Grow up

"We won't forget each other, right?"

• Kane •

When I got home, at three in the morning, dad was thankfully passed out already. Slumped on the kitchen floor
I made my way upstairs, trying to rid my head of those blue fucking eyes.

• Inara •

I went to bed feeling... stupid
Stupid and guilty for letting Kane Vallow walk away from me after... after a kiss
A real kiss.

•

"I'll call you when we land" Mom said
"How long will Ivy be?" Ethan asked
"Not long. I am capable of being alone you know? Ivy won't be here all week" I pointed out

"Oh I know, I just hate leaving you all alone" Mom said, hugging me
"I'll be fine, enjoy yourselves" I said
A week alone was just what I needed
Quiet
Headspace.

•

Quiet ruined by Ivy fucking Jang shouting her head off in my kitchen
"You kissed?" She asked
"Yes" I groaned, letting my head fall into my arms on the table.

"What do I do?" I asked muffled
"Call him" she shrugged
"I can't call him!" I said, looking up at her
"Why not? You clearly have to talk about it, he kissed you Inara, that's not a small thing" she said

"He's kissed me loads of times" I argued
"Yes, in some weird fake dating arrangement, not in the middle of the night, on your doorstep" she argued back
I hated it when she was right.

"No, no... we were supposed to meet up today and he shot that down when he left. If either of us should text the other, it's him" I said
It should be up to him

• Kane •

"I'm not texting her" I snapped for the thousandth time
"You can't leave that unspoken of mate, she'll crumble, you know she will" Koen said
"She'll be fine, it meant nothing" I said

"Is that right, because you don't like people Kane. They're not in your nature, then you help her out of nowhere, after following her when Tommy had-"
"Don't" I warned
He sighed

"Fine. But kissing her is a big thing Kane, especially for someone like you, you like her" he said
"No"
"Yes"
"No"

"Kane"
"Koen" I replied
"Stop being a child" he said
"You like her, just tell her, she definitely likes you" he said

"No she doesn't, she... it doesn't matter, it meant nothing, I'm not fucking texting her!" I finalised, leaving his room.

• Inara •

I stood on the side of the pavement, a sick feeling in my stomach as I waited
Would he turn up?
Would I be walking to school?
We hadn't spoken since he dropped me off the other night

And he never called yesterday about going out
I think he was mad at me.
But I was confused
Confused at why he would kiss me when he's only interested when other people are around
And confused why I like it so much

Why I want him to kiss me
Confused why I froze and didn't kiss him back, when that's all I wanted to do.

• Inara's Outfit •

I started to walk along the street, I didn't want to be late
It was ten minutes into my walk that Kane's car pulled up beside me

"Get in" he said
I did so, nervously
He immediately sped off, not talking, just driving
A silence between us that unnerved me
One that eventually ate away at me and I had to speak

"I didn't think you were com-"
"I told you I would" he interrupted
I nodded
"Yeah, sorry" I mumbled

He glanced at me
"Kane, about the other night-"
"Forget it" he said
"Bu-"
"Forget it" he said again, pulling into school.

"It's not like we're a couple, not really. It was a mistake, just forget it" he said, looking at me as he stopped
Say it. Just say it.
"What if I don't want to?" I spilled out

He looked at me, searching my face
Searching my words.
Say something. Anything
"Just forget it Petal, it's not real" he said simply, getting out of the car

"Kane" I called, getting out after him
"Can we please just talk?" I asked
"There's nothing to talk about, you're reading too much in-"
"Trouble in paradise already?" Tommy chimed, chipper as ever with Mallory by his side.

"We're fine" Kane said bluntly
"Convincing Vallow, but Knightly seems a little... off, sure you two haven't had an argument?" He asked, looking at me like I was a child he was scolding

"No, we haven't" I said strongly, feeling Kane's hand take mine
"It's none of your fucking business either way" Kane said, making my eyes widen as I looked at him
"Alright, calm down, how's it going then? The dating?" He asked

"Better than some" Kane commented, looking over him and Mallory
Tommy chuckled
"And uh... what about you Knightly? You given up the goods yet?" He asked

Piece of shit-

"Maybe you'll get further than I managed Kane" he laughed, making Mallory scoff in amusement
I felt too... overwhelmed
Kane hated me again. Tommy was embarrassing me

"Excuse me" I said, pulling my hand from Kane's and walking inside
I rushed to my locker, taking a breath.
Why would he say that?
Tell Kane I'm practically a virgin

• Kane •

"Ooh, still shy" Tommy commented as she all but ran from us.
"Back off Tommy, she has nothing to do with you" I said
"I still care very deeply for my exes Vallow" he said

"Well stop, if you value that right leg" I said, going after her
He was nothing without football
It was the only reason the guys here tolerated him
The only reason he got so much attention.

