I'll Kiss You as My Final Goodbye

The sun light streamed into my room through the window. I groaned and looked at my room. Wait. This isn’t my room.

I bolted up or well I would have if someone’s arm wasn’t around my waist. I looked to my left and saw a sleeping Brian beside me. I bit back my scream out of habit and jumped out of the bed.

Brian stirred in his sleep but didn’t wake up…yet. I stood up and looked around the room. It was my father’s.

How did I get here? Especially with Brian?

“Hey,” Brian said from the bed. “Are you ok?”

I looked at him, confused. Then, it came to me.

Oh ya…

“Um, yeah I am.” I said forcing a small smile on my face.

“Ok…”He said awkwardly as he got out of the bed. “I guess I better go.”

“Uh, yeah,” I said just as uncomfortably. “I’ll show you out.”

He nodded as he slipped on his shoes. I waited patiently by the door, wanting to get out of the room as fast I could. Who knows what else happened in this room?

As soon as his shoes were on and laced he followed me out the room and down the hallway. An awkward silence filled the air and I didn’t know what to do or say.

“So your room is very neat.” Brian said, trying to make a conversation.

“Um, well it isn’t mine.” I said as we reached the front door. “It was my father’s.”

“Oh shit,” Brian said loudly. “I am sorry. I didn’t know.”

“No problem,” I said just wanting him to leave. “Thanks for staying but I would really like to be alone now.”

“Oh, I get it.” He said before giving me a small wave and walking up to his car.

I watched as he got in and gave me one last glance. He smiled at me and then drove away, most probably to go back to sleep.

I slowly closed the door and walked to the nearest phone. I seated myself on the couch and got the cordless phone. I quickly dialed the numbers before I lost the courage.

“Hello?” A voice I haven’t heard in a couple of days said.

“Hey Jake!” I said happily greeting my brother.

“Hey Kaiden!” he said just as enthusiastically.

“Can I talk to mum?” I asked, knowing she had to be nearby since he answered her phone.

“Hi sweetie,” Mum greeted.

“Hey mum,” I said solemnly as I remembered what I was going to ask her.

“What’s wrong love?” she asks, instantly picking up on my change of attitude.

“Did dad have an affair?” I asked bluntly.

I didn’t want to poke around the bush. I wanted the answer now. I wanted the honest truth and nothing else. I didn’t want her to stall, so I didn’t.

“Honey, I don’t think now is the perfect time to-” she said but I cut her off.

“He did, didn’t he!” I yelled, letting out sobs.

I really wished I didn’t read that letter. I shouldn’t have fallen for it. I knew that if it wasn’t for that letter I wouldn’t be this way now. I wouldn’t have expected better of my father. But no, I fell for it and now here I am, crying to my mother over the phone.

“Yes, he did.” She said so quietly that if I wasn’t listening I wouldn’t have heard her.

But I was.

“Is that why you had a divorce?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said just as softly.

I had stopped sobbing and now I was full on crying. It hurt so fucking much. It hurt to finally know the reason why my parents split up. It hurt to know that some bitch actually broke them up. It hurt to know that bitch separated me and my brother for four years. It just hurt so fucking much, especially now that she wants part of my dad’s things.

“How did you find out?” she asked me.

“The bitch, whoever she is, wants to overturn the will. She thinks her and her daughter should get something.” I told my mum, not caring about the fact she hates it when I cuss.

“Kaiden, your language.” She warned. “Relax sweetie. Everything will be fine. Oh, Jake wants to talk to you.”

“KAIDEN!” Jake yelled happily as he got the phone away from mum.

“Hey Jay,” I said, trying to sound happy.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing, just tired and allergies.” I lied.

I didn’t want Jake to know. Well, not yet at least. He was only eight when mum and dad split up and I don’t want him to think our dad is a jerk. He is but he still has some good sides and I wanted Jake to see those first…somehow.

“Oh ok,” Jake said and I could just see him nodding. “Anyway, I like this new girl in class. She’s –oh I have to go. I have to help Matt and Uncle Tom. Talk to you soon!”

“Yeah, sure, soon,” I said before hanging up.

I dropped the phone on the floor and crawled into a ball. I started bawling my eyes and didn’t care who heard or saw me. Well, I thought I didn’t anyway.

“Kaiden! Are you ok?” Johnny asked as he came running up to me.

I wiped the tears away from my face and nodded.

“Yeah, of course I am.” I tried to sound believable but my voice cracked and ruined everything.

Johnny didn’t say anything though. He just wrapped his arms around me and let me cry into his shirt.

“Girls, you seriously don’t have to take me shopping.” I insisted as they dragged me out of my house.

“Yes we do!” they said all together.

“I am fine with what I have.” I said.

Don’t get me wrong, I really love the girls but I just am not in the mood to shop.

“Oh come on Kaiden,” Gena said exasperatedly. “You are wearing pants in SoCal.”

I looked at my attire and blushed sheepishly.

“Fine,” I agreed and they all cheered loudly. “But we take my car.”

The girls looked confused and looked around as we stood on my porch.

“What car?” Leana finally asked.

I grinned widely at them and ran inside my house to get the keys to my precious Cadillac. I went back to them and saw them still looking at each other, confused.

I opened the garage door and got into my car. I put the keys in the ignition and started the engine. My car revved to life and I backed out of my driveway.

The girls stared at me first before letting out loud screams and running into the car. Lacey rode shotgun as Leana, Gena, and Val rode in the back.

“This is so cool.” Leana said as Lacey directed me to the mall.

“Where did you get it?” Val asked.

“I inherited it.” I told her as I searched for parking in the mall’s parking lot.

Let me tell you, it was almost impossible.

“Awesome,” Gena said with a huge smile.

“Over there!” Lacey said as she pointed out to a car that was backing out of its parking space.

I quickly parked in the spot that was very near the entrance and got out. The girls did the same and we entered the mall. This is where all hell broke loose.

I love shopping sure, but the fact that my father cheated on my mum was still hanging over me and didn’t really leave me wanting to buy new shoes. The girls on the other hand were ready to buy the mall.

They dragged me from shop to shop and dumped clothes on me every shop we went to. Around two o’clock they agreed that I had SoCal worthy clothes and decided to head to the food court. I was starving and the fact that I was caring practically half of my wardrobe wasn’t helping.

I started playing with the string of my bikini top, seeing how they made me change because my pants were an insult to the sun. I was waiting at a table that was currently filled with shopping bags.

I wonder how that must have looked like, a lone girl sitting by herself, surrounded by shopping bags.

“Hey,” Lacey said as she sat down beside me with her tray of food.

“Hi,” I said with a smile and looked at what she was eating. “What did you get?”

She showed me her Chicken Terriyaki and California Maki and I decided to get the same thing. I left her to guard the table and lined up for the Japanese kiosk.

Apparently, a lot of people are feeling the need for Japanese today because the line seemed to last forever.

“Kaiden!” I heard Val yell from the front of the line.

“Hey Val!” I said from my place at the back.

“Come here!” she said, motioning with her hands to ditch my place in line and to line up with her.

I shrugged and made my way to her. I felt people’s glares on me but I didn’t mind them. I just really want my food and they’ll have to suck it up.

“Thanks Val,” I said smiling at her.

“No problem,” she said with a smile too. “You’ve been complaining about your stomach for at least an hour. It only made sense.”

I let out a laugh and she joined me. I was about to retort to what she said when I felt something wet my back. I turned around and kept one thought in my mind.

What the fuck?