AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I sat down on the edge of the bed and put my arms round her. She hauled herself up and fell onto me, breaking into fresh sobs.
“Sweetheart, what happened?” I asked. I was suddenly alarmed. “Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?” I glanced around the room. “Where’s Macy?”
She shook her head. “She left. With Paulina and the others,” she said through gulping tears. “They all came around, just after you went out, and she wanted me to let them in, for us to all hang out… But then…”
My emotions turned from fear to anger then. How dare they do this to such a sweet, kind girl! I hugged her fiercely to me and vowed that the next person who wanted to hurt her would have to come through me first.
“It was okay at first,” Kayla said then, sitting upright and wiping her eyes.
I reached for a tissue from the box by the bed. “Here you go, sweetie.”
“Thanks.” She gave her nose a big blow. “I thought they just wanted to come and hang out. Macy said Paulina wanted to be friends with me. I didn’t think Dad would mind, and well, I thought you’d be pleased. I felt happy.” She cringed. “I feel like such an idiot now, so ashamed.”
She groaned and fell back onto the bed, burying her face in a pillow and shaking with sobs again. I rubbed her back. “Listen to me,” I said sternly. “You have nothing to feel ashamed about, okay?”
“Yes, I do, I’m such a loser,” she wailed. “They’ll all be talking about this at school when we go back – about how they tricked me and trashed my place. Paulina said… she said…”
I kept rubbing her back and waiting patiently for her to continue. I knew she didn’t need anything but for someone to be with her and hold space for her. Eventually she sat upright again and looked at me. “She said I was stupid to think she’d be friends with me when I’m such a loser.”
I was furious at that, but I managed to keep my voice level. “You know that’s not true, right? She’s a bully. This is what they do, try and feel big by making you feel bad about yourself. They’re cowards really, on the inside.”
Kayla didn’t reply to that. Instead, she said, “They started messing about and soon they were having a big fight with the popcorn and soda. And they were running around the lounge trying to put makeup on each other, getting it everywhere. I saw the couch…” She sighed and tears ran down her face. “And the bookcase.” She searched my eyes. “Could we maybe get the glass fixed, and not tell Dad about this?”
I sighed and squeezed her shoulders. “You know we can’t do that, hon. But we can get everything tidied up and clear up the broken glass.” Then I frowned and got her to look at me. “Why don’t you want to tell your dad, Kayla?” I asked her. “Are you frightened he’ll be angry with you. Because he won’t, you know…”
She shook her head. “I know he won’t. But he’ll think… he’ll think I’m a loser, just like Paulina said.”
My heart went out to her so deeply in that moment and I hugged her tight. There was clearly more talk to have about bullying and the terrible effect it had on people. Bless her, the little sweetheart.
“You are the best, most kind and wonderful young woman in the world,” I told her. “We’ll talk to your dad together, okay? But for now, let’s get everything cleaned up.”
I stood and offered her my hand. She took it and let me pull her up.
* * *
“But why do I have to come all the way across town?” Caleb had whined. “You always come and pick up Maddy after I have her.”
Yeah, and drop her off every time too, and that’s something else that’s changing. I gripped the phone tight in my hand. “Because I need to talk to you, and I want to do it on my own turf.”
“But I have to meet a girl in Chelsea at-“
“I don’t care. Be here at seven-thirty.”
I’d hung up. Turned out that my anger with Alex had its positives. I’d been able to speak frankly to my father, and now Caleb.
Now Caleb was walking into the grand showcase apartment downstairs. I needed some privacy for this. He’d just got back himself. He’d been understanding about the bookcase, of course, and was now giving Maddy her bedtime bottle and reading her a story.
Kayla had gone to bed early and was already asleep – exhausted from the shock of the day. We’d all talk about Paulina and what had happened in the morning. For now, what she needed was rest.
“Wow, M-B, this is some place you got-“
“Sit down and shut up.”
Shocked, Caleb sat heavily down on the orange sofa. I had a sudden flash of memory of me and Alex together, hot and sweaty and full of desire and…
“Not there!” I yelled, making him spring to his feet again.
I couldn’t stand the thought of Caleb being anywhere near where me and Alex had been so connected. It felt like a sacred place.
