The Unexpected Deal

✿ Marilyn: One Simple Kiss ✿

I COULDN'T help but think of Kai and how safe I felt in his arms. I got into my car and drove away. Going home seemed depressing to me, so I took a detour into Selena's neighborhood. I slowed in front of her house, turned off my lights and idled next to the mailbox. I could look into the dining room via the front window, where she and her father were having dinner. I considered stepping up and ringing the bell— Selena's Dad was always fast to pull another chair and plate up to the table, but I wasn't in the mood for parental discussion about college or the future. In fact, I felt like I was prepared for a conversation. Instead, I went to Kai's house.

He answered the door, with a suprised expression, carrying a wooden spoon. "Damn, Levi is going to be home in a few minutes," he said, holding the door open for me to enter. "Are you alright being able to stay for a bit? Is your father home? I could take you to Selena's."

I agreed by nodding. Kai's stepfather, Levi, had a strong no-uninvited-guests policy, which meant that for as long as I'd known Kai, there was always a time limit on how long we could hang out at his place. His stepfather didn't appear to like anyone, and I'd never met him. Only his mother, who didn't hesitate to make extremely good sugar cookies or share family recipes with me. I figured coming to his house was either a bad decision or a chance to discover more about Kai's life. The more things I discovered about him, the more it intrigued me even more.

"Are you all right?" he asked over his shoulder as I followed him into the kitchen, where something sizzled on the stove.

"I'm fine," I assured him. I wasn't lying; I just didn't want to get into it. "Do you happen to have some beer?"

He returned his attention to the stove, where he was stirring something in a pan. It smelled like fish. "Is that why you stopped by? To steal my stepfather's beer?"

"Maybe." That was the thing about Kai: I could typically tell him the truth if I wanted to. He wasn't always flirtatious, but he was actually caring but a bit impulsive even if he didn't want to admit it. He actually preferred it that way. It reminded me of the facade that I was used to exhibiting. Even still, I couldn't let Kai in and let him see past it.

He smiled at me. "Help yourself."

I dragged a stool over and stepped up, then opened the cabinet. Tiny bottles from the drink cart were carefully stacked on the shelf, arranged by height and category: clear liquors on the left, popular brands with a lot of alcohol on the right. I took two Molokos from the back, rearranged the rows, and checked with Kai to make sure everything was in order. He nodded and offered me a glass of Coke, into which I poured the contents of one bottle and shook it with several ice cubes. I then took a sip. It was strong and burned as I drank it, and I felt a strange pain, as if I knew this wasn't the way to respond to what had happened at August's. It did, however, pass.

I couldn't help but notice Kai stared at me with concern rather than his usual carefree demeanor. His bruise had finally healed, and it was barely noticeable, and you couldn't tell. The rumors were evident of how he got it. I was glad nobody at school knew about our relationship. I didn't want them to because then glimpses of my life would be exposed. I kept my life hidden for a reason.

"What?" I asked Kai, holding out my glass. "It's good."

He shook his head. "Yeah," he said, adjusting the flame under the pan, "I don't get why you started drinking since you never did before. What changed?"

"What?"

"I've never seen you drink before, Marilyn." He smelled the pan as he leaned in closer. "Just you've never been that type of girl and now suddenly you are."

I took another sip of my drink. "So," I said, after a few seconds of quiet, "I'm still me. Right?"

"Right," he said, without turning around.