This life... by Emily Zimmerman. (online e reader TXT) 📕

he got on, and just laughed. He revved the bike to life and we sped off. I held on tight to him while he drove like a madman. When we got there, everyone was buzzing about the game. I jumped off the bike and looked around. Jake and Hail were drooling over the bike. Jamie got off the bike and led me over to his friends, one of them was Tiffany. “Hey Kaila! Jamie told me you were going to sing!” Tiffany said excitedly. I nodded as our music teacher came up “Kaila! Come on, you have to get ready” she said, grabbing my arm and leading me to the school doors. I waved at everyone and ran with the teacher. We walked into the girls locker room, everyone was getting ready. “that dress is perfect, your parents are here, but they don’t know your singing, we wanted to make it into a surprise” she explained. I nodded, smiling slightly. “Oh! Your brother is the quarterback of the football team! The coach has been training him all season for this” she told me as she put some foundation on my face. I nodded and got up from the chair. “You’re free to sit out on the field until its your time, which is very soon dear” she said. I nodded and walked out the girls locker and out the back doors, it leads to the opening of the stadium. I sat on the seat, watching as they prepared for guests to arrive. Jared sat next to me “you look tough” I chuckled; he was in all his padding and stuff. He laughed “you look pretty” he retorted. I blushed and pushed his shoulder. “Mom and dad don’t know I’m going to be singing, I really hope I don’t disappoint” I said worriedly. He snorted “you are going to be great, just don’t forget the lines” he teased. I glared at him “thank you, I feel so much better” I said sarcastically. Everyone was piling in, I looked for mom and dad in the crowd, and spotted them looking around with interest. We have a full on stadium for the school, it’s quite awesome. Everyone was seated, and it was almost time for me to sing, I took a deep breath and forced myself to not be nervous. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are proud to welcome a very talented student, volunteering to sing our national anthem, give it up for Kaila Evans Highlander!” my music teacher announced on the stage that was set up in the middle of the field. I got up and smiled, waving. I walked over to the stage and stood with the teacher. Everyone cheered, and I didn’t really know why, they hated me. I took the microphone from her and before I knew it, the music band started playing, and I was singing. Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? When the song was over, my heart was pounding and my breathing was hard, and I felt good. I smiled as everyone cheered, I saw myself on a big screen, I looked…at least a small bit more happy than I was, the screen changed to my parents, they were standing up, clapping and cheering. I walked off the stage and smiled at Jared, he looked shocked that I had that much power in me. I sat down on the bench and watched as the stage was brought off the field. The home team football players came out on the field, and everyone cheered. I was clapping and wooting for Jared as he ran out on the field. Someone grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the opening, I looked up to find Kyle, he had a determined look on his face “please listen to me” he said, covering my mouth as I tried to speak. I crossed my arms and nodded, looking at him expectantly. He hesitated and looked away “Lacy pulled me into the closet when I was walking by, I thought it was you, she didn’t say anything, she just kissed me, it was dark and I had no idea it wasn’t you! Please believe me!” he begged. I looked away “how do I ever trust you again? You promised not to hurt me! And then I find her with you…how can I believe you?” I asked him. He put his hand on my cheek and looked me deep in my eyes “I love you, no one else” he said to me. “That is what you said last time” I told him. ‘Maybe I deserve this, deserve to be hurt this way’ I thought to myself, Kyle seemed to read my thoughts “don’t you even think that, I know that look, you think you deserve this, you don’t! You don’t deserve to be hurt like this, and I am so sorry that I hurt you like I did” he said. I looked away from his face “I just need some time to think okay?” I asked him gently. He looked at my face a while longer, as if memorizing the way it looks “okay… you look beautiful tonight by the way” he murmured. I looked away “thank you” I muttered. Kyle sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I’ll leave, you were amazing, by the way” he said, gesturing to the field. I looked at him in shock “you saw me?” I asked him. He nodded “wouldn’t miss it for the world” he said. “oh…cool” I said awkwardly. “well, bye” he said. “Wait, Kyle-“I paused, trying to find the reason that I stopped him, I guessed to keep him here. He looked back at me, a slightly hopeful glint in his eye “be careful on your way back, okay?” I