The Midas Touch

Ch. 8

[ unedited ]

Friday, April 1st, 12:21 pm

I followed Kai cautiously, constantly staying five steps behind. I didn't want to be tricked or baited this year and have another mental breakdown in the stoner corner like last April Fools.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my tone harsh. Kai just glanced back at me furtively, and then kept walking, his hands in tight fists. I inwardly scoffed.

I really didn't know where we were going. I hadn't exactly gone out of my way to explore the seemingly endless halls of the school. That was how I knew I'd messed up when I'd been led into that corner by Pedro. Jesus, I should probably stop thinking about him. That was last year after all.

Now, it seemed, me and Kai were going to the same corner. I bit the inside of my cheek, bracing myself. I wouldn't let them get the best of me. I was going to be extra careful this time.

And now here we were. Under the stairwell. The exact same place that Pedro took me to exactly a year ago. I still remembered the thudding sound my back made against the cement wall when he pushed me against it like it was his job. How he pinned my body and then shoved his tongue down my throat for an embarrassing photo op. Fucking pig.

"What did you take me here for?" I demanded, crossing my arms as Kai slowed to a stop in the entryway.

Kai's shoulder muscles tensed and un-tensed as he took a deep breath. He slowly turned around, one hand itching at his freshly shaven beard scruff.

I swallowed.

"We need to talk about...yesterday. After practice" he said vaguely, averting his eyes from mine. I rolled my own.

"Yeah, no shit we do".

Kai then let out a low rumble, and suddenly took the front of my sweater, swinging me around so his big body was covering me from the entryway we had come in.

"This isn't a goddamn joke, Midas" he hissed, his hand fisting my shirt, twisting the fabric. I looked into his eyes, too startled to come up with a sassy reply. They were slitted and angry. But there was another emotion mixed somewhere in there too.

Fear.

"Jesus, okay, yeah, this isn't a joke. I get it, now can you please let me go, Kai?" I asked, half mumbling the words. Kai immediately dropped my sweater, and it went back to covering my body. I crossed my arms over my, thankfully covered, chest.

"I've been thinking about that whole...thing" Kai practically whispered, his gaze pointed at the corner of the stairwell. He licked his lips. I frowned.

"The 'thing'? You mean, the kiss? You've been thinking about how you kissed m-" I started to say something else, but Kai quickly shushed me, placing a hand on my mouth, the other on the back of my neck. My neck hairs bristled at his warm touch.

"Shhh shh sh! Jesus, you're loud. I can't have anybody finding out that I kissed you, Daz. If they do, God, I'm toast. In more ways than one" he said frantically, looking around as if somebody was overhearing our conversation.

I rolled my eyes again.

"Scared of being called gay?" I murmured through his hand. Although it came out more as, "scurred uv bean cold gae?"