ENTER

Everything became very awkward after that. We stopped talking, laughing…anything. Conversations died before they even started. He even stopped looking at me, like I had become some eyesore he couldn't stand.

If he's seated alone in a room and I walk in, the moment he turns his head and recognizes me,he just walks out. At first I was hurt but then I realized,

“This is what I wanted!” Yes! I wanted this bastard far away from me because he ruined my chances of being the best.

We sat at the dining table, the silence was deafening. Kaelen sat beside me but no matter what happened, he never looked at me and that was fine because even I didn't want to look at him. 

My dad's eyes ran between both of us.

“What's this foolish behavior going on?” Yvette nodded,

“I noticed…ever since you accepted me as your mom, you boys have become rather distant.” I accepted her? When? And that was when the flashbacks hit.

“Fuck.” Well there was no going back now. She turned to Kaelen. “I'm always your mother—” he laughed.

“What the hell mom? I know you're my mother before anything.” She sighed nervously.

“Oh, I just thought that caused the problem.”

“Nah…” and for the first time in days, he looked at me in the eyes, smiling and stretching out his hand for a handshake.

My hands trembled so bad as I stretched them, like they had all day but chose that moment.

We held hands and smiled together making Yvette relieved but my dad wasn't…he could just tell.

I got up.

“Well, I'll be leaving for school now.” Yvette waved, her smile wider than ever.

“Okay baby. Stay safe.”

“Yeah, mom” and she curled into my dad's shoulder giggling again. It was alright until—

“Hold up. I'm coming with you.” Kaelen stood, walked up the stairs and returned with a bag. I stared in shock as my mouth dropped. When he was down, he looked at me. His hands were in his hair when he smiled.

“Let's go.”

******

My school is just 20 minutes away while his needs him to drive. I had no issue walking but I guess he did.

“I'll go bring my car.” and he walked off. For some reason, my chest heaved, my palms sweated and my entire body weakness when it was just a ride to school.

He drove ahead and parked, honking as a signal to make me come. I jogged to the car and sat in the back seat which made him laugh.

“Haha, no.” He turned to look at me, that same disgust and hate I saw that morning sat there comfortably. He continued, “you're sitting beside me.” 

“But I don't—” he didn't even care.

“Front seat. Now.” And I got down and switched. He drove slowly, saying nothing, doing nothing…not even looking at me.

“Why am I here if you won't even talk to me?” He didn't respond. “Kaelen?” he still kept driving. “I'm asking—” he parked.

“Shut up.” I stared in shock, my eyes widened.

“I should what?!”

“Shut. It.” I looked at him and look away. I couldn't possibly get the person driving me upset, he could crash both of us and we'd end up in hell.

“Okay.” And the ride went on.

When we got close to the gate of my school, I undid my seatbelt and prepared to come down but he didn't stop. The car passed slowly, my eyes and Darius's eyes locked from the gate. His expression switching from nothing, to recognition, to surprise and sheer panic. 

I stuck my head outside the car, Darius stood there with his arms spread out confused.

“What the fuck Kaelen?!” I snapped. “I'm meant to drop there! At my gate! And walk in with my friend who's been waiting for me!” but he still didn't respond. Like I was talking to myself.

Then we arrived at his school and he drove past too. Then I got worried.

“Kaelen, where are we going?”

“You'll see.”

But I didn't want to see. I wanted to be in my class, complaining about lectures and talking with Darius about unimportant stuff. But no. Right now, I'm in a car with a crazy person who wouldn't say shit about where we're going.

Slowly I started dozing off, I tried fighting it but I couldn't. And when I opened my eyes again, I was being carried up the stairs of an unknown place.

It had gold painted walls and glass stairs. It took a while before I processed everything and when it did, I struggled to get out of his grip but he just held tighter and smiled at me.

“If you struggle, we'll fall and die. I genuinely have nothing left to live for.” And I paused my tantrum to look at him. How his jaw tightened, his eyes watered as he looked down and how his voice shook at the end of every sentence.

I relaxed myself as he kept climbing.

“Where's this?”

“A hotel out of town.” He paused, “I paid for a room in the top floor” a hotel? Why? What's he planning to do? 

“Why?”

“You'll find out when we're in the room.”

My mind wasn't at rest, there was an elevator…so why's he taking the stairs?

“Why not the elevator?” I asked and he paused again. 

“Because I'd have to let you go again and you might run off.”

“Fair.”

When we got to the top, the floors were gold and beautiful…everything looked pricey but I couldn't enjoy the view because my mind wasn't calm one bit.

He put me down and smiled,

“C'mon, go in.” But I didn't want to.

“Do…you want to hurt me?” And he burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha” he cleaned his eyes. “Why'd I hurt you? Because you hurt me? I'm not like that.” He pointed to the door. “Now, enter.”

“I'm sorry…” I lowered my head. But he patted it and whispered in my ears.

“No you're not. Now. Enter.”