Oh hey, Kayla," Ashley smirked, her voice dripping with a mixture of feigned sweetness and arrogance. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed over her chest, eyes narrowing as she observed Kayla. But Kayla didn't respond. She simply ignored her, looking past her as if Ashley wasn't even there.
"Come on, don't be like that," Ashley continued, stepping closer, her voice almost pleading in a sarcastic tone. "Are you still mad at me?"
Kayla turned her head slightly, her lips curling into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Of course not. Why should I be mad at you?" she asked, her voice dripping with false cheerfulness. "It's not like you did anything wrong. Or did you? No? No, I didn't think so. So why ask?"
She paused for a moment, her eyes locking onto Ashley's, then she added, emphasizing the word 'friends' with a mockingly proud smile, "Besides, we're friends, right? Aren't we?"
Ashley's eyes flickered with something between anger and confusion, her smile faltering. But she quickly recovered, masking it with a forced sweetness. "Exactly. Anyway, I came to see my boyfriend, Max," she said, sitting down next to him, her hand effortlessly slipping into his as she leaned in close.
Kayla's frustration surged within her, her teeth grinding together in annoyance. She wanted to say something, to challenge the whole charade that Ashley and Max were putting on, but she held herself back. Max didn't even seem to notice the tension that was building between the two girls. He was absorbed in his own little world, completely oblivious to the power struggle unfolding before him.
Kayla stood up abruptly, her fingers digging into the edge of the chair. She wasn't going to sit there and watch this ridiculous display any longer. She was about to leave when Ashley, noticing her movement, quickly spoke up.
"Ah, are you going?" she said, her voice sweet and falsely concerned. "You can stay. Don't worry, you're not a third wheel."
Kayla raised an eyebrow, her posture straightening with a mixture of surprise and mockery. "And who said I'm a third wheel?" she asked, her voice sharp, tinged with humor. "Oh, and by the way, who said anything about me leaving, ?" She tilted her head slightly, her eyes locking onto Ashley's, daring her to respond.
Ashley's eyes narrowed, her teeth gritting in frustration. The venom in her gaze was palpable, but she didn't let it show immediately. She opened her mouth to say something, but then stopped, seemingly calculating her words. If it weren't for Max sitting there, she might have lashed out by now, but she had to keep up appearances.
She smiled sweetly, her voice dripping with mock politeness. "I just thought... you know, you seemed like you were about to leave. As a good friend, I couldn't help but think you felt awkward sitting there, close to us lovers. Afraid we might do something... dirty?" she added with a slight chuckle, as if the very idea was ridiculous.
Kayla's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Don't worry, I'm not scared of seeing you shamelessly eating each other's faces," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "But you're right. I'll go. After all, it's not a pleasant sight to see, is it?" she added with a sly smile, her eyes cold as she turned on her heel and walked away.
As Kayla made her way to the door, determined to leave the party before the humiliation could fully sink in, she suddenly felt a hand grasp her arm, yanking her back. She stumbled slightly, almost colliding with the chest of the person who had pulled her.
"Are you sure you want to leave this early?" Roman's voice was smooth, but there was something dark in it, something she couldn't quite place. He licked his lips slowly, his eyes locking onto hers with a mixture of curiosity and something else she didn't want to acknowledge.
Kayla's frustration flared again, the heat rising to her cheeks. "WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DO, HUH?" she snapped, her voice trembling with anger. "Stay here while I get humiliated for the second time? Did you not see how that bitch humiliated me in front of everyone, just because I wore a stupid costume? Like I'm some kind of idiot! It wasn't even my fault in the first place, she tricked me!"
She felt herself losing control, the rage that had been bubbling beneath the surface finally spilling over. "I'm not going to let her get away with this. I'm Kayla Kornels, for crying out loud! She won't know what hit her. No one messes with me, not anymore."
Roman's eyes widened slightly as he took a step back, unsure of how to respond. He had never seen her like this before—so raw, so desperate to assert her dominance.
Kayla continued, her voice rising in intensity. "I'll show her. She's going to regret ever messing with me. Just because I went from Queen Bee to Slay Queen doesn't mean I'm some poor, insignificant servant like her. She thinks she can mess with me? I'll make sure she learns just who she's dealing with."
Roman took a deep breath, trying to calm her down. "Look, Kayla," he said gently, but his tone was firm. "I get it. I know you're angry, but this isn't the way to handle it."
Kayla shook her head, her chest heaving with frustration. "I don't care right now, Roman," she snapped. "I just want to go home and forget this ever happened, okay?"
Roman didn't let go of her arm. "Why don't you come with me instead?" he suggested. "We could grab some drinks and just... chill. You don't have to do this alone."
Kayla paused, her thoughts swirling. She knew he meant well, but she wasn't in the mood for his attempts to calm her down. She needed space to figure things out on her own.
"Nah, I think I'll pass," she said, trying to soften her tone. "I'm feeling sleepy, Roman. I'll just go home."
"Okay," he said, his voice filled with concern. "Let me take you home then."
With that, Roman took her hand, guiding her out of the party. As they walked, Kayla's mind raced. She wasn't sure what she wanted anymore, but she knew one thing for sure: she wouldn't let Ashley or anyone else control her.
---
The next morning, the sunlight filtered into Kayla's small room, gently waking her from a restless sleep. She groggily rubbed her eyes and reached over to scratch the fur of her kitten, Mister Kuro, who had been sleeping beside her. She sighed deeply, thinking about the events of the previous night. The anger, the humiliation—it all felt so pointless now. She knew she couldn't let it consume her, but the weight of it all was hard to shake off.
Kayla yawned as she sat up, staring at the ceiling as a thousand thoughts rushed through her mind. What now? What was next for her? She needed to figure out how to make money, how to get away from all this, but she had no idea where to start. Selling fish? Working in a restaurant? The possibilities seemed endless, but nothing felt right.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the familiar sound of Akim in the kitchen, preparing breakfast as usual. She quickly jumped out of bed and rushed downstairs, not bothering to check her appearance. She wasn't in the mood for small talk, but she couldn't ignore the fact that Akim had been acting strange lately.
"Good morning, love," Akim greeted her, dropping the knife he had been using to chop vegetables and wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.
Kayla stiffened, her mind still clouded with thoughts of the previous night. "Akim," she murmured, her voice strained as she pulled away slightly to look at him. Her gaze lingered on his amber eyes, which seemed to gleam with a quiet intensity. There was something about him that reminded her of Roman—something familiar, yet distant.
"Where were you the past two days?" Kayla asked, her voice softening as she studied him.
Akim hesitated for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. "I went to work?" he answered, his voice calm.
Kayla narrowed her eyes. "Can I be of help?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "I mean, can I work with you?"
Akim's face darkened, his expression hardening as he took a step back. "No," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.
Kayla froze, shocked by the sudden change in his demeanor. "Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I said no," Akim repeated, his voice rising slightly. The anger in his tone caught her off guard. She stared at him, confused and hurt by his refusal.
She pulled away, her face flushed with a mix of frustration and disbelief. "I don't understand," she muttered, turning on her heel and storming out of the kitchen.
"KAYLA!" Akim called after her, but she didn't look back.
She stepped outside, her mind spinning. Her thoughts were a blur, and the last thing she wanted to deal with right now was Akim's anger. As she walked out the door, her eyes landed on Roman, who was outside repairing a car. She took a deep breath, knowing that she needed to figure things out, no matter how messy it got.
The road ahead wasn't clear, but she would find her way. One way or another, she would prove everyone wrong. She was Kayla Kornels, after all.