Back To You | complete

Chapter 27| More Who Care

Chapter twenty-seven: More who care

O L I V I A

The next day was dull. Kai had obviously stayed over, but I wasn't speaking to him much. He was respecting my need for space and gave me as much as he could. He still couldn't resist being in the same room or stealing kisses every once in a while.

I sighed as I clicked send on my report for that week's progress to Jane. Hopefully, she would be able to work with my substandard attempt and make it look like it was actually worth something before sending it forward. It was almost dinner time but I had no intentions of eating. I knew Kai was tinkering around in the kitchen so I just stayed in my room, laying down. I was feeling a little under the weather.

The doorbell rang. I didn't get up. Kai wasn't supposed to open the door in case it was a stranger. I wasn't expecting anyone so I thought they'd just go away. But the bell rang again. Kai popped his head into my room.

"Can you please see who that is?" He requested. "I would but . . . ."

"I know." I sighed, getting up. "I'll get it."

He smiled at me once before he retreated to the kitchen. I slipped my feet into my furry slip-ons and trudged towards the door.

The bell rang again, prompting me to snap crabbily, "I'm coming! Jesus Christ!"

I pulled the door open with exaggerated force, keeping my bitch face intact. I started in surprise as Jane flinched away from the door and Brian grimaced.

"Hi?" Jane greeted me tentatively. "Is this a bad time?"

"For a normally sweet girl, you look pretty murderous right now," Brian commented.

I stared at them in shock.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked when I found my voice.

"We came to see you because we were worried about you." Jane frowned. "You didn't answer any of our calls or texts."

"I texted you that I was alright," I said as I opened the door and tipped my head in that direction, wordlessly inviting them in. They clambered in.

"And then you went MIA so we thought that the exact opposite had happened," Brian told me.

"Ah," I nodded, "Make yourselves at home."

"Thanks." They removed their coats, hanging them on the hook and plopping down on the sofas.

"What can I get you? Water? Hot chocolate?"

"Nothing," Jane refused.

"Will you guys like to stay for dinner?" I asked them. A sudden realization hit me and it was all I could do to not let my hands flail about in panic.

Kaison!

"It smells heavenly," Brian sniffed. "Why not?"

"You said you weren't a good cook," Jane accused. "This smells out of the world. What are you making?"

"Haha." I laughed nervously. "I was being modest?" I excused but it came out more like a question. I dodged her inquiry by not acknowledging it. Why? Because I wasn't aware of the night's menu myself.

Awesome.

"Okay," Jane said, her tone uncertain. She glanced at Brian and they exchanged a weird look. She looked back at me. "That's . . . very, uh, noble of you."

My reaction was something between a cringe and a pathetic attempt at a smile.

"Why are you so jumpy?" Brian asked, unfazed by the heavy awkwardness in the air.