More Than This by McLean, Jay (free ebook reader .TXT) 📕

a long time. I take a seat on the two seater opposite and assume Kayla will sit next to Lisa on the sofa, but she surprises us by sitting next to me, and continues holding my hand. She sits so close to me, like she’s trying to climb me.

She’s afraid.

I adjust our positions so I can throw my arms around her waist and hold her hand, she burrows even closer to me.

I’m not blind to the confused stares we’re getting from the grown ups, I just don’t care. If she needs me, I’ll be there.

It’s then I realize that this might be the last time I see her. I don’t know what her plans are or where she’ll live after this. Is she still going to UNC? She might not even want to see me again. Surely, in her mind, I’m linked to the worst night of her life. I didn’t even think of that. My stomach drops at the thought of never seeing her again.

Lisa clears her throat, glancing between the two of us. “I’m sorry.” Her eyebrows are drawn together in confusion. “I know there are more pressing things we need to discuss, but what’s going on here?” She looks at kayla now. “Kayla, your mom sent me a picture of you last night. You were cozied up next to James, and Megan was there. She said in the message that you had just left for prom. Am I missing something?”

I look to Mom and she’s just as confused. She leans forward in the recliner waiting for an answer. She won’t get one from me.

Mikayla's voice is so quiet you can barely hear her words. “I walked in on James last night.” Lisa gasps, knowing where this is heading. “With Megan.” Lisa’s face falls. Kayla continues, “They were seeing each other behind my back for two years.” It’s Moms turn to gasp.

I hold her tighter.

“That’s when I met Jake, he was there… he was there to help me. He-"

“Wait,” Lisa interrupts. “you guys have only known each other for one night?”

Kayla’s quiet for a long moment before she answers, “I don’t think that really matters, Lisa. I knew James for four years.”

Lisa nods in understanding.

“I know it’s strange, and I know it might be circumstantial. Like, we shared an experience and that somehow makes us closer, but, Lisa,” Kayla looks up at us now, “Jake, he makes things hurt a little less. He… he’s home for me right now. If being around him takes the pain away just a tiny bit, then it doesn’t matter how or why he’s here with me. I just…you can’t understand…” her voice trails off.

Lisa settles back on the sofa, my mom smiles at Kayla, and I kiss her on the temple before leaning us back into the sofa.

Just then the front door bursts open and Julie goes barreling down the entrance hallway. I hear her shoes squeak as she makes an effort to stop abruptly, then she slowly walks into the room. My dad comes up behind her and places his hand on her shoulder. She looks at everyone in the room one by one, her eyes land on Mikayla and she does a double take, she takes in our positions and closeness to each other.

“Ooooh,” she says, coming closer to us. She’s examining Kayla’s face up close. “You’re pretty!” Then she looks at me, “Better than the last one, Jacaaaarb.” She says my name like she did when she was a baby, she does it when she wants to be a brat because it pisses me off, but now is not the right time. I’m about to tell her to get lost when she leans even closer towards Kayla.

“Hey! I know you! Your Emily’s sister, right? Man, she looks so much like you. She’s gonna be just as pretty when she grows up. We have dance together. She wasn’t there today though, is she sick?”

“Okay kiddo, time to get some homework done. I’ll let you do it in my office on the big spinny chair.” My dad says, and then mouths a ‘sorry’ to Kayla.

“Oh no…” My mom covers her mouth with her hand. “Emily Jones? Your parents are Kevin and Denise?” Understanding dawns on her face.

Kayla nods. Her eyes wide with unshed tears.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Mom cries.

Lisa looks between my mom and Kayla. It’s not enough that Kayla’s lost her entire family, or that Lisa’s lost her best friend, but now mom’s lost people she cares about too, she just didn’t know it.

“So, there might be a slight issue with the hotel room, Kayla.” Lisa breaks the silence.

We all look at her.

“I tried to book two rooms at the same hotel, or at least a room with two beds, or even a room with a twin or queen bed, but the only ones available are singles and even they were hard to find. Apparently some new ‘Nicholas Sparks’ movie is being filmed here and that ‘Zac Teflon’ boy from those high school movies is in town. All the hotels are booked out.”

She takes a sip of her tea. “I thought you would be staying with James or Megan, but now I see that that’s not an option.” She glances at me, and then down to our entwined hands. “I can make it work. We’ll make a bed on the floor of the hotel until we sort out what’s happening with the house insurance and stuff.” She tries to smile.

“She can stay here!” I blurt out.

Kayla’s head whips to face me.

“Right, Mom?” I plead with my eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart, of course, you can stay here until things settle a bit and more permanent housing has been organized.” She smiles reassuringly at me.

“I can’t stay here-"

“What?” I face her.

“You can, and you will.” My mom states with a tone that means ‘the end’.

***

Lisa ends up staying for dinner, Julie is spending the night at a friends house. Dad apologizes to Kayla again and has assured her that he’s explained the