I Am Human (bxb)

My Stubborn Tendencies

We drove for a long time in a comfortable quiet. the radio playing an 80's rock playlist on a low volume. We passed by forests, parks, houses and farms and eventually made it to a small lake. Kai parked the car close to the shore and we got out. The air was warm but there was a cool breeze that nipped at my skin, causing goosebumps to form. The two of us walked along the edge of the lake, listening to the birds chirp and the slow lapping of the water.

"It's not your fault, you know." I told him, our arms swaying close to each other, sometimes they touched briefly. 

"I know. She just made it feel like it was." he said in a quiet tone. "I know It never would have worked, I loved her like a sister, not like a girlfriend. And she always treated me like I wasn't living up to her expectations." He sighed and took a seat on a bench that was facing the small lake. I sat next to him, a little closer than what was probably normal, but I thought that the comfort might help him.

"Do you wish that you had loved her like a girlfriend?" I asked hesitantly.

"In a way yes, It might have made it easier. But in the big scheme of things, no. No, I like who I am."

"Who you are?" I said confused at the context. Was he implying that he wasn't straight?

"Yeah, Kai. I like how I feel about people and how I treat them and who I am as a person." He really wan't making this easy for me, reading between the lines wasn't one of my many talents.

"Have you been in other relationships?" I said, thinking this was the most inconspicuous option.

"Yes." He said curtly, staring into the clear water.

"Did they treat you better?" I whispered.

"Not by much." he said with a sad smile, "Jasper?" I looked over into his eyes that were watching me now, "Can we not talk about it anymore?" I nodded sadly, I was hoping he'd say something else...

We sat there for a while with our own thoughts but eventually Kai got hungry so we headed back to the truck. We went through a McDonald's drive through and then brought the food back to his place since it was now after school hours.

"Hi Mom." Kai called out as he unlocked the door and we walked in. The cold woman came waling around the corner carrying a broom and dust pan.

"Oh, you brought a friend." She said in a monotone as she glanced at me without recognition, "Did you buy food already?"

"Yeah, we'll just eat in my room." Kai said to her, "Don't bother with dinner." She nodded and started sweeping the pristine floor. I followed Kai to his whitewashed room and we sat on his bed, opening our burgers and digging in.

"So do you remember that party that I told you about a while ago?" Kai asked in between bites.

"I think so?"

"Well, have you decided if you're going to let me take you or not?" He asked with a small smile. 

"Um, not really... I don't... I just think It's a bad idea for me to go." I replied. He looked at me with humorous disbelief and scoffed.

"Are you kidding? These guys are cool, most of them don't go to our school so I think you'll be just fine. I know you'll have a good time, and I'll be there with you, so you won't have to worry about anything." He said smiling over at me, his eyes pleading for my agreement. I let out a long breath and rolled my eyes.

"I've never been to a party, so I don't know what to wear or how to act. I'll just be awkward and get in your way." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh my God, you're so stubborn!" Kai said laughing and almost choking on a piece of hamburger. "Okay, here's the deal; If you come with me to the party, I'll do what ever you want for an entire day." He said trying to bribe me.

"Whatever I want for a whole day, huh?" I said thinking, playfully bringing a small hand up to my face and stroking my chin. 

"Yes, anything you want." He smiled, thinking he was going to win.

"Nope."

"What!? Come on, that's like the best compromise I could think of!" He said exasperated at my stubbornness. 

"Okay, I'll go to the party..." I started, my heart thumping in my chest wildly at what I was about to say. I was being reckless, I was being brave, I was being a normal hormonal teenager. "I'll go to the party with you if you take me as your date."

Kai's face was priceless, shock mixed with relief filled his face and a slight redness started to creep up his cheeks.

"Deal." 

I smiled widely and picked up the burger in my hands taking another bite. He said yes to bringing me as his date! Did he think about it the same way I did? Did he know that I meant it like a date date? Was this even okay due to what had happened with his ex-girlfriend? Was he just saying yes to make me happy, or did he genuinely want to go out with me?

"The party's tomorrow, by the way." Kai said after a minute of quiet eating and thinking.

"What? That soon?" I asked, surprised. I looked up at him and he had a cute smile on his face, there was even a little smear of sauce on the corner of his lips, oh how I wished I could reach out and wipe it off.

"Yeah, I didn't want to mention it because of what happened. Um, speaking of that, are you feeling up to going to the party? If you're too sore then I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself there." He said with caring eyes. I smiled back, 

"I'll be fine. Plus, my date will be there the whole time, and I trust him." I said with a smirk, earning a strong blush from Kai. I winked at him playfully and he laughed, turning his head up to the white ceiling and letting out a loud chuckle. 

"Yes, he will. And he won't let anything happen to you."