Naked (Wattys 2022)

Part 14

After Asher and Calhoun departed everyone looked distraught.

"Someone had to say it!" Kane said looking utterly exhausted.

"It was not your place to out him like that! What if Asher wanted to tell him eventually? You don't know, do you? Cause you never considered his feelings." Sarah said close to tears.

The lunch was pretty much over after that, and I was stuck not knowing what to do and how to feel.

I didn't want to call Calhoun and by the looks of it he wasn't going to come back anytime soon. He seemed pretty broken down.

I never developed feelings for someone before and I couldn't dare understand how asher felt, but I could read the situation.

"Are you okay?" Kai asked and I stared at him bewildered.

"Why are you concerned about my well being when two guys that seemed to be friends are now torn?"

"The situation is not my concern Eli. I'm worried about the look you and Calhoun shared." I'd met Kai a few hours ago, yet he noticed the little details I didn't expect him to.

"You shouldn't worry about me, I'm okay." I said smiling at him.

"Let me take you for some lunch? We haven't eaten anything and I'm starving." I checked my phone in order to see whether Calhoun had messaged but there was nothing. Even though he was my ride home, it wasn't that. I was worried.

Kai stared down at me with a soft grin and somehow I found myself agreeing instantly. Why was I being someone other then myself?

"Did you just say yes?" He questioned smiling widely. I was amazed, that grin was made for me?

"Let me hold that for you? You can place it in your backpack once we get there okay?" Before I could refuse the generous offer he took the Tupperware out of my hands.

Did Kai have alterior motives? What would he possibly gain from befriending me. Compared to everyone else... I wasnt that great.

Suddenly, I felt insecure as I walked along side him. This feeling occurred commonly when I was around Calhoun as well

"Hey! You really need to stop spacing out! You could've died!" Kai Said. He pulled me into his arms as a car almost ran me over. I looked towards him normally. I wasn't afraid of death, I welcomed it.

"Please, look where you are going." I looked at him astonished that he'd care this much.

He gripped my hand once he couldn't read the answer on my facial features. I didn't reject his contact but welcomed it unknowingly.

I bit my lip as he dragged me to a small restaurant across Uni. It was old and very rustic.

"My father use to take my mother on dates whenever she was done with class. He said he'd take her anywhere as long as she smiled in his direction." I didn't want to overthink and overanalyze but the way Kai stared at me made me want to look somewhere else.

To speak about one's parents so lovely is but a privellage, however I was thankful for the opportunity. I got to be back in Daniel and Emily's lives.

Even though I was uncomfortable about the entire ordeal I couldn't help but grin. I got parents too. I got my real parents.

"Hey it's not that sad." Kai said and I stared up at him, perplexed. His thumb grazed my cheek like a feather, slowly removing the single teardrop.

I never cried. Not once. 

I chuckled it off as I stepped inside.

"Ahhhh Kai!" A middle aged woman with long black hair walked towards us. She seemed warm and easily approachable.

"Aunt Maria! How have you been?"

"I haven't seen you in years! How has your mother been."

"She's been good." Aunt Maria stared at me and then looked towards Kai once more.

His face seemed to go crimson and I wondered what their silent conversation was about. There was obviously something I didn't know.

"And who is this?" Aunt Maria asked as she folded her arms. She smiled broadly at him.

"This is Eli." Kai said.

"Hello Aunt Maria. It is nice to meet you." Her arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"Thank you." Was all she said before telling us to go find a seat, and that she'd bring the heater for us.

"OH no aunt Maria you don't have-"

"Eli you are a guest! Sit down mi amore." I didn't know what she meant by those words.

"Does she hate me? Did she swear at me?" I didn't know how to feel so I began analyzing the moment we stepped through the door.

Kai touched my hand in order to grab my attention.

"Mi amore means my love." He said those words slowly, making my heartbeat rise a little.

I removed my hand. If he were to touch me again my cheeks would've exploded with fire.

My cellphone rang and I picked it up hastly.

"Calhoun?"

"C-can we meet up?"