Diary Of A Davison

Chapter 2

Kyla’s POV

The bell rang and before the echo died, I was already out of my seat. My heart thudded like I’d been holding my breath the entire first hour. I just needed space.

The bathroom was empty when I pushed the door open, the fluorescent lights humming softly. I slid down against the tiled wall, wrapping my arms around my knees. Being surrounded by so many people felt foreign, like I’d woken up on the wrong planet. Their whispers, their pitying glances—they drilled through me until focusing became impossible.

If Megan hadn’t kept nudging me under the desk, I probably would’ve bolted home mid-lesson.

“Oh, thank goodness. You’re here.”

I closed my eyes for a beat. Great. I can’t even have two minutes alone.

I looked up and found Megan in the doorway. My best friend.

“I was just getting some air,” I muttered.

She crouched in front of me, her eyes narrowing. “You mean getting away from everyone. Ky, you know you can’t lie to me. I know you better than anyone.”

I sighed.

“You haven’t really talked to me since you came back,” she said softly. “You wouldn’t even let me visit you at home.”

“I just wanted to be left alone,” I said blankly.

She exhaled, her shoulders drooping. “Ky, I get it. The stares, the whispers—they’re awful. But please stop pushing me away. It’s hurting me when you do that.” Her voice cracked, just a little. “It’s me. Megan. Your best friend. We’ve always gotten through the rough patches together.”

She reached out and cupped my cheeks. Only then did I realize tears were already slipping down them.

And then she hugged me.

God, I’d missed her. This past week had been so hard without her. Megan wasn’t just my best friend; she was the sister I never had.

She was right, though. I had pushed her away. I thought this was my burden alone to carry. I thought being left with no one meant I had to keep it all locked inside. Apparently, I was wrong.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I thought… you wouldn’t want to be around me anymore because I’m an orphan now. I’m sorry. I can be childish sometimes.”

Her arms tightened around me. “It’s okay, Ky. I understand. Just promise me you won’t ever push me away again. I’d never turn my back on you because you lost your parents. What kind of friend—what kind of sister—would I be?”

“I promise.”

We hugged again. I didn’t know what I’d do without her.

“Now let’s go back to class.” She stood and held out her hand. I grabbed it, letting her pull me up. Walking back to class hand-in-hand felt like a rewind to the old times, before everything shattered.

—

“Finally! The day’s over. I can go to bed and stay there until morning.”

Megan glanced at me like I’d just told a joke only I didn’t get. Then she started laughing.

“You know, Ky, I don’t get how you sleep so much and then still want more. You’ve been off for nine days!”

I stopped walking.

“Actually…” My voice dropped low. “I haven’t really been sleeping. Not much anyway. Rose… she made me take sleeping pills recently.”

Megan’s blue eyes widened. “Oh my God, Kyla. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

I shrugged. “It hasn’t been easy, Meg. But I’m trying. Accepting they’re gone is the only choice I have, or else…”

“You’ll lose it,” she finished softly.

I nodded.

“I know what you’re going through,” she said. “But I’m here, okay?”

I smiled weakly.

“I just hope you haven’t already lost it,” she added carefully.

My brows furrowed. “What do you mean by that?”

She stepped closer and whispered, “I mean I hope you haven’t gone back to… you know. Old habits.”

My eyes widened.

“What? No!” I glanced around. “I made a promise to you and Alec. I stopped. I never went back. Relax.”

She exhaled with relief. “Good. I wouldn’t want you slipping back. Come on, you’ve got a bus to catch.”

We walked in silence out of the school gates, our shoes scuffing against the pavement. Megan didn’t need the bus; her aunt lived close by. Her real home was hours away in North Houston, where her parents ran one of the top real estate agencies in the country.

Finally, she broke the silence. “How about I come stay with you for a few days? Or weeks. Or—”

“Or just move in,” I teased.

She giggled and nodded.

“Don’t worry about me, Meg. I’m okay. It’s not like I’m alone in that mansion. Jerry and Rose take care of me, and Grandpa only left last night.” I winked.

“It wouldn’t be a problem, Ky. My parents wouldn’t mind either.”

I stayed quiet. The idea sounded lovely, but I knew myself. Some days I just wanted to be alone, and I didn’t want Megan feeling uncomfortable when I shut down.

“Okay fine,” she said. “If you’re sure.”

“I am. Trust me.”

“Is your grandfather coming back soon?”

I laughed. “Megan Miller, I’m seventeen, not ten.”

She giggled.

“Of course he’ll be back soon. Relax. I’m safe.”

“Fine,” she sighed in defeat.

“I have to get going now. See you tomorrow.” We hugged.

“You too.”

I walked to my bus. Hannah was already seated. Almost everyone was.

“Oh, there she is. Thought you’d be late and miss it,” she said, smirking.

“I was just saying bye to Megan.” I slid into the seat.

“She’s lucky she doesn’t have far to go,” Hannah muttered.

“Come on. It’s just ten minutes,” I teased.

Hannah rolled her eyes. “By the way, Deveon’s here. He was just late.”

My eyes widened. What? He’d been at school all day and I hadn’t seen him once?

“Hello? Earth to Kyla!” Hannah snapped her fingers.

“Oh—sorry. I just can’t believe we were in the same school all day and I didn’t see him.”

“Yeah. Weird. You even have some classes together.”

Come to think of it, we do. But I hadn’t really been in those classes. My body was there, my mind somewhere else—a dark, quiet place where no one stared.

“Yeah, you’re right. I was with Megan all day,” I muttered.

“Uh-huh.”

“What are you girls talking about?”

That voice. Low. Smooth. It slid right into my chest. My heart skipped.

I looked up.

Emerald-green eyes. The ones I’d gotten to know over the past year. His smile was easy and warm. Tan skin, perfectly disheveled hair. No wonder girls fell for him without trying.

My lips parted. I whispered before I could stop myself—quiet but certain he heard:

“Deveon.”

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