Reason Why I Hate Kai #17 : He abuses his best friend privileges

   You saw the bolded writing. Kai's been dragging me around everywhere. Then following me around everywhere claiming it's because we're 'best friends' thankfully I have absolutely no problem telling him to get lost.

  There have been many jealous faces. Kai always smirks when people start to whisper and then I usually give him a firm elbow in the ribs.

  We were working on a few scenes for the show when it started coming up there as well.

  "Oh my gosh, Kai is so attractive how do you even deal with it?" One of the boys I've gotten close with, Trent, asked when we were watching a scene while Kai recited his limes.

  Cecilia nodded excitedly. I rolled my eyes. "Easy, he's not."

"That means your blind." Cecilia said. "Everyone knows it."

  "Ugh. Can we please talk about something else. Like how he smells? Yeah, let's talk about that." I said firmly as I followed along with my script.

  Trent slung his arm over my shoulder. "Nope, we're talking about this. Sit with us at lunch today and we'll give you an earful."

  I thought for a moment. "A day where I don't have to sit with Kai hmm....sounds good."

*****

  We ended up sitting with Kai anyway.

  I sulked as everyone chatted easily.

  "Hey Isla are you free tonight?" Nya asked.

  "Depends." I replied.

  "I was wondering if you'd like to come for a slumber party, Cecilia, Trent, you're invited too!" Nya nodded to them.

  Trent cheered.

  "Sweet." Kai sat down with his cookie. "I'll bring my teddy bear."

  "Nope." Nya snatched his cookie. "You're not invited. It's girl and Trent night. Besides we'll be doing all the stupid stuff you don't like. Makeovers, movies-"

  "Ooh! Can we watch Queer Eye?" Trent asked.

  Nya shrugged. "Sure."

Kai huffed. "Don't be mean, you shouldn't leave people out, didn't preschool teach you anything?"

  "Yeah, don't let Kai in on a slumber party." I chimed in. "I'll come." I snagged to annoy Kai. He looked surprised by my decision buy pouted and stuck out his tongue.

  I returned the gesture before snagging his other cookie and taking a big bite. "Mmm!" I said in exaggeration.

*****

  "Hey Aunt Helen? What do I wear to a slumber party?" I called as I packed my bag.

  Her head suddenly popped in the door way.

  I clutched my chest. "Jeez Aunt Helen!" I gasped. "You scared me."

"You're going to a slumber party?" She demanded.

  Suddenly Pops and Leif appeared as well.

  "What is it?" I grumbled as I threw in my toiletries. "You guys are acting weird."

"We're not acting weird honey." Aunt Helen said quickly as she stepped inside my room. "We're just surprised. It's been awhile since you went to someone's house."

  "Who's house are you going to?" Pops asked.

  "Just the Smith's."

  Pops snickered. "I thought you hated that boy."

  "I do, I'm hanging with Nya and some of my play friends." I took the hoodie from Aunt Helen and pulled it over my pyjama shorts, I didn't want Kai to tease me again.

  "Alright, have fun." Pops tried not to cry.

  I rolled my eyes and gave him a hug, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "I'll be right next door, stop being over dramatic."

  Aunt Helen gave me a kiss. "I'm going out tonight too, you guys will be okay?"

  "Oh yeah, we're going to throw a huge party and watch paw patrol while we eat a million candy bars." Pops said.

Leif cheered.

  "Hilarious." I said dryly. "Don't let Pops drink to much rootbeer, 'Kay buddy?" I ruffled Leif's hair. He giggled.

  "See you all tomorrow." I nodded before leaving and turning to the apartment next door.

  I knocked firmly and the door flew open, revealing Kai himself.

  "What are you still doing here?" I raised an eyebrow.

  Nya popped up behind him. "He's about to go leave to drag a girl on and then leave her in the dust to cry."

  Kai blanched. "No I'm not. The guys and I are going bowling."

  "Yeah, to show off his arms like a total creep." Nya snickered. "Don't forget that Cole needs to be on patrol at nine, don't drug him with to much cake again."

  Kai waved his hand as he shoved his wallet in his pocket.

  "Can I come in?" I asked, since he was still blocking the way. He quickly moved and I entered. The place was slightly smaller than ours with socks and dishes everywhere.

  I pulled a ninja gi from a pile of clothes and tossed it to Kai. "Might want to hide that before the others come."

  Kai scowled but as he went to put it away there was a small beep and he pressed his hand to some sort of communication device.

  He exchanged a look with Nya. His usually arrogant smirk now serious.

  "I have to go."

  Nya went to get ready but he stopped her. "No, it's small just a robbery, I can cover it. You have fun."

  "You sure?" He nodded.

  "Sweet!" Nya gave him an affectionate punch before sending him out the widow.

  There was a knock and I opened the front door to reveal Cecilia and Trent. Cecilia was holding a popcorn packet and Trent brought an oversized unicorn pillow pet.

  "Yay! You're all here!" Nya changed from serious ninja girl into teenager with ease.

  "Come on in!" They entered and we all lounged on the couch as Nya went to get some water. But of course the conversation did steer into the love life as we out Queer Eye on.

  I rolled my eyes as I tried hard to keep the blood red nail polish in the lines of my toenail while Trent anxiously waited for me to reply.

  "Girls and guys can be just friends, that's a perfectly normal thing. You and I are friends." I pointed out.

  "Yeah but Trent's gay and he hasn't been crushing on you since forever." Cecilia told me.

  "Kai doesn't have a crush on me." I froze. "Right?" I asked Nya.

  Se shrugged with a small smug smirk on her face as she braided Cecilia's hair.

  "I'm serious Nya, Kai can't have a crush on me." I shot up.

  "Hey look, they're doing the therapy part." Nya piped up.

  "It's been hard to move on since the break up." The girl said as she wiped her eyes.

  I blinked as she continued on about her relationship.

  "You okay Isla?" Cecilia said softly.

  "I just need a moment." I stood and causally hopped out the window onto the fire escape.

  "Why shall a fair lady look so depressed?" A familiar voice asked.

  I rolled my eyes. "Drop the accent Smith."

  "Fine." Kai grumbled, hopping down from the sill and pulling off his mask. I raised an eyebrow at the black eye.

  "Snazzy."

  He touched it and winced. "I'm fine." He said playing tough guy.

"Sure." I left it.

  "So why are you so depressed?"

  "I dunno....the show was talking about break ups yada yada and I...I was just thinking about how I'm not really over my own." I admitted.

  "Why aren't you over them? Kai asked softly.

  "I guess....after awhile it wears on you. It chips at your confidence. First Steven, then Dad, then Savannah. It makes you think...you're not good enough. And...it was painful. I wasn't ready to try and build relationships again because I know I'm not ready to take the pain." I said.

  Kai's eyes softened. "But you've made some friends."

  "That's different then the love life Kai. It's so much different because it means commitment, it means effort, and when you put in all the effort because you love someone and then they just toss it back like it was nothing it's hard." I hated how raw I sounded. How my shield had finally been filed down so much that there's a scrape.

  "What if you find the right person?" Kai asked tentatively.

  "Maybe." I said.

"But I'm a little broken. It's going to take a lot to pick up the pieces."