the return

Chapter 10

I wake up at eight in the morning to the song "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John. I slap my phone to turn it off. Even though I get to sleep in until eight on Sundays—compared to waking up at five—I still want to keep sleeping. But knowing myself, I'll get depressed if I sleep in. I wipe the sleepiness from my eyes and yawn. A reminder I want to keep in the back of my mind hits me as if being struck by lightning—painful but fast. I need to send Kendra a message, probably a positive one confirming my attendance. But why have me as a bridesmaid? Why can't I just be in the crowd watching from a far, far distance? Plus, if I do end up joining, I'll have to book and pay for a connecting flight, and recently tickets haven't been cheap.

Avoiding my burdensome task of the day, I head to the kitchen to grab breakfast. I pull out a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and pour it into a bowl. I then proceed to grab a container of milk. Growing up, my dad would eat his cereal without milk. Personally, I think dry cereal is kind of gross. I much prefer a little bit of sogginess and a little crunch. I put the milk away and bring my bowl of cereal to my bed. Turning on my computer to put on some random music broadcast, I place my cereal on my nightstand. I end up scrolling through emails and a few TikToks before eating. Recently, I've been procrastinating a lot more. I regain my focus and actually turn on the music broadcast. I grab my cereal and sit back, letting the sounds fill my mind and room.

I convince myself that not sending a message to Kendra is a good idea, at least for the time being. I'm three hours ahead and it's eight-thirty. That means it's five-thirty for her. I'm not sure what to do in the meantime. I look through my bookshelf for a book I haven't read but can't find anything. Maybe a walk would help? I decide to put my sneakers on and head out, but first, I need to freshen up and put on a cute outfit. I decide on a black pair of leggings, a comfy T-shirt that has a national park on it, and a baseball cap. As I'm about to head out, I get a text on my phone. It's Kai. I get really excited reading his name pop up. "Good morning! Some friends of mine are going on a walk, and I was wondering if you want to join. I know it's last minute, but the more the merrier. :)"

Kai specifically thought of inviting me. A warmth comes over my ears thinking about how considerate he is. I start typing out a reply: "I'd love to join! I was actually just about to go on a walk by myself." Kai informs me that we're going to a park called Stanford Dish Loop Trail, and he promises to pick me up since he is still in the area.

When I see a car pull up with a person who looks like Kai, I realize it isn't Kai's car. The person in the driver's seat is a man with jet-black hair that looks as if he hasn't combed it. He also has a sharp jawline with high cheekbones. His face could belong to a model, and the hair could belong to a random hobo. Maybe he just likes the best of both worlds? Kai rolls his car window down and shouts out, "Hey, Aurea! Get in the car!" I quickly run to the car, excited to be near Kai. I open the car door, and there's a girl sitting behind the driver's seat. She has strawberry blonde hair and greyish-blue eyes. I turn to her and introduce myself, "Hi, I'm Aurea." She smiles—a truly beautiful smile—and says, "Ooh, you're the girl Kai has been talking about. He hasn't shut up about you all week. My name is Valentina, but you can call me Valley, and I'm glad we can finally meet." I start blushing as she smirks. Kai starts choking on air, and I stay silent. The whole car is filled with an awkward silence for like five seconds when the driver introduces himself. "My name is Blake. And Valley is my half-sister." It's kinda crazy how different they look from each other. Both are beautifully stunning, though.

"So, how long have you known Kai?" I ask, trying to sound casual, but my right foot is slowly starting to shake like crazy. "Man, I've known Kai for a good three years? Feels like longer." He lets out a low chuckle. Kai smirks and says, "It feels like longer because we'll be friends for the next few decades." Valentina lets out a shudder and murmurs, "The next decade? Ugh, I'd rather get eaten by a monkey." Kai rolls his eyes at her remark. "Fortunately, I've only known him for two years. Consider yourself lucky for not knowing him as long. And you should probably run away from Kai as casually as possible." "Hey!!! I am a charming person. Anyone who meets me instantly loves how charismatic I am." I laugh at Kai and Valentina's bickering. "This'll sound crazy, but Kai and Valley aren't related but fight all the time like they're siblings. I probably have a better relationship with my sister than Kai does." I grin at Blake's comment.

Over the complaining of Kai and Valentina, Blake offers me the AUX cord to control the music. Immediately, the two stop fighting. "Aww, come on Blake! You know I love choosing the music." "Yeah, but you have a terrible voice and I want to know Aurea's taste in music." I smile at Blake's comment but realize my taste in music is really cheesy. "Aurea has good taste," Kai starts explaining, "she likes Post Malone." I smile faintly until I hear Valentina gasp. I get nervous at her gasp. "Aurea! We all love Post Malone. You're such a valid person." I laugh at her comment and connect my phone to the AUX cord. As soon as I connect my phone, it shows my most recently listened to songs, including the one I cried to in the shower. Kai and Valentina's eyes shift to the car screen. I instantly play the song I was listening to this morning—"I'm Still Standing"—to try and distract them. It works, fortunately, and Blake starts tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. I let out a relieved sigh and make a queue. Maybe today won't be miserable.