PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

LXXXII. Don't Leave

Chapter Eighty Two:  Don't Leave

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"Are you ready?" Darius asked.

Eva bit her cheek, muttering a quick "no".

He laid a hand on her shoulder, offering a warm smile. Eva tried to smile in return, but it came out more like a grimace.

She was about to tell Kenji about all the shady stuff his dad was up to, on top of apologizing for missing their date. She was most definitely not looking forward to the talk, and would certainly prefer to step back in the shower for eternity.

Brooklynn had caught Eva up on everything happening with Kash and Big Eatie, and to say it made her nauseous was an understatement.

Ben and Eva pushed open the doors to the dining room. Kenji was just inside, cleaning up from their missed date.

"Hey, Kenji..." He froze in place. Eva bit her cheek, and continued. "Look, I am so, so sorry. I..."

"Stood me up?"

"Not on purpose," she said almost immediately. "I really thought I was going to be able to get here on time, and I know it looks bad— is bad, but I had a really good reason, and then I was, stuck...?

"Look, uh, Darius, Brooklynn, Ben and I, we found out that, that your dad freed Kash. And has Mae working with him to perfect dino control. And, and they've done it—"

Kenji set the plates down roughly, and Eva jumped slightly. "Are you serious?" He turned around, his accusatory gaze finding her bandaged hand. The question was on the tip of his tongue, but he was clearly more angry with something else.

"Yeah? Look, it's probably what your dad's big presentation is about today."

"I'm not talking about my dad, I'm talking about you."

Eva faltered, her eyebrows furrowing together. "Kenji—"

He held up his hand and continued. "Instead of showing up to our first date, you decided to sneak around behind my back to prove that my dad is, what, some sort of super villain?"

"We should go," Sammy whispered. Yasmina held her back.

Feeling the sudden need to defend herself, Eva shouted, "Woah, woah, woah! I broke a window to get here, and you weren't even here when I showed up!"

"I wasn't here? I waited for you for half a freaking hour and you didn't even stop by to say you were running late or anything! I waited, but all I got was radio silence in return!"

"Awe, I hate it when Mom and Dad fight," Sammy said.

"Yeah, well, I was stuck in my bedroom!" Eva shouted.

Kenji laughed, "Right. And I'm just supposed to believe that now?"

"Well it's the damn truth—"

"And you couldn't just open the door?"

"No, I punched through the window for fun!"

"Are you stupid?"

"Clearly if I'm dating you."

Silence. Complete and utter silence. Eva's heart lurched in her chest. She gasped, her heart aching.

"No, no, I didn't mean that. I did not mean that, I didn't mean that." She searched his eyes, looking for any sign that he believed her.