1994~Kai Parker

Feelings Are Hard

   "Ooowwww." I groaned as I sat up.

Morning light was streaming in through the windows, and I looked around to see that I was still on the couch. Last night felt a little fuzzy, and I had a splitting headache.

   "Oh look, the drunkard's awake."

I looked over to see Kai, arms crossed, staring down at me.

   "What time is it?" I asked groggily.

   "12 noon."

Oh wow. I was very confused; I had put around the same amount of peppermint schnapps in my hot chocolate at least three other separate times, and each time I had handled it fine. What happened? I stumbled past Kai's judgy stare and into the kitchen, picking up the bottle to read it. Holy shit! It was 100 proof, and I squinted at it, barely believing my eyes.

   "100 proof?" I muttered.

   "I did say to go easy on that stuff." Kai said.

I hadn't noticed him follow me into the kitchen.

   "Well, the one I had at home was only 30 proof. I didn't realize that it could get so strong."

   "Newbie."

I only groaned in response before I got myself some Tylenol and a glass of water, taking it and waiting for it to kick in. Kai waltzed over to my tray of gingerbread cookies, snatching up two of them, and my eyes traveled over to his only to see that it was completely empty.

   "You already ate your whole tray?"

   "Yeah, so?" he shot back.

He seemed irritated, and I wondered what the change in demeanor was all about. Yesterday he was all touchy-feely and quippy, but today he was acting like my mere presence was an inconvenience. Did I do something last night? Thinking back, I went over what I remembered: I fell over, Kai put me on the couch, and then...I fell asleep? Nothing there. I was staring at Kai as he ate the cookies over the sink, trying to figure out what was bothering him, and I didn't realize that I had zoned out until I saw him look over at me.

   "What are you looking at?"

I shook my head a little as I came out of the stupor.

   "I'm just wondering what seems to be bothering you...yesterday you were..."

   "Yesterday I was what?"

   "Ugh, just nevermind." I said dismissively, turning into the pantry to find something to eat.

Spotting a box of Rice Krispies that Kai must have gotten while I'd been asleep on the couch, I grabbed it and turned around to go have a bowl of cereal. I balked and took a step back as I almost ran into Kai, who was leaning up against the doorframe with a weird expression on his face that I couldn't quite identify.

   "Yesterday," he began in an eerie tone as he took a step towards me, drawing out his words pointedly, "I was what?"

   Growing increasingly uncomfortable with this sudden shift, I said, "Nothing, just drop it."

   "No."

He stepped closer again, and I took a tiny step back. What the hell? We had been doing so well... I crossed my arms and stared him down, refusing to be intimidated by his mood swings.

   "I'm not going to answer, so why don't you just move out of my way?"

   "No."

   "Fine. Motus!"