Chapter 2: Brady's First Love

“Howdy, folks!” Khali said, smiling.

Khali woke up as the first rays of sunlight broke through the curtains. She could feel the gentle pull of a new day. She got up from bed with a clear head, ready to make the most of her time at school. As she started her morning routine, the cool, fresh air woke her up and prepared her for the challenges and chances ahead. It was Rye that the user noticed when she walked into the dining room to eat her breakfast. For a split second, their eyes met, but Khali broke the link first, making him seem like he wasn’t there for her.

With a big smile, Remy walked up to her and put a glass of milk in front of her.

“Hey, Khali, have you had a chance to talk to your mom?” Remy asked.

“No, not yet. Why?” Khali asked.

“They’re taking you to Singapore,” Brady added.

“What?” Khali and Rye exclaimed at the same time.

There was a short but essential pause when Rye and Khali looked at each other. Remy and Brady looked at each other with knowing eyes twinkling with laughter. They let out a loud laugh that filled the room with love. Even though they were laughing, there was a stillness between them, as if they were keeping something from each other.

“Why? Maybe you might say something mean to them!” Khali exclaimed.

Brady denied, “No way, absolutely not! So, what do you think I should say? What are your plans for skydiving and paragliding next week?”

Khali showed how unhappy she was by making a pout with her face. Rye’s eyes were fixed on Brady, and he watched with great excitement as he laughed out loud.

“Hey Brady, what did Mom say?” Khali’s tone was laced with annoyance.

Brady said, “They’ll take you to Singapore. Why don’t you ask Nanay Remy?”

How Khali and Rye looked at Remy simultaneously showed they agreed with what Brady said.

-

Brady and Rye stood beside each other in the garage while waiting for Khali to return. Khali finally returned and walked back inside after what seemed like a long time.

“Are you being serious about what you just said?”

“Which one are you referring to? Khali going to Singapore?”

“Yes. Is it true?” Rye asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

Brady gave his friend a wise look and let out a little chuckle. “What makes you curious?”

Rye and Brady both got in the car.

“Oh, nothing? I just asked,” Rye said.

“Hey, man, I was just messing around.” Brady let out a chuckle. “I just want to annoy her.”

Rye let out a sigh of relief. Brady said, “So, you’re into my annoying sister?”

When Rye tried to talk to Khali, he was already in the car and sitting in the back seat.

“Sorry about that,” Khali said, looking around before finding her headset.

-

Rye drove on that dreadful day. Roadwork plagued travelers as they traveled the busiest route. Khali saw the nicely parked passenger jeepney. Two smiling kids sat next to each other and spoke.

“Wow, that guy sure has thick skin! He’s good at lying,” Khali said.

Rye and Brady both locked eyes with her. “What are you saying?” Brady asked

“Hey, did you know about this guy seeing two women simultaneously? That guy in a vehicle and everything!”

With a chuckle, Brady gazed upon Khali’s supposed man. “How did you find out this guy had two girlfriends?” Brady asked.

Khali said, “Well, you know, because I heard...”

“Oh, so you can hear them? How?” Brady was wondering

When Rye glanced toward the busy street, he quickly saw the cars as they slowly sped up and continued on their way.

“Well, it’s like all the guys are the same. You always seem to have a woman to spare, huh? Oh, they always make sure to have a reserve.

Rye said, “You might argue that most men and women have a reserve.” Well, it’s not necessarily true that boys need more than one woman. Every person’s needs and preferences are different, so it depends on the individual. Some boys may feel fulfilled and happy with one woman, while others desire multiple relationships. I’m not that kind of guy, and Brady isn’t either."

Khali gazed upon Rye, their eyes locking for a fleeting moment before she quickly averted her gaze.

“Oh, I checked out Cassie’s profile. Hey, guess what? She’s still single, according to her social media accounts." Khali said.

Brady remained silent as Rye shifted his attention toward him.

“Maybe Cassie is just kidding about having a boyfriend. However,” she said, “aren’t you the one she desires?” Khali added.

“Khali,” Brady said, “she already has a boyfriend.”

“Hey, do you know who he is?” Rye asked.

Rye asked Brady a question, but Brady declined. Khali stared at her bigger brother or sister, thrilled and fascinated.

Khali felt justified after she entered the university premises. She grabbed her cherished headset from her luggage without hesitation. She quickly covered her ears and was ready for her next excursion. They exited the automobile simultaneously. Brady saw Rye when he saw Khali.

Brady suddenly said, “Hmmm, she might melt.”

Khali and Rye turned their heads to look at Brady so that their actions were in sync. Brady couldn’t help but think Rye’s response was funny. He let out a big laugh that made everyone laugh out loud. Khali’s eyes were fixed on the sky, and she couldn’t take her eyes off of it. When the bright orange Ford SUV stopped, a woman emerged and felt she knew the person. She knew right away who the woman was.

