Light Behind The Dark

27

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Kaya and Chris sat in a booth and ate their ice-creams.

"I was just thinking, why does Rick hate you so much?" Kaya asked Chris all of a sudden. He just looked up at her and gulped.

He can tell her. Anything. 

"Rick and I used to be friends before Josh died." He started, looking at the table, "And then, suddenly one day, he started crying and blamed me for Josh's death. I think it started then, the bullying." He said and Kaya rose her eyebrows.

"How did Josh die?" Kaya asked and Chris sadly sighed. "He was walking home. Alone at night. There were no street cameras so no one knew how he actually died. They said it was a car accident, but I also heard that there was no blood at the scene." He said, cringing when he said the word 'blood' out aloud.

"An eight-year-old was walking home alone?" Kaya asked surprised.

"That night, he was supposed to stay over at my house, I wanted him to stay with me in the locked room, where my dad can't beat me up. Just for one night. But he said he forgot to bring the school bag for the next day and that he'll go and get it quick." This was the first time Chris was telling this out aloud. And it felt like all the words were at the tip of his tongue, ready to come rushing out every possible chance.

"I told him that he should call his mom but he reminded me that I didn't want anyone knowing about my dad, so he walked home. In a way, I did kill him. I shouldn't have sent him home that night. But I was only eight." Chris stared at his palms that were resting on the table

He felt Kaya shift and then her hand was resting on top of his. He looked up to see Kaya who give him a sympathetic gaze, "It's not your fault." She said reassuringly.

"I know." Chris breathed out and then smiled at her. He liked her and he can't deny it. How can anybody not? She's pretty and nice. But Chris liked her for a whole different reason. She's the only person who actually stayed with him and he liked her for that.

Once they were done with having their ice-cream, they got up and went to Kaya's car. The ride back to Chris's home was silent. He just stared at his palms and thought about how he can now go to school without having to worry about Ms. Felps. Mr. Anderson was kind enough to give him an A-minus in a few subjects since Chris's absence wasn't Chris's fault.

Chris was bought back to reality when he felt Kaya's gaze on him only to realize that they were already parked in front of his house. He turned to look at her to notice her smiling at him, "What?" he asked and she shook her head. She then leaned forward and pecked his cheek, leaving him flustered and blushing, the skin where her lips touched him tingling.

"Bye Chris." She said and Chris just stared at his palm, with his cheeks heating up. "Um, bye?" he said but remained sitting. Kaya chuckled before muttering a 'get out' and once he was out, she drove off. Chris smiled at himself and opened the door and went inside.

Kaya is like a cure to his illness. Like a bubble of oxygen that saved him when he was drowning in the ocean.

Kaya is like water. Soft enough to cleanse him and deep enough to save him.

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