Letters To Shay||✓

chapter twelve.

Dedicated to my good cousin dearest, jaylocutie

**

School wasn't going to be fun, that's a solid. Much to my surprise, and Keith's annoyance, Duke came to pick me up this morning. The bruise on my jaw was less visible, and it didn't hurt as much. The thunderstorm on Friday had damaged most of the windows, so the classes were a bit scanty. By third period, the same feeling I had on Friday came over me again and I dropped my head on the table, wishing for it to stop. Internally I was having a prayer session, begging God that the KODs would forget who Keyonna Brighton was. I guess He was busy attending to other issues because immediately the bell for break rang, the guys that sat at Duke's table for lunch the other day surrounded me giving me dumb yet serious looks. They didn't need to tell me twice before I knew I was in trouble.

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I guess room 303 was also affected by the storm, because the boys were leading me to the second most private yet commonly known room- the boys' locker room. Part of me was feeling scared because I didn't know what I was in for. Another part of me was feeling cocky; I wasn't going down without a fight.

The boys' locker room- much to my surprise- smelled like mint and wasn't smelly or messy. Guess good ol' Hawks isn't as stereotypical as I thought. I was so deep in thought I didn't realize the boys had stopped walking and were staring at me. I raised my brows as if to ask why but a certain Aussie boy answered my question.

"That'll be all for now, guys. You may take your leave." They all nodded at their King at my left and one by one left until we were the only ones there.

"You can breathe now, Keyonna. You're looking a bit pale," he said. He was right, though. My lungs were burning for air but at the same time it was like I forgot how to breathe. I felt a cold hand touch my jaw and I felt air rush into my lungs, making me gasp. I slapped his hand away and scowled. He pursed his lips and sighed. "I'm sorry I hit you, Keyonna, but I had to."

I scoffed. "Had to? Or wanted to, you little piece of--"

"I admit, it wasn't my finest moment, but I had to, Keyonna. You have to believe me." He looked sincere with all air of intimidation gone. He didn't look like Ethan, Stephanie's evil King, or Ethan the intimidating jerk that bruised my jaw. He looked like a poor Aussie boy who did what he had to for Stephanie.

I remembered what Duke said the day it went down at Apollo's house. "The only person she still allows close to her is Ethan and his loyalty to Stephanie is unbreakable." If I needed to get dirt on Stephanie and ruin her the way she ruined my only friend, Ethan was the one I needed to talk to. But...she was Velazquez's daughter, who was a psychopath with a severe brain condition. Was that thing hereditary?

Pushing him to the wall and holding my arm to his throat, I started asking questions all at once. "Why was the KOD created? Why is Stephanie a manipulative bitch? Why are you doing her dirty work? What did she do to you?!" He raised his hands in surrender and motioned for me to release him. I did and he doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

"Stephanie didn't do anything to me. She's my girlfriend." What?! "Funny, isn't it? But I love her a lot. She's not really as bad as she looks. She's just a bit broken... And we all have our ways of handling pain. So does Stephanie."

I felt like I was connected to everyone I knew. We were all broken and had to handle our pain on some ways or the other.

My expression softened and so did Ethan's. We got involved in a stare down until I broke eye contact and looked at my shoes. "Please tell me what happened." He sighed and sat on the floor.