30 Days Together

Chapter 11

Akina was apprehensive of what Kyle had in mind. She didn’t like the look that he gave her or the fact that her dad had just allowed her to go out just like that. If it was her mum, she wouldn’t have allowed her to even so much as leave the house.

“What’s wrong?” Kyle asked. He was looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

She hadn’t realised that he was looking at her. “Nothing, I’m just thinking why I agreed to the whole 30-day thing. It’s just ridiculous, there is nothing that will make me change my mind.” And that was a fact. She had thought it over a lot of times and each time it always ended the same way, with her gone.

Kyle scoffed as he made a turn out of their street. “Because I don’t want you to die. I kinda like hanging out with you now.”

“You are just saying that.” She looked out the window, she didn’t want to see the look on his face. “You shouldn’t get attached to me, it will only hurt you more.”

“Bullshite!” Kyle hit the steering wheel. “There you go again trying to push me away. I told you I want to stay but it seems like you still haven’t gotten that in your brain,” he sounded angry. “It’s my choice to get hurt, not yours so stop trying to play that card with me.”

Akina leaned her head on the window. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong. Everyone who always got too close to her always ended up getting hurt.

Kyle was quiet as well. Both of them were too engrossed in their thoughts to have any conversation. They continued to drive in silence as Akina looked out the window the entire time.

“What are you thinking about?” Kyle was the first to break the silence.

Akina’s head snapped in his direction. He glanced at her and then looked back in front. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. She didn’t know what to tell him because she wasn’t thinking about anything. In fact, she was the opposite of thinking.

“Well in that case then I hope you were at least thinking about how fun today is going to be,” he said with his easy smile as they reached a red light.

“Umm…. Yeah I guess.”

“Good. Because today won’t be like Friday.” As he said Friday, a solemn expression swept over his face but it was gone as fast as it had appeared and Akina wondered if she had imagined it in the first place.

“What really happened Friday?”

The red light changed to green and Kyle went back to focusing on the road. He was silent and Akina went back to staring out the window because it looked like he wasn’t going to answer. Kyle made a sharp turn and they were no longer in the city but now in the country.

Akina had never been to the country, the only place she knew better than anything was her room in her mum’s house.

“You drunk and then we danced and you also met my friends.” Kyle broke the silence. His voice sounded distant as he said that. “Not much really happened, you know?” he shot her a look and then glanced back at the dirt road in front of him.

Akina didn’t believe him. She knew something had happened but her memory was still a bit foggy. She remembered talking to a guy but that was all about it. “Are you sure? I remember talking to a guy but that’s where everything gets blurred.”

Kyle visibly tensed and his knuckles gripped the steering so hard that they began to turn white. “Yes I’m sure,” he replied through clenched teeth and parked the car in the middle of nowhere and just sat there. “Can you just let it go?”

Akina nodded her head but didn’t say anything. She saw Kyle visibly relax and he released a breath. He turned to look at her and it was like nothing had happened, he was back to being the Kyle that she was getting to know.

“This is a special place to me, so please promise me you’ll treat it with respect.” He had that boyish smile that made Akina nod her head.

“I promise I’ll treat it with respect.”

Kyle nodded his head and they both got out. He walked over to her side and took her hand in his. Akina always liked how warm his hands were as compared to her cold ones. The place was mostly a field with grass and trees everywhere, there was no form of life to be seen for a mile out.

“Are you sure you aren’t just going to kill me yourself?”

Kyle threw her an amused look, “if I was going to kill you, I’d have done that when you were drunk,” he replied. “But if you must know, I would never kill you because Linda and Mike would kill me too.” He laughed and Akina couldn’t help but join in.

She wanted to ask him about what had happened yesterday when he stormed off but she knew that was a sour topic. They walked hand in hand while making small talk.

“Really where is this place? It looks like there’s nothing for miles out and my feet are killing me.”

Kyle stopped walking and dropped her hand. Akina felt the loss of warmth and she almost protested but she didn’t. He looked at her feet, shook his head and turned his back to her. “Get on.”

“What do you mean get on?” Akina was looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

Kyle turned back to her. “It means get on. I’ll carry you.” He said his words slowly and then gave her his back.

Akina was sceptical of his offer but her feet were killing her and she didn’t know how far this place was. Huffing, she got on and Kyle’s hands instantly wrapped around her body and he hoisted her up.

“See, that wasn’t so hard now.”

“I feel like I’m secretly your entertainment.”

Kyle laughed and Akina felt the vibration rack through her body as well. He started walking and the more he walked, the more the place looked like there was no life.

