Love at First Fight

Chapter 12

Indi sat at the table on the porch, squeezed in between Kai and Aiden. Karmen sat on the other side of Aiden while Grey and Marcus filled the other two chairs. Indi's parents were sitting a little ways off, giggling together like teenagers.

Indi's mom looked up and said loudly, "Aiden, Kai, we were sad your father couldn't come."

Aiden and Kai exchanged a quick look before Aiden gave her a charming smile and said, "He's sorry he couldn't come too, Mrs. Carter."

She waved a hand and said, "Please, call me Diana."

The twins smiled at her, looking a little relieved that she hadn't pursued the subject.

"What are you doing to your sandwich?" Kai asked, looking down at Indi's plate with furrowed brows.

"It's not a sandwich, it's a hamburger." Indi said, like he was crazy.

Raising his eyebrows, Kai said, "Well, you're cutting it up like it's a steak."

Indi laughed. "Yeah, I don't eat bread."

"What?" Kai looked shocked. "Why not?"

Indi shrugged and said, "I dunno. It's gross. And it's exhausting to have bread in your stomach when you're trying to dance."

Kai shook his head and returned his attention to his plate.

"Come on," Indi nudged him with her elbow. "Surely you have an unpopular opinion. Something you hate that everyone else loves?"

Kai chewed on his lip in thought, distracting Indi for a moment. She noticed he had really white, straight teeth. She was such a sucker for nice teeth. Let's face it, she thought, I'm a sucker for Kai.

Finally, Kai said, "I don't like chocolate."

Indi and Karmen gasped, loudly, at the exact same time and put their hands on their chests in dramatic displays of shock. Aiden, sitting between the two girls, almost choked on his drink at their identical reactions.

Indi hadn't realized the whole table had been listening to their conversation until that moment and she felt herself getting a little shy.

Kai smirked at her, "Nothing to say?"

Indi sighed and said with mock-solemnity. "I don't even know how to respond to that, Kai. Just when we were becoming friends."

Chuckling, Kai said, "Somehow, I think we'll make it."

Indi turned her head with a smile and caught Kai's eye. His magnetic gaze pulled her in and she couldn't look away. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering, but Indi couldn't bring herself to mind them... until Marcus dropped a piece of silverware and cursed loudly making her and Kai jump and look away.

A few hours after everyone had left, Indi was walking with Karmen to her car. Her mom had dropped her off earlier, then immediately headed to work, so Indi had agreed to drive her home. Karmen had hung out as long as she could, but she had a lot of homework waiting for her.

Before they could reach Indi's car, the door to the house across the street burst open and Kai came storming out.

"Keep your hands off of me!" Kai yelled, before the door slammed shut behind him.

He stopped at his truck for a moment, fumbled with something and then stalked away, muttering under his breath. Scrubbing his hands through his hair, he turned to walk up the street. His long-legged stride ate up the space between them quickly.

Indi and Karmen stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide with shock. Indi spun around to look at her friend, but before she could say anything, Karmen seemed to read her mind.