Have We Gone Too Far?

After a while Kyle walked into the room looking really stressed out.

“I'm just going to talk to your brother for a minute,” I told Coby and Dean before breaking through them and following Kyle outside the room so they couldn’t hear what we were saying. “I’ll be back in a sec,” I told them, hoping they wouldn't cause any trouble now that they’re alone.

Kyle ran his hands through his hair and then just stared at me.

“What am I going to do?” he asked, sounding more desperate than I’ve ever heard him before in my life.

“Have you tried calling her?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact that was one of the first things I did,” he snapped at me. He’s getting really worked up about this. Usually Kyle isn't the one to lose it and just snap.

“I'm only trying to help,” I whispered, stepping back because I didn’t know how he was going to react after snapping at me like that.

“I know Zack,” he hissed before shaking his head and sitting down at the bottom of the stairs behind him. “Why would they just take him?” he sniffed.

It was hurting me seeing him like this. He doesn’t get upset often and when he does he usually hides it pretty well from us. Right now he’s exposing his emotions to me and I know he isn't used to doing that.

He put his head into his hands to try and hide the fact that he was crying. It was obvious though. I just hate seeing Kyle like this. I want to help him but I don’t know how to. What could I do right now? His mum’s taken his brother. I can’t do anything...

“I don’t know,” I sighed, sitting down beside him on the steps and wrapping my arm around his shoulders. At first he tensed up but then I felt him relaxing into me as he turned and rested his head on my shoulder. “God Ky,” I whispered. “I’ve never seen you like this,” I sighed.

He nodded his head but didn’t move it up from where it was resting on me.

“Have you called your dad?”

“Yeah,” he sniffed. “He’s f-freaking out,” he cried.

Without thinking much about it I wrapped my other arm around him as well and pulled him into a hug. He needs me right now. He doesn’t seem to find this too uncomfortable and I know that it’s helping him a bit. It won’t make things better but it’ll help him calm down. He needs to know that I'm here for him.

“What about the police?” I asked after a pause.

I hate the police, sure they do some good, but I suppose I've had bad experiences, haven’t I?

He shrugged his shoulders and then said something that I couldn’t catch a word of due to how much he was crying right now.

“Ky, look everything’s going to be okay. We’re probably just jumping to conclusions,” I said softly whilst stroking his back gently with my hand.

He slowly lifted his head up from my shoulder and then looked me in the eyes, before taking in a deep breath to help him talk.

“What if they hurt him?” he sniffed.

Saying that it wouldn't happen wouldn't be a lie, but I can’t put any guarantee to it, can I? I can’t say something I'm not entirely certain about to his face though, especially when he’s like this; I just can’t.

“I...” my voice trailed off into thought as I tried to figure out what to say to him. “I can’t tell you that there’s no chance that that could happen, but... I will tell you that just because they’re g-gone, doesn’t mean that they will hurt him. What if your mum just wants him to, well, bond with her boyfriend?” I said, not really knowing what I was doing though. I just said the first things that came to mind, other than ‘I don’t know’ because I wanted to give him a lot more than that.

“I feel so stupid,” he whispered, looking away from me now and starting to fidget with his hands.

“You’re not stupid,” I told him, knowing exactly what I was saying this time. “Trust me Ky, you’re not.”

He looked up once more and shook his head.

“Everyone thinks I am.”

“I don’t,” I whispered to him, removing my remaining hand from his back now.

He looked up at me again and our eyes met once more. Slowly I noticed him moving in closer to me. What he did next shocked me on so many levels. He’s my best friend. My straight best friend. And he just kissed me...

I felt his lips on mine. They were soft and I have to admit he certainly knew what he was doing right now. His tongue licked across my lips. Kyle?

At first I just did nothing as I tried to take in what was happening. Oh my God. Is this for real? Why would he kiss me? Wait, why is he kissing me?

As soon as my brain worked out what was happening properly I pushed him back and just stared at him.

“See,” he cried, as his eyes began tearing up. “Stupid,” he sniffed looking away from me.

I didn’t know what to say. To be honest I was still trying to recover from what had just happened. He wouldn't kiss me...I know he wouldn't.

