Bad Boys

s i x t y o n e ~ Shot Through The Heart

I shove my head into my pillow hoping it alleviates some of the pressure behind my eyes. It doesn't. I groan and roll over onto an unfortunate lump. I reach blindly beneath my back and yank out Kayla's stupid, stuffed cat. I throw it across the room and hear it hit a wall somewhere. Then I shove myself upright. The bed next to me is empty, and Kayla's pillow is still gone. No. My pillow. I slide off the bed and shove a hand through my hair but I do nothing to fix my rumpled clothes. I open my door and move down the mostly dark hallway to the bathroom. I fumble around in the cabinets until I track down the Advil. I dry swallow the pills then leave the bathroom for the kitchen and some food.

I make it to the end of the hallway and stop. There on the floor, next to the couch, is Ryder. I drag a hand down my face and walk over, stopping just in front of him. I glance up at the couch to find Kayla. Her fist is grips the pillow next to her face and my sweatshirt has ridden up enough to expose the hemline of her underwear. Her eyebrows are furrowed and I watch her eyes flick back and forth beneath her eyelids. I snap my eyes back down to Ryder and nudge his shoulder with my foot. He opens his eyes and looks to Kayla first, then his gaze falls on me.

"What the heck are you doing on the floor?" I ask.

"Sleep well, did you?" he retorts completely ignoring me.

"Why are you on the floor?" I answer.

"After the third time she woke up screaming and whimpering, I couldn't take it anymore. But you missed that, you were completely passed out."

I glance to Kayla. "Is there a problem?" I ask, looking back to Ryder with a bored expression.

Ryder scoffs and sits up. "Yeah Kyle, there's a problem."

I wait, but he only glares at me. "Well?"

"Unbelievable," Ryder mutters. Shaking his head as he stands up.

"Say it to my face," I growl.

He shoves my shoulders back. "You're a real fucking jerk, you know that right? She's never done a thing to hurt you. And last night you- that was too fucking far."

"She's done nothing, huh? Is that what she tells you?"

"Look I don't care what you guys do with each other or who you sleep with for whatever petty revenge bullshit. But you had no right to lay into her like that. If you're looking for a fight choose someone who will at least hit back. Did you even care that she was scared of you?" Scared of me? Again my eyes flick to Kayla, still on that couch.

"She wasn't scared of me."

"Yeah? Tell her that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means she thought you were gonna hit her, you dick. Or did you miss her hands shooting up in front of her face too?" What?

"I didn't miss anything."

"You know what? Next time you get wasted, don't bother coming back until you're way past sober." Ryder shoves past me to storm down the hall, leaving me alone with Kayla. Her feet shift and she whimpers quietly, but she doesn't wake up. I turn away and storm down the hall, barreling into my bedroom. I march over to the wall and scoop her cat up off the floor. I glance at it for a second, then I storm back out and over to the couch. I throw that cat into Kayla's stomach. She gasps awake and shoots upright. Her hands shove into the cushions as she spins her head around wildly. I cross my arms over my chest. She whips her head towards me. And slowly draws her legs up to her chest.

"Danny," she says quietly.

"Take your damn cat," I mutter. Her hand reaches out, but she stops and draws it back in. She flicks her eyes away and tucks her hair behind her ear. Then she shifts and grabs the cat, pulling it back to her chest. She stares at it instead of me, and her fingers fiddle with the cat's ear. I scoff. "It's not a real cat, Kayla." I move away from the couch and head to the kitchen. I yank open the fridge and pull out the left over pizza. I toss it all into the microwave and lean against the counter.