“Oh no sweetie, don’t cry.”
“All the kids call me stupid. No one wants to be my friend.”
“Listen to me, Kayla. I know it’s hard for you to understand this now, but in several years, you’ll probably never see these kids again. You’ll be graduating from high school and heading to college. What’s happening now doesn’t matter. It doesn’t define who you are and has no bearing on your future.”
Kayla has a hopeful look in her eyes.
“Can I let you in on a little secret?” I ask.
Kayla enthusiastically nods her head. “You can count on me, I won’t tell a soul. I promise.”
“Before I moved here, I lived in Los Angeles. I was a cheerleader and very popular, but that has changed now. Girls and boys at my new school are very mean to me. They call me names and don’t speak to me, but guess what, Kayla? I don’t let it bother me. I stay strong and think about the bigger picture. I know school can be rough, but it’s important to develop tough skin, Kayla. Letting these kids make you feel bad gives them too much power over you.”
“Okay, I’ll try really hard.”
“Good, trying is the first step to succeeding.”
“I have something to ask you,” Kayla says nervously.
“You can ask me anything, Kayla.”
“My birthday is November ninth. I’ll be turning twelve-years-old.”
“Oh, the big twelve. That’s a fun age.”
“My mom is throwing me a small birthday party, and I was wondering if you wanted to come.” Kayla looks down as she tells me this, afraid of my rejection.
“I would love to. Thank you for inviting me. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Kayla’s big smile is contagious. “It’ll be so much better with you there,” Kayla tells me excitedly.
“You should invite some classmates, Kayla.”
Just like that, her excitement is gone.
“They won’t come, they never come.”
“Invite a few girls in your class. Let them know I’ll style their hair and do makeup and manicures.”
“I’ve never been allowed to wear makeup,” Kayla tells me in awe at the prospect of wearing makeup for the first time.
“Just check with your mom to make sure it’ll be okay first, and then let me know.”
“We’re friends, aren’t we Cocoa?”
“Are you kidding me? Hello, you’re one of my best friends.”
“Thank you for being my friend, Cocoa. I wish I was beautiful, like you.”
“Kayla, you’re very beautiful, and never let anyone tell you differently. Now, let’s tackle this homework the hour is almost over.”
Kayla is the little sister I wish I had. It can be very lonely being the only child.
I can’t believe I’m working on Halloween. Granted, Mary only asked me to work until 5:30 p.m. when Harry arrives. Both schools were let out at noon for staff development day, so no tutoring this afternoon. I’m meeting Jamal, Kate, and Lucy at the senior class carnival tonight. The three asshole kings are at their usual booth in the corner. They arrived about an hour and a half ago. The food they ordered was finished twenty minutes after hitting their table, so I have no idea why they’re still here. Mary is at the register and Chuck is preparing orders. It’s not too busy right now, but I know that will change the later it gets. I walk around, wiping down tables, sweeping the floors, and other miscellaneous things to keep busy.
It’s difficult to keep my distance from Maverick, since we have one class together, and he frequents the pizzeria a lot. I try not to even look at him, but I can’t help but notice him today. He looks good and he knows it. I clench my thighs together, feeling horny when I recall the way he kissed me and played with my clit. Since the project is over, I have no reason to speak to him at all. I look at the clock hanging on the wall for the thousandth time since I started my shift at 12:30 p.m. Its 5:00 p.m., thank goodness. I only have thirty more minutes.
I hear a rumble of a motorcycle engine in the distance. The sound is familiar and welcoming. It brings back memories of my rides with Saint. I look out the big glass window as the sound draws closer. The motorcycle turns left into the parking lot of the pizzeria. I turn away from the window but do a double-take when my brain registers who it is.
