Chapter 117: Breakfast With Yuki
Breakfast was different this morning. Yuki joined us, and for a second, the air felt lighter. But then I looked at Kaye. He didn’t seem to welcome her at all. He sat there, stiff and quiet, looking dull and pale as he stared her down. I reached under the table and poked his side, trying to get him to snap out of it and act normal, but he didn’t even flinch.
Yuki didn’t seem to mind. She just kept smiling and tried to drop a joke to get him to laugh. Kaye didn’t crack a smile. He just shook his head, pushed his chair back, and stood up. He mumbled that he was done eating and walked straight out to the car without looking back.
"I’m so sorry about him," I said, feeling the heat in my cheeks.
Yuki just brushed it off with a wave of her hand. "He’s just a kid, Faye. Don’t worry about it."
After breakfast, I went to my brother’s room and knocked. Silence. I waited, but there was no answer from behind the wood. Eriko spotted me from the kitchen and told me he hadn’t come back from work yet. I sighed. Maybe tomorrow I’ll finally get to ask him about my past.
I said my goodbyes to Yuki and stepped out into the morning air. Kaye was already in the car, staring out the window. I climbed in and waited for Eriko. Through the open window, I could hear Eriko talking to Yuki, asking if she wanted to enroll in the school. Yuki hesitated. She didn’t give a straight answer. I could tell she wasn’t sure about being in the same building as an Alpha.
I still don’t get it. Why does she hate Alphas so much? I know some people hate them because they like to be in control, but with Yuki, it feels personal. It’s deep. And then there’s that purple eye glow. The second she walked in for breakfast, those eyes glowed right toward Kaye.
"You’re not going to marry Yuki, right?"
Kaye’s voice snapped me back to the present. He was sitting right beside me, his arms folded tight over his chest, a deep frown on his face. I turned my head to look at him.
"Yo, dude, you need to be respectful to someone older than you," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Yuki is our neighbor now. She should be respected. No more glaring, man. It felt really unwelcoming back there."
"You didn’t answer my question," he snapped. "Are you marrying Yuki?"
"No! Why would me and Yuki get married? What is wrong with you?"
"Because all your life you’ve been simping for Yuki," he shot back, his voice getting louder. "You always wanted her to propose to you one day, even if it only happened in a dream. You worship her like you worship the Moon Goddess."
I stared at him, completely confused. "Okay... what is your deal with who I marry? I can marry whoever I want."
Kaye looked me dead in the eyes with a serious face. "As the second man of the Grande family, I, Kaye Grande, forbid you from marrying anyone but the one I choose for you."
What the fuck is wrong with this boy?
"Dude, you need to chill," I said, feeling my own temper start to rise. "I don’t know where all that is coming from, but my life is my life. Like I said, I choose whoever I want to be with. You’re in no position to make decisions for me. And I’m not planning to get married anytime soon, so stop with the questions."
I leaned back, thinking he’d finally drop it.
"Then who are you planning to date?"
"Where are all these questions coming from?" I groaned, rubbing my temples. "What is your deal with my relationship status? Just stop it."
"No, I won’t. I’ll keep asking until you choose the one I want. I already gave my blessing to someone special."
This guy was really starting to piss me off. I felt my fingers twitch. I was about to grab his shirt and shake some sense into him when the driver’s side door opened and Eriko hopped in.
"Okay, who is ready for school?" he asked. He looked back at us and paused, clearly feeling the tension vibrating in the car. "I’ll just drop you two off. You both obviously woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. You Grandes and your family commotion... sometimes it makes me wonder if you guys even love each other."
Kaye and I both turned at the same time and gave him a dead stare. Eriko turned back around fast. I’m pretty sure it gave him chills because he immediately started the car and pulled out of the driveway.
Later that day, I was in the school toilet. I was just trying to have a moment of peace when someone I really didn’t like walked in.
Kiara.
She didn’t just walk in, she stood at the door and leaned against it, folding her arms. I don’t get this girl.
Why is she still on my neck after everything?
I decided to ignore her. I kept my head down, finished washing my hands, and grabbed a paper towel. Once I was done, I tried to walk past her to leave, but she stepped to the side and blocked my way.
I took a long, tired breath and looked up at her. "What do you want, Kiara? Why this nonsense?"
"My life was perfect you know," she said, her voice sharp. "Then you arrived and took it away. You owe me an apology, and I want it now."
I couldn’t help it. I scoffed. I was already too annoyed for this.
"Bitch, you’re the one who owes me an apology," I said, stepping closer. "How dare you try to tarnish my reputation? You uploaded a sextape of me and Princess, then you went and told your mom I snatched her from you? I should fucking punch you right now."
She didn’t flinch. She dropped her arms and stepped even closer until we were almost chest to chest.
"I want my apology. You’re the one at fault. My perfect life changed the moment you, Faye Grande.... drugged everyone in school so they would forget about you here in Oakland."
I felt my heart skip a beat. I stepped back, hitting the cold tile of the wall. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"You don’t just owe me an apology," she hissed. "You owe the entire school. That day, I saw you and your stupid sidekick putting something in the school water. Thanks to that, my life changed."
"I don’t fucking believe you," I said, my voice shaking. "You’re lying."
"Why would I lie? I have nothing to lose anymore. Because of your return, I lost my best friend and the girl of my dreams. Now I have to do something stupid to get them back."
The usual mean girl vibe she had was gone. This wasn’t just some high school drama. This felt like something else... something much darker.
"You’re lying. You’re just making things up to mess with my head."
"If you think I’m lying, then go ahead and ask your partner in crime," she said, her eyes boring into mine. "Ask Your Mr SquarePants. He was right there with you."
Malo.
I just stood there, unable to move. I couldn’t believe it. Why would I ever do something like that? That can’t be me.
But then I thought about Malo. I always felt like something was off about him.
Why did he lie to me when I asked him?
