UN-RELATED (UN-RELATED SERIES) (2 page)

He stood up and started to head toward his room, “Where are you going?” I asked.

“I have a date. We’re going to the movies.”

“A date?  Does
Nancy know?”

“No, and I’m not telling her. It’s none of her business.”

“You’re going to get into trouble.”

“It’ll be worth it,” he smiled.

I didn’t know why, but I didn’t like the idea of him going out with anyone, especially a girl. I followed him down the hall and continued, “You don’t drive…or have a car. How are you going to take her to the movies?”

“She has a car, and she’s going to pick me up in about 15 minutes.”

“Oh. Where are you going to tell
them
you’re going?”

“I’m not telling them anything. I’m old enough to date, and believe me, this girl’s worth whatever punishment they throw at me. Besides, I’ll be back before they even know I’m gone. She’ll be here in a few minutes. Would you let her in for me while I grab a quick shower?”

I started to sulk, but then thought better to offend my only true friend, so I said, “Yeah, sure.”

I waited in the living room for a few minutes and finally heard a small knock on the door.

“Hi, is Kellan here?” a beautiful girl with long dark hair, tight jeans and a lot of perfume asked.

“Um, yeah. Come in.” I opened the door wide and stepped back to let the ‘
intruder
’ in.

“You must be Abby. Kellan talks about you all the time. I’m Kelly.”

Kellan and Kelly, how cute, I thought. “Yes, I’m Abby. It’s nice to meet you. He’ll be right out, he’s taking a shower.”

“Oh, okay. So, what grade are you in, fifth or sixth?”

“I’m in seventh grade!” I snapped. I was short for my age. I was 12 years old and I hadn’t even reached five foot. I looked up at the girl Kellan so obviously liked and wondered what he saw in her. She was pretty, I guess. She was tall and thin, but I didn’t see what was so special about her. I was also angry that she thought I was a kid, so I wasn’t about to give her a second chance, or actually even consider liking her.

“Hi,” Kellan smiled from the doorway.

“Hi,” she smiled back.
Ugh!
They were looking at each other funny and as I watched Kellan, I realized his eyes kept lowering to her chest, but when she looked over at him, he’d look back up into her eyes.

I couldn’t believe he was staring at her boobs. I didn’t understand his fascination. They sat on the couch and talked for a while. Kellan kept asking me to leave, but I kept finding excuses to stay. For some reason, I didn’t want to leave them alone.

“Why don’t you go finish your homework?” Kellan asked.

“I can’t do it without your help. It’s okay, I’ll wait until
she’s
gone.” I couldn’t stop myself, and before I knew it, I spouted off, “Or at least until her boobs are gone!”

Kellan hadn’t raised his voice at me even once since our truce, but I think I pushed him over the edge, because suddenly he had that
familiar black-ash glare to his baby blue eyes and he said, “We’re leaving! You’re on your own for your homework now!” He put his arm around the girl and walked her out the door. I ran to the window and watched as he opened her car door and then leaned over and kissed her. I thought that would be the end of it, that she’d just step into her car and they’d drive off, but she had other ideas. She pulled him back to her and kissed him…and for a long time. I always thought kissing was gross, but I found that I couldn’t turn away. I didn’t like her kissing him, and for the life of me, I didn’t know why. 

I watched them until they drove away and then I went back to the kitchen table and sat down to try and finish my homework. I was still working on math, but every time I closed my eyes to imagine the problem in my head like Kellan had told me, all I could see was him kissing her and I found myself ripping up my homework and throwing it across the room. I plopped down in the chair in front of the window to wait for Kellan’s return.

True to his word, he made it back before Nancy or Joe got home from work. She came inside with him and they stood in the doorway and talked for a few minutes.

“I had fun. Thanks for the movie,” the intruder said, batting her big brown eyes at him.

“Me too. Thanks for the ride,” he smiled at her and then bent down to kiss her again.

“Yuck!” I said from the edge of the living room, unable to stop myself.

Kellan turned and glared at me and said, “Don’t you have something to do?”

Afraid to make him really angry and ruin our truce, I didn’t say anything. I just rolled my eyes and walked down the hall. I stopped just a few feet down the hall and listened to their conversation:

“So, is she like your little sister, or what? I mean I know you’re not related by blood, but are you siblings?”

“No, she’s a foster kid, like me. She’s been
here since she was eight, poor kid. She still has over five years left here in this hell-hole. I feel sorry for her.”

“She’s really twelve? Wow. I thought she was more like ten. I guess she still has time to grow.”

I listened intently, getting angrier by the second. He only felt sorry for me, he didn’t care about me. It was all a lie! I was heartbroken. I didn’t want to hear any more so I ran to my room and slammed the door.

“Well, I should probably go. I don’t want you to get into trouble with your foster parents,” Kelly said, leaning up for another kiss.

“I don’t care about them. I only have one more year and I’m out of here…if not sooner.”

“You could leave when you graduate,” Kelly said.

“Yeah, I could. But, I’m worried about Abby. She has no one. She has no friends and I’m pretty sure she’s picked on at school. She’s a great kid. She’s smart and funny and full of life. But, she thinks she’s stupid and weird. I hate to think about what’s going to happen to her when I leave,” he said sadly.

“She’s not your responsibility. I mean, she’s just a kid.”

Kellan looked down at her and said, “I know, but I’m all she has.”             

“You have your own life to think about. She’ll be fine. Forget about her!” she snapped and leaned up for another kiss.

