A New Truth About Kai

"Lily," Lance called as I set out for a discreet location to open the portal, so no one knew that I was from the human world.

I turned around. "Hey, what's up?"

"There's something else going on isn't there?" he asked, obviously suspicious of me, but I didn't know what he was talking about. "What happened with Kai?"

Taken slightly aback by his question. "I'm not really sure myself."

"I could tell it was really bothering you, and I just wanted to know if he was okay," Lance affirmed.

"Um, what I do know is something that police officer said," I crossed my arms as Aqua yawned.

"What was it?" Lance could see I was becoming more nervous by the moment but pressed on for the whole story.

"They said that Kai's dad had been charged with child abuse," I fidgeted with the hem of my skirt. "I just didn't expect that Kai of all people would go through something like that."

"Kai's father?" Lance took a step back. "Child abuse? But that' Kai."

I scratched my head. "I know, I would have never thought-?"

"Kai would never do anything, not in a million lifetimes to deserve that. He's so nice and innocent. If I could, I would walk up to his dad and fight him straight on," the black-haired boy looked me dead in the eye. His petrifying anger scared me.

"I wish it was like that everywhere," I looked down at the floor. "I'm just hoping he will come back soon."

Lance's expression softened, for he could see that getting mad wasn't the answer. He put a hand on my shoulder and looked down too. "Go home, and tell him it's going to be alright, would you?"

"Yeah, of course I will," I smiled, looking back up. Lance turned around and started walking to the dorm building.

When I arrived home, I rang the doorbell. Mom was usually home around that time, so the door should have been open. She would give me a key if she was out any later, so there was no reason for her to be gone.

A moment later, mom opened the door. I was so happy to see her after my long, hectic day. "Hi, Lily-."

I threw my arms around her before she could say anything. "I'm finally home!"

She giggled as a dragged out my words but got quiet suddenly. "Hey, the police called me today and told me that they had the Kai boy you told me about last night. I set up a room for him and told him to make himself at home."

"Kai's here?" I perked up at the thought of seeing him again. "How is he?"

"He's just been watching TV all day," she replied sort of sheepishly. "He cried at some really cringy 80s movie at one point. Should I be concerned?"

I stared at her dumbfounded. Of all the things in the world, 80s movies were his breaking point? Despite having yet to comprehend my fire-controlling friend's dumb weakness, I rushed past mom into the living room. "Kai!"

He turned his head from the screen to see who had called him, and he immediately stood up and rushed over to me. "Lily, thank goodness your are here now!"

"What, do you mean?" I questioned the way he had put the phrase.

"The next episode is about to start!" he exclaimed and sat back down on the couch. I couldn't help but assume it was a coping mechanism to act like nothing ever happened. Yet, we both knew the truth.

Mom ordered a pizza that night for the three of us and Kai happily ate. His politeness far surpassed what a kid that just spent the night at a police station should have been. It was as if his head was completely empty, thought-free. So, that night I went to the guest room he would be staying in until further notice and asked about it.

"Kai," I knocked on his door.

"Come in," he greeted me with a bright smile and slight yawn. "What's up?"

"Hey, I was just thinking you should get to stay home tomorrow because of what happened," my voice trailed off as I attempted to start the conversation off on a high note.

"What, but I want to go to school," he protested. "Then I can see Torch and all of my friends."

"Oh, never mind then," I decided against pressing him on, for I was too nervous to ask.

"Wait," he called before shutting the door. "I should say sorry."

"What for?" I questioned.

"You came all the way to my neighborhood on a bike and I just wanted to apologize for scaring you," Kai held his knees to his chest.

"I should have asked mom to drive me," I muttered under my breath. "If I wasn't there, you would still be at the police station. I think it's better to celebrate in this God-given situation."

Kai's face lit up, and I felt a little confidence seep back into my heart. "Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

Kai patted a stop on his bed, motioning for me to sit down. "It all started with one of dads usual rage fits. I was making some dinner and he was complaining about work. But he was really mad this time because another co-worker got the promotion he wanted. There wasn't really anything I could do to help, so I just stayed quiet."

"How did that lead to the house burning down?" I asked, and let him continue the story.

"Well, he got super mad after a long silence and yelled at me for not talking back. He threw the rolled-up newspaper at my head, and it landed on the stove. We have a gas stove, so it started burning up. I freaked out and turned the stove off. Then, I put my hand against the wall without thinking, and accidentally lit the wall on fire with my magic," he frantically explained how he burned his house down.

"Just like that?" I asked. "Your fire magic just lit the wall without you thinking?"

"Usually, it's just in my sleep," Kai replied. "But that night just had to be careless."

I put an arm around the distressed boy. "Hey, we are going to get your life back on track! It's going to be great, so don't worry about it."

"But you don't understand!" he exclaimed as the corners of his eyes began to well up. "The comics were in the house and-and now they are gone!"

Kai gritted his teeth, and I could tell he was giving all he had to keep from crying. "Those were my brothers and he told me to keep him before he left."

I swallowed hard. "Where did he go?"

"He ran away to the magical world and gave me the key. I was too young to understand why, but I think he wanted to get away from dad," Kai was bawling at this point, leaving me in shock. Large, sparkling tears streamed down his face. I wrapped my arms around him, lending him a shoulder to cry on. "I just want to see him again."

"I'm sure he'll come back to you one day," I stayed positive. "All brothers do."

He rubbed his puffy eyes, "Thanks Lily."

That's when I thought of something. "Hey, come to my room. I have a window seat with a good view of the moon."