The realization that Kota had kept her at his house made Victor second guess how Kota felt about her. He must have felt personally responsible, or just liked her enough, cared about her enough, to take the risk.
Victor cast his eyes down once he realized he was staring. He should stop making assumptions. He should get to know her, after all. She seemed shy right now, but what if she was snobbish? Or rude? He really had no idea what was going on.
Erica motioned to the empty chair between Kota and Victor. “Have a seat.”
Victor leaned over an inch in an effort to make room for her, but she had plenty of space.
She sat, and focused on the table. Kota quickly reached for the bowl of scrambled eggs and quietly filled her plate with a couple of scoops.
Of course! Victor reached for the closest thing, the bacon platter, and quickly placed a few slices on the plate for her. He wanted to show her he was sorry.
Why was his heart thudding so hard? He rarely had stage fright, but he suddenly felt it strongly. Feeling jittery, he didn’t want to drop bacon in her lap, so he quickly set down the platter.
“Orange juice?” Erica asked her.
Victor’s head snapped around, looking for the juice. Kota got hold of it before he could; it was on his side of the table.
Damn it.
Kota held it over her cup. “Say when,” he said.
As he poured, Victor suddenly worried perhaps she didn’t want bacon. Or eggs. Was she a vegetarian? They hadn’t even asked. He hadn’t thought to ask. He was just trying to make sure she got something to eat.
She seemed pleased, though, and began to eat once Jessica and Erica started eating again.
With Sang beside him, he found it difficult to swallow. He picked at his food and tried to think of something to say, but nothing came except apologies and questions, things Erica probably shouldn’t hear.
If they hurried, maybe they could get outside, and he could finally find out what was going on. It was agony waiting. He just wanted to talk to her without Erica around.
Everyone was quiet as they ate, and it seemed like the longest moments of his life. He threw looks at Kota, silently trying to urge him to hurry up.
Maybe it didn’t matter. It’s not like he could ask Sang to hurry, too. He didn’t want to seem rude to Erica, either.
He stabbed at a small piece of egg, and chewed it, but his stomach was in knots. He wouldn’t be able to finish his plate.
“So, how did you meet my son? And Victor?” Erica asked as her eyes lit up coyly.
Was she laughing at them? Did she know? It was hard to tell.
Sang’s face reddened a lot. Poor thing. Didn’t Erica see she was shy? There were a lot of new people around her, watching her.
“I met her yesterday,” Kota said quickly. The slight tone and the way he glanced at Erica told Victor Kota was pleading that she not ask too many questions.
“I only bumped into her today,” Victor said, stabbing at the bacon on his plate. She’d asked about him, too; he may as well answer.
He looked up at Sang and stopped chewing the bacon as she met his eyes.
It was two seconds, two long seconds of getting lost in those green eyes. Was it a plea to not say what had happened upstairs? Did she think he’d betray her now?
“Kind of surprised me, to be honest,” he said, smiling at her, silently asking for forgiveness.
She blushed again.
Too much? He didn’t mean to embarrass her. Had he said something wrong?
“Will you be going to their school?” Erica asked.
“Yup,” Kota said. “She’s in the same grade as us.”
That’s right; she’d go to the same school. That hadn’t even crossed his mind yet.
Erica threw a look at Kota and Victor. Kota obviously knew that look and cringed, ready for a scolding. “You’ve got such a lovely voice, Sang. And that ventriloquism thing you do is amazing. A real talent.”
Victor’s small smile turned into an embarrassed grimace. This was so painful to sit through. Couldn’t Erica understand they didn’t mean to speak for her? They were just trying to help. Kota used to be the same way, shy and never speaking to anyone. Kota always said he appreciated it when Victor took the lead with things. Wasn’t it natural to want to be helpful and aware of a sensitive person’s feelings?
“You know how guys are,” Sang said. Her voice was small, but she looked to the guys in a teasing way. “Give them two minutes; they think they know everything.”
Victor’s mouth opened, and he dropped his fork. Maybe he’d assumed too much. Was she really shy? Or just nervous given the situation she was in?
Kota laughed so hard; he put his hand on his stomach. A little too much. Was he trying to ease the tension?
Victor shot him a look. Don’t laugh at her. Kota didn’t look at him, though, so he missed it.
Erica seemed pleased. “Smart girl,” she said and drummed her knuckles on the table. She stood, and picked up her empty plate. “Keep an eye on this one, Kota. She’s got your number.”
Victor was thinking of something to say when Kota spoke quietly, “Not yet, she doesn’t.”
Then, he winked at her.
She blushed again and giggled nervously.
Victor frowned. Did she like Kota?
Did he like her?
Kota had told him it wasn’t what he thought, but that look felt like there was more between them. Maybe Kota wasn't being honest or was understating their interest in each other.
Victor stared at his plate and picked at his food in silence.
Forget about her. Something was going on, but why should he get so excited about her? He thought of the conversation he’d had the night before with Luke. Girls wouldn’t understand them. Relationships were too complicated. If she dated Kota, or him, how long would it be before she got upset with them for being out late, or coming home with bruises? How long would it be before she learned they’d lied to her or thought they didn’t care, leaving her to disappear, sometimes for hours or days at a time, with no explanation?
