CHAPTER 11

When The Past Catches Up With You... Just Continue To Run.

The door bell rang again. Kaine swore he could here the person behind the door swear impatiently and it amused him so. Jason was still in the bathroom so Kaine decided to do the honours.

Hand on the knob, he turned and pulled; the door swung open and there was a face he didn't expect to meet. The visitor did not seem to have expected to see the 24 year old redhead either, and it was rather obvious from how her mouth formed an "O".

"Kaine!"

"Ehh. Jenn! I'm surprised to see you here."

"Yea, I'm surprised to see y-"

"JENN!"

Jason appeared with his hair damp and with a rather sweet rose smell. He walked briskly up to his sister and gave her a warm hug. Kaine took a step back and watched the siblings embrace. He observed the woman Jason was hugging, she was so familiar yet some what unrecognizable. Memories of days at school when he walked down the corridors proudly wearing clothes that the principal and staff had disapproved of and with girls practically falling at his feet. Then he would see Jason and find his sister standing right next to him.

"Really, Kaine, who dressed you?" She would say. It didn't anger Kaine at all, in fact it made him even more tempted to ask her out on a date. But Kaine wasn't so stupid as to crush on a girl who didn't like him the first place. He knew she actually had a crush on him. When they had first met during her freshman year she kept staring at him and when he looked back, she turned a funny pink colour. Of course egos grow as years pass and she started criticizing positively anything she could. Then prom night came and he asked her out.

Kaine seemed to be walking in a dream. He felt what he had felt that night. And he missed it.

"-So I just decided to pop by and visit you! Didn't expect to see Kaine here though. Kaine?" Jennifer looked curiously at the man. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts; His eyes stared into space and he seemed to be swaying a little.

Jason gave his friend a slap across the shoulder and Kaine jerked abit. He rubbed his head then put on a bright smile. "Yes?"

Shaking his head, Jason ignored his friend and led his sister into the living room after closing the door. Kaine followed behind and sat on his bubble arm chair.

"Want something to drink?"

"Water'll do."

As soon as her cup of water was served, a faint ringing tone was heard from the bedroom. Jason shrugged and excused himself, leaving his sister and his best friend alone in the room.

"So Ms Hardislaye... what've you been up to, huh?"

Jennifer looked up at Kaine and smiled, "Y'know journalism and stuff. Did some part time modelling last month too."

There was something in her eyes that made Kaine feel like she was uncomfortable, it made Kaine himself feel uncomfortable. So he looked away.

"You've changed ALOT since we've last met."

"That was a looong time ago," Commented Jennifer with a laugh.

"So..."

"So."

"What's up? Any hot boyfriend?"

"Kaine, didn't you know, I'm married!"

"WHAT?!!" Shocked, Kaine leaned too far back and the whole bubble chair capsized.

Giggling, Jennifer took a sip of water before saying, "I was just kidding."

Kaine stood up, blushing and made sure his hair was looking okay. Then he set the bubble chair upright and just to prevent any further embarrassment, he plopped onto the sofa next to Jennifer.

"So that means your single, huh?"

"Yea... But from what I heard, you're not." Was the answer.

"Actually, I'm single...."

Jason's sister's surprise was evident. She turned to Kaine with a questioning look and he answered, "If you're talking about Natalie, I broke up with her. And no, I didn't break up with her the same reason why I break up with every other girl. I'm a long-relationship man now!" He proclaimed triumphantly, hitting his fist against his chest just for the effect.

"So why did you break up with her?"

"Well. Look I haven't been the nicest dude lately but I do have a conscience. And dating your best friend's ex who he obviously still loves goes under the category of "Wrong". So, I broke up with her. But it was like a friendly agreement and stuff, yknw?"

Wow, Jenn thought. Though she hadn't seen Kaine in 8 years, the tabloids and random background shouts heard when talking to Jason on the phone was enough to tell her that the limelight had gotten to Kaine's fat red head. He hadn't been the nicest guy at school (pretty much bullying freshman and disobeying teacher's) but he could make a girl feel like a princess. After plummeting in stardom however, Jennifer had heard about his one night stands and month long relationship. He wasn't treating the women very well but they didn't seem to hold a grudge on him. Yet now... what he said made him sound somewhat nicer and more responsible.

With thoughts running through her mind, Jennifer didn't notice the silence she sat in. But Kaine was thankful, he needed to clear his mind and ready himself for what he was going to say.

"Jenn?"

"Yea?"

"I... I wanna tell you something."

"Um. Okay."

"Err... Y'knw the reason I gave for our break up isn't-"

"Wait! What reason?"

"The... reason... I gave...?"

"You didn't give me a reason Kaine. You were supposed to pick me up for your graduation party but you didn't. After that I just didn't see you."

"O gosh. I didn't give a reason?"

Kaine could see a tiny spark of misery in her eyes. She looked down and his heart sank.

"Well. Since I didn't give a reason, I'm gonna tell you the truth. I broke up with you because... because three nights before graduation I... well, cheated on you."

Yet another awkward silence. Kaine was staring at Jennifer who stared right back. But she had magically frozen in time and Kaine was getting ready for a tight slap.

"Huh."

It wasn't a questioning "Huh". It was a okay-whatever-let's-move-on kind of "Huh". And Kaine was very taken back by her reaction.

"Y'know, you can slap me if you want to. I wont cry or anything. Just slap me." But the request was denied. Jennifer merely shook her head and took another sip of water.

"C'mon," Her fingers were taken away from the cup as Kaine grabbed it and slapped himself. Then he looked at the girl who stared at him, dazed. The unexpected happened, she wrenched her hand out of Kaine's and gave him another slap, a hard one.

"AH!" Kaine fell back on the sofa armrest, his hand rested on cheek. Red was spreading across it like a rash.

"Happy?"

Jennifer turned to the man who had not yet recovered from the shock. She looked at him with an intent stare and then grinned, contributing to Kaine's surprise. Feeling guilty about hitting him, Jennifer leaned forward and after moving his hand away, gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

Then things took another twist when she pulled back but he grabbed her and gave her a kiss on the lips.


HAHA. IS THIS CHAPTER SURPRISING OR WHAT? even i didn't know what the heck I was gonna write. sheesh. ok. so chapter 12 coming sooon, read and... COMMENT! yea. do that, and u'll have this warm sense of satisfaction in ur heart.

HA.