It would just be because of everything he’s going through at the moment. He’s having a hard time and probably has emotions running wild. I just happened to be the first person he showed them too and then he ended up kissing me. It’s probably just an accident. A stupid mistake he’ll want me to keep quiet about.

“Kyle,” I whispered. Right now I don’t want to talk about that. We have more important things to deal with; he might need to talk now though, before things get even more confusing. “Kyle,” I repeated, wanting him to look at me.

“I'm sorry,” he sighed struggling to look me in the eyes after that. “It didn’t mean anything,” he whispered.

“You sure?” I asked him.

“Yeah,” he said, smiling slightly. “I'm never doing that again,” he chuckled.

“Was it really that bad?” I asked him, lightening the tone.

“Hell yeah,” he laughed. “I definitely don’t swing that way.”

I nodded at him, not a hundred percent sure if I should believe him or not. Yeah, he looks like he’s being serious but who knows with Kyle. He’s pretty good at putting up a mask to hide what he really feels.

“DEAN!” We both heard Coby cry out from living room.

“Great,” Kyle mumbled. “I’ll go sort them out.”

As Kyle went into the other room, I stayed where I was at the bottom of the stairs. I heard him shouting at them and telling them about how fighting is bad. I guess me starting their little fight sort of puts me in the blame a bit right now, doesn’t it? Oh well, Kyle won’t hate me for it, that’s for sure.

While he was in there someone knocked on the door. It made me nervous at first and I started wondering about who it was, but I quickly calmed myself down. I know how stupid this might sound but when I heard that knock I thought of Mr. Baker. I know he’s out there and...I’m scared.

I could see the shadow of the person outside the door. When I realized it was far too small to be Mr. Baker I felt okay again. As long as it wasn't him, I was alright.

“Could you get the door Zack?” Kyle shouted out to me.

I did as he asked without any hesitation. It’s not Mr. Baker...It can’t be. Quickly I opened the door, wanting to just get it over with.

“I didn’t think you’d be here yet,” Jake said as he made his way into the house.

Typical Jake with his excellent manners; just walking on in like he lives here, I'm sure Kyle wouldn't mind, but still; he could’ve asked before coming in.

“Where’s Kyle?” he asked me.

“Listen,” I whispered. Not wanting anyone but Jake to hear this. “He’s a bit upset at the moment, so be easy with him.”

“What’s happened?” he asked me, raising an eyebrow.

“His mum and her boyfriend took Andy out,” I sighed, “at the moment we’re all thinking the worst.”

Jake looked at me with wide eyes. I could tell he didn’t see that one coming. Who would?

“If they don’t come home then I don’t think we’ll be going to see Beth,” I whispered.

Jay nodded at me and then began trying to collect himself before going in there to face Kyle. It wasn't that he was worried about seeing him or anything; he just wanted to know how he was going to deal with all of this first. We all know what Jake can be like when he doesn’t think about what he’s doing so it shows he cares if he’s actually working out what he’s going to do.

Kyle told me that his dad was freaking out before, so I personally expected him to rush home or something like that. We had to wait for him to get back for hours though. That made things even harder on Kyle. Jay and I tried to help by entertaining the kids, but you can only do that for so long before they start pleading for things that we have no way of giving them.

When his dad finally came through the door I could tell that Kyle was angry. Who wouldn't be? He told his dad he needed him. His dad promised to rush over. Then almost three hours later he still isn't here. It’s ridiculous.

“Where the hell were you?” he shouted at him as he walked into the living room.

“I had to work Kyle,” his dad muttered, not seeming bothered at all. “Andy back yet?” he asked.

“No dad, no he isn't,” Kyle hissed. “Not that you care anyway.”

“Right,” he sighed as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll tell your mum she needs to hurry back.”

When he said that, Kyle just stood up and walked out of the room.

“I’ll go after him,” I said, walking out the same way he’d just left. “You alright?” I asked him, already knowing that he wasn't though.

“He just doesn’t care,” he hissed before punching the wall opposite him.

“I know,” I sighed.

Just as we were speaking the front door opened. Kyle and I just stared at each other when they walked in. It was his mum and Andy, coming back like nothing had ever happened. What the hell?

Andy ran over to us and Kyle pulled him into his arms. Oh God. What did she do to him?

Kyle kept his eyes locked with his mother as Andy held onto him for dear life.