Chapter Three

I spent Saturday keeping a closer eye on Gracie than I usually did. I didn't have anything better to do, or more entertaining. My mom was back Saturday night, and Gracie was tired of me being around her so much. So I went to the mall. I knew I needed more clothes. The Goth thing probably wouldn't last as long as I'd expected it to. I could be a loner and dress decently.

            I recognized a few kids from school and I probably looked stupid being at the mall alone, but it didn't matter. I had a friend, and that was all I needed.

 

            Sunday I tried to read, but after I finished one of my books, I didn't have any new ones to read. I wouldn't even have school this week. And everybody had midterms to study for. So my time with Daniel would be limited.

            My mom left around two on Sunday and Gracie went over to her friends' house. I didn't even know she'd made any. To my surprise, Daniel stopped by.

            "I thought you were staying home…," I said when I opened the door. He smiled.

            "I was staying home. But I got bored. I told my parents I went to the movies, so I've got a few hours to kill. I've got to study for midterms this week, though, so I don't know if I'll be able to see you. Are you coming to school?" Daniel asked. He had certainly said a mouthful.

            "No, I'm not. I don't have to take them and the school is fine with me not taking them since I don't know what you've learned. I'll just be sitting here all week, wallowing in my self-pity." He smiled. We went up to my room and talked pointlessly again.

            After about two hours he left. So I went to the book store to stock up for the week. I didn't see any kids from school here, so it was pretty much okay to be alone. The town wasn't all that big, and I didn't mind walking places, so walking was the way to go.

 

            Monday, around eight, someone tapped on my window. I knew Daniel would be studying, he told me he would be. I opened it and sure enough, it was him. He was only good at sneaking around in the dark. He had found a way up to my window.

            "Shouldn't you be studying?" I asked, watching him climb into my room. He shrugged.

            "I've got my books right here. You can tutor me," Daniel said. I looked down.

            "I'm not all that smart."

            "Then you can watch me study." And I did. I read while he studied. He laid on my bed and I curled up in my chair. Every once in a while we would glance up at each other, sometimes at the same time, sometimes he wouldn't see me look at him. Sometimes I even saw him look at me, but I didn't look up.

            "Kyland?" My mom asked from downstairs. Daniel cleared all his stuff and moved to my closet quickly as I went downstairs to see what my mom wanted.

            "Yeah, Mom?" I said.

            "I got you an ice cream sundae." I followed her into the kitchen and saw my sundae. It looked delicious. So I ate it and talked to her for a little bit. She brought up Daniel after a few minutes.

            "Do you like that boy?"

            "No, Mom. We're just friends. We really are."

            "I love that you've made a friend, Kyland. I really do. It's just a little weird that he's a boy, you know? I'm just being a mom."

            "I know. It'd be nice if you let him come over more often, though. We don't have to go in my room. We've got nothing to hide. We could just hang out around the house."

            "It's fine if he comes over more. I never said it wasn't. I'm sorry you thought that. All this time he could've been coming over."

            "Yeah." I smiled to myself. I finished my sundae and went back upstairs to Daniel. He moved his stuff out of the closet and laid back on my bed. I curled up on my chair again and kept reading.

Reviews

[tremainiator]

Now you have lost me. There is just too much missing from the story, too many implied contradictions and improbabilities. Why are Ky and Daniel not getting physical - I don't mean sexual, but at least physical? Are they not human? They're hormonal, for Christ's sake! There has to be a reason they're not and I want to know. "He was only good at sneaking around in the dark." What does this mean? "he had found a way up to my window." He's been coming to Ky's room for over a week so why mention this now? I should think this would have been an interesting point to make in the first or second chapter.

The Goth thing probably wouldn't last as long as I'd expected it to. I could be a loner and dress decently.

Yoou should rewrite "I recognized a few kids from school and I probably looked stupid being at the mall alone, but it didn't matter. I had a friend, and that was all I needed."

[Wendy Seames Garner]

Daniel is still being creepy, does he wait outside for Kyland's mother to leave? Why does mom think it's weird for a teenage girl to have a friend who is a boy? Kyland's character doesn't really seem like the type who would be sneaking around like this. She doesn't act disrespectful to her mother, she babysits her sister.

[lori c]

why is she changing her mind about being goth ??? i liked that about her...
I recognized a few kids from school and I probably looked stupid being at the mall alone, but it didn't matter. I had a friend, and that was all I needed. this is a bit confusing from chapter one.... what changed her mind about needing a friend.?
how old are your characters ?? mom being mom is good.
i keep thinking daniel has a secret ....