Girls outside the Academy didn’t understand. It wouldn’t be long before Kota had to disappear on her because of some emergency and he wouldn’t be able to explain why.
Victor sighed to himself. In a few days, she’d find them too strange to even want to be friends with them. Whatever was going on, they’d help her with it, but then, she’d be gone.
Sometimes, being inside the Academy was the harder choice.
♥♥♥
Erica shooed them out of the house, insisting she’d clean up, but not before she threw a few amused looks at Kota. He ignored them.
Outside, the sun was drying out the puddles. Sang shuffled behind Kota, sticking close to him.
Victor frowned and hid his hands behind his back for a second. When he realized it, he corrected himself; he didn’t want to seem unfriendly.
Max padded his way around to the drive, tongue out, happy to see them all. He sprinted over toward them.
Sang dodged out of the way, using Kota as a shield.
Did she not like dogs? He frowned, unsure how to feel about a person who might dislike a friendly, and very obedient dog like Max. Victor adored Max dearly. Or did she fear dogs? Maybe she didn’t have much experience with them?
Kota stood with his arms wide out, and then showed his palm to Max, a sign for the dog to stop. “No. Sit. You did enough damage already?”
Damage? What damage? Max froze, whined once, and then sunk into a sitting position.
Then, Victor spotted the bandage on her arm. With the way she shrank away from Max and how Kota spoke, it had him guessing. “So that was from Max?” he asked.
She nodded and then covered her bandaged hand with her good one. “It wasn’t his fault. He just surprised me, and I hit the pavement.”
Oh no. He felt ashamed he’d thought badly of her before. He needed to stop assuming, but it was difficult. His puzzle-solving brain was trying to reason out all the answer
s.
She turned her head and then focused on Victor’s car.
Okay, enough silence. He couldn’t take it anymore. “All right, out with it,” he said. He crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t want to be mean, but he needed to know. He was dying trying to figure it out. “I’ve been playing along all morning. I’d like to know what kind of trouble I’m digging myself into.” Ugh. That was harsher than he meant. He sounded like his mother.
She looked to Kota instantly, and it was him who responded. “She was out late walking home when Max broke the lead and well... I couldn’t just let her go home bleeding.”
That was it? No. There was something more. Why wouldn’t she just go home with a bandage?
She nodded and responded before he could ask more questions. “I was out so late that sneaking back in would have meant more trouble at my house.”
“It just kind of happened,” Kota said.
Victor studied them, mostly her. He wasn’t sure what to say and suspected they weren’t saying everything. When she looked away, he was sure of it. There was more to the story. She was holding back. Kota, too.
“Give her a break, Vic,” Kota said, and then stepped in front of her like a shield.
Victor turned his head, trying to mask his dour expression. Something was wrong. He knew it. Kota knew it; he could see it in his face. Something was happening, and he didn’t know what, but if Kota was protecting her, there was way more.
Her face appeared over Kota’s shoulder, and those green eyes pleaded with him, begging for understanding.
He tried to silently ask her what was wrong. Tell me, he thought. I’ll fix it. Kota will fix it. I can’t fix anything if you don’t tell me.
Nothing. She said nothing. She was going to drive him crazy.
Still, maybe she couldn’t, or was too embarrassed. Who was he to even ask? She didn’t know anything about him.
He needed to get Kota alone. Just for a minute. He needed the full story.
He didn’t want to abandon her, either. If he invited her along for the day, maybe she’d get distracted by shopping, something in a store, and he could get two words in with Kota.
“Okay,” Victor said. He shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets then nodded to his car. “Well, I came to take Kota to the mall. Are you going with us?”
She didn’t talk for the longest time, though he knew she’d heard; her cheeks turned red again. What’s the deal? They were just going to a mall, he thought.
“Maybe we can put that off for a few hours,” Kota said.
Was he crazy? Gabriel would kill them if they canceled. They needed to go if they wanted their suits to be ready on time.
“No,” she said before Victor could protest. She was focused on the dog who was relaxed, lying at Kota’s feet.
She bent down, scratching his belly.
They watched her, waiting.
Max rolled over as she continued to scratch. “It’s okay. You guys go. I’ve got things to do. I wouldn’t want to slow you down.”
Slow us down? Maybe she didn’t want to go. Or she really couldn’t. At least he’d get a chance to talk to Kota. They could see her later.
He was about to nod toward his car, but Kota wouldn’t look his way, focused on Sang, instead.
Slowly, Kota ducked down to catch her eyes, looking up at her intently. “Do you want to go?” he asked, quietly.
“It probably doesn’t matter,” she said, with a shrug. “I wouldn’t be allowed anyway.”
Well, crap. Her parents probably wouldn’t let her go out with two boys she didn’t know. Victor couldn’t blame them of course. Well, that’s that.
That’s when Kota shot him a look, silently urging him to help out.
What? What was he supposed to do? Kidnap her? He groaned internally. “What if we went and asked them?” he offered, putting his hands on his hips. “I mean, we’re not ax murderers.”