Kellan pulled away and said, “Hey, we may not be blood siblings, but she’s important to me. I’m not going to just forget about her. Maybe you should go.”

“I didn’t mean…look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend your little friend. I just meant that you’re only 16, she’s not your responsibility.”

“Yeah, she kind of is. See you at school…maybe,” he said and stepped back in the house, leaving her wanting another kiss.

An hour later, we all sat down to takeout Chinese food that Joe brought home. I hated Chinese food; too many vegetables and salty sauces.              But, at least we were eating a real meal.

“Why aren’t you eating?”
Nancy asked me.

“I’m not hungry,” I said, still feeling the sting of
Kellan’s’ deception.

“You’ll eat what we serve you. Besides, all these veggies may help you grow a bit. You’re skinny and gangly! You need to eat!”
Nancy said, filling my plate full of vegetables.

“I’m not skinny or gangly! I’m thin! But, all the vegetables in the world won’t make me grow boobs like Kelly!” I shouted and started to head to my room.

“Sit down! What are you talking about?” Nancy asked.

I glared at Kellan and he sat there stunned, not saying anything.

“Who’s Kelly?” Joe asked.

Kellan was looking at me strangely, but didn’t say anything. I wanted to get him in trouble, I did, but as I looked into his blue eyes, I knew, that no matter how he felt about me, I still cared about him. “She’s a girl from school,” I said softly and sat back down and picked up my fork to force down a few bites.

Later that night, there was a knock on my door, “Abby, can I come in, please?”

I didn’t want to see him, but I knew he wouldn’t quit, so I invited him in.

“What’s the matter with you? Why are you so pissed at me?” he asked.

“I’m not mad at you,” I snapped.

“You could have fooled me. You hardly said two words at dinner, and then you brought up Kelly, why?”

“Because…”

“Because, why?” he asked, sitting down next to me on my bed.

I looked up at him and wanted to be angry, but I just couldn’t. He was so nice to me…but then I remembered again what he said earlier to Kelly, so I snapped, “Because you don’t really care about me, you only feel sorry for me.”

“What?”

“I heard you tell Kelly that you feel sorry for me…well don’t! I’m fine.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean, I do feel bad that you’re stuck here, but I care about you. I do,” he said, looking down at me.

“You’re just saying that because you feel guilty. You don’t have to pretend to like me anymore.” I was hurt and I couldn’t stop a tear from gliding down my cheek.

Kellan put his arm around me and pulled me to him. He hugged me and said, “I do like you, you have to know that. Abby, we’re friends, and we always will be.”

“You’re just saying that to ease your guilt.” I was unusually emotional and I had no clue as to why. All I knew was that I felt like I had lost my only friend. 

He lifted my face up to look at him, “No, that’s not true. We are friends, Abby. And, no matter where I go, I’ll always come back to see you. And, I’ll always make sure you can get in touch with me, too. I’m sorry you heard me say that. I wished you’d stuck around to hear me say the rest.”

“What rest?” I asked, sniffling.

“The part where I sent Kelly home because she made me mad; the part where I told her that you were always going to be important to me; and the part where I basically broke up with her.”

“You said those things, really?” I said.

“Yep.”

“You broke up with her?”

“Well, I told her I’d see her at school, maybe, but I have no intention of seeing her there or anywhere else. Whatever girl I date is going to have to be nice to my kid sister,” he grinned.

“I’m not a kid, and I’m not your sister. You said so yourself.”

“Yeah, but I was pissed off then. I didn’t want to be here. I’m tired of foster homes, Abby. I’ve been in and out of them all my life. This is the longest I’ve ever stayed at one home. Do you know why?”

“No,” I said.

“Because I care about you. The Filbert’s aren’t good people, Abby. I don’t want you to forget that when I’m gone. Don’t trust them, okay?”

“I don’t.”

“Okay, good. I’m going to bed. See you in the morning. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” I said, but then wanted to know something, “Kellan?”

“What?”

“Did you like…I mean, um? Never mind.”

“Did I like what?” he asked, turning back to face me.

I could feel my face turning red, so I said, “Nothing. Goodnight.”

“Oh, no. I’m not letting you off the hook that easy. Did I like what?” he asked.

I was completely embarrassed now, and I couldn’t look at him. Instead, I stared down at the old, ugly shag carpet in my room and whispered, “Did you like…kissing her?”

“Yeah, until she pissed me off. Why?”

“No reason. Goodnight.”

He started back toward the door and said, “Abby, is someone bothering you at school?”

“Bothering me?”

“Yeah, you know…some guy?”

“Huh?”

“Are any of the boys at school…pressuring you? If they are, you just tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

“Pressuring me, to do what?” I asked, naively.

He sighed and said, “Um, has
Nancy ever talked to you about…?”

“About what?”

“About, um…boys? Or, more importantly, what boys want…from girls?”
He
was looking down at the old shag carpet now.

“No. What do boys want from girls?” I asked.

“I don’t really think I’m the right one to talk to you about this.”

“About what?”

“About…” he sighed again and said, “Don’t you at least talk to your friends at school about boys?”

“In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m not real popular. I don’t have any friends at school.”

“I don’t believe that. There has to be someone you can confide in?”

“Well,
Tyler’s nice to me. I guess he’s kind of like my only friend, besides you, I mean.”

“
Tyler’s a guy, though, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You need to talk to a girl…or a woman…about…”

“About what?” I asked, getting tired of the game now.

“Boys.”

“You’re a boy. So, what do
you
want from girls? Solve the big mystery for me.”