The air in the museum was cool, a welcome escape from the heat outside.
Kayla, Jack, and Rosa wandered through the exhibits, taking in the sculptures, paintings, and ancient artifacts. Jack seemed particularly taken with a set of bronze statues while Rosa lingered near the Renaissance portraits. But Kayla-she was a bit quieter than usual, her eyes shifting from one display to the next without much focus.
Jack nudged her gently. "Hey, you alright?
You've been quiet today."
Kayla shrugged, offering a small smile. "I'm fine. Just thinking."
Rosa, catching the exchange, shot Kayla a concerned glance but didn't push. They'd made plans to go to a water park today, but at the last minute, Kayla had suggested the museum and a picnic instead.
Neither Jack nor Rosa questioned it, even though Jack had been excited about the slides. But Kayla didn't do water parks one knew why, and she didn't plan on telling them.
Her health condition was something she kept, tightly guarded. She couldn't enjoy normal things like normal people and she would never even though she wanted to do it. There wasn't even time anymore.
After a couple more hours wandering through the museum, the three of them stepped out into the bright sun. Jack spread out the picnic blanket in the shade of a large oak tree in the nearby park. Rosa opened a basket packed with sandwiches and snacks, handing them around as they settled into a comfortable rhythm of chatter.
"Jack," Kayla said softly after a bite of her sandwich, "I've been meaning to ask. How did it go with your parents? You know, when you came out?"
Jack paused mid-bite, then set his sandwich down. "It was... terrifying, honestly. I wasn't sure how they'd react. I knew they loved me, but I just kept thinking, what if it changes things? What if they see me differently?"
"But they didn't, right?" Rosa asked, giving him a gentle nudge with her elbow.
"No, they didn't," Jack said, a bit of relief slipping into his voice. "They were surprisingly cool about it. But, man, leading up to it? I was a wreck."
Kayla leaned forward, her face sincere.
"Everyone deserves to be accepted for who they are, Jack. You, me, Rosa, everyone. It's just-" She paused, glancing at Rosa.
"Speaking of... Rosa, remember the other night when you called? You were in tears, and you sounded like a mess. What happened?"
Jack stiffened. "She doesn't know?" he asked, looking over at Rosa.
Rosa sighed, her shoulders slumping as the weight of the question settled. She didn't want to talk about it, but Kayla's worried gaze was too much to ignore.
With a shaky breath, Rosa began to speak. "I-" She stopped, hesitating, then felt Jack's hand on her back, reassuring. " work as a stripper at a nightclub. I didn't tell you guys because, well, I need the money to support my family, and I figured it wasn't something you'd understand."
Kayla's eyes widened, but she didn't say anything, just nodded for Rosa to continue.
"A few nights ago… One of the regulars tried to rape me!" Rosa's voice faltered, and Jack squeezed her shoulder. "I managed to escape, but I was terrified. I called Kayla after it happened, but I didn't tell her why."
"Rosa," Kayla breathed, shock and anger rising in her chest. "Why didn't you report it? Or at least hack into the security footage and expose him? I could help-"
"I can't, Rosa interrupted, shaking her head firmly. "If I report him or do anything, 1 might lose my job. My boss would fire me for causing trouble, and I can't afford that.
My family depends on the money. Besides, it's not just once-it's every night. The same man."
Kayla's eyes burned with fury, her mind already racing with plans to track the man down. "You don't have to put up with that, Rosa. No one does."
"I need the job," Rosa repeated softly, avoiding Kayla's gaze. But this was wrong. She didn't think she was a warrior or anything but Kayla didn't like bullies one bit. Anyone that had even a whiff of it, she hated them with a passion.
Jack, always the peacemaker, tried to change the subject. He tossed a grape at Kayla, making her laugh despite herself.
"Okay. Enough heavy stuff for now. Let's just relax and enjoy this beautiful day."
They spent the next hour laughing and joking, taking turns throwing small pieces of bread at birds and reminiscing about old memories. But Rosa's revelation hung heavily in the air, and Kayla couldn't shake her anger. At one point, the conversation shifted to Reigna
"I don't know why Reigna hates you," Rosa said, rolling her eyes. "She's always has a grudge."
"She looks familiar." Kayla mused, furrowing her brow. "But I can't place her."
A light breeze rustled the leaves of the oak trees above them, and the laughter of children playing in the distance added a sense of peace to the afternoon.
The blanket they sat on was covered with an assortment of snacks—sandwiches, chips, and fresh fruit, but most of the food had become part of their little game.
