Feel (Kellic)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Why are you so quiet?" Vic asks me as we walk down the path that leads to the pond and tree house. I keep my hands in my pockets, avoiding looking at him. It's only been a few days since I've known about him and what he did to himself. And how I'm probably going crazy.

"Come on Kells, don't be this way." I cringe a little at the nickname, but I don't think he notices. Hayley used to call me that all the time, and she was the only one. I got used to her voice saying it, nobody else's. So hearing Vic say it makes my heart clench and my breathing stop.

"I'm usually quiet Vic." I tell him sharply. I'm not very good at this.

Vic rolls his eyes, "Yeah, but this time you didn't flip out at my existence." That's true. But I keep on plowing ahead. This feels wrong to me. Why am I still hanging around him? What's the point?

"Can we just not today?" I suggest, keeping my eyes looking straight ahead.

"And now you're speaking like a white girl, how wonderful." Vic says sarcastically, walking ahead of me.
He then turns around so that he's walking backwards (I have no idea how he's managing) and faces me. "Is it because I kissed you?"

I knew that question would come up at some point. I mentally beat myself up for not planning out a proper response to it. Of course that's the first thing he assumes. It's the only thing he knows that's bothering me that involves him. Sure, that does bother me. The Kiss. It does.

But does it really? It shouldn't be bugging me this much, but how forward he was with it was the thing that shocked me. I'm not used to that. I'm not used to people like him. Relaxed, caring, confident people.
If that's to say he is any of those things.

I have to remember that this guy, whoever he is, is possibly the most hidden stranger I've ever met, even though he makes a point to be open.
Vic is a mystery... He's also dead. That complicates things a bit.

"Sort of, yeah." That's the truth. Right? It's as vague as it's going to get, and it's very vague. "I'm just not used to that, is all."

"Look, I'm sorry," Vic says, "I didn't mean to, really. It was on impulse. Can we agree to forget about it?"

I sigh, shaking my head. "I'd love to Vic, but it's something someone just doesn't forget that easily."

Vic nods, "I get that, but if it's going to cause problems..."

"We just won't talk about it." I offer him the compromise. Vic looks at me then at his surroundings, then back at me.

"Fine, sure." He agrees, turning back around so that he's no longer walking backwards and walks ahead a little. I watch him go, feeling a little guilty for being so blunt. It's not helping me whatsoever, and if I'm going to figure things out, I'm going to have to be (kill me now) nice.
It's the least I can do.

I walk a little faster, catching up to Vic easily. Both of us aren't very tall, but if I'm correct, I'm a little taller than Vic. Vic looks at me, then turns his gaze back to the path, keeping it fixed there. Something's bothering him.

I open my mouth to say something, anything at all to get him talking, but I close it again. I'm not good at this.
If I ask him what's wrong, he'll start talking about it, and that always leads to comfort. Just like he did for me. I'd love to return the favour, but I'm always uncomfortable with things such at that. I just don't like seeing Vic upset or bothered; it doesn't suit him.

Finally, we get to the pond, and Vic doesn't immediately go to the treehouse, but instead he goes to the small, somewhat rotting, dock. He goes to the very end of it and sits down cross legged, and I'm afraid that the thing will break and he'll fall into the still water.