Where I Went From Here

Chapter 21 - Dinner Party

"So, shall we get started then" announced Lorna and Brianne closely at the same time, looking directly my way.

~ POV:  Kyla Bower ~

Everyone but me got their plates ready and piled them with food. The food that Lorna and Brianne 'requested' from their cook was mostly a variety of pastas, some salads, and dishes that the boys like; That was their words when they were explaining the food for tonight. As the boys, dad, and the mom's begin to eat, I can't help but stare at them at how all this seems normal to them. Maybe in an alternate reality my mom and me, and maybe my grandma would be get a long with all of them. I wouldn't have had to grow up not knowing my half-brothers, or - Click!

Getting out of my thoughts, I look to see you made the noise. Not seeing who made the clicking noise, I go back to finally getting food on my plate. Throat clear. Ugh. Who the fuck is doing that! Someone kicks my foot from my right, I turn to Ryder with a 'what do want?' face and he gestures to Lorna. Trying to appear like unfazed, I focus on Lorna, who's giving me a forced smile that doesn't suit her at all.

"Um. Yes?" I ask not knowing what to say.

"As I was saying, if I had known what foods you liked, Kyla, I would have asked for it to be made. But even then, with the amount of food on the table it's fine with what we have" she proceeds in an annoyingly fake sweet tone.

"Oh, it's completely fine. Like you said, with all this food we're fine" I say with a fake smile to reciprocate her's. Even if she knew what I liked to eat, she wouldn't have done anything with knowing about it. She spelled it out clearly: you don't matter to me.

"Well, we hope all of you enjoy it. We wanted it to be special!" Brianne announces.

I don't have that much of an appetite.
Being here with the boys mothers's sucked the life and energy out of me, but in order to not gain their attention I nibble on some salad. While I eat, Christian, Levi, and dad form some light conversation between Lorna and Brianne; therefore, leaving me the perfect opportunity to tune everyone and everything. Almost everyone but Ryder.

Ryder grabs a plate of what seems like cubed beef in some sort of roast, claiming that I should try it. With my fork, I stab into a piece and put it into my mouth. He must see the shock on my face because it's surprisingly delicious. I eat meats, but sometimes I don't like the way it looks or the way it tastes; so there are time's that it can be hard to eat it, but this is amazing.

"It's my favorite! I knew that you'd like it at least" he says mostly to himself pridefully but a little too loud to the point where it gain everyone's attention... and unfortunately makes Lorna and Brianne's interest peak.

"That's good dear! Now, Kyla why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself to us. Besides we're family now, and family should know everything but that's won't be happening in your case at least," she states putting heavy emphasize on 'family'.

Hearing her say this makes me feel even more uncomfortable than I already was, making me squirm in my seat. Levi makes a motion for me with his head to go on. Taking in a deep breath, I give a brief introduction of myself, " Well, my name's Kyla." snicker. I keep on going; "I'm 16, a sophomore in high school."

"Oh my! I can tell that you're a girl of few words" comments Brianne. Lorna, sneers as she adds "Her mother must have done all the talking for her." At the mention of my mother, I shoot my gaze with drawn brows at Lorna and Brianne, looking between them. "What did you say about my mother?" I ask not sure if I heard correctly.

"Your mother. She must have done all the talking for you. I mean with her sweet mouth she must have gotten all the attention from others," Lorna carries on but most define referring to others as men; while, Brianne doesn't stop. "That's how she got Richard's back then. What about now, Kyla? how many people chase after - "

"Lorna!" my dad cuts her off.

"Don't you talk about my mother like that" I say coldly. More cold than I intended to, but I don't care. The audacity that these grown ass women have to hold a grudge against my mom of something that must have happened years ago. I see that they're doing. They're trying to belittle me for something my mom did that I had not control over.

Silence.

Silence envelopes the whole dining room.

"Ha! A feisty little thing, you are" Brianne notes breaking the silence.

"Oh, Kyla! Lighten up! I'm just saying the truth. Anyhow, it's not like your mother's dead" Lorna voices.

With that last sentence coming from her mouth, is what breaks the last straw I've been having to endure these bitches during this whole dinner. This dinner party that they invited me too, might I add. I put up with all there mockery, and teasing about my mom and me; but Lorna just crossed a line she didn't even know existed when she talked about my mother and death in one sentence.

And with that I'm done.

With both of them, maybe even all of them.

Abruptly, I stand out of my seat making the chair scrape the polished hard wood floors. Everyone's eyes are on me at this point. I turn my whole body to face both, Lorna and Brianne, who've been acting like a pair of jealous girls my age would act instead of their own age.

"I've sat throughout this whole dinner listening to the crap that has come out of both of your mouths. And I'm done with your shit!" I say as my voices raised. I tried to say it in a calmly manner, but my emotions just got the best of me.

"Kyl-" Levi starts to say but I don't give him the chance to even finish what he was going to say. At some point, Ryder also stood up and put him hand on my shoulder but I just shrugged it off. Sorry, Ryder but I don't have time for you right now.

"No! No. They don't know anything what they're saying...and neither do you guys" I spout back.

"I'd say that all this, the dinner was lovely. But I can say that since it's be a lie. Thank you anyways," I finish. Yet, I had to bite my tongue to not say that meeting them was fuckin' awful. I said what I had to say, so I push myself from the table and run to front door.

Before leaving, I stop to the coat room, where they had us all take off our sweaters and jackets, and sneak my hand to Christian's jacket. With his car keys successfully in my hand, I go out the door and slam it shut. Still, hearing a little of what was said before.

"Kyla! Come back!" my dad shouted for me.

"Oh, Richard! Just leave her go, clearly her mother didn't raise her right" Lorna says.

"Such an ungrateful child" Brianne adds.

~

Once I'm in Christian's car, I speed my way through the streets until I get to the mansion. With tears running down my check, and occasionally blurring my vision, I don't even realize I had arrived at the mansion. Running up the steps and throwing the door open, I don't even bother closing it as I try to go to my room.

Opening my room, I step in, shut and lock my door; then lunge myself to my bed and bury my face in my pillow, and grab a picture I have of my mother, grandma, and me from my nightstand; holding it closely to me as I cry for everything. For the way I was treat at dinner, for being alone, for having to work making things workout for myself,  but mostly for my mom and grandma not being with me.

~

I hadn't even heard when the boys and dad came back. The only indication that they had came back was Ryder knocking on my door.

"Kyla, please. Can we talk?" He asked at my door. I wanted to be by myself with my emotions and my mom, even if it was just her picture; so I didn't answer him.

"Please, Kyla."

When he realized, I wasn't going to answer or open the door for him, was when he gave up.

"I get it. It's been a long night, so good night then. See you in the morning."

I wish the morning wouldn't come.