Kaleidoscopic

Chapter 22

JANUARY 1984

"She doesn't want a drink," Bones said to Kenneth.

"I think she can speak for herself," Kenneth belted.

There was a circle of nosey teenagers forming around the two angered boys. Evan had made his way to the front, seeing Nadine standing off to the side of the scene.

"Clearly, you weren't listening," the Bones countered.

Kenneth scoffed. "What's your problem, man?" he asked. "It's just a drink. I want my girlfriend to have a good time.

Bones's nostrils flared, rallying an army of enraged comebacks.

"She shouldn't be having a good time. She shouldn't be drinking," Bones boomed. "You shouldn't have even brought her to this fucking party."

"Bones," Danny tried to chime in, hoping to stop his friend. He had appeared on the other side of the circle, giving Evan a worried glance. It was clear Bones wasn't going to shut up.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kenneth questioned.

Danny tried to step in between the tense situation, but even with an arm in font of Bones, the monstrous boy persisted.

"I'm talking about your girlfriend being pregnant," Bones claimed. "With your baby. Dumbass."

Evan saw his sister's jaw drop. He wasn't entirely sure who told Bones that Nadine's pregnancy test had been positive, but he obviously had some opinions about the ordeal. In the same moment, Heather smacked a freshman who had snickered. And a beat later, Bones released a breath. Maybe it was because regret had filled his lungs, but Evan didn't think that was the reason since he looked more relieved than anything.

"We totally need Mrs. Hagley to align some serious chakras right now," Chris said. Unfortunately, she had gone to bed.

"Ben," Nadine tried to speak, unmoving. She didn't sound mad, just despondent. Like she wanted to be detached from the whole conversation.

Kenneth howled, amused. "What? Nadine...What the Hell is he smoking?"

To any stranger, Nadine did not look pregnant. Her waist was slim and her face wasn't puffy. She even wore a plaid mini skirt with sheer tights, making her look like the epitome of youthful bliss. Most people would have assumed she was a pageant queen before they guessed she was pregnant. However, Kenneth wasn't a stranger. As much as Nadine wished she could deny it, Kenneth was one of the people who knew her the best – which is why he could see the terrified look in her eyes.

As Kenneth's friends bucked elbows and chuckled, the basketball player began to lag his own levity. Evan's stomach contracted at the change in vibration, awaiting the apex of the event.

"Nadine...," Kenneth wavered. His voice had deepened an octave. "Are you pregnant?"

Somehow, she managed to nod. All the radiance that Chris had admired about her had flickered out, leaving behind a shameful shell of a teenage girl. She crossed her arms around herself, wanting to coil her body like a roly-poly bug. She couldn't stand to have everyone staring at her – silent, judging.

Kenneth was no different as he gaped at his girlfriend in utter shock. Even though he was the person who should have said something, he was the one who was the quietest. 

It was Bones who kept talking, leering, "Get your fucking shit together, Kenneth. You're going to be a dad. And so help me God, if you treat your child the same way you treat Nadine – "

"Ben," Nadine interrupted, defeated. "Stop."

Bones swallowed, obeying. He took a step back to calm himself.

Kenneth shook his head profusely. "That's impossible," he said.

It was Danny who scoffed. "Do you need a sex ed lesson?"

Evan glared at Danny from across the room, signaling him to keep the comments to himself. Danny slouched, promising not to restrain himself.

"We never...," Kenneth looked at Nadine. "How could...?"

"Jesus Christ," Heather interjected, rolling her eyes. "It's not rocket science. You had sex."

"No," Kenneth remarked, turning. "We didn't."

"I think we should just turn on The Brady Bunch and eat some popcorn," Chris suggested. He wanted to protect Nadine's heart.

Nadine closed her eyes, as if bracing for impact. "Ben," she spoke, looking to Bones. "Kenneth's telling the truth. It's not his baby."

Everything was happening so fast that Evan didn't even have a chance to take a breath before Bones responded.

"He's not the father?" Bones asked, looking hopeful.

"No," she admitted. A pause. "You are...I'm so sorry." Her vocal cords wobbled. "I should have told you – "

"You had sex with Bones?" Chris squeaked, distressed.

Evan intervened, grabbing Chris by the arm and corralling Nadine away from the circle of people. They kept their heads down as Heather help break apart the crowd of students. Their backs were turned away from Kenneth, but that didn't stop him from pelting Nadine with humiliation.

Kenneth was chuckling. "You and Bones?" He laughed louder as the three of them kept walking. "You slept with a piece of trash?"

Bones would have pummeled Kenneth to the ground if he wasn't busy processing the fact that he was going to be a father, giving Kenneth the leeway to add an extra insult.

"Desperate whore," Kenneth muttered as Nadine walked by.

Chris halted his feet and exhaled with purpose.

"Okay," he said to himself. "Screw The Brady Bunch." And then turned around to punch Kenneth in the face.

Chris didn't really know how to punch, but he must have done something right because Kenneth fell to the ground pretty quick. He clutched his temple, groaning in pain. Evan, Bones, and Chris watched him hit the ground while Danny and Heather directed Nadine somewhere private. Jackson caught them at the edge of the crowd and led her near the stairs. Danny wondered if Jackson had been lingering in the background the whole time.

"Fuck," Bones blurted, knowing Chris had just escalated things.

"Shit," Chris cursed, wringing out his hand. "What is his face made of? Cinderblock?"

"God damn it," Evan added to the harmony of curses. Now he had to intervene.

Typically, he let his sister fight her own battles, but Chris wanted to play hero, so now Evan had to come to his aid. There was no way Chris could handle a group of jocks alone.

If Evan was being honest with himself, he'd been wanting to punch Kenneth's face for years and this was a perfect excuse to exercise that aspiration. Kenneth had used Nadine like a yo-yo ever since they had started dated. Up and down so often that Evan was convinced Kenneth had a string around his finger. He had kept quiet every time his sister's smile spun into a frown because he didn't like getting involved in other people's drama.

Tonight was worse than petty teenage love, though. This was Nadine's future, and Kenneth was trying to destroy the last scraps of her good reputation in hopes of casting himself as the victim. Evan wasn't going to let that happen. She didn't deserve that.

Kenneth's friends helped him stand and then flanked his sides, ready to respond with fists. Bones wasted no time, taking the first swing. Heather shouted something about not getting blood on the carpeting, but Evan couldn't fully understand her while knuckles were striking his jaw.