CHAPTER THREE

Kamila is my little sister. She's eleven years old. She's really pretty, I call her the more beautiful sister.

What pretty much saddens me is how troublesome she is. Trouble is the oxygen she needs to live. She's tall for her age though, she is 4'9. Thick black hair, real curly and long, she's pretty alright. Why did the genes fail me at my turn?

Anyway, she's a major thorn in the neck, and she did not fail to prove it to me this lovely Saturday morning.

"Rayyyyyyyy!"

"Raaaaaayyyyyyy!!"

"Raaaaa___"

"What?!", I screamed at her.

"Where the heck is the TV remote?"

Hold on.

"That's why you woke me up….for the remote."

"Pretty much. Yeah."

"Are you insane?! That is why you woke me up me from sleep by...[I checked the clock on my bedside table] eight o'clock in the morning?!", I screeched. I was annoyed.

"Jeez. You're overreacting", she had the guts to say.

"Hello Rayna", a voice greeted.

"Not n__"

Hold on. Again. That voice sounded vaguely familiar.

I turned to face the direction of the voice. It came from my bedroom door.

Oh no.

I closed my eyes and opened them.

Nope. No change. It's still Kyle at the door of my bedroom.

Crud.

"What are you doing here Kyle?!", I whisper-shouted.

"Ah, Good morning to you too I guess", he replied, feigning hurt.

"Sorry, morning, but that doesn't answer my question. What are you doing in my bedroom?", I kept asking.

"Chill out Rayna, you're not naked...although that would have been a pleasant surprise", he said, smirking as he said so.

Jerk.

Please leave my room.

Please.

Pleassseeeee.

"Your sister invited me. Sort of. I was on a morning run and I bent to tie my laces. When I looked up, I saw that I'd stopped in front of your home. At that same moment, Kamila opened the door and let me in. So here I am. Surprise…", he explained with a stupid grin on his stupid face. Stupid beautiful face.

"Get the hell out before my mom comes in. She'll be really mad, I hate when she is mad at me", I pleaded with Kyle. I honestly felt like I was wasting my time.

And I was very correct because Kyle just made himself comfortable on my bed.

"Kyle please stop all this! My mom will be___"

"Raynaaa! You still haven't told me where the remote is", Kamila wailed in the background.

"Shut it. This is all your fault, you brat", I spat at her with distaste.

"Rayna, so you're cute… I love the room décor," Kyle teased.

"Stop__"

"Raynaaaa, the remote!"

"Rayna, where's your wardrobe?"

"Rayna I will tell Mother that you hid the remote!"

"Rayna, you even like teddies? Whoa…"

"Rayn__"

"RAYN__"

There and then... I lost it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

And in my fit of…whatever, I broke a ceramic cup on my bedside table.

"RAYNA! Are you alright?! I'm on my way!", Mom called. Then I heard the door to the sitting room close.

Oh no. She's back from getting her groceries.

She is coming to my bedroom, and there's a fifteen-year-old boy slowly driving me insane, in every way, in my room.

What the heck am I going to do?

"Kyle pleaasseee! My mother will be angry with me, don't you understand that?! Where the heck are you going to stay now?", I complained, not even aware of whatever it was Kyle was doing in my wardrobe.

Which was trying to try out my red dress.

My favourite red dress.

My all-time favourite red dress.

My...… Oh, you get it. GOOD.

"Get the hell away from my dress you jerk!!", I yelled.

"It's quite pretty Rayna. Try it on?", he said. But Kyle wasn't teasing. He looked soft all of a sudden. He wasn't lying when he said it was pretty, because it was, hence it ended up as my favourite dress. The sleeves were off the shoulders, fitted, then they went all the way down from near the top of my arms to my wrists and then it became flared. It covers my hands. The dress was sequined, so it shimmered when in light, which it was doing right now. The dress stops at my knees, it's a body-con dress as well. With touches of lace and net materials here and there, I loved this dress so much. I got it from one of my mom's sisters living in Houston as a birthday gift for my fifteenth. I hadn't worn it yet, I wanted to wear it for an occasion that was worth it. Hey, I have other pretty clothes, I think, but I'm just a sucker for red.

"I own the dress, I wear it when I want to. Now put it down", I ordered.

"Don't get all stubborn on me now Rayna, not the time. Put it on!", he half-yelled. I looked at him like he was from another planet. Who orders anyone around in their bedroom? I guess he read my mind because he went; "Sorry, just that I want to see you in it. That dress and you are the same. Pretty."

I had one hiccup. Then another. And another.

