Prologue
“You expect me to believe that nothing is going on between you and Lena?” Kaiya asked as she pinched her lips together tightly.
Tyler raked his fingers through his jet-black hair as his smoky gray eyes took in the serene environment that the Roxboro Park offered. A grimace marked his features.
It was 10 pm, way past his curfew on a school night. He was going to be in a lot of trouble for being out so late. Mrs. Page was going to be mad at him. He had received his last warning a few days ago for returning to the shelter past bedtime.
He had promised Miss Page that he would never be late again, and now, he was breaking that promise. However, it couldn’t be helped. He needed to straighten things out with Kaiya tonight.
His gaze flickered again to his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, Kaiya, who had her arms crossed at her chest and was sending daggers at him with her lovely dark brown eyes. Her gorgeous figure was clad in black leggings and a gray sweatshirt. Her glorious black hair was pulled back from her beautiful face in a ponytail.
It was amazing that hours before, they had strolled hand in hand through the park. They had walked through the breathtaking landscape, gazing at the beautiful trees and flowers with the other visitors at the park. Kaiya had talked about how marvelous the place was as they settled themselves on one of the park benches. And then he had received a text message, and all hell broke loose.
He lifted his hand to touch her and dropped it. He needed to make her understand that she meant the world to him. They’d had this argument before, and it was beginning to get frustrating.
“Babe, Lena is just a friend. You’ve got to believe me.” A note of desperation laced his voice.
Kaiya eyed him with disbelief in her eyes. Tyler groaned inwardly as his fingers went through his hair again. He drew closer to the stiff frame on the park bench.
“Why are you finding it difficult to accept that I’m telling you the truth?” He clenched his jaw.
Kaiya dropped her hands. “Well, because she has been all over you like a rash. And I haven’t seen you doing anything about it.” She folded her arms across her chest again and dealt him a look filled with suspicion. “As a matter of fact, I think you’ve been enjoying all the attention, and only God knows what else you’ve been enjoying from her.”
Her accusation was so off; Tyler couldn’t help the stunned laugh that passed from his throat.
“Like seriously? You think Lena and I…” He left the statement hanging.
Kaiya looked away from him. If her skin wasn’t smooth caramel, he would have said she was blushing at that moment. Covering the distance between them on the bench, seventeen-year-old Tyler sought to reassure his doubting girlfriend.
He put his arm around her stiff shoulders. She made to move away, but his arms tightened. Defiantly, she focused her gaze away from him, staring at the peaceful lake before them.
Softly, he said, “Babe, please look at me.”
He could read the reluctance in her eyes when she eventually settled in on him.
“Babe, I swear to you with everything I hold dear that Lena and I are just friends, nothing more.”
“Then why is she always around you, always calling and texting you?”
Tyler let out a deep sigh. Explaining things to Kaiya would be invading Lena’s privacy, but since he so desperately wanted her to believe him, he had to.
Kaiya raised her delicately carved brows at him when he remained silent for some moments.
“Lena is having a difficult time at the group home. Things are pretty messy for her right now.”
Drawing out of his hold, she fixed him with a pointed stare. “What has that got to do with you? Are you the only one in the group home that she can talk to? There are caregivers there for her to go to with her problems.”
Although what Kaiya said was a tad selfish and insensitive, he couldn’t blame her. Lena had been super clingy as of late because of her nightmares. Nevertheless, Kaiya didn’t understand what it meant to be in a group home. Her parents were wealthy. Her dad owned a multimillion-dollar real estate development company right there in Montreal. Though her parents weren’t model ones, Kaiya had a family and stability, unlike him or Lena.
“Kaiya, Lena is just my housemate. I’m like the only person she has to talk to over there.”
“Some talk!”
A grin turned the corners of Tyler’s lips. “You have no idea how extremely beautiful you look when you’re angry.”
She poked a finger at his chest. “Don’t change the topic, Mister!”
Tyler gathered her reluctant form into his arms again. “There’s nothing to talk about anymore, babe. For the last time, Lena and I are just friends.”