She looked right at him and smiled, amused.
He swallowed, trying to fix his face to smile back, but all he could do was stare. She made his insides quiver.
He’d never been so nervous around someone, not even while on stage in front of hundreds of people.
“It’s complicated,” she said. “My mom would just say no right off. It won’t matter who asks.”
Oh. A strict mom. No wonder she didn’t dare sneak back into her house at night. But then, she’s out now. What’s the problem? Were they not wondering where she is right now?
God, so many questions.
“We could try,” Kota said.
Victor couldn’t believe it. Why was he pressuring her?
Her lips twisted, and she was quiet as she seemed to be thinking. Finally, she said, “If you really want me to go, give me a few minutes.”
Victor’s heart raced and he clenched his teeth. Uh oh.
“What are you going to do?” Kota asked.
“She’s going to lie, dummy,” Victor said, frowning. Not a good idea. They were asking her to lie. Why pressure her into going? Why couldn’t they just leave without her? She’d said she was busy.
Kota frowned and rubbed his chin. “Really, it’s no big deal if we go talk to them.”
Couldn’t he see she didn’t want to go?
“I think it’s better if I just make a quick appearance and then don’t mention I’m going. They won’t notice I’m missing for a few hours.”
That struck him more than anything else she’d said yet.
They won’t notice I’m missing for a few hours.
He shared a look with Kota then, meeting his green eyes and then in the time it took to blink a few times, there was a serious, silent conversation between them.
What kind of family wouldn’t notice, if they were so strict she was afraid to say anything?
She was out last night, late, and too afraid to go home.
She was afraid.
That was what was wrong with her: Fear. That was the something off about her that had been haunting him and had him filled with questions from the start. A pretty girl, shy, and seemingly nice, but filled with anxiety over whatever awaited her at home.
Kota saw it, too. He’d probably seen it from the start. Of course, he would have recognized it right away. It was the same sort of fear Kota used to carry with him when they were younger. It was so similar, and now that Victor recognized it, he wondered how he hadn’t seen it before.
Something was terribly wrong within Sang’s house. No wonder Kota was pressuring her to stay with him. He didn’t want her to go back.
Victor gave in, knowing Kota wanted to get to the bottom of it. He couldn’t blame him. Victor was now too drawn in to let go. He shrugged. “We’ll wait,” he said.
She edged away and started walking down the drive. She was still barefoot, and was going to walk home.
Should he offer her to drive her over?
“Wait,” Kota said, rushing toward her, then stopped short and pointed toward his house. “I forgot. Your shoes are inside.”
She waved her hand as if wiping away a thought. “Oh yeah, my bag.”
Kota approached her, said something to her that Victor couldn’t hear, and Victor frowned again. Why was there a secret now?
Kota pulled away from her and headed to the garage. “Just grabbing her stuff.”
Her stuff.
She had a bag. She was out late. She was afraid.
Had she been trying to leave last night? Did Kota stop her?
Victor looked at her, and she stared back at him.
Her hands were shaking. Her cheeks held on to that blush. Those green eyes begged him silently to understand her, even if she could never say the words out loud.
She’d be the death of him with such a look.
♥♥♥
After Kota returned and returned her things, she walked down the road. She was still walking barefoot, carrying her shoes with her.
Beautiful.
“What’s wrong with her?” Victor asked the moment she
got to her drive and was most certainly out of earshot. Thank god she couldn’t hear; the second the words were out of his mouth, Victor was ashamed for uttering them.
Kota was staring after her and didn’t even appear to hear Victor until she entered the garage and was out of sight. But he had heard. “I don’t know,” he finally said, quietly. “But I’ll find out.”
I’ll find out, Victor thought, even though it wasn’t like him. He was always the first to suggest they could work together on anything. “I can help, you know.”
Kota finally turned his head to look at him, his haunted green eyes an echo of hers. “Who knows,” he said. “Maybe it’s nothing.”
“I don’t think it’s nothing,” Victor said, and believed it. They had worked hundreds of cases with the Academy for years now. “No one looks like that. Not unless...” He couldn’t bring himself to say it, but they’d all suffered through abuse growing up, but maybe no one as bad as Kota. Victor didn’t need to point any of this out to him.
Kota just sighed and then shrugged. “I’ll tell you if there’s something to know.”
Maybe Victor was just overreacting or was being overly sensitive. Still, the prickling sensations on the back of his neck told him something wasn’t right. There was something in Sang’s world that she couldn’t talk about, and that was a good enough reason to look into it.
“We shouldn’t make her walk back,” Victor said. He took his keys out of his pocket and pushed the button to unlock his car doors. “Let’s go get her.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Kota said, but turned to walk around the car and get in the passenger seat. As he opened the door, he looked down at the envelope from that morning.
Victor got in the driver’s seat and smirked. “Well, I guess I should decline that,” he said. “Isn’t this old method of sending letters more obvious now than email?”
“Less traceable, though,” Kota said, picking it up and looking at the address in the corner. “I got one of these, too, but I haven’t had the chance to open it yet.”
“It may be the same thing,” Victor said, putting the key into the ignition.