Escape

It was still quite early when Kai pulled open the tall door leading out his exquisite bedroom. He was properly groomed for the day's activity as he set out into the major hallway, exiting his bedroom. 

In the brightly lit up alley, Kai sauntered some pretty long strides headed for the Kitchen arena. As he walked, he began to feel an awkward sensation crawl up the hairs on his skin. Reason being that the house was seeming oddly quiet and empty for no clear reason at all. He pinched himself painfully on the skin to assure himself that this wasn't one of those dreams… 

"Mum?!" He called out: the hollow passage channeled his words in repeated echoes through the air. 

That was it.

He could hear himself but no one else.

'That's odd.'

Kai made a mental note of this.

"Larry!" He shouted again. But also didn't get any response. 

'The hell! Where did everybody go?'

He soon reached the Kitchen proper and as expected, the room looked immaculately clean. This was the work of Ms. Brandice and her magical touch no doubt. 

-'Where is she even? Ms. Brandice.' Kai mused in his heart and said. "Well, it seems I fell into a pretty deep slumber. Everyone must have decided to leave me all alone after attempting to wake me over and over. But to no avail. But then again." He stopped and quickly flipped a look at his watch.

"This is barely 8.50. So where the frick did they all go so early?"

He peered his eyes about but failed at catching a glimpse of anyone. He had only the kitchen utensils and all the other elements for company as it stood.

''Well,,'' Kaiden stopped to exhale deeply. ''Guess I should prolly get on my way as well seeing as it's a big day for me."

He shuddered after.

Before he turned to walk out of there, he plunged toward the broadly wide centre table which stood tall in the middle of this place. Once he reached, he stretched out his hand and picked up an apple from the fruit basket. 

He held the fruit tightly in his grip and bit from it. He'd barely done this when a softly delicate voice spoke up from somewhere.

"Ah, you are finally up." 

Kai turned to his side and saw the look of surprise on the woman's face. Perhaps she did not expect that he'd wake up already. Her pale skin and freckle cheeks beamed a certain glow notwithstanding. She was smiling happily at him. 

"I didn't know you were in." Kai told her, flatly.

"Yes. I was at the back. I needed to do something there."

"Okay." Kai shuddered, grappling his apple some more. "Where's everybody?" He took a second bite of his fruit.

"They all left for somewhere sudden. Pretty urgent it seemed."

"Okay...." Kai wrinkled his eyebrows.

"Yes. I'm afraid so. But what about you?" She asked, shifting the talk to him. "Aren't you ready to leave yet? And breakfast?"

Kai stayed silent a split minute longer as he settled on his thoughts. When he was ready to speak, he said. "I'm in no mood to eat much. Pretty big day for me, yunno. But I'll just take two of this."

Ms. Brandice nodded and before Kai sauntered out of that place, he stole another apple, placing it in the side pocket of his backpack.

