Page 27 of The Wrong Side of Kai
Thanks forwhat? I stare after her as she walks back over to her friends, the same way I stared after Maddie and the same way I stared after Kai, full of confusion and questions.
10
Did you steal H’s phone, you stupid little bitch?
I stare at the message, and laugh. Like, laugh so hard all of my organs hurt.
I’m sitting on my bed next to Kennedy and Chyna, all of us in fits of giggles at the barrage of abuse being texted my way from Harrison and his buddy Noah. Harrison has called me a thieving piece of trash. Noah is calling me a stupid little bitch. And the best part? TheyknowI’m in control. They know I’m fighting back. That’s why they’re throwing crass insults my way, but they have absolutelyzeroeffect on me.
I glance over at Harrison’s phone now. It’s on my dresser, charging, because the battery died as soon as I got home from the diner. Kai is on his way over, and between him, Chyna and me, I’m sure we’ll find a way to hack the phone.
“You should reply,” Kennedy says, stroking Theo, who’s sprawled across her lap.
“And say what?”
“Screwyou, dick face,” she suggests, and I swat at her, scolding her use of words. Mouth like a trooper, that one. But I’m no better.
“Noah’s a jerk,” Chyna says. “Total nice guy when you were interested in him, total douche once you stopped.” She’s sitting at my dressing table in her pajamas and fluffy bunny slippers, carefully styling her hair. She removed her braids this afternoon after having them in for six weeks, and it’s an all-night procedure – she isn’t happy that I’ve dragged her over to my place. I do love the luscious scent of shampoo wafting around my room, though. Along with her hair products and styling tools, she’s also brought her laptop with her. We’ll need it.
My phone buzzes again. Chyna and Kennedy both watch me as I open up the new message, waiting to hear which of Harrison’s friends have texted me this time, but it’s from Kai. He’s outside my house and doesn’t want to knock on the front door.
“Kai’s here,” I announce, clambering off my bed, tangled up in my sheets. I nudge Kennedy’s knee. She knows all about Kai and our plans for revenge. “You gotta go. And take your laundry downstairs while you’re at it.”
“Ugh,” Kennedy groans, reluctantly getting to her feet. She carries Theo in her arms and leaves my room, though I have no doubt she’ll be spying on us all from afar. She’ll want to see Kai with her own eyes, especially because I let it slip how gorgeous he was. I’m trying my hardest to focus on our mission together, but his charm and good looks are impossible to ignore.
“Oh my God,” Chyna says, panicked. “Mr. Hottie is about to come in here and my hair looks likethis!” She throws her head back in exasperation and I throw a pillow at her.
I steal a quick glance at my own reflection in my mirror as I leave the room to fetch Kai – sweatpants and a tank top, my hair in a high ponytail, this morning’s makeup blotchy and smudged. I don’t really care, though. We aren’t heading out anywhere tonight, so comfort is the way forward. It’s like having a sleepover with your best friends, except no one is spending the night, and only one of my guestsisactually my best friend.
I take the staircase too fast, tucking loose strands of hair behind my ears as I rush downstairs. Ever since I left the diner earlier, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about kissing Kai. That’s why I pause for a second in the hall before I let him in, adjusting my sweatpants and massaging lip balm into my lips – yesterday I would have thrown the door open without hesitation. Suddenly, everything I say and do around him feels like it matters.
When I open the door, Kai is standing on my porch, looking out over my lawn. He’s wearing black gym shorts and a T-shirt, with that same cap from earlier today still on his head, and I spot his bike resting against the porch. He turns to face me. “Hey,” he says, touching the bill of his hat and giving me a courtesy nod.
Lord, havemercy. I tear my eyes away from his chest and concentrate on maintaining eye contact instead. I realize that it’s the first time I’ve invited a guy over to my house. “Hi.”
Kai stares at me expectantly, his smile widening. “So, can I come in or do you need me to stay out in the yard?”
“Come in,” I splutter, stepping back from the door and motioning him inside my cold, empty house. My heart beats a little faster as Kai steps over the threshold, kicking off his Jordans and carefully pushing them to the side. He keeps his eyes on me, waiting for guidance on what to do next, his smile growing more strained the longer I’m silent. “Sorry,” I say, shaking my head.Snap the hell out of it, I tell myself. “We’re upstairs in my room.”
I head for the stairs again, taking the few moments of silence to pull myself together before I do something embarrassing that I’ll regret, and Kai follows close behind me. I can sense him looking around, studying my home.
“Vanessa?” a voice calls from the kitchen. It’s Dad. “Who are you talking to?”
Oh, sonowhe wants to pay attention to me? I pause, one foot on the staircase, and look over at Dad as he walks over. He’s drying his hands with a towel, glancing back and forth between Kai and me, his expression blank as ever. That’s the thing with Dad – he’semotionless.
“This is Kai,” I tell him quickly. “We have a homework assignment together, so we’ll be upstairs.”
“Hey,” Kai says, flashing Dad a polite smile and giving a little wave. I bet he wants to sink into the floor.
“Okay,” Dad says. He doesn’t smile in return, only throws the dishtowel over his shoulder and pads back into the kitchen. To a stranger like Kai, Dad must come across as rude and hostile, but that’s only because they can’t see that he is really just grief-stricken and lost.
I continue up the stairs and silently pray that Kai doesn’t mention the encounter, but of course, he does. How could he not? Dad gives off a weird vibe. So cold, so stoic. . . It’s unnatural.
“You’re sneaking a guy up to your room at night and your dad doesn’t give methe look?” Kai questions once we’re upstairs and out of earshot.
“That’s because he doesn’t care,” I say over my shoulder. I can’t look back at him right now.
“Well, what about your mom?”