Brady said, “Dude, I already told you she’s got a boyfriend.”

Khali was looking at her sibling. “Maybe fate has something else in store for you two,” Khali said, sounding pretty sure.

Brady didn’t say a word in the whole situation. He said goodbye to his sister with a soft tap on the shoulder as he left with Rye.

Khali stayed away from the two guys in front of him and kept his eyes on them. She sped up her steps because she was determined to catch up to Cassie. In the same way, Cassie also studied engineering, following in the footsteps of the woman who came before her. As Khali got closer, Cassie’s thoughts became more apparent, telling her to move closer slowly.

‘This is hard for me! What should I do?’

Khali watched as Cassie suddenly stopped walking and looked off into the distance. There, Brady and Rye stood, which caught her eye.

‘Brady!’

Khali’s eyes stayed, and she looked over her shoulder with desire. They couldn’t take their eyes off Cassie again.

‘Sorry!’

Khali’s foreheadline indicated concentration or worry. Her deep desire led her to chat with Cassie.

Cassie and Rye had grown into vital aspects of their lives. Their friendship began in the first grade. Brady and Rye felt a peculiar connection with Cassie despite not being friends. She knew Cassie was Brady’s first love.

Khali approached Cassie slowly. The girl had no clue they were strolling together, timed to go ahead.

“Cassie,” said Khali.

Cassie was a little surprised to see Khali. “Come, let us ascend together,” Khali urged.

Cassie answered with a slight head twist. The youngsters ascended the stairs gracefully. They were treated equally in school. Their idea stood out because it was unique. Two concurrent courses were scheduled on the same floor. Having Khali’s classroom hall next to hers was convenient. Cassie strolled quietly much of the time. Khali was fixated on the other lady.

She asked, “So, how do you get along with Brady?” When Cassie looked at her, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of emotions. “Are you currently dating him?” Khali asked again.

Cassie looked away from Khali because her head was shaking a little. After some time, a woman came out of the woods and walked smoothly with the group.

“Hey, Cassie! How are you doing? Is everything okay right now?”

“I’m doing okay now. Hey Jenny, I just wanted to say thanks for what you did yesterday!” Cassie just said.

“I already mentioned that you should consider seeing a doctor, perhaps...” The woman suddenly stopped talking and looked directly at Khali.

Khali had perfect eyesight, so he could figure out what those eyes were trying to say. Jenny wanted to say what she wanted, but Khali seemed to make it impossible for her to do so. Khali felt relieved as soon as she left the classroom. It made her feel good to be out of the school and take a big breath.

“I guess I should go now. Sure, Cassie! I’d be delighted to walk with you!” Khali said.

Cassie watched Khali smoothly go back to her room with a slight smile.

Khali moved with style and ease as she walked into the room. She took her time and quickly got comfortable in her seat, showing her calm and in control. Khali felt a sense of unease growing inside her as she thought about what Cassie’s friend had said. She looked carefully at everything that was going on around her and took it all in. She took the headphones out of her ears slowly and elegantly as if she were holding something valuable.

Khali’s mind was full of thoughts that swirled and churned like a storm. She let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes, letting the world around her disappear. Her hands, which were smooth and graceful, came together in a quiet sign of respect. She had to pay attention to a burning pain in her head. With a deep desire, she wanted to find out how Cassie’s mind worked. Many different kinds of people surround Khali on the busy college campus. She knows that, because of her excellent skills, she will have to deal with unique problems as she makes her way through the crowds.

Putting her hand on her scalp, she could feel the veins moving under her skin. She looked damp because of the sweat beads that were on her face. She tried to understand the thoughts that were going through Cassie’s mind. Her nails dug into her fingers as she squeezed her hand, showing she was distraught. She knew she had to keep going even though her mind hurt like hell, and she felt like she had to deal with a migraine, which kept coming back.

She got a small smile on her face after a while. Her feelings for Cassie had already been revealed.

“Jenny, I’m baffled and don’t know what to do!”

“Cassie,” Jenny said, her voice trailing off. “I don’t even know what to say. Why don’t you just let him know?”

“Jenny, I’m terrified. He’s not going to tolerate this!”

“How many months are there?”

“Cassie said it’s been twelve weeks,” she said, speaking in a low and measured tone.

“Hey, how’s it going, everyone?”

Khali’s attention started to wander as soon as the professor spoke. She began to feel something strange inside her—a gentle tickle that started at the base of her nose. Suddenly, something out of the ordinary came out of her nose. She moved smoothly to get her handkerchief and gently pressed it against her nose to wipe away sweat.

‘Blood?’

Khali had some unique qualities that made them stand out from their friends. She had this unique ability to tap into people’s most profound thoughts and emotions quickly. It was something! Their brains were so transparent; she could see and hear every idea and thought as if they were right in front of her. Yeah, Khali was good at controlling others. She had this unique ability to read minds, like telepathy, hidden in her head. And this is the beginning of her story.