadn't wanted anybody to see me until absolute necessary.

"You're Natalia, aren't you? My parents told me you were coming to stay with us for a while." He smiled, and extended his hand for me to shake. Out of reflex, I jerked my hands up to cover my face at his unexpected movement.

"Sorry. I'm Kai." He introduced himself. I glared at him, then turned away from him and walked down the hall. I could feel my entire body shaking from fear as I marched downstairs, still trying to make as much noise as possible. Kai was behind me, but I didn't care. I had seen a glimpse of the kitchen on the way in, so I went off my memory and easily found it right away. Kai had gone out the front door, to go swimming assumed.

"Did you get all settled in?" Leilani asked, looking up from the magazine she'd been reading at the kitchen table.

"I'm hungry." I stated, ignoring her question.

"Dinner will be ready in a half hour." She motioned to the oven. I could smell some kind of fish baking in there, and it made me even hungrier.

"I'm hungry now." I frowned. I always got what I wanted, when I wanted it, at Dave and Jenny's. They'd been too afraid of me in the past couple years.

"You're just going to have to wait, I suppose." She shrugged, and went back to reading the magazine.

My eyes went wide at her audacity. No one tells me no; they can't. I scowled at her, even though she couldn't see, then walked away and out the front door. I stepped on to the porch, just seething in anger.

"Going somewhere?" A voice said to my left, making me jump. Sitting on the porch swing, was another boy. Similar in looks to Kai, but his hair was a dark brown similar to his mother's. He also was shirtless and in swim trunks.

I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster, and started down the stairs leading off the porch.

"You better not go any further, Natalia." Yeah, he was definitely Leilani's son. He had the same edge in his voice that made me stop in my tracks. I furrowed my brow and spun on my heal to face him. He smiled at me, and I wished he wouldn't have. It felt like a knife twisting in my heart; I never smiled. He cocked his head to the side as if waiting for me to come back to him. I slowly walked back to the stairs and stomped up them. I glared at him harder as I made it to the top of the porch.

"I'm Keoki, by the way." The guy stood up and took a couple steps forward.

"And I'm sure somewhere out there, someone cares." I replied, sarcastically motioning to the area around us. He gave me a disapproving look, encouraging me to be even more rude. So I headed back down the stairs and started walking toward the road leading away from their house. I heard the screen door to the house close, and ten seconds later I heard someone call my name.

"Natalia!" It was Leilani. Thanks a lot, Keoki. I ignored her and kept walking. At the base of the driveway, I was met by yet another boy. My nostrils flared as I noticed it was Kai. I walked around him, and continued on. No one tried to stop me, then I realized why. Kai was walking alongside me. I could not shake this family! Anger burned inside of me as I began to walk faster, hoping to lose Kai. I headed back the way I'd come from the airport, with just my phone, a lighter, and a pack of cigarettes with me. Kai kept up, and I eventually slowed back down so I could breathe normally again, but I kept plenty of distance between us. Walking with a boy was making me feel uneasy.

"Where're you going?" Kai questioned.

"None of your business." I growled. Kai decided not to say anything after that, and we walked in silence for the next several minutes. We eventually came to the center of Hanalei, where all the shops were located. I saw a place called Tahiti Nui, and I headed towards it.

"What are you doing? That place has a bar." Kai rushed forward and stood in front of me.

"Yeah, that's why I'm going in there." I rolled my eyes. This kid was daft.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." He shook his head, smiling apologetically. I looked at him in disbelief. Was he serious? He couldn't tell me what to do! He was probably barely older than me, and he wasn't my mother.

"Move." I ordered gruffly. With my prominent Russian accent, I usually intimidated people when I acted this way. He shook his head again, and pointed back where we came from.

"Turn around." He told me. Was he for real? I scoffed at him, then tried to run around him. He just stuck out his arm and blocked my path. He didn't grab me or anything, but it did stop me. I scowled at him and turned around. I ran back down the path and took a sharp turn on a dirt road. I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. As soon as I stuck it in my mouth, he was right beside me again. He took one look at the smoke and set his jaw.

"Natalia, give it here." He commanded, sticking out his hand. I rolled my eyes again and sighed loudly. I had at least a hundred more, so I gave it to him. I threw it on the ground and stomped on it before throwing it in someone's garbage can.

This was going to be harder than I thought.