Pride

“Kai. Money.”

“D-Don’t you t-think you’ve s-spent enough of my money?” But even as Kai asks this, he opens up his wallet and hands me a few more quarters for me to continue playing countless video games at the arcade. For the last two hours I have dragged Kai from place to place to spend his money on me. Why, you ask? Well that answer is rather obvious…

“No,” I grunt in response, heading towards a racer game and dragging Kai along behind me. “This is payment.”

“P-Payment?” Kai stands awkwardly at my side while I get onto the bike, slipping a quarter into the machine.

“Don’t act clueless, asshole. We’ve hardly hung out lately so I’m making you pay for it.” With my tongue sticking out from the side of my mouth, I sway from side to side on the motor bike. Kai waits for the game to end before talking again.

“I said sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. Now come on, I’m hungry. Time for lunch!” When I said that we hardly hang out lately, I mean we’ve hardly hung out the last two months. It has been that long since Kai has started acting weird and he’s been only getting weirder as time goes on. Now we don’t even spend time together on the weekends and he gets phone calls from that mysterious friend of his that I know nothing about all the time.

I still have no idea what’s going on and it’s really pissing me off. We’re best friends, right? He should tell me shit.

Kai and I head to the food court where he gets the both of us Chinese. I make sure to get a large order because it costs more. The two of us sit down and begin digging in when his phone goes off. He reaches for it but before he gets his hands on it, I grab it.

“Shiloh!” He shouts, reaching out quickly to retrieve his phone but it’s too late. I’ve already got it. Staring at the screen name, I raise a curious brow. I expected it to say a girl’s name because the only explanation I’ve been able to come up with as to why we’re not hanging out is that he has a girlfriend. Maybe I was wrong though because it wasn’t a girl when I answered.

“Yo, this is Kai’s phone. Who, may I ask, are you?”

There’s a chuckle from the other line before an unfamiliar voice answers, “I’m Garrett and you must be Shiloh.”

“Shiloh, please give me the phone,” Kai begs, reaching for the device in my hand once more. I smack his fingers away and the boy scowls. Something about the way he’s staring at me makes me quiver. The look is different than any other he has given me but I don’t understand. Why doesn’t want me to talk to this kid?

“Yep, you guessed right, Garrett.” I’m not sure why I practically spit his name out like garbage. I just did and I don’t regret it. “Are you the one taking up Kai’s time now? I never thought anyone else could put up with the idiot.”

Garrett laughs and Kai is getting desperate. The boy is now at my side, his hands on the phone and tugging lightly as if to say give it back now. Once more, I smack his hands away and stand up to walk away but Kai has his hand wrapped around my arm, pulling me back before I can even get an inch away. The hell is his problem!

“Yeah, sorry about that. Maybe some time all three of us can hang out?” I am about to agree with him when Kai finally loses it and rips the phone from my grasp. I shout at the boy but he has already said bye to the kid and hung up.

The two of us are silent, both just staring at the other. I know that my anger is obvious through my glare, just like Kai’s is obvious through his. For him to glare, I must have really pissed him off. Kai doesn’t defy me. He doesn’t glare at me. Is this Garrett supposed to be that big of a secret? Is he that angry that I found out about him having another friend? But maybe that isn’t it. Maybe they aren’t friends. Kai couldn’t possibly be getting into some type of trouble…could he? I can’t imagine Kai doing anything like that…drugs or drinking…it can’t be what’s going on.

“There’s nothing wrong about having more than one friend Kai. Why the hell didn’t you tell me about that kid?” I cross my arms angrily over my chest and scowl. It makes me angry knowing that Kai is keeping secrets. I’ve never kept any secret from him.

“He isn’t my friend,” Kai grunts, grabbing our tray of food and walking to the trash to dump it. “We’re just associates.”

Associates? Just associates? Once again, what the hell is his problem! Associates don‘t just give each other their numbers or call constantly. Even if Garrett hasn‘t been the one continuously calling, he still called and he admitted to being the one who took up Kai‘s time. That means they cannot be associates. They are obviously more than that. They‘re friends and Kai isn‘t telling me about it. If Garrett were just a normal friend, Kai would tell me. There’s obviously something going on and he isn’t telling me. The asshole!

I’m glaring at him now and my hands are clenched into fists. Never in my life have I ever actually wanted to physically harm Kai. Sure, I’ll kick him or shove him, slap him over the head or something but never did I use much force that would actually hurt him…but right now…I want to hit him so hard that he’ll be out for days. I want to kick the living shit out of him.

I won’t do it though. I won’t hurt Kai because I know that I shouldn’t. If he’s keeping secrets, he has his reasons. They are probably stupid reasons but reasons nonetheless.

“Fine, if you want to keep secrets then you can. Fucking bastard!” I scream, shoving Kai as I storm past him. I don’t care if he drove me here. I’ll take a damn bus home if I must. I just know there is no way in hell I’m standing around him any longer than I have to.

“Shiloh!” Kai calls, the sound of his quickening footsteps make me pick up my pace. He’s starting to run so I start too. “Shiloh, just…just let me drive you home!”

“Fuck off.” I finally stop to turn and face him. He skids to a stop in front of me, panting from the sprint we were just in. I’m no better. My chest is rising and falling quickly. It feels like my lungs are about to drop to the ground, they’re so heavy. I still have enough energy to scowl and glare at the boy though. “I’m taking the bus.”

Kai grabs my wrist so tight that no matter how much I tug he isn’t letting go. Growling, I kick him in the shin but Kai only flinches before beginning to drag me back to his car. “Asshole! Let go or I’ll scream rape.”

“W-Will you just…stop for a second!” Kai sighs and finally lets go of my wrist. I didn’t realize how tight his grip was until I noticed the slight discoloration of my skin. There will be a bruise there tomorrow. Prick. “I’m sorry, Shiloh but…I’ll tell you everything some o-other time.”

Grumbling, I kick the rocks beneath my feet. When he says it like that, with his eyes all big and bottom lip quivering I just can’t stay mad. He looks like a puppy and it makes me sigh. Although I’m still angry with him, I nod and give in. “Fine…but just promise me you aren’t doing drugs or something!”

It’s a silly thought but I had to ask. Kai laughs because he knows just how stupid the idea is. Kai has always been against drinking so drugs are way out of the question. I had to check though. So when Kai shakes his head and smiles, I know that isn’t what’s going on and it makes a sigh of relief pass my lips.

“I can’t believe you’d think that!” Kai is laughing hard now, clutching his stomach as he hunches over in laughter. “Do you even remember who you’re talking to?”

“Shut up…you were acting weird and keeping secrets. I was worried, you ass!” The foot stomp was necessary to show how angry I am at him. Kai finally stops laughing and stands up straight. Grinning, he grabs my wrist and tugs slightly as if to ask if I’m really ok with him taking me home.

“Sorry…I d-didn’t think it bothered you t-that much,” Kai mumbles. “Please d-don’t be mad.”

“Shut up and take me home.” Really, how could I stay mad at Kai?