As Kai ambled further distant from the kitchen sphere, leaving the ever smiling lady behind, he had his head wrapped about the thoughts of his mum and Larry. He began to ponder on what secret activity those two were up about.

~~~

Kai arrived the Campus grounds a little over some few minutes from the time he left the Estate on foot. He was glad today was basically about the extracurricular activities. Oh how he loved being a Sophomore! Because during his first year, his course outline did not permit him to have this much liberty as it did now. 

Taking a hint of using the sidewalks, Kai trotted a brief before he spotted three beautiful ladies walking directly toward him. Once they reach him, he knew they'd want to accost him. So, he waited. 

"Kai honey… "

The glossy-haired pitchy voiced Princess spoke up once they'd all closed in on him. Theirs was more like a squad: Girl squad typa thing.

"Hi Keish." Kai acknowledged weakly.

"Oh, hi to you too handsome." She cringed because her cheeks were burning hot with blushes right now. 

"Hi ladies… " Kai also acknowledged the other girls with her. They both chorused a jovial ''Hi'' back at him. 

However the obscene stares they kept glancing him over with, started to make him grow uncomfortable. 

Kaiden instantly knew that he needed an escape from these ones. 

"What's going on?'' He probed, ''What's up with the awful eyes?"

No one said anything which left him thinking that they were possibly too embarrassed to speak(?).

"Alright then." He decided on his walk, "I have somewhere pretty urgent I need to be."

He picked up his legs and ambled a few steps forward, but just as he was about to brush past Keisha, she shouted for him to stop. "Wait!"

Kaiden turned at a side angle to look at her and what in the world did she need to bark so loudly for?

A sigh broke out on his lips which he pushed outward in a tired outlook.

"What now?" 

"Uhm.. Actually...'' Keisha began to stutter which was pretty awkward to everyone present. 

She did her bit to quickly collect herself.

"So,, I actually just wanted to say 'thank you' for how you rescued me from that lone dog yesterday."

"Really now? Should we be doing this here? And right now?"

His words was a spin-off of how he was feeling iritated from reliving her silly drama of yesterday in the presence of Jake. 

She laughed nervously at first. "No honey.'' Her fingers drummed about as she fondled with her knuckles like a kid. ''What I meant to say is: I am thankful for how you showed up for me during the incident. If you hadn't come, who knows-" She stopped to collect herself. "Well, I'm gonna be cheering so hard for you today." She beamed truly brightly now. 

But Kai simply muttered a weak-sounding, "Okay.", to her.

He attempted to walk away again but this time around she hurriedly inched forward; her breasts meeting his lower chest and her eyes matching his gaze was just enough to make him crossed for her misbehavior of choking his airspace.

Kai hissed at first before arching his brows:both of them.

Seeing him like this prompted her to talk. Fast.

"So, I wanted to also add that we all would cheer for you."

"Okay."

"Matter of fact, that is." She then bobbed her head to steer her eyes towards her squad. She then said, "Right girls?"

"Yes Keish… " Both girls echoed softly.

"That's fine then." Kai said, "See y'all when the game begins."

"Sure. Can't wait." Keisha replied, jerking happily as her smile spread out to meet her ears.

"Uhm.." She began to say, "So. What other thing did you two talk about yesterday?"

"What thing and who's us two?" Kai quickly demanded. "Also, can you cut out that smile from your face already? It makes you seem more ridiculous than you usually are."

"Kai!" Keisha squealed loudly and jerked her body along to show how angry she was getting.

"Tell me,,'' She said. ''What did you talk to that boy about? Was it me? I am dying to know."

Kaiden squinted his eyes and said. "What would I be talking to him about you for?"

"Duh... For countless reasons, silly. Also because of the way you shoved-" She paused to steal a glance at either girl by her side. "I mean, the way you behaved yesterday made me believe that you wanted to scold him privately. Especially because of his dog."

"And why would I ever want to do that? He apologised to you, didn't he?"

Keisha stood silent for a minute.

"He did but should that simple apology be enough to amend things? It shouldn't right? Besides you care about me way more than that. Don't you?" Her eyes ignited the glint of hope in them. "Don't you?" She repeated her question.

Kai hissed a sigh.

"Keish… "

"Mhm…?"

"What exactly is the matter with you? I mean what's your problem? Do you really enjoy getting hurt?"

"Me? No. But you're the one hurting me now. I like you but you just won't look at me that way."

Once she'd said this, she began to hear muffled laughter behind her. This turnt her up pretty much that she flipped a turn to squeal at those two.

"Quiet, muffins!"

They kept their mouths shut.

 Satisfied, she then darted her gaze back to Kai who was patiently waiting for her to do so.

"Look Keish. We have just an hour and 30 minutes apart before the sport begins. Right now I do not have the time nor energy for this." Kai stated for clarity sakes. "I need to go train. See ya around."

"Or not."

"Or not?" Keisha repeated those words after him. The view of her eyes filling up with potential sobs prompted Kai to walk out on her in a jiffy.

He definitely didn't want to be a part of her melodrama. Moreso, she clearly needed to grow up.