The Mistake.

(KAIRA'S POV)

Slade put me down immediately and draped his jacket over my shoulder. I stood like a doll, unmoving, waiting as the footsteps presented their owners.

"Oh my goodness, what happened, baby?" Mum cried as she ran towards me. "We were just on our way to get you both and then we heard you scream."

"I'm fine, Mum," I whispered. I could disappear into thin air.

Just the welcome home party I asked for.

How wonderful it feels to be the center of attention, drenched, wearing an oversized jacket, hair plastered all around my head like wet paint and my lips blazing from my bully's kiss.

The kiss…

"What happened?" Mum repeated. She had gotten to me now, hands all over my face and body with worry.

"I slipped into the lake and fell, but Slade got me out quickly." My voice sounded like deceit itself. Calm and soft when inside I was burning, confused.

"You're scared of water." Mum wrapped Slade's jacket tighter around me.

"You shouldn't have let her take the stone steps on her own." Mum and I turned to Tom who sounded like he was scolding Slade.

"No, it's not his fault. I was just… walking around on my own. Exploring." I sounded convincing enough because Tom's expression softened. I noticed Slade raise an eyebrow for a second.

"I'm really sorry, Kaira." Tom said, crossing over to me.

"It's okay." I said, hugging myself tighter.

"I'll just take her to her room." Mum whispered to Tom, who nodded back quickly.

My room? I thought to myself.

As Mum led me away, I cast a glance at Slade. He was staring right at me, no smile, no frown, no twitch. As unreadable as Slade.

I fought to push thoughts of him away from my mind as we walked away.

"Are you alright?" Mum pulled my attention to her.

I nodded before whispering a "Yes." A nervous smile broke on her face and then she held my hand tightly in hers.

"You know, Tom showed me our wing moments ago. It was beautiful. I'm taking you there. To your room." She was gushing out the words but they came slower in my head. Unrealistic.

"Our wing?" I questioned.

Mum bit her lip as she nodded, clearly uncomfortable. Then she sighed in frustration and hooked my arm in hers as she leaned more into me.

"I told him we didn't need all that but he wouldn't listen. He said we need people to assist us and to make us more comfortable." She explained to me. "I even got him to slow down a little or he wants to go on and do everything!"

"Oh." I simply said. But it was enough for Mum to continue talking to me about Tom.

The garden lake house soon disappeared behind us and we were headed back into the house, this time following a narrow hallway that burst into a room of stairs.

Everything was neat, expensive, perfect, protected at every corner. I glanced at Mum, she was still talking to me and I was nodding and smiling as she spoke. I wondered for a moment if she felt comfortable because she worked here, but as she blabbed on endlessly, I knew she was nervous as hell.

When we got to the second floor, Mum tugged me gently.

"Your room is right ahead." She whispered.

It was the second room on the right, and stepping in stole all the breath from me. I had never stood in a space that felt more like a palace bedroom than a place to sleep. So large, spacious, so pretty.

A perfect, serene pink color filled the room and contrasted lightly with the large crystal chandelier that hung above a larger queen-sized bed.

My fingers itched to touch the silk drapes and the velvet chaise tucked beneath the window but I remained glued to the ground, feeling like I didn't belong here.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Mum's smile faltered as her eyes searched my face.

"Oh honey." She cried softly, taking my hand in hers. "I'm so sorry for throwing you into all this."

I shook my head after shutting my eyes briefly. "No Mum, don't apologize, I—"

"No, I should." She insisted, her sapphire eyes bore guilt that in turn made me feel guilty. "I know you don't care about all these, Kaira." Her eyes glanced around the room briefly. "I know you're mad at me for everything and I've been insensitive."

"No, it's not that." I defended softly. "I was just a little sad that you didn't tell me what was going on."

Her shoulders dropped.

"But I trust you, Mum. You're the smartest person I know. I trust your decisions and that's why I'm willing to do this." I reached out to rub her arm with a small smile on my face.

Her eyes filled with tears and then she pulled me in for a deep hug.

"I'm sorry for not telling you. I'm sorry for just jumping out of nowhere with all this." She cried. “Every time I looked at you these last five months , I wanted to tell you.”

I patted her back gently.

We remained like that for a few minutes until her phone beeped and interrupted our moment. She looked down at the screen and then up at me wearing a shy smile. I knew who it was immediately.

"Tom wants to know if you're alright. He wants us to have dinner together and the cake later as dessert."

Immediately Mum said that, the thought of being in the same room with Slade pressed heavily on me. The kiss flashed in my head and my body rocked in an overwhelming sense of excitement and anxiety.

"So, I'll see you downstairs soon." Mum leaned over and dropped a kiss on my cheek.

I hadn't heard the other things she said and as I closed the door behind her, I continued thinking about Slade.

My hands instinctively went around his jacket and I bent slightly to inhale the scent.

An instant flash of recognition struck my nerves and when a knock came at the door, I jumped with a gasp.

I stared at the door, chest rising and falling. The knock came again and as I went to open it, I thought of him being the one at the door. But then again, it could be anyone else. Maybe Mum forgot something? Or Tom is here to check on me?

I opened the door and my heart rapidly pounded about in my chest. My hand gripped the doorframe as I looked up and met Slade's dazzling emerald eyes.

He was still dressed the same, buttons left open, his hair looked damp and I felt the sudden urge to run my fingers through it.

"Hi." I began softly after finding my voice. "Thanks for—"

"I'm here to tell you to forget everything that happened at the lake house." The words left his lips, smoothly, intentionally, making me freeze up immediately.

"The kiss was a mistake." His stern eyes mercilessly dug into mine, then flickered to my lips. His jaw tightened. “And I strongly regret it.”

"It was a complete waste of my time." My fingers gripped the doorframe so hard but I felt nothing. I wanted to slam the door in his face but I could only wish. Instead, I focused on not letting him see my tears.

He took one closer step and I inhaled shakily, noisily.

"Nothing's changed. I still hate your guts." He whispered and then stepped back. "See you at dinner."

With that, he turned around and walked away, briskly. I stood there, lips trembling for almost a minute before I hurried back into the room and closed the door.

I slid down and shakily hugged myself up to my knees.

I won't survive it.

I won't survive living in this house with Slade Horton.