8.0 | That Feeling

"ARE YOU SURE THIS'LL WORK?" Eli questioned as he and Kai approached one of the doors at the back of the mall. Kai nodded before picking the lock.

"Why'd you leave?" Eli suddenly asked her, "The real reason. I know it wasn't just because you felt like we didn't need you."

Kai paused all movement, her eyes locking onto the door. Eli continued to speak, "You know you can talk to me, Kai."

"I didn't leave because I felt like you guys didn't need me. I left because I felt like you guys didn't want me." She looked at Eli, letting her emotions shine through her eyes. "Like you didn't want me."

The dark haired boy lightly laughed before looking to his shoes. "What the fuck made you think that?"

Kai shrugged, "I don't know. I always feel like no one wants me, I always have. But, when you're the cousin of Sam Dean, that's a feeling you get used to."

"Kai, what all happened between you and your mom?"

The girl removed her hands and lockpick from the lock, looking up at Eli. "You really wanna know?"

He nodded.

"Fine, but don't pity me after I tell you," she sighed.

"It started when my parents got divorced, after they cut off communication between Chris and I. She and I argued so much about so many stupid things. When she found out that I liked girls and guys, she wasn't exactly accepting. She told me that she should've aborted me and Chris when she had the chance. That her life would've been so much happier if she would've gone through with it. That night, she beat the hell out of me. I always blamed it on the alcohol, until Sam came along. When Sam moved in with us, my mom sobered up and treated her like she was the most important person in the world. She'd forget to feed me, and forgot I even existed a couple times. One night, I got tired of it. The week I didn't come to school? I was in the hospital for a suicide attempt. Sam found me and called 911. My mom never showed up to see if I was okay, and when I got home she told me that I should've succeeded. I've always been unwanted, and I thought that was the case here, too." Kai explained, not making eye contact with Eli at all.

The boy reached his hand out to help her up, "Trust me when I say this, Kai. I don't just want you, I need you. I was so prepared for Josh to throw me to the ghoulies once I found out that you left. I wasn't even gonna fight back."

"I'm sorry for leaving, Eli."

He smiled, "It's cool. Just know that I need your beautiful face in my life."

Kai nodded before connecting their lips. The two sat there making out for about thirty seconds, until she decided it was time to open the door.

"I'll wait out here for when Josh kicks you right back out," Kai laughed.

Eli nodded, "Alright, babydoll. See you soon."

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Just as Kai had predicted, Josh found Eli and kicked him out of the mall once again. Eli locked eyes with Kai before smiling, "I'm fine right here."

"Let's go scope out the high school, I need entertainment." Kai stated, grabbing Eli's hand and walking in the direction of their old school.

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"Baron Triumph took back the school?" Eli asked, his eyes wide as he watched through the window with Kai right next to him. "We've gotta tell Josh."

"Look!" Kai whispered, "There's Sam. yeah, let's go."

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"We gotta wait for Josh to actually stop ignoring us." Eli sighed.

The blonde grabbed his hand, "C'mon, I know a way up to the roof. We can stay there until he wants to stop being a bitch."

Eli followed her, his smile widening at the twinkle in her eye. Once they reached the roof, Eli's eyes landed on a shelter that Kai had put together.

"What's this?"

She shrugged, "Honestly? It was gonna be a surprise, but I left so that didn't work out. This was originally going to be a place where we could spend time together without Angelica or Crumble bothering us. But, now, I guess it's out temporary home."

"Nice," he stated, following the girl inside. Kai literally built a cabin on top of the mall.

"Solar panels on the roof," Kai stated, mocking the boy's words from the day that she arrived at the mall. Eli chuckled as he followed her inside the air-conditioned building.

They jumped onto the bed, which was a queen sized mattress. Kai focused her eyes on the clouds through the window, while Eli focused on her. He felt something for this girl, something that he didn't recognize. Eli had been in a handful of relationships, but he's never felt this way about any of those girls.

