Chapter 23

Kayla was too stunned to speak anything and just stared at his face. She wanted to scream and yell and tell him that she wanted to be with him too but she couldn't as this could lead to her losing him as a friend too. "Do I really have to make a choice right now?" Kayla asked after a long time. Parker took a deep breath and then replied. "No. I have waited for you till now so what's some more days. Tell me the answer whenever you're ready. I'm in no rush." Kayla just nodded as a response and then started to slowly walk away while Parker awkwardly followed her. The two of them reached infront of Kayla's house and stood there silently for five whole minutes.

"Well then I will get going." Parker said while looking sideways. "Oh okay. Bye." "Bye." Kayla turned back to enter her house when suddenly she felt two arms around her waist. "Parker?" "Yeah?" "What are you doing?" "Just hugging the person I love the most." "Someone might see us." "I just have my eyes on you so screw the others." "Are you planning to let go?" "Yep. I'm done. Bye!" Parker let go of her and then silently left.

The next morning Kayla got up early, did her usual chores and left her home to find Cosmos and Parker waiting for her outside her house. "Morning beautiful!" Cosmos happily began. "Morning Cosmos!" "Did you get a good sleep?" "Yeah." The three of them then left for their school. Kayla had just entered her class when everyone started staring at her. At first Kayla thought that it was just the change in her clothes but when she sat down one of her classmates approached her. "Kayla?" "Yeah Cherry?" "Have you seen what they have written about you online?" Cherry said in an angry tone. "No." "Then you should see it." Cherry showed the post to Kayla and when Kayla read the words, she almost fell down. The post said: "Kayla's mom is a slut that sells her body for money and Kayla even got molested by her step father. At least that's what she said or maybe she did that on purpose and liked it?" It was posted by Jane. Kayla was speechless for a while when suddenly someone started yelling. "JANE NOT THE VIRGIN ANYMORE! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE! WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE'S MOM THAT WAY! AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW DARE YOU QUESTION SOMEONE'S VIRGINITY WHEN YOU HAVE LOST IT TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT EVEN I LOST COUNT OF? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU'RE JUST A SOILED SHIT BAG WHO DON'T EVEN HAVE AN OUNCE OF DIGNITY. YOU PICK ME GIRL!" Cherry had now got hold of Jane's collar and was about to bash her head in the table when Kayla rushed to pull Cherry back. "Cherry. Stop it. Don't do it." "Why? Give me one good reason. She said nasty things about you and your mom!" "But it's true." "Even if it is, your mom must have had her own reasons. And she even made fun of your molestation. That is just cheap as hell." Cherry soften her voice and let go of Jane harshly which made Jane fall on the floor. "But why are you fighting for me? We don't even know each other that well." Kayla said while choking down her tears. "That's what you think. You're the person who have helped me all the time and I consider you more than just a mere classmate." Kayla was taken aback at her words. It was true, Kayla had known Cherry from the previous year and she talked to her most last year compared to anybody else. Cherry was someone Kayla had always wanted to be. She was the person Kayla had look up to the most but since Kayla's transformation she and Cherry didn't talk anymore.

Kayla, Cherry and Jane were taken to the principal's office and while they waited outside Cherry kept on throwing nasty glances at Jane whenever Jane tried to sweet talk to her or Kayla. "Kayla are you sure that you're fine?" Cherry said while holding on to Kayla's hands tightly. "Yeah." "Girl I know that you're lying but I won't pester anymore because I know that it's a sensitive topic. But just say the word and I will break this girl's face so many times that no plastic surgeon will be able to fix her." Kayla softly laughed and began. "No thank you." "You sure girl?" "Yeah." "Wow! You have so much patience compared to me." "Hehe.. you're crazy." "I know. Anyways why don't you talk to me anymore?" "What?" "Why'd you stop talking to me. I thought we were really good friends last year." "I never really talked that much." "You're right but still you were really nice even if you said just a couple of words. You helped me with my assignments and presentations. Hell! You even bought snacks for me just because I said that I hadn't eaten my breakfast." "You still remember that?" "I never forget honey especially people who have done me good." "But you were the one who didn't talk to me since the beginning of the year." "You were always surrounded by so many people that I never got the chance to." "Oh sorry." "What are you sorry for? It was my fault." "Still then-" "Hush girl. It's not your fault and that's it. Now let's go, I think they're ready to talk to us."

The three of them were in the principal's office for almost an hour trying to sort out the situation. Jane almost got expelled but Kayla rejected that idea so instead Jane had to clean the toilet for the rest of the remaining year while Cherry was praised for her bravery but still got one day detention. Kayla was given pitiful looks and comforting words and the principal promised her to never let this kind of situation to ever happen. Kayla and Cherry were sent back to their classes where else Jane waited for her parents to show up. The two of them had just entered the class when Cherry was welcomed with a slap on her back. "Ouch! What was that for?" Cherry yelled in anger. "That was acting rashly and this is for coming back without any punishment." The other girl hugged her friend and then let go of Cherry while she stared at Kayla. "Oh. Kayla this is Daniel, my childhood pal and Danny this is Kayla." "So you're Kayla!"