“Okay, princess, it was a long time ago and I really don’t think we need to bring it up.”
“Aw, but you looked so cute in your little foil helmet.”
I turned to Alison. “What dirt have you got on her?” She laughed and stood up.
“Lots, I’ll go get the photo albums.”
Tegan grinned. “You know she hasn’t got anything on me. I’m perfect.”
“Of course you are.”
Her playful fa?ade faltered for a second. She didn’t believe for one second that she was perfect. Who fucking was?
“Here.” Alison came back in and handed me an album.
“Seriously, Mum?”
I flicked open the first page and ignored Tegan shooting daggers into the side of my head. She was a cute kid, all big green eyes, unruly blonde hair and cheesy smiles.
Alison leaned over. “This is Tegan when she was three. It was the first Christmas where she was excited about Father Christmas. She dressed up as an angel and wanted to be the one on the tree. When we said she couldn’t actually sit up there she threw a huge tantrum.”
“Yeah, I can believe that,” I said.
Tegan mumbled something about hating us both but I couldn’t care less, this show and tell was golden.
“So, have you got any really embarrassing pictures?” I asked. I flicked through all three of the albums while Alison told me stories. Both me and Alison were laughing. The little princess was not.
“Are you both finished?” Tegan asked, frowning adorably as I closed the last album.
“For now, yes.”
“I hope you know I’m going to be seeing your mum again on Wednesday and I’ll be asking her for stories, too.” Damn, I didn’t think of that.
I put on a poker face and smiled. “Knock yourself out.”
“I will.”
Ava came in next, she really couldn’t help herself, and sat beside Alison. She looked between me and Tegan and raised her eyebrows. She clearly had a problem with us. Our sides were touching, ooh.
“What’re we talking about?” Ava asked.
“Embarrassing moments from Tegan’s childhood,” I replied.
“And we’d finished. You suck, Kai!”
Laughing, I nudged her. When Ava and her judgemental eyes weren’t around things were actually pretty normal. Alison was cool with me now and I felt more and more comfortable around her.
“You ready for sixth form, honey?” Alison asked.
Tegan groaned. “Yeah.”
“I thought you were looking forward to it?”
“I am, but it means getting up early again.”
“You don’t have to get up that early,” I said.
She nodded. “It’s before ten.”
“Well, yeah…”
“So, Kai, do you have a girlfriend?” Ava asked. It wasn’t a question that surprised me. The timing did, though.
I clenched my jaw. She knew the fucking answer to that. If Alison wasn’t here I’d have said something a little more colourful. “No,” I replied.
“Let’s go, Ava,” Alison said and got up. She looked embarrassed that her daughter had asked me that. It didn’t bother me, not really. I was fine with people not liking me.
“Tegan, don’t be up too late, okay?” Tegan nodded at her mum before she closed the door.
“I’m sorry about my idiot sister.”
“Hey, it’s fine.” I’d had worse.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Tegan
I could have killed Ava for asking him that. It wasn’t even a general getting to know someone question either, it was loaded and everyone knew exactly why she was asking. And she called me a bitch.
There wasn’t really anything I could say without getting into a conversation I didn’t want to have. Kai knew the deal, everyone knew the fucking deal, so there was no point going over it. I had to believe that if Kai had started to feel something for me he could either deal with it or tell me we needed to not spend as much time together.
“You should sleep soon, princess, it’s getting late. Oh, and Lucas called while you were sleeping, he wants you to call him back,” he said.
“I will soon but I’m gonna get a drink. You want one, too?”
Smirking, he replied, “Please.”
I got up and left, needing a little bit of space to call Lucas and hopefully run into Ava and tell her to back the fuck off. I didn’t interfere in her life so she needed to stay out of mine.
I dialled Luke’s number and he picked up almost immediately. “Hey.”
“Hey, Luke. Sorry I missed your call, I was sleeping.”
“Yeah, Kai said. So, what’re you doing now?” Translation: is Kai still there.
“Just getting us some more drinks, we’re watching movies to take my mind off school tomorrow.”
“You’ll be fine. I’ll come over tomorrow after work and take you out to dinner.”
“You don’t have to do that.” We didn’t live that far apart really but it was a little too far to be doing short, frequent visits.
“I want to see you. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m completely in love with you.”
“Yeah, well, I might love you, too.”
“Thanks,” he said sarcastically.
“So, where are we going to eat tomorrow?”