"Kai," Eli began, "I have a question."

"Hm?" The blonde asked, bringing her eyes to the handsome boy next to her. "What's up, buttercup?"

He sat up and faced her, causing Kai to mirror his actions. Eli grabbed her hands, his eyes not leaving hers. She could see the emotions in his eyes, her heart beginning to race.

"What would you say if I told you that.." He drifted, nerves suddenly stopping him from completing his sentence.

Kai furrowed her brows, "Eli, whatever you're going to say, say it."

"I'm-"

"How the fuck did you two get up here?" Josh asked from the doorway, "And where did this even come from?"

Kai shrugged, "I built it. You kicked Eli out of the mall, but you can't kick him off of it."

The dark haired boy across from her sighed in annoyance. He looked to Josh, "We have intel."

"Oh, really? What the fuck would that be?"

"Sam is at the high school, Principal Burr overthrew Turbo." Kai sighed.

Josh furrowed his brows, "You're lying."

"Does she look like she's sporting a nose boner? Look, we're not lying. During our banishment, we scoped out the high school." Eli said, annoyance hinting in his words.

Josh turned towards Eli. "You just want me to leave so you can come back in the mall."

Eli laughed at his statement. Kai rolled her eyes at Josh before standing up and grabbing her things.

"I don't wanna come back," Eli began, "okay? I want it all back. I wanna be the king of everything."

The blonde rolled her eyes, "I don't have time for this. Look, Josh, we're not fucking lying. You really think I'd lie about where my own cousin is?"

The taller boy stayed quiet as Kai and Eli walked past him and into the roof entrance of the mall.

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Eli was seated in a massage chair with headphones on when Josh tapped his foot. "Go for Eli."

"I want your Baron Triumph costume. I need it to disguise myself, so I can get into the school and get Sam." He stated. Kai was around the corner, one earbud in, listening to the conversation.

Eli sighed, "You know, favors are like giving head. Either I have to really like you to do it, or I expect something back in return."

"Look, if you give me the Triumph costume, I'll never come back. If you promise not to hurt those kids and to let them stay." Josh said, seriously.

The boy in the chair laughed before speaking, "No." He told the taller boy, seriously.

"What if I give you the one thing that you want the most? The one thing that you can't get here? Your Magic: The Gathering cards."

Eli rushed to sit up, turning off the chair and removing the sunglasses he was wearing. "How do you know about those?"

Josh shrugged, "I remember you talkin' about them in school. If you give me the Triumph costume, I will get you your cards."

"No, no, no! You just want them for yourself!" Eli accused as he stood from his seat. Kai furrowed her brows, continuing to listen to their conversation.

Josh scoffed, "Why would I want your cards?"

"They're dope!"

The Canadian shook his head, "I'm just getting them so the other mall kids can stay here."

"I don't believe you," the dark haired boy responded.

"Why would I lie?"

"Reverse psychology!"

"I'm putting my own life in danger!" Josh raised his voice.

"Oh, so you're calling me a coward, huh?"

Josh shook his head, "No."

With a smirk, Eli spoke again. "Nah, you can't fool me Josh Wheeler. We're both going to the school tomorrow to get my cards. These kids can stay, but you are never coming back."

As Eli walked away from Josh, Kai caught up to him. "I'm coming with you two." She stated, startling the Armenian boy. Eli turned around.

"No, you're not."

Kai scoffed, "And why's that?"

"Because it's too dangerous. You would get hurt, Babydoll." He tried to reason, only earning an eye roll in return.

The blonde crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh, and you won't? I've kicked more ass in the past six months than you have in the past seventeen years."

"That's not my point. Triumph is crazy dangerous, I'd rather be the one getting hurt than you."

With a huff, Kai stepped closer to the boy. "If you get yourself killed, I won't be too long behind you."

Without another word, the blonde walked away. She didn't care what Eli said, she was going to follow them the next day.

And boy, would she be glad she did..