Kaycee

Chapter 6

Later that day she had finally spoken to Jacob. For over an hour they discussed what was going on with the club and the situation with Hannah which ended up not being as bad as she thought. Hannah had been friends with his sister since they were kids and had always been obsessed with him ever since he could remember. He explained that there was never anything between them and that she was just trying to be her usual b***h self.

But then came the conversation of the message and picture. Jacob was shocked and confused and couldn't think of anyone that would be the stalker, blackmailing type. Again, Hannah's name came up but he refused to believe it had anything to do with her. He had other women in his life before and Hannah had never gone that far.

In the end they decided it would be best to take a break for a while. She didn't know how serious this mystery person was going to be with their threat and she did not want to risk getting Jacob in trouble. Her heart ached for him but she knew it was for the best. She continued to count down the days until she turned eighteen.

For the next week she continued to sulk around the apartment and texted Jacob on and off on the phone. She had gone into hiding in her room, usually reading or watching tv until one morning she had ventured out to the kitchen for cereal and ran into her mother. She had avoided her as much as possible but most of the time it wasn't too hard. Anna had seemed to have both worked and lived at the mansion anymore as of late. Kaycee didn't mind having the place to herself and rather enjoyed the silence.

"Want some coffee?" Anna smiled as she turned around and poured out a cup before Kaycee even responded.

"What's the occasion that you're here today?" Kaycee asked as she sat down at the kitchen counter and grabbed the hot mug that her mom sat down.

Anna leaned against the far counter and took a sip of her coffee. "School is coming up soon. I was thinking we could go out for the day and do some shopping."

Kaycee sighed loudly. She didn't know which was worse, school or shopping, in the same sentence. "I don't want to do either of those things but," she paused for a moment. "if we can hit up a Taco Bell for lunch then maybe I might reconsider."

Anna smiled again. It had been a long time since they were close. Not since she was a child did they have a mother and daughter connection. Their family had gone their seperate ways on the inside many years before. It was time, she thought, to make up for everything they had lost.

"How about we head out to that big mall on the other side of the city? We can hit up the Taco Bell while we are there and then maybe stop at that cute little cafe on the way back?" Anna suggested as she put her empty mug in the sink.

Kaycee's head shot up quickly. "Reed's?"

"Yeah." Anna answered as she walked to the other side of the kitchen towards Kaycee. "Have you been in there?"

"Oh, um, no." Kaycee stuttered. "I'd like to check it out though."

Kaycee knew the cafe was across the street from the club but she had never visited either one. She had hardly ever gone to the city since they moved there and when she had it was with her mother just driving through.

"Okay, well, get a shower and get yourself ready." Anna replied as she grabbed her purse and keys. "I'll be back in a little bit to pick you up."

Kaycee got up off the chair as her mom went out the door. She texted Jacob to ask him what he was going to be doing and then got herself ready for the day.

***

After some chalupas, Kaycee was somewhat ready to endure a day of hanging out with her mother. She knew that Anna would try to persuade her into wanting more dresses and skirts, which she hated, while she perused the racks for shorts and jeans.

"You look like a model. You take after me. Start dressing like one." Anna would always say when Kaycee threw on a beenie, some jeans and a t-shirt. But, she was not the girly-girl type, despite how she looked. She had the appearance to instantly become the popular girl no matter where she went but she didn't have the personality. Her shyness and social anxiety made her hide instead of shine. Most of the time she liked it better that way anyway.

"How about these?" Anna bounced around an aisle to show Kaycee a pair of pink, lace up sandals with a heel.

Kaycee huffed before she turned and walked towards the sneakers. The store that they had gone into had a wide selection in many different brands of nice footwear. The section in her size had Nike, Converse, Skechers, Adidas, Vans and other smaller name brands.

She was in the middle of looking at a pair of shoes when a group of teenagers, around her age, walked into the far end of the aisle. Two boys and two girls hovered around each other, softly talking amongst themselves. Kaycee could tell from the corner of her eye that they had all glanced down at her at least twice.

She sighed softly to herself and put the sneaker back on its display when she noticed one of the boys with dark hair break from their group and start to walk towards her. She quickly turned and took off towards the aisle where her mother still was.

"Did you find anything?" Anna asked as Kaycee hurried towards her.

She grabbed her mom by the arm with a jolt and led her towards the doors. "No, let's go find another store."

"Geez, what's going on?" Anna finally got a chance to say as they got back out into the mall. Kaycee walked quickly ahead of her which made Anna have to chase her down.

"There was nothing I liked." she replied as her mom finally caught up and walked beside her.

Anna looked at her strangely. "You practically pulled me out of the store just because you didnt find anything?"

Kaycee walked into another store and instantly went to a specific shirt that was in the display window. She replied with a simple "mhmm" and continued browsing.