“Not to sound like a drag, but Kyle there is no one here,” she said as she looked around at the thickening trees. “I’m start to get worried for my safety.”

“Don’t be, I won’t let anything happen to you again,” Kyle replied.

Akina was confused with what he had said, “What do you mean by again?”

“I meant that you know, I won’t let what happened when I met your mum happen again”

“Oh okay.”

Kyle’s body relaxed. He walked a little further and the place began to clear up. Akina could see an arcade not too far ahead.

“I can walk from here,” Akina said.

“Are you sure?” there was amusement in Kyle’s words as if he didn’t believe her.

Akina rolled her eyes but knew he couldn’t see her. “Yes I am sure. Now put me down.”

“I don’t know, I kinda like how your body feels pressed up against mine.” Akina didn’t have to look at him to know he was smirking. He kept walking towards the arcade.

There were a few cars in the parking lot as Kyle walked inside with her still on his back.

“Kyle please. People are looking at us weirdly,” Akina pleaded and he finally put her down. “Thank you.”

“Any time hot stuff,” Kyle replied with a wink and then made his way towards the counter.

Akina didn’t understand why he always made such comments to her. She wasn’t pretty so why did he always make such comments and flirt with her each time?

She followed close behind him as he bought tickets and handed some to her. “This was the place that you respect? An arcade? Really? You’ve got to be kidding me right now,” she raised her eyebrow questioning and Kyle beamed.

“Yep, it is and you should have seen your face, priceless.”

She rolled her eyes, “you made me think that it was something really important.”

“It is to me,” he laughed. “But first we have to get food into you. You weigh close to nothing; really do you eat or are you like those anorexic girls who starve themselves?” Kyle asked, “because you know that isn’t healthy.”

Akina stared at him, she wasn’t starving herself. “I... don’t… I,” she stammered. No one had ever said that to her, not even her dad but she knew a part of it was right.

Kyle placed his hands on her shoulder and looked her right in the eyes. He pulled her close to him, his brown eyes were a darker up close. “I didn’t say you were. I was just asking, but c’mon.” She could feel his breathe on her face as he spoke. He took her hand and took her to a McDonald's.

They found a booth and Akina sat down while Kyle left to order food.

She sat there contemplating her life. She also wondered where Kyle would sit, would he sit next to her like they were friends or would he sit opposite her like date?

Before she could overthink anymore, Kyle returned with a tray filled with food and placed it down. He took a seat opposite her and pushed the tray to her. Well, that solved the issue of where he was sitting.

“You pick which burger you want and I’ll have the ones that are left.”

Akina looked at the tray and then looked back at him. “This is a lot of food for two people,” she commented. “Is there someone joining us?”

“Nope, we are going to eat all of it,” Kyle replied laughing

“Are you crazy!” she exclaimed. “We can’t finish all that.”

“I’m a growing boy, I need my proteins,” he said and took a burger. He took a bite and the cheese dripped from his mouth as he grabbed a chip and popped it into his mouth as well.

Akina took a burger as well and took a bite. By the time she had finished her first burger, Kyle had already inhaled three and finished two packs of chips. She shook her head incredulously.

“What?” he asked through a mouthful.

“I will never understand how guys can eat so much but still look good.”

It was too late; the words had escaped her mouth before she could think it over. Kyle stopped eating and grinned at her.

“Fast metabolism,” he replied and then added cheekily, “Aw you think I look good, thank you. I try my best for the ladies.” He wiped his hands and mouth and tossed the napkin on the tray.

“What’s your favourite colour?” he asked.

“Umm…. I guess blue.”

A surprised expression came over Kyle’s face. “No way, that’s my favourite colour too. When is your birthday?”

Akina was getting awfully suspicious with his questions. She took a sip from her milkshake. “December 26th,” she said, “what about yours?”

“January 4th,” Kyle replied, “You do know what this implies right?” 

“No, what does it imply?”

“It practically means we are soulmates and you can’t get rid of me now,” he grinned from ear-to-ear.

Akina scoffed as she folded her hands on her chest. “That’s just ridiculous. A lot of people like blue and are born in almost the same month, does that mean we are all soulmates?”

“Nope, just us,” he said with that boyish smile that made his lefty dimple visible. “We were practically meant to be together.”

Kyle stood up and offered her his hand and she took it. “I hope you know how to play games, otherwise it will just be sad when I win,” he said amused as they left the restaurant and made a beeline for the arcade.

“I can’t play,” Akina mumbled.

“What!” Kyle exclaimed, “how can you not know how to play? Your dad has like a ton of video games.”

