High School Survival Theory

Chapter 43

Everyone gathers around the counter and makes their own breakfast. They all have warmed up with each other. Even Grace and Cora are having a decent conversation.

It's good in a way. No one will notice if I go missing.

Kat had left an hour early for her weekend practice. Owen is now nursing his bruised cheeks and eye with ice cubes. Ashton and Nyako are helping him out. Somehow all of them fit in Miles' clothes.

As for girls, well they all fit in my clothes.

After breakfast, they start to move towards the pool.

"Are you coming?" Payton asks me.

"Yes, in a minute," I lie. "You go."

When everyone else leaves, I take my cue and turn to the stairs.

I tiptoe on the stairs and almost make it upstairs when a voice calls my name. "Aren't you coming?" Ashton asks me.

I turn around and give him an awkward smile from the top of the stairs. "Y-yeah, I'll be. I just need to change."

"Why?" His eyes run over my body. "Your clothing looks fine."

Damn it! Why can't he just leave me alone?

"Is there something wrong?" His voice sounds concerned and he starts to climb up the stairs. His demeanor changes as he reaches the top. "Are you on your period?"

"What? No! Why would you ask that?"

Ashton shrugs. "Wild guess."

I shake my head. "No everything's fine and I am not on my period."

"Good to know," Ashton winks.

I roll my eyes. And here I thought he was caring.

"But seriously, come on it'll be fun," Ashton says and tugs my wrist. "Everyone else is waiting for us."

Failing to tell him the actual reason, I follow him to the backyard silently.

Today's first of November but there's no sign of winter here in Georgia. And the day is perfect for spending it outdoors and staying in the pool. No sweat, no chill. And it always feels nice to have more time for summer. Everyone else seems to share my thoughts too. They all are enjoying themselves in the water. Only if I could join them.

"Wow Kiara, your pool is so cool," Asher yells pointing at our oval pool when Ashton and I approach him.

I smile weakly. He gives us a wide grin and jumps in the water.

"You possibly weren't trying to miss this," Ashton says.

"Miss what?" I look up at him. Ashton points at the pool.

"Back in New York we couldn't even think of staying out to the pool after the summer," he says. "And it starts raining in the middle of October. I'm sure it has already started to snow there. And here we are, swimming in the pool in early November."

"Do you miss New York?" I don't know why I ask, maybe because I never heard him talking about New York or mentioning his old friends. But Ashton stiffs. He raises a brow at me.

"What'd you think?"

From the look on his face, it's a big fat NO. I wonder why he felt that way.

As if reading my expression, Ashton mutters, "It was never home." He takes off his shirt and jumps in the pool.

I sigh and sit under the shed to stay away from the sun. I didn't mean to upset him. Grace comes over. She and Miles are the only people aside from my family who know about my fear of water.