How Things Changed Forever.. PART - II

CH 73: You'd Never Believe it Unless You Heard it from Her

Max jumped with a start when Kai appeared beside him out of nowhere. He was at the dojo, working on a particularly boring social assignment, half listening to Kenny and Dizzi argue on whether a particular technique would help Tyson or not.

Tyson, who'd been miraculously named the PR lead of Amity Club, had informed them that he'd be a bit late due to a meeting with the principal.

Max, Kenny and Ray were waiting for him to start the practice. Ray had taken it upon himself to cook some snacks in the meantime, leaving him to make peace between Kenny and Dizzi.

"Tyson won't be showing up today." Kai said to no one in particular.

"What do you mean by won't show up?" Kenny frowned. "He can't keep dodging this forever."

Kai wouldn't meet any of their eyes. "He isn't, but his meeting got delayed. The sun will be out by the time he comes home. Nothing much can be done after that. Go home if you want to."

Ray came to the hall then, "What's going on?" He asked, handing them each a steaming bowl of sushi.

"Tyson's meeting got delayed. No practice today." Dizzi summed it up for him.

Ray frowned, turning to Kai. "And you came all the way to the dojo to just tell that?" He questioned, "You could have just called."

Kai just shrugged, "My phone broke." He said, placing his bowl back into the tray.

Max blinked. "Your phone broke? How—"

"It slipped from my hand, and the case cracked, but that's not important," Kai cut him off, standing up. "I just came to tell you all." And then he left, just like that.

Ray sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess it's one of those 'Kai vanishes before we can ask anything' days again. So much for hoping Tyson punched some sense into him."

*****

Tyson kept one arm around Hillary as they stepped out of the school building, his steps slow and measured. She leaned into him heavily and he could feel every shaky breath she took.

Tyson raised his free hand to call a cab as soon as they made it to the entrance gate. "Hils?" he tried again, "Just—just tell me if someone hurt you. I need to know."

But she didn't respond, curling further into his side. Her silence wasn't stubborn or dismissive, she was just too overwhelmed to speak.

The cab stopped in front of them then, the driver frowning slightly at the sight of the two teenagers. Tyson quickly muttered her address and helped her into the backseat before sliding in beside her.

Hillary folded into herself as the engine started, drawing her knees up slightly. Tyson tilted toward her, throwing his hand around her as he pulled her closer.

"Hillary," he whispered, trying once more, "look at me—please."

She met his eyes.

"What happened?" And that was all it took.

Her eyes filled instantly, tears pooling like they'd just been waiting for permission to start over. A tiny strangled sound escaped her before she slapped a hand over her mouth, shaking her head side to side like before.

"Hey, hey—shh. Don't," he said quickly, rubbing slow circles between her shoulder blades. "Okay, okay. I get it. You don't have to tell me anything right now."

Neither of them spoke for the rest of the ride.
The cab slowed to a stop in front of her house. Tyson paid with a handful of change, barely looking at the driver. He was too focused on Hillary, who looked exhausted enough to collapse right there on the pavement.