Get together

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
-Maya Angelou

Kade's POV

"What?" I said instinctively
"Have you killed anyone?" She asked after some hesitation
What could I say?

I couldn't tell her the truth
We were about to sit down for dinner with our parents, if I told her I had, she would run a mile
She would hate me
She would want nothing to do with me.

"Kingsley, let's talk about this later" I dismissed, stepping for us to go inside
"Kade, if it's no, just say no" she said, grabbing my arm, looking up at me desperately
"It's... it's complicated" I said
"But it's not a no?" She asked in horror

"It's... I..." I didn't know what to say
"Kade!" Mom shouted, but I couldn't move, I was looking into her eyes and desperately trying to find some sign that she wasn't going to run from me
"Kade! Kingsley's mother is here!" She shouted.

Kins looked inside, dropping her hand from my arm and giving me one fleeting look before she headed inside
Fuck.

Kingsley's POV

"Honestly Autumn, don't worry, I know how temperamental men can be" Chaska laughed
"Are you sure? I... we are horrified by what happened, I'm sure Grant will give you the same apologies when he arrives" Mom said kindly
"Don't be silly, it's fine, Laurence would do far worse if we caught a boy in Atlas' room" she laughed.

Mom laughed along with her, but the comment made me uneasy
Knowing what kind of family this was

Why didn't Kade just say no? How could it possible be complicated?
He either had killed someone or he hadn't
His hand had snaked across my thigh from beside me, and I had subtly pushed it away.

We were about to have dinner
And I still had no answers
"Look who's finally arrived" Laurence smiled, showing my dad into the dining room
"Evening" he said simply, slowly walking around the table to sit the other side of mom.

"Grant, it's lovely to finally meet you" Chaska smiled, offering her hand
He shook it, sitting himself down and eyeing Laurence who sat opposite, beside his children.

Chaska sat at the head of the table, a smile ever present but I could see the nerves in her eyes
We were all cautious of how this would end.

"Rita, you can serve now" Chaska said politely to a maid, who nodded, before the room flooded with maids

"Oh, uh, thank you" mom said, seemingly surprised at their extensive staff
"So, why are we here then?" Dad asked airily, beginning to eat
I looked down the table at him, willing him to be polite.

Addy wasn't here. So that only unnerved me more that Kade's parents were preparing for a fight
Yet they had been nothing but good hosts
"Well, our kids are dating, seems only right we get to know each other doesn't it?" Laurence said
"I know plenty about you" dad said

If the ground could swallow me whole...
"And I know plenty of you Grant, yet I know nothing about your wife, Autumn was it?" He asked
Mom nodded
"And what is it you do?" He asked
"I run a restaurant" she said.

"Wow, that sounds busy" Chaska said
"Yes, but it's very fulfilling, besides... who's going to sue me for bad food when I have my husband in my corner" she chuckled
"I feel the very same about your husband" Laurence joked

I know dads company had helped out a lot of people
It was only fair to assume Laurence was one of those people
Maybe that's why dad hates them
Maybe he knows some of the... stuff they've done.

"I don't think there's any need for us to all get to know each other" dad said
"Is that so?" Chaska asked
"Yeah, I have already told Kingsley she is not to see your son again, and after he broke into our house, would you not agree it would not be suitable for them to see each other?" He explained.

"No, I would not agree, my son is a good boy, a good man, he will treat your daughter right" Chaska said
"Mom it's fine-"
"We are just saying son, there is no need to jump to conclusions, he shouldn't have snuck into Kingsley's room but they are kids, kids do stupid things when they are in love" Laurence said

I looked down. We wouldn't go as far as in love
"May be, but I know the stupid things he had done, that you have done" dad said
"Everyone makes mistakes Grant, such as you punching our son in the face" Laurence said
"Something we are extremely sorry about, aren't we?" Mom said, urging dad

"Of course" dad struggled out
"Well, it's great that we're all here for dinner then, and you have the opportunity to apologise" Laurence said
Shit

"Excuse me" dad said
"Apologise" Kade's dad shrugged
"About the bloody nose" he clarified
"Of course" my mom then struggled out, looking at dad to just do it

He sighed
"I apologise Kade, I shouldn't have... hit you" he said
"It's fine, honestly, I'm sorry, I should never have snuck into your house, it was disrespectful to you and your wishes" Kade said
Earning my attention
I didn't think he would bend to my dads will so easily

I've seen glimpses of Kade's temper, and I was pleasantly surprised by him.