"What was that about?" I asked
She jumped slightly, shutting her locker and facing me
"Nothing" she mumbled
"Not nothing. What did he mean? Why are you upset?" I asked
"You're a smart guy Kane, it's not hard to figure out" she muttered, clearly still embarrassed.

"You're a virgin?" I said, bored
"Please keep your voice down, I don't want everyone knowing my business" she begged

I scoffed
"Grow up" I said
"What?" She asked surprised
"Grow up, he's not worth it" I said.

"I thought he was... until..." she mumbled, looking down
"Look that... yesterday, we should do it today" I said simply
"What?" She asked
"Hanging out" I said reluctantly

I didn't want to beg for her time.
But she was right, we should get to know each other
And the sad look on her face made me feel... guilty.
Guilty that she was upset.

"Okay, that would be nice" she nodded, chirping up slightly
"Good, end of the day" I said, walking off
If I stayed any longer, those fucking eyes would have gotten more out of me.

• Inara •

"Tomorrow though okay? Promise me" Ivy said
"I promise" I said as she got in her car
I felt bad cancelling our plans to hang out with Kane
But Ivy wanted to hang out all the time
Kane was... confusing
And if he was in the mood to hang out then I couldn't pass that up.

"Ready?" I asked, nearing Kane and Koen
"For what?" Koen asked
"We're going to hang out" I said
"Oh really? Well won't that be lovely?" Koen grinned, looking at Kane
"Let's go" he said, ignoring Koen

"Don't worry, took him months to finally accept me" Koen laughed
"I don't have months" I said, getting into the car

"Where are we going?" I asked him.
He started the car, saying nothing
"Kane?" I asked
"Diner" he said shortly

Diner? Nice.
That's one more word than I got out of him on the drive to the ice cream shop
That's progress.

•

"You don't always have to look so... bored you know?" I said, leaning back in the booth
"Then entertain me" he said coldly, arms crossed as he sat there, otherwise silent

"Fine, let's get to know each other, what's your favourite colour?" I asked
He raised a brow at me
"What?" I asked
"Are we five?" He asked

"Just answer" I groaned, sipping my milkshake
"Blue" he said
"Blue... why?" I asked
Blue was their game colour, maybe that was why
He shrugged
"What's yours?" He asked

I smiled
He was participating
"Purple" I said
He scoffed
"What's wrong with purple?" I asked

"Why purple?" He asked
"Oh so you can ask questions and I can't?" I crossed my arms
He rolled his eyes
"Fine don't tell me" he said

"I won't" I stood strong
And then... silence

"What about your family?" I asked
He looked at me. A bad look
"Not family" he said
"Why?" I asked
"Too heavy, ask something else" he said

Oh? Why wouldn't he want to talk about that?
My mind trailed back to Tommy's comment
A 'druggy orphan'
Did he not have a family?

"Favourite book?" I asked instead
"I said nothing heavy, not something boring" he said
He was getting on my nerves now
"Well mine's Alice in wonderland... my dad bought it for me when I was little, it had this blue cover and this gold writing" I smiled, remembering it

"Had?" He echoed
"I lost it a while back" I said sadly, looking at him for an answer back
But he didn't give one

"Fine, you ask away" I challenged
He thought for a moment before a hint of a smile appeared

"Why did you agree to go into that closet with me?" He asked
An answer I wasn't sure of
"I... I don't know. I wanted to get to Tommy I guess... he's always so..."
"Smug?" He answered

I nodded
"I didn't think you would actually say yes" I chuckled
"Why not?" He asked
"You don't exactly have a great reputation Kane" I said

"Meaning?" He asked, face hard
"Meaning you're scary" I said
He shook his head, sitting forward
"People are only scared because they expect everyone to love everyone" he said

"Well you should at least give people a chance surely?" I asked
"Why?" He asked
"Because look at us. We've never spoken before and now we're sat together, having a milkshake. Getting to know each other" I smiled

"Don't remind me about the fucking milkshake" he grumbled
His chocolate milkshake had sat in front of him untouched since we got here

"Why? Why can't we have fun?" I asked
"I have my next game next week, I shouldn't be drinking or eating anything like... that" he said
"You're no fun" I said sadly
"I can be fun" he said

"Yeah" I laughed
"I'll believe it when I see it Vallow" I said
"Just you wait Petal" he said determined

Vote and Comment
Thoughts???

•