I suddenly couldn't stop.

I had forgotten that Kamila was in the room the whole time. She broke the silence first.

"Uhh...Kyle? Are you okay? You're talking to Rayna. This is the first time I've heard you compliment her. You never do, even when she's dressed up, and right now she isn't. Everything okay?", she inquired, her eyes boring holes into his.

I had the same thing to ask, but since Kamila had done the honours already, I waited for his reply. I looked at him expectantly.

"Well….", he began, before we heard a knock on the door.

Rrrrrraaaaaapppppppp!!

"Raynaaa!! Open up!", Mom yelled, sounding a little scared.

Jeez. I completely forgot.

"Get in here!", I whisper-shouted at Kyle, while shoving him into my wardrobe. I wasn't ready to die yet people.

"I'm coming mother!", I called out, and I went to open the door.

She barged in.

"Are you okay?", she asked worriedly, examining my body.

"Mother I'm fine, really", I replied to her…. She looked worried. My mom was usually really stressed out, I didn't want to add to it.

"I heard someone else's voice in this room", she commented.

Shit. Kyle's. I was scared because the fool was still in my wardrobe.

"Uhh__"

"It's her phone Mother. I was just watching Jackson Skye's latest interview. He's so dreamy Mother", Kamila said, covering for me. I couldn't love her any less in times like these.

"Ahhh… I see… But when was the volume ever that audible?", she queried further.

"It's this volume enhancement app she got. It's so good! Now I can listen to Jackson very well", Kamila said dreamily.

"Technology these days though… Alright then, Rayna, clean this up and come help me with breakfast", Mom said, directing her attention to me.

"Okay Mom, I'll be right down", I said to her. And with that, she left my room.

Close call. Really close call.

"Kyle you can get out now. Use the backdoor to leave. I'll see you out", I called out quietly to Kyle.

He stepped out.

"Whoa.. Close call", he said, looking a bit relieved.

"I just said so myself some seconds ago. Now get out.", I said, my statement containing a hint of finality.

I didn't want this to go on any further.

He laughed.

"Nothing's funny dude. Get the hell out of my house!", I said to him. I was losing it.

"Fine! I'll go, but I'll never forget today… I'll always remind you of it", he said sneakily. Like anything happened. He can tell the world what he wants to.

"Bye Kyle! I hope you recover quickly", my eleven-year-old sister said.

"I'm not sick Kamila", Kyle said, looking confused.

"I don't think so. You were all weird today. You complimented Rayna. You wanted to see Rayna in a pretty dress. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you have a... You're a rude MF Kyle. Great with adults, horrible with people you're familiar with. Rayna for example", Kamila stated.

She didn't complete her statement somewhere.

What did she want to say?

What am I missing here??

"But I'm not rude to you Kamila or anyone. I just… like to mess with people a lot. I don't even mess with you the way I do Rayna", Kyle replied, looking amused.

"That's why you're still able to walk and pee. Never think about it, messing with me. I have a feeling Rayna will soon pounce on you though. Be careful", she seemed to advise him.

"Enough chit-chat. Let's go ahead Mister", I said, pulling Kyle along.

We got downstairs to the kitchen immediately before my mom was able to leave her room. She'd gone to dress up more comfortably.

"Thanks for stopping by without notice Kyle", I said sarcastically.

"You're welcome, baby girl", Kyle drawled.

"What's that? Baby girl? Go get yourself checked. Kamila was very right. You're acting strange. It is the flu season after all", I told him, looking quite amused. I wanted to laugh at his facial expression.

I heard a door close.

Then footsteps.

"Rayna!", Mom called out.

I opened the back door in the kitchen and shoved Kyle outside.

"See you at school or whenever that's not now. Byeeee!", and I shut the door in his face. He jogged out of the gate before my mom entered the kitchen.

"Shall we begin?", she asked, smiling...

KYLE'S P.O.V

"What's that? Baby girl?........"

That statement she made seemed to hurt me.

What's that? "That" is what I want to always call you. That's what I need you to be…my baby girl.. my baby girl, Rayna. I'm young I know, but….

I nearly got caught today. Am I all that different? How do I normally treat Rayna then? I mean….

I'd reached my house. I reached into my pocket and got out the keys to the door. Then I felt something else. When I brought it out, I couldn't control my smile.

It was Rayna's red bandanna, and a small picture of little Ray, like, five or six years old. I squeezed the bandanna in my hand and stared at it. I found them while hiding out in her wardrobe. I wanted something to remind me of today. I smiled once more, and with the smile still plastered on my face, I went into my home...