"Right then, we can chalk the whole thing down to wrong footing then" Chaska said cheerily
"That would be great" Mom agreed
Before the table fell silent
Finn, Atlas and I had been silent this whole time, picking at our food and wondering if a fight was about to break out

But now we all sat, making small talk and eating like... two normal families
I couldn't help but look at the twins
Did they know? Were they involved?

They were so young.

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"Join for me a drink Grant" Laurence said, gesturing to his office
Dad slowly stood up, buttoning his jacket and following him
Me and Kade had took to the garden.

Where he was leading me down the winding path
Towards a building
"Where are we going?" I asked
He said nothing, before opening the door and I realised it was a... gym?
A boxing ring

"Kade what are we-"
"You wanted to talk" he said, standing in front of me, looking... nervous

"Yeah, you said it was complicated?" I asked
"It is"
"Why?" I urged

He sighed, pacing way from me before he sat down on one of the benches
"Because our worlds are very different Kins, and I know what I have to say to you will... will scare you, or hurt you, or you'll see me differently than you do now" he said
I joined him, sitting beside him.

"So you... you have killed people?" I asked
He did nothing. Said nothing
He just dipped his head
"Kade" I said
"I... yeah" he said

One word. One tiny word and it sent my head into a spin

I stood up, backing away from him as my mind began to run
"See" he sighed, remaining sat
"See Kins, you... I won't hurt you" he said, moving to stand, before he stopped himself

"I wouldn't ever hurt you" he went on
My back was against the boxing ring
"Who?" I asked, receiving a confused look
"Who have you killed?" I asked
He blew out a breath, thinking

"Bad people Kins, that's all you need to know, you don't need to know what they do they... they deserved it" he said, standing up
"Don't" I said immediately
"People? How many people?" I asked
"Too many to remember" he mumbled

"Too- Kade we're still in school, you're a senior, how many people could you have possible killed?" I shouted
"Whoever I needed to since I was 14" he said
"14..."

I felt sick.
I felt dizzy
I had known this boy since we were kids
Gone to school with this boy all my life
Liked this boy all my life

And he was a murderer
A murderer in the mafia

None of it made sense
It wasn't supposed to make sense
This... this didn't happen around here
To us

"Kins, say anything, please" he said
"I... I can't be here, I need to think" I said, heading for the door
"No please-"
He stopped himself, stopped the hand around my arm as I looked at him, backing away from me

"I don't feel safe around you" I said honestly
He closed his eyes
"Kins you will never be more safe than when you're with me" he said, looking down at me desperately as his hands slid up my arms
"I'm not a monster Kingsley, especially not to you, and you will never see that side of me, I promise" he said.

"That's the problem Kade, there's different sides of you" I said, taking his hands away from me
"I thought I knew you but I... I don't have a clue who you are" I said, opening the door and leaving.

I wanted to go home
I wanted to sleep away the ache in my heart as I walked away from this boy yet again.
The boy that has my heart.

Kade's POV

"What are you doing?" Tommy asked
"Your mom said you won't come inside" Elijah spoke up
"Leave me alone" I said, lying on the floor of the boxing ring
"Why?" Tommy asked

Why?
Because the girl I am completely and utterly obsessed with thinks I'm a murderer
A monster
She looked at me like I would actually hurt her.

And that broke me
It hurt. It fucking hurt so bad

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