"Catch!" Jack grinned, tossing a grape across the blanket at Kayla. She barely caught it, laughing as she popped it into her mouth.
"You've got terrible aim!" Kayla teased, tossing one back at him, missing wildly. The grape landed on the blanket instead, and Rosa let out a soft chuckle.
"Please, if we're going to have a food fight, at least use something worth throwing." Rosa playfully picked up a small piece of bread and tossed it at Jack, who caught it effortlessly and smirked.
"Alright, alright," Jack said, raising his hands in surrender. "No more wasting food. Let's talk about something more civilized. Like… music!"
Kayla's face lit up instantly. "Oh, don't even get me started. Ariana Grande is life, but I'm completely obsessed with Lauren Spencer Smith lately."
"Ariana and Lauren?" Jack raised an eyebrow, leaning back on his elbows. "How do you even pick? They're both incredible."
"I know!" Kayla said, her voice rising with excitement. "Ari has those killer vocals, but Lauren? Her songs just hit differently. Like, they speak to my soul."
Rosa smiled, popping a strawberry into her mouth. "I've heard you playing Lauren's stuff nonstop in the car. I like her too. But Summer Walker? She's my favorite. That voice… pure emotion in every word."
Kayla nodded. "Summer Walker's good. I've heard a few songs. 'Session 32'? Love that one."
Jack scrunched his nose, clearly out of his element. "I've never really been into Ariana or Summer, but you know who's underrated? Chase Atlantic. They've got this whole moody, alt-pop vibe going on."
Kayla laughed, giving Jack a playful shove. "Of course, you're into Chase Atlantic. You're like the definition of 'moody vibes." She was sarcastic. Jack was anything but Moody.
"I'll give them a listen, though. Send me some of their stuff."
"Deal," Jack said, grinning. "But I'm warning you, they're addictive."
Rosa leaned forward, a sly smile on her lips. "So, what's the ultimate picnic playlist, then? A mix of Ariana, Lauren, Summer, and Chase?"
Kayla threw up her hands. "Honestly, I'd die for that playlist. Imagine the vibes—Summer gets you all emotional, Ariana makes you feel like a queen, and then Chase Atlantic pulls you back into that cool, laid-back zone."
Jack laughed, reaching for another grape. "That's actually genius."
Rosa nodded. "We should make that a thing. The perfect mix for every mood."
Kayla's eyes sparkled with excitement as she tossed a chip at Jack, making him duck. "I'm serious! Let's do it."
They spent the next few minutes debating which songs would cut, laughing and teasing each other between bites of food, their playful energy infectious and light.
The conversation drifted into lighter topics, but Kayla's mind was elsewhere. When they finally parted ways and she returned home, she sat in her room, still fuming over what Rosa had told her. She picked up her phone, hesitating for a moment, before calling Rory.
"Rory? It's Kayla. I need your help."
"What's going on?" Rory's voice was calm and steady.
"My friend Rosa... she works at a nightclub, and she's being harassed by this man and almost assaulted. She's too afraid to report it because she'll lose her job."
There was a pause before Rory spoke again. "Call Tyler. He might be able to help.
He's got connections in the bar, restaurant, and hotel industry."
Kayla nodded, even though Rory couldn't see her. "Thanks, Rory. I'll call him now."
When she hung up, she immediately dialed Tyler. He picked up after a few rings.
"Kayla Hastings, Rory's friend," Tyler said, his voice casual. "What's up?"
She quickly explained the situation, her words rushed but clear. "Rosa works at a nightclub, and she's been harassed by this man for weeks. If she reports it, she'll get fired, and she can't afford that. I have footage, but-"
"I'll get back to you," Tyler said, cutting her off.
"Who was that?" Nate asked, sprawled lazily on the couch. He had been busy with the serum he and Rory had been creating that Oliver protected.
"Kayla Hastings," Tyler said. "She's one of Rory's friends. Told me about some guy harassing her friend at a nightclub."
Nate shrugged, uninterested. "Do whatever you need to do."
But Oliver, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up. "I'll buy the nightclub," he said, his tone cool and matter-of-fact. "The police will handle the rest."
Both Tyler and Nate stared at him in surprise.
Oliver caught their looks and shrugged.
They understood that he probably didn't like seeing people assaulted, given his past.
But what they didn't know was that it was more than just a sense of justice-Oliver couldn't bear the thought of Kayla being upset. If she needed the stars, he would pluck them for her, without hesitation. He would help her no matter what. She was his to protect.