The Not-So-Bad Boy Next Door

Chapter 12

I walk out the doors towards the parking lot. As soon as I'm at the bottom of the stairs, connecting with the sidewalk, I lock eyes with Kale. He gives me a huge smile. I walk up to him giving him a big smile of my own. "Kale, what are you doing here?" I ask while he pulls me into a hug. He pulls away a little, "I can't come and surprise my friend who is going to dinner with me tonight to catch up?" I bit down on my bottom lip, thinking of how to respond, "Well I just thought that you wouldn't come here, where practically everyone hates you."

He just shrugs, "Not everyone hates me. You're talking to me so that means you don't hate me." I shake my head and for some reason kept on smiling. I take that back, "Ella and Noah don't hate you. They might pretend because some kids are pretty harsh here. Of course that has never stopped me from doing anything, but them, that's a whole new story." He gestures towards his bike, "So do I get the privilege to drive you home?"

"On that? You know I was never fond of bikes." He swings his leg over his bike and then turns to me, "Oh, just get your ass on the bike already." I laugh and then I feel someone grab onto my arm, "Where are you going?" I turn around and see Spencer, Aiden, and Emmett. Emmett loosens the grip on my arm, "I'm going for a ride. What does it look like I'm doing?" I say in a hushed tone. His face softens and then his eyes drift over to Kale's.

His eyes instantly turn stormy. I pull my arm out of his grasp and he looks at me with worry in his eyes, "Claire-" He starts. I pull his into a hug. "I really don't need a lecture." He pulls me closer, "I know. Just- just be careful okay?" He pulls away and looks into my eyes giving me a serious look along with a serious tone. I nod and say, "I'll see you guys later or tomorrow." I give them a smile before Kale revs the bike and then we're off, out of the parking lot.

~

"Can I-" Kale holds his hand up and mouths 'I got it'. He turns to the guy, "Two vanilla beans in a waffle cone." He turns back around to me and he opens his mouth to say something, but I manage to get out, "I guess you and I haven't changed much from when we were little kids." He laughs, "Yeah, I guess not. So, uh, how have you been? Where have you been? The last thing I remember was the um..." He drifts off, "The funeral," I finish. He nods, "I'm sorry."

I brush it off, "I've been living in Hawaiʻi with some old friends of my parents. Apparently they were all best friends in junior high through college. Now for how I've been. I was okay, now I'm not so sure." He furrows his eyebrows, "What do you mean now you're not so sure?" I just shrug, "Well I mean, I was doing okay. I finally excepted what happened. I just don't know anymore. I should be used to this but I'm not and I'm still figuring my life out. How about we stop talking about me?" Kale nods and then I ask, "So how have you been? How has your parents and Alex been?"

He smiles, "They've been good. Alex is now 11 and she's gotten really really sassy. Don't tell her I said that, cause if not I won't hear the end of it." We both let out a little laugh, "My mom is actually has a doctorate degree in Math and teaches at the university. My dad is still at the hospital. We kind of moved because we were too far away from the hospital and my dad always said it was a far drive to do daily."

"So, uh, how is it being back and all? You know seeing Ella and Noah, and my dashing self-" He said and I stifled a laugh and said, "Yeah you and your modest self," I shook my head and he continued, "Like how are you doing, with the new school, and everything?"

I look down at my lap, "Well there's a lot of memories I wish I didn't have that keep flooding back. I'm happy to see you and Noah and Ella and pretty much everything I loved about living here, but in a way I wish I had never came back or had never left in the first place."

"I see what you mean. It's a little overwhelming isn't it?" I nod and then we fall into a comfortable silence.

~

"Pfft, I didn't do it. I don't know what you're talking about" I said in a childish voice

"Yes, you did. It was all your fault, Claire. You were the reason we got caught." He retorts back in an even more childish voice

"Hey, maybe I was the reason we were caught, but it was your stupid idea in the first place." I bit down my lip to hold in the laugh rising in my throat, trying to escape from my lips.

"Yeah, whatever, smart ass," he mutters, before giving the waitress his credit card. I lean forward and turn my head, "I'm sorry what was that?" He rolls his eyes at me, "I said you're a smart ass, smart ass." I laugh and then the waitress comes back with his card.

We walk out of the diner and start walking towards his bike. I turn my body around face Kale, walking backwards, "This was really fun. We should do this again. It's nice to have childish little moments like we used to." He laughs then sticks his tongue out at me.

"Like I said childish moments, "I repeated. He hops on his bike and I climb on, and in the process, intertwine my fingers around his torso.

~

"Hey tell your dad I said hi. I haven't seen him in ages." Kale says while I walk jump off, walking up the smooth, slick sidewalk. I turn around, "I'll tell him if I get a chance. Thanks for today I really needed it." He starts his bike back up, "No problem, it was my pleasure to be in your presence," he says giving me an nod, "Bye, Care Bear!"

"Bye Kaley Whaley!" I yell as he drove off, down the street. I turn towards my house and I see Aiden sitting there on the swing. I walk up to him and take a seat, "Hey Aiden!" He doesn't say anything, doesn't move, and it's kind of scaring me. We sit there in silence. I tried to get him to talk to me but after 15 minutes of me talking to myself, and nothing being spoken, I stood up. I took one step before I was being pulled back, falling onto Aiden's lap.

I try to stand back up but his arms just loop around my waist holding me down. I turn and look him in the eyes, "So now you're gonna acknowledge my presence? After 15 minutes of me talking and getting nothing in response? Let go of me!" He looks at me then lets go. I storm into my house and slam the door shut.