Chapter 4

Randy’s POV

With a roll of my eyes, which I was sure no one noticed, I turned my back to walk back to my room.

“What? What is it, Kyle?” I heard Clara say, the slight panic in her voice making me turn back to her immediately.

“Ah, it's nothing,” Kyle began, looking down at his shoes, “just that it would be a shame to walk all over your very clean flor with my dirty shoes.”

“Kyle, don't worry about spreading dirt all over the house, Randy will clean it up,” Selene said with a pleasant smile as she gestured her hands towards me.

“Actually, Randy. Do you mind cleaning Kyle's shoes?” Clara asked like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You want me to clean his shoes?” I asked, unable to believe what I was hearing.

“Yoi should be grateful to even touch the shoes of a man like Kyle,” Selene shouted, as if she was surprised that I would dare refuse.

“There's no way I'm doing that,” I replied, my voice matching Selenes's.

“Randy, what the heck is wrong with you?” Clara asked, “You're being incredibly rude today.”

“Guys, guys. There's no need to argue over me, I'm not royalty. I can clean my own shoes,” Kyle said, the tone of his voice sounded like he was entirely enjoying every single thing that was going on. “Look, I'm heading out for some badminton,” he continued, “Clara, I'm going to our old spot.”

“Spring Park,” Both Kyle and Clara said it together, the way they were so in sync had my brows raising slightly.

“Oh my God, that would be so great,” Clara exclaimed, then turned to me, “how about we all go together? It will be a great form of exercise for all of us.”

“You guys should go ahead. I don't even own any badminton shoes,” I replied.

“Seriously?” Kyle questioned, his eyes widening in surprise, “now I almost feel guilty. Clara, you should really get him some things, people are going to think the Hall family are poor people and have become cheap,” he added, pointing towards me.

From an outsider's point of view, you would think Kyle said what he just said because he truly cared about me, but I knew better. Everything that Kyle said and did was part of his act in insulting me, and degrading me.

“Oh, it's not like I haven't gotten him anything,” Clara said to Kyle before turning to look at me. “Randy, what happened to all that money I gave you?”

Without even bothering to answer her question, I moved my eyes from Clara to her sister, Selene, who I believed the question should have been directed at as Selene was the one responsible for taking away all that money. She had spent it on designer shoes, handbags and exotic trips.

Selene, on the other hand, had a series of emotions displayed on her face, from shock at Clara for asking that question to fear about being exposed.

“Whatever, let's just go already,” Selene shouted, making sure her voice was loud enough to distract her sister from further asking about the money and it worked because Clara turned towards me and asked.

“Randy,” Clara asked, “If you don't have decent shoes, I can have dad's assistant drop off something for you. Now, come on everyone. Let's go get ready,” she added excitedly.

As they all walked into her house, I couldn't help but notice the smile of triumph that Kyle had on his face as he walked past me.

***

A few hours later, we were now in the badminton court, I watched as Clara ran to the stand in position with Kyle running excitedly beside her like two teenagers in love.

What am I doing here? I asked myself as I watched Kyle stand behind Clara. “You have to hold the racket this way,” he directed her as he pressed his body onto her back.

At first, it seemed like a harmless move which could have happened when a more experienced player is teaching a rookie about how the proper form to hold a racket and swing the ball should be. But then, Kyle turned to look at me for a brief moment, a small smile playing on his lips again, it was as if he was trying to get a reaction out of me.

“Oh my God!” Clara exclaimed, laughing happily as soon as she successfully hit the ball. It felt like I was an extra in their love story as I watched Clara turn to stare at Kyle with such admiration and wonder in her eyes as he blabbered something about him being on the court playing professionally while she stayed in the stands cheering him on.

Why do I have to stand here watching all these? I asked myself again. Maybe I had just gotten used to saying yes to whatever she wanted, why else would my wife ask me to clean the shoes of her supposed ex-boyfriend? Well, this is the last time. We are already divorced and I leave in seven days.

“And you kissed me,” Kyle shouted, his loud voice bringing my attention back to the two in front of me. “Not bad for a first kiss story, huh?” he shouted again, looking directly at me.

“Yeah,” Clara replied, looking at him with her smile still in place.

I chuckled lightly, because now, it was obvious he wanted me to be jealous of whatever he was doing with Clara or saying to her.

“Oh!” Kyle exclaimed lightly, pausing a bit. He walked a little closer to me like he had just realised he spoke out of turn. “I shouldn't have said that. You understand, right?” he said.

“Randy, that does not actually bother you right,” Clara said, trying to clear the air, “that was a really long time ago,” she added.

“Yeah. I mean, not that long ago, but…” Kyle began to say.

“Well, maybe Kyle can make it up to you,” Clara cut in, “by helping you work on your swing. I know your form could use some work.”

As I looked from Kyle to Clara, I couldn't help but wonder what these two took me for. Did they really think I was as dumb as they made me out to be? I didn't have much time to think about it as at that point, my eyes darted to a tennis ball that had been thrown in the air from the court next to the one we were standing in and it was fast approaching, heading directly towards Clara’s head.

“Oh, Clara, watch out,” I shouted as I dropped my bag and I headed straight for her. Kyle darted out of my way, making me completely avoid bumping into him as I moved straight to cover Clara with my body without much thought.

“Ahhh!” I exclaimed, scrunching up my neck as a sharp, excruciating pain shot through my body. “Aw!” I exclaimed.

“Randy? Randy, are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?” Clara shouted, her palm touching my shoulders lightly as genuine concern for me crossed her face for the first time ever.

“Ow! Ah!” Someone shouted beside us before I could even manage to form a reply. As I looked towards the source of the sound, it was Kyle, laying on the floor in an absolutely weird position. His left wrist bent in some position.

Before I could fully understand why he was screaming like he had been injured, Selene ran into the court and towards Kyle's form on the floor. “Oh shit! Kyke sprained his wrist,” she exclaimed.

“Oh my God, Kyle, are you okay?” Clara asked, and just like that she left me and ran towards Kyle. “Are you okay?” she asked again as she crouched towards where he lay on the floor.

“I'll be fine, Clara,” he said, his voice sounding whiny and nasal, “I was just minding my business when Randy pushed me and I landed on my wrist,” he continued in the same tone, “It could have been way worse.”

With my body and face still scrunched up, I watched as Clara turned to look at me with an accusing glare, which was accompanied with a lot of hate.

“Randy, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you a psycho?” Selene asked, her voice raising in a way that drew the attention of other players beside us to us. “It's one thing not to like Kyle, but to hurt him on purpose? That's just pure evil,” she shouted again, before moving back to Kyle's side. “Clara, we have to take Kyle to the hospital immediately. If we wait, he might never hold a racket ever again.

“Wait, you think I did this to him?” I asked, finally finding my voice and coming out of my surprised state. “He was the one who…”

“We all see you knock him down, Randy,” Clara shouted. “His hand looks really bad, you better pray and hope that it's just a sprain or I make life miserable for you. And if your back hurts that bad, just call yourself a taxi.”