Third person pov
Kale went back to his daily routine of doing everything accordingly without a glitch in the system, waking up early, eating healthy, coming to class without distraction, going home alone and coming back to his empty serene apartment with nothing out of place, which has always been the best for kale, just what he needs.
That is Kale's reality now, at least that's what people see as they watch him stroll carefully inside the school premises, attend all his classes, take his usual seat at the cafeteria and pick at his food, you wouldn't even notice him if not for his attractive aura that can't exactly be missed, everything about him seem calculated, precise and preplanned.
But that was just what the people perceived about him, maybe if they looked a bit closer, they would notice how very little interest he has on his food, or how he lingers a bit longer in the cafeteria or how his eyes subtly follow a certain brunette and lingers on her back.
They would probably have noticed how he's eyes is stuck at certain places, or how his feet often take him to places he doesn't even want to go sometimes, or how he has basically held back many times from calling out that same brunette to find out how she's doing, if she has eaten and taking her meds, how her injury is healing so far, maybe if they did, maybe they would find out just how hard he's struggling within him, how his mind has become a battlefield of reason and logic Vs Desire and longing but then again some things are never seen or known, just stuck at the confines of the mind living rent free and subsequently making the person go crazy.
Kale was doing fine, yeah he was, that was the reason he was able to come home in one piece today and into his apartment, at least in his apartment he's sure that his eyes will not somehow come across Amory in any way and cause the all too familiar tug in his chest, in his apartment he can finally get to sleep and sit in his ever calm and cool couch.
But as he entered into his apartment he was met with a loud explosion that threatened to make me deaf but just left him with a ringing and weaning sound in his ear, and a string of colourful ribbons covered him before a loud
" SURPRISE!!!" finished the magnificent journey of making him deaf, he had to close his eyes and cover his ears with his hands and when the sound finally subsided, he opened my eyes to see his friend who had disappeared for days stand and look at him with a huge grin on his face, stretching his hands for a hug.
Kale frowned at his loud friend and was about to berate him for entering his house without his permission but someone suddenly came up behind Elijah and Kale's expression changed immediately he sighted the familiar blonde at the back of Elijah, Kale ignoring his friend that had his hand stretched out for a hug before him, sidestepped him to look at his sister that he hasn't seen for long
" Olivia" kale said with surprise, the last person she expected to see today was his little sister, who wasn't little anymore, it's been up to 2years since the last time he saw her and she looks wow...
Big, mature, she is now a full grown young woman glowing in her prime, the sight of Olivia brought a smile to Kale's face and he couldn't help the fondness that grew as Olivia rushed into his arms wrapping her arms around him and said
" Big brother!! I missed you" kale didn't couldn't say anything he just hugged her back and whispered
" I missed you too olive"
Elijah who was still standing at the door with his hands spread just smiled at the scene before exclaiming
" Just in case you guys forgot I'm still here!!"
The duo that was hugging each other turned to him and subsequently ignored him before going inside the house not sparing him another glance.
**************************
Olivia's initial plan was not going to see Kale immediately he came back from Rome, she was going to stay at home with their parents for some time and then maybe visit him later but when Elijah suddenly appeared to her apartment in the middle of the night with his signature smile and announced that someone has managed to crack the ice wall that kale has managed to build all this years.
Olivia know Kale too well and know how high and thick the ice wall he has around himself, even before the accident that led to him being in a coma but after he woke up from coma, it was as if he was dead inside and a hollow of himself, he didn't talk for a long time, the doctor assured us that it was mental thing and would be resolved If we stayed around him and gave him as much love as required.
He later got around speaking but with very few interaction with us, but he was willing to engage in a conversation us and only when it's absolutely necessary, after it was decided he will be transferred for his final year in senior high he didn't protest and accepted to go, Olivia went to Rome to Ground on her arts and all the things she feels she can get in Rome or.... She just wanted to go to Rome.
Anyway she did and came back and was planning to go see their parents when Elijah visited her and suddenly said Kale was interested in someone, for the entirety of Olivia's life she has never seen Kale crush, love or date someone, she never really understood why, he's life is always private and it always seems like there's nothing going on on his life.
So Olivia decided to pay him a surprise visit and make sure that she sees the girl that has managed to capture the attention of Kale, she couldn't miss the news and also how to tell their parents and bring back evidence.
So Olivia dutifully prepared dinner for everyone in the house that evening in preparation for a conversation she will so enjoy. When she was done setting the table she called for the two boys in the house and they came down and settled down in the dining room.
" Wow.. Olivia have I ever told you I love you"
Elijah exclaimed as he sat down, his widening at the delicacy at the table
" Yeah you have a lot of times" Olivia said grinning as she watched Elijah start eating without waiting for Kale.
" Your culinary skills are still the best" Olivia smiled as she watched Elijah moaned with the food in his mouth while giving her a thumbs up and trying to praise her with his mouth filled with food which kale didn't appreciate much as he frowned at his friend that have terrible eating habits but Elijah was too gone to care about Kale felt or what he had to say about table manners.
"Olivia, thank you for the food, you didn