asked him. He looked disappointed when he answered “no problem” he said quietly. I looked out at the field as he left, looking out as the players ran across the field. At the end of the game, we drove home celebrating; me and Jamie were singing ‘we are the champions’ on the way home. They won! When Jared saw we were driving home in a motorcyclewithout any protecting gear on, he looked like he was having an aneurism, but he kept quiet, he was driving behind us though, I knew his car. When we got to the house, I hugged Jamie “bye Jamie! Thank you for the ride!” I said as I walked to the door. “Kaila! You were amazing!” Mom said, hugging me as I entered the door. “Thank you! It felt so good to be up there on the stage!” I said, smiling. I went silent when I walked into the living room, Kyle was sitting on the couch, mom and dad were chattering away “why didn’t you tell us?” dad asked. I shrugged “I guess I wanted it to be a surprise” I said. Dad rolled his eyes. Kyle was looking away from me, but I avoided looking at him anyway. I faked a yawn “I’m going to go upstairs, I’m kind of tired” I lied. I walked up stairs and into my room. “Goodnight!” they called. “Goodnight!” I called back. I closed my door and laid on my bed, the only thing I could do without Kyle here was fall asleep. ‘What are you doing? You’re practically moping! I say you sneak out!’ I told myself in my mind. I sat up at the thought of sneaking out, I got out of bed and changed into skinny jeans and a shirt. I jumped out the window onto the small roof, climbing off the window, I fell to the ground and got up, wondering where to go now. I decided to walk to McDonalds. I walked up the street and turned, going into a small part of the city I walked into the McDonalds and sat down. “Hi! Can I get you anything?” a guy behind the counter asked. “No thanks” I said. He looked at me in confusion but shrugged “Kaila? What are you doing here?” Jamie suddenly appeared at my table “oh…Hi Jamie, I just wanted to get out of the house, so I snuck out” I shrugged. He laughed and sat down “man! You get stir crazy quick” he teased. I smiled slightly. “so Jamie, what brings you to McDonalds at this hour?” I asked him. He shrugged “I was hungry and…I didn’t really want to go home right now” I noticed a hint of hesitant fear in his voice. “Jamie, what’s wrong?” I asked worriedly, putting my hand on his. He looked away and shook his head “nothing” he lied. “Jamie!” I said sternly. “Nothing okay?” he almost shouted. I pulled my hand back, shock and hurt on my face. Jamie immediately apologized “I’m sorry, it’s just…my father is a drinker, and he doesn’t get physically violent or anything, just verbally” Jamie said. I looked down at my hands “I’m sorry, what about-“ “my mother died in a car accident three years ago, my dad was driving drunk, you would think that would make him stop drinking, but he didn’t stop, it actually got worse” he answered my question. I nodded “I’m sorry” I murmured. He shrugged “I’m…used to it” he said thoughtfully. I smiled slightly “were both pretty messed up” I chuckled. He nodded “I guess that’s what brought- made us such good friends” he said, changing what he said at the last second. I wondered for a second what he was going to say, but I let it go when he stood up “so! Do you want to take a ride on my motorcycle?” he asked. I smiled and nodded, grabbing his outstretched hand. We walked out of McDonalds and jumped on his bike “where do you want to go?” he asked me. I shrugged, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist “I don’t care” I said to him. He nodded and started the bike. We drove around the city, and he drove me to the ocean, driving beside it, I watched as the high tide hit the beach. We drove to for a long time before he took me home; he stopped his bike down the street and put it up on the kick stand. He walked me to my door and smiled at me “thank you Jamie, I really needed this” I murmured. I hugged him and then pulled back. He smiled and kissed my cheek “bye Kaila, see you tomorrow” he said in a whisper. “Bye” I whispered back. I grabbed my key out of my pocket and unlocked the door. Stepping into the door, I watched as he walked down the street, feeling a little guilty that he walked all the way here with me. I turned around and jumped, Kyle was standing there quiet as a mouse behind me, leaning against the banister “you two are together now I take it?” he asked me, raising an eyebrow, jealousy burning in his eyes. I rolled my eyes “no, I went to McDonalds because I couldn’t sleep, and he happened to be there, so we talked for a while and he took me home” I half lied. I wasn’t about to tell him we drove all through town “and even if we were together it wouldn’t be your business anymore” I said stubbornly. He sighed, rolling his eyes “Were practically still together, you just said you needed time to “think”” He said, putting quotation marks on Think. I glared at him “what? So your mad at me now? You’re the one who was sucking face