"It was those other kids that were in there, wasn't it?" she paused. "Do you know them?"

Kaycee picked up a t-shirt from a rack and kept walking without looking at her mother. "What kids? I don't know anyone here."

Anna smirked to herself and followed. "That's the problem. It wouldn't kill you to make some friends."

Kaycee rolled her eyes as she put her two shirts on the counter. "I don't need friends. People suck."

"Such is life." Anna snickered. "But, when you get to school that first day, you know you will have everyone following you."

"You're so full of yourself, mother." Kaycee shook her head and directed her attention to the woman who was ringing up her stuff.

Unfortunately, though, her mom was right. She had always been the center of a group until a few so called friends turned on her for the new girl. Her boyfriend at the time did the same. It was then when she officially cut everyone off and confined herself to her room in sullen solitude. Ironically, in a few weeks she was going to be the new girl in that same position. She dreaded it already.

Anna handed the cashier her credit card and turned back to Kaycee. "Hopefully, you can find yourself a new boy and get out of the apartment once in awhile too."

She instantly thought of Jacob as she took the bag off the counter. "I'll pass." After being with Jacob, she no longer wanted some immature high school kid.

They headed back out of the store and into the mall. As they neared the food court her mother had to use the restroom so Kaycee took a seat at the nearest table and pulled out her phone. She found a message back from Jacob that he was lounging around the house all day until he headed to the club late in the evening.

She continued to surf on her phone when she heard a voice calling out in her direction. It seemed to be coming from behind her but she refused to turn around. She kept her face down and ignored everyone around her, patiently waiting for her mother to return.

"Skechers!" a voice yelled in her ear as a guy jumped in front of her. She almost fell out of her chair and leaned back as if he were too close in her bubble.

"What?" she questioned him with a mean glare. She realized it was the same kid with the group earlier that she ran away from.

He smiled, knowing now that he had her attention. "You were looking at Skechers. In the shoe store."

"Um, ok?" she replied as she looked around for her mother or an escape route.

The guy's dark hair flopped down in his face as he leaned over with this hand out. "I'm Ethan."

Kaycee paused for a moment just looking at it without moving. She unwillingly reached out and returned the act in good favor while wincing at his touch. "Kaycee."

He let go of her hand as she pulled it away from him. He stepped back a bit and put his hands in his pockets. "Are you from around here? I've never seen you before."

Kaycee sighed as she looked in the direction of the restrooms. Her mother was taking the longest bathroom break in the history of the planet. "I just moved here this summer."

"Cool." He continued to grin at her. "Will you by chance be going to ACH?"

"Unfortunately." she said sarcastically as she looked back down at her phone.

"I hear ya." he laughed, obviously not getting her joke. "Me and my friends go there." He continued to rattle off their names but she was hardly listening.

"Are you ready?" a female voice called out randomly. Kaycee looked up at her mother, grabbed the bags and jumped out of her seat.

"Here's my number." Ethan quickly intervened before she walked away. "I wrote it down earlier in case I saw you again. Call me or text me."

She rolled her eyes as he held it out to her. She grabbed it from him roughly, turned and took off in the direction of the doors to leave. As soon as they got back outside and into the car her mother finally spoke.

"Well, he was cute. Who was that?"

Kaycee put her hand up defensively and turned her head toward the window. "No, mom."

Anna smiled as they left the parking lot and headed into the city towards the cafe. After about a ten minute ride her mother squeezed into a spot a little ways further up from the cafe. Kaycee jumped out eagerly and turned her attention to the big factory type building across the street. It was the closest she ever got to the club and she was excited to see it close up.

"Don't pay any attention to that waste of space." her mother grumbled as she walked beside her. "Only the trash hang out there."

Kaycee ignored her and continued looking. She was hoping she would catch a glimpse of Jacob even though he said he wouldn't be there during the day.

They reached the cafe and went inside. They were amazed at how cozy it all looked. Way back at the far wall was a fireplace that was used in the cooler months and it seemed as if someone was on one of the couches near it taking a nap.

They ordered some drinks and took a space near the front windows. After a few moments Kaycee got up and looked through the book store part of the cafe and scanned through the titles for a bit before returning to the table.

They sat in silence surfing on their phones for a little while when movement across the street caught Kaycee's attention. One of the front doors opened and Kaycee noticed Jacob coming outside. Her heart fluttered and her eyes widened. She wanted so much to race out and embrace him even though she knew she couldn't. She realized she was smiling.

But, following Jacob out the door a blonde followed. He stopped, turned back to her and gave her a hug. They kissed, paused and kissed again. Kaycee's smile faded as pain stabbed her in the chest. She knew that they officially stopped seeing each other, which obviously hurt, but the woman walking to her car in front of the club was going to be a problem.

It was Hannah Carter.