Akina looked down her feet as a blush crept across her face. The fact that her dad could play and she couldn’t, was embarrassing. “My mum never allowed me out,” she said.

Kyle waited for an explanation but Akina didn’t want to talk about her mum. He didn’t ask and she was grateful for that, she just wasn’t yet ready.

“We will start you off with something simple, something that hopefully your smart brain can figure out,” Kyle said amused.

They were stood in the middle of the arcade with their tickets in hand. Akina watched as Kyle scanned the place. A look of triumph crossed his face as if he had just had the best idea ever.

“We’ll start you off with Just Dance. I know you can’t dance, but it shouldn’t be that hard to find some rhythm somewhere.”

Akina shot him a look at that and Kyle raised his hands in mock surrender.

“I’m just saying the truth, you don’t have any form of rhythm in you,” he shrugged and they made their way to the machine where they put their tickets into the machine. “Now, all you have to do is follow the steps and you’ll be good.”

The game began and Akina first stood there watching as Kyle started dancing. He was effortless and his body moved in rhythm with the song.

“C’mon dance Akina,” he said as he looked at her, “we aren’t getting any younger here.”

Rolling her eyes dramatically, Akina tied her hair, pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and started dancing. It was true, she really had no rhythm because Kyle was laughing so hard as he danced that tears were rolling down his cheeks.

“Stop laughing at me,” she whined, “dancing really isn’t that easy.”

Kyle only laughed even harder, “just stop thinking about it and just do it,” he said as he wiped the tears. He was hitting every move correctly and it looked like he wasn’t breaking a sweat.

“Easy for you to say,” she shot. “I don’t dance.”

“Then there’s a first time for everything.”

Akina began to slowly let go and the rhythm started flowing through her. She stopped thinking and let the music lead the way. She was starting to get the hang of the game.

“You are doing it,” Kyle commented from beside her, “see, you can dance. Albeit you still have a long way to go before you can play with the pros.”

“Whatever, I’m not looking to be a pro or anything,” she stuck out her tongue at him.

That made Kyle chuckle as he shook his head incredulously.

Akina peeped at Kyle’s score and was surprised at how high his score was. Cheater, she wanted to say. “Can I ask you something?”

Kyle nodded his head as he continued dancing. “Sure ask away hot stuff.”

That made Akina roll her eyes but she asked her question anyway. “Why did we drive all the way to another town just to hang out?”

Kyle stopped dancing as he made a new high score. He watched as she kept stepping and following the moves. “I don’t know, my mum used to bring me here when I was a kid and it’s a really special place to me,” he answered with a faraway look in his eyes. “You are the first person I’ve actually brought here. Not even my friends or Mike know about is, not even dad.”

That had Akina stop dancing as she looked at him with a new profound sense of respect. “Oh!” She felt a sense of pride swell within her, it meant a lot that he had brought her to a place that he held close to his heart. A place where he had all his good childhood memories.

“Yeah, anyway, wanna grab some ice-cream?” he asked instead.

Ice-cream sounded great right about now and Akina nodded in agreement.

“Cool, let’s go.”

They left the arcade and went to an ice-cream parlour not too far from McDonald's. They both ordered their ice-creams and sat down by a bench overlooking the entire place.

“Why do you always like being alone?” Kyle asked as he licked his ice-cream. “I mean most of everyone who knows you all say you’re a loner. So I want to know why that is. Don’t you like human interaction?”

Akina licked her ice-cream as she thought of how to answer as best and honest as she could. “It’s not that I don’t like people,” she began then thought it over a little more. “I guess I like my peace and solitude and I haven’t found anyone who understands that.”

“I totally understand what you mean,” Kyle replied. “But haven’t you ever thought about what it would be like to be with that person that actually understands you?” he had a curious glimmer in his eyes, one that made Akina think if it was worth being honest.

“I don’t know; life’s too short to be thinking about that. I usually just go with the flow each day.”

“And what’s the flow now?”

“I honestly don’t have a freaking clue.”

That was that, they sat and ate their ice-creams in silence until Kyle decided it would be fun to smear his all over Akina’s face and hair.

“What was that for?” she shrieked as she used a napkin to wipe it off.

Kyle shrugged, “I thought it would be fun,” he replied cheekily. “Besides, now you’re a sweet hot stuff.”

Akina glared at him but that only made him to laugh. For the first time, she actually felt good about having a friend and a part of her didn’t want to have to leave everything behind. It was bitter sweet as she realised that she really didn’t have that long to spend time with Kyle and she liked spending time with him. He brought out a part of her that not even she knew existed.