"Wait till Mom and Dad hear this," He muttered under his breath, and my eyes widened. I got control of my hands, wiping the tears on my face away.
"You aren't gonna tell Mom or Dad about this, right?" I fixed my eyes on my brother as he drove at full speed, swerving the car... He was angry.
"Kenzie!" I yelled, I was so scared. If my parents knew about my crush on Angelo, I didn't know what they'd do. Coupled with the fact that Kenzie met me crying in the room.
Kenzie finally stopped the car when we got to the house. He made to open the car door after unbuckling his seatbelt but I held his hands,
"K... Kenzie, please..." I pleaded with a shaky voice. Our parents were at home, and that only freaked me out the more. Like how would I explain to them...
Kenzie pushed my hands away and he got out of the car. Biting my lips so hard, I pulled out a mirror... I had to look like I wasn't crying a while ago because of some boy...
I fixed my hair, patted my wet face with a napkin and finally applied a little lip gloss, hoping my red-rimmed eyes wouldn't attract Mom.
"Kiara," Mum walked over, pulling me into a tight hug as soon as I walked into the living room. I breathed out in relief. She was cheerful meaning Kenzie hadn't said a word yet... Hopefully.
Maybe he was just giving me time to prepare. I managed to wrap my hands around Mum and kiss her cheek so she wouldn't get worried.
"Did you have fun at the sleepover?" Mum asked, and I nodded.
"That's good. We'll be heading to church soon, so go upstairs and get ready." Mum left me to go to the kitchen, so I had more time to keep praying. I got to my room, took a very quick cold shower and with my towel wrapped around my chest, I stepped out of my en suite bathroom.
I got green blazers, a white tank top and black pants from my closet. It's a normal church service and not a Sunday service but I didn't care. I had to stop the dresses... I had to drop the ribbons and skirts and the lip gloss...
"I don't need this!" I muttered, throwing my pack of ribbons on the couch. I was still on my towel, but now in front of my standing mirror. For a while, Angelo's words came back to me.
"Let's see... Have you ever had a boyfriend? Have you ever been touched? Have you ever been fucked? Do you even know how to please yourself? You don't know what a blow job is... You cry at every little instant... You are a fucking child!"
I instinctively let my towel drop to the floor, my eyes glued to my body reflection on the mirror. I looked so... small. I brought my hands to my breasts; what did Angelo mean by whether I knew how to please myself?
I had read books and watched movies... and I wasn't dumb. I was just... What feeling was this? Why did I feel this way just by touching my breasts? I sighed, adding a little pressure on the touch and it felt so nice...
I loved whatever it was I was feeling at the moment. And maybe I was a child because I forgot I had the door of my room open while I stood naked in front of a mirror... Touching my breasts.
My hands moved to my red cherry-coloured nipples, and without thinking, I pinched them. A sound escaped my lips, almost immediately.
"Holy fuck!" I heard a voice, and I turned around to see Kenzie; he had his back turned to me. Oh no! Did he see me?
"What the fuck are you doing Kia?" He said, his voice inaudible. I grabbed my sheets, wrapping them around my tiny frame. I couldn't believe my brother just saw me naked... Touching myself!
"I... I was just..." I stammered, my head empty as I didn't know what reply to give to him.
"You were just what?!!! You know what? Get dressed and get downstairs." He mumbled before walking out and slamming the door shut. I rushed to the door, turned the keys and locked it.
"Kiara, you are so stupid!!! Stupid Kiara! Foolish Kiara!" I said as I began getting dressed. I wore the new Nike trainers Mum got during my last birthday, and what's new?
I had makeup on. It wasn't too much, though, but one look and you would see a different Kiara. I had never done a makeover by myself before, but then I watched a few tutorials on YouTube, and fortunately, I had a few makeup kits on my vanity table.
My lips was not plain glossy as it used to be. I had a combo of brown lipliner and nude lipstick on. I looked... Great. Now no one would call me a baby anymore.
Grabbing my purse and phone, I dashed out of my room, ready to show the world the new Kiara. But why am I seeing a pair of eyes staring at me like he'd just seen a ghost?
"Damn it! I can't take this anymore." My brother said a frown etched on his brow. A frown also settled on my face.
"What?" I said.
"The heck, are you asking me that? You've got makeup on. And... Did you forget you are allowed to wear just dresses to church? Did you forget Mum's rules?" Kenzie uttered,
I kinda froze when he said the last part. Not that other clothes were bad but like I said... Mum is Indian. She hated seeing me in pants... Or crop tops, and just last month... I had finally managed to win an argument with her, and so I stopped wearing scarves.
"I... I don't care about Mum's rules," I said, trying real hard to put on a straight face.
"Oh you, do baby sis and believe me... You're not stepping a foot out of this house dressed like that... And looking like... A zombie."
Tears filled my eyes instantly. He just said I looked like a zombie. "A zombie... Right," I muttered, blinking away the tears in my eyes.
"Crap! I... I didn't mean it like that okay?" Kenzie said, clenching his fists.
Turning around, I bumped into Dad. Mum was right behind him, Busted! I took to my heels without letting any of them see my face. Back in my room, I took off my makeup with some wipes and reluctantly changed into a loose dress.
And throughout the ride to the church, I was mute. I and Kenzie kept glaring at each other, none of us saying a word.
Dani's POV
"Dani, please don't tell Mum about this. I can handle this... Just go home already." Angelo said for the umpteenth time. I shook my head, I couldn't leave him here.
"No," I said, firmly.
"Dani," He groaned, ruffling his hair in the process. I shook my head again. What kind of a sister would leave her brother at the hospital and go home to rest?
"Are you sure you'd want to stay?" He gave me a look and frowned.
"Did Kenzie do this to you? He... He looks gentle and kind," I said softly. Kenzie didn't look like someone who could hurt a fly.
Angelo smirked. "Does he?" He muttered.
"Yeah, and I know that he wouldn't have hurt you this hard unless you did something that hurt him." I turned to Angelo, the stupid smirk was still on his face.
"What did you do to Kiara?" I asked, I had finally put the pieces together. Whatever happened upstairs... Angelo was at fault.
"Does Kiara think I like her? What is she, 12?" Angelo laughed, his dimples flashing out.
"Angelo, you don't talk about my friend like that," I warned, but I trusted my elder brother never to take my warnings seriously. I mean, I'm the junior one...
"She's kind of cute though. But that doesn't change the fact that she's still a child. She's... Fifteen. Like fucking fifteen..." Angelo glanced at me,
"You know what? I get she's young and naive. And you probably know that she has a crush on you now. Don't lead her on..." I had intended to say more but the buzzing of my phone interrupted.
"Who's that?" Angelo asked.
"It's Kiara, she just sent me a text," I replied.
"What does it say?" He asked again, I looked up at him, a small smile set on my lips.
"Why? She's not your friend so... back off."
Kiara:
Is Gelo okay?
Me:
Are u okay?🥺🥺
Kiara:
Kenzie was mad when he saw me crying. I tried to stop him, but you know how my brother can be,
Me:
You cried? Did Angelo make u cry? Tell me what did he do?
Kiara:
Forget about it, how is Gelo?
Me:
Good,
Kiara:
Take care of him, okay?
Me:
I will, u take care of yourself.
Kiara went offline, and I did, too. And thank goodness Angelo was asleep by the time I was done. I texted Kristine, who replied that she was going clubbing and promised to drop by the hospital tomorrow morning. Typical Kristine!
Sitting on a couch in a hospital room and watching your big brother is certainly not fun. So I didn't know when I slept off, Phew!
Kenzie's POV
"No way," Violet muttered, she grinned.
"Yeah, why was he locked up in the same room as Kiara? The dude wanted to get your reaction. Can't believe you hit Angelo..." Lian pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
"Don't do that here," Violet rolled her eyes. She made to snatch the cigarette, but Lian chuckled, taking his hands upwards.
"Na, na, na, na, na, na," Lian sang... That only infuriated Violet the more as she got up from my lap. Lian also got up on his feet.
"Come on, don't you want it?" Lian dangled the pack of cigarettes in front of Violet's face.
"Babe?..." Violet called but I pretended to be deeply engrossed on my phone. "Babe!" She tugged at my shirt, and this time, I looked up.
"Forget about Lian, you know he can be such a dick," I said returning my gaze to my phone,
"He is a dick," Violet nodded; she took her position back on my lap while my hands stroked her hair.
"Cut it out, you two. Not like you both are dating or anything. You'd give any girl the wrong impression. Get a boyfriend, Violet." Lian took a sip from the bottle of wine on the table.
"Don't mind him, he's just jealous." I caressed Violet's cheeks,
My relationship with Violet could give anyone who didn't know us the wrong impression. Violet, Lian and I have been friends since fifth grade.
I'm closer to her than I am to Lian. And don't mind that we chose to act this clingy and call ourselves Babe. She came up with that idea because, according to her... She didn't want me to have a girlfriend anytime soon.
"Oh... Here comes Baby Kiara," Lian spoke to him the moment he saw Kiara walking towards us. She was wearing a frown which was becoming a part of her recently.
"You okay?" I asked her.
"Mum says I'm going shopping with you for the new room. She asked me to tell you and your friends to help her with the room makeover later." Kiara said, her eyes avoiding mine.
"Hi Kiara," Violet waved.
"Hi," Kiara replied, neither waving nor smiling. What the fuck was wrong with her? I fucking caught her touching herself yesterday and I alone had the right to be mad.
"Can I talk to my sis for a while?" I took Kiara out of the living room and into the kitchen.
"Don't tell me you're mad at me because I stopped you from putting on makeup," I said,
"You said I looked like a zombie," She half yelled, Truth is... I almost laughed out loud at her words. But I didn't want to complicate the whole situation so I kept mute.
"So leave me alone," she turned to go and I held her hands.
"Fine! I'm sorry. You look pretty," I smiled.
"Me or Violet? Who's prettier?" She asked, pouting her small lips.
"You, of course, I'd choose you over and over again." I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her hair. "I love you, Kiara."
"Me too," She said.
"Aww, that's so sweet. Kenzie... Kiara... Meet Angelo," Dad's voice boomed from the doorway. Kiara and I glanced at each other before walking out of the kitchen, into the living room. There stood Dad and the moron, 'Angelo,'.