Last Girl Standing

“Never come here?” Kass repeated as she held Abelia. “Abelia, you’re one of the few girls I think deserves to be here.”

Leaning back , she cupped the girls cheek. Kass still couldn’t believe that the girl didn’t know how other people saw her, but it was part of the petite girl’s charm.

“What happened?” she asked hoping it wasn’t about her kiss with Zayn, she’d been so confused for days by that kiss, but she knew that it wasn’t what she wanted. He was too much like Tommy, and every time she thought of the kiss she thought of Tommy and it was just awkward.

Abelia looked down to her book, seeming like she didn’t want to talk about it, but said, “I’m starting to think that my dad was right.”

Kass’s brow furrowed in confusion as her eyes found the book. Slowly, she slipped the object from Abelia’s grip earning a terrified look from the girl. The page that was opened had a handwritten note and as Kass read it she frowned. It was too sad.

“Abelia,” she began handing the book back to the girl, who simply cradled the prized possession to her chest. “Love exists. It just isn’t what people think it is. I mean, it’s transient sometimes.” Sighing, she draped an arm over the girls shoulder. “My parents got divorced when I was eight. I watched my mom go from guy to guy and every time she swore it was love... And every time it was.

“I think you’re looking at this all wrong,” Kass said. Leaning her head against the brunette’s, she continued, “Don’t look for Mr. Forever. Just… Find the guy that makes you so mad, you can’t stand it. The one that can crush you with a single word. The one that makes your heart race like some one’s shoved cocaine in it. Abelia, chase the whirlwind, because he’s the one that’s going to change you. He’s the one that you’re going to change and you’ll know it’s him… Because even when everything is going wrong, somewhere you still feel like it’s right.”

Kissing the top of the girl's head, Kass stood up. Abelia bit her lip, as Kass reached the door. She didn’t want to leave the girl, but she could hear Tanisha calling for the girls up for elimination and unfortunately she was one of them… Again. She had ten minutes to get ready before they had to leave.

“I have to go get ready,” she said, “But when I get back, I think there’s something we need to talk about. Especially if I get eliminated. Okay?”

“Okay,” Abelia whispered before Kass went to her room and changed.

She was making an effort tonight, mainly because she figured she wouldn’t be leaving, but also because… Well, she’d decided to fight for one of the boys and it wasn’t Zayn. Even though he was a sweet heart and a good kisser, she just couldn’t shake the brotherly image away from him. So, she had put on her nicest skirt and blouse with a pair of simple black heels, but it didn’t feel right. After thinking over it for a moment, she found her favorite pair of black jeans and the grey blazer she loved. Nodding, she decided it was nice enough.

As she waited for her turn in front of the boys, she wondered what was going on in the other girls’ heads. It was her second stand at elimination and it sucked. Sighing, she pushed a hand through her hair and watched as a girl came out of the panel room looking very nervous. Her foot tapped the floor quickly as she heard her name called. She hated the feeling that had found a home in her gut. She hated doubting herself, but she knew that there was only really Zayn on her side for the panel.

“Hello Kassandra,” Harry said as she took her place across from the boys.

“Hi,” she said giving the boys a smile.

“So, we feel like we don’t really know you yet, and each of us has prepared a question,” Harry told her. “Kind of as an exercise to get to know you if you’re willing to answer them.”

“Absolutely.”

Louis smiled before starting the questions as he sat on the seat farthest to the left, “Where are you from?”

“Well, Minnesota,” she replied thinking that it was kind of silly. Zayn could easily have told them that.

“Do you have any siblings?” Niall asked from Louis’ right.

“I have a younger sister. Her name is Mila and she’s sixteen.”

“Why did you come to the show?”

Kass laughed a bit, “To find love. I haven’t had the best of luck in the past and I guess, I just thought, ‘Why not?’”

Harry nodded before turning his attention to Zayn. The boy smiled and fidgeted in his seat before asking his question. “Is there anyone here that’s caught your eye?”

Kass’s eyes fell to the floor, a blush spreading across her cheeks she whispered, “Yes.” It was just loud enough for the boys to hear her and she really hoped there wasn’t a follow up to that question. As she turned her eyes to look at Liam, she found him with eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed. Almost like he was formulating a new question.

“Was your apology sincere?”

His voice hung in the air for a moment as Kass looked at him, surprised by the question. She really had been sincere in her apology and she hoped that this meant he’d forgiven her. Or at least been thinking about her. Biting her lip, she gave the boy a small smile.

“Yes, and I honestly just wish I hadn’t said it. Does this mean we can start over?” She asked hopefully.

The boy licked his lips, his eyes traveling over her as he thought it over. Kass felt like the wait for his answer would crush her, but as he opened his mouth she almost wished he would just leave her waiting. She didn’t want him to say no. She really didn’t want him to say no.

“I think we should,” he said with a nod.

Kass smiled, relief washing over her as they dismissed her from the room. The other girls gave her confused looks, when she walked out of the panel with a smile plastered to her face. She couldn’t help it, she had just gotten a second chance with the boy she thought she’d lost. Biting her lip as she took a seat, she tried not to squeal or let out how excited she was, but she found it very difficult not to jump up and do a dance or just even jump around.

When the girls were called back to the room for the final judgement, Kass knew she’d be staying. So as she looked down the line at the other girls, she wondered which would be going home. It seemed that the decisions would be getting harder as the fellow bottom girls all seemed nice enough, but Kass seemed to be the only one not worried.

“Alright, well we all know how this goes, so my vote for who goes home,” Louis began looking over the group. “Is Kara.”

“I’m afraid me vote is for Kara too,” Niall said with a frown.

“Kara,” Harry said, agreeing with the other boys.

“Kara,” Zayn agreed.

“That makes five,” Liam told the group with a sad smile. “I’m sorry Kara. We just feel that we aren’t making a connection with you.”

Kara nodded as tears formed in her eyes before she was led out of the room. Kass bit her lip and hoped she’d never be in that position. It would be devastating. The girls were dismissed and Kass followed the others who had made it to the door. Just as she was about to step out, she turned her gaze to the boys still at the table and found Liam leaning towards Zayn, his eyes still on her. A blush threatened to form on her cheeks as she hurried away from the room, anxious to get back to the house and talk to Abelia. She felt she owed the girl an apology and an explanation for the kiss with Zayn. And maybe it would help keep her mind off the boy with warm brown eyes and a grown out buzz cut long enough to cage the butterflies that attacked her stomach from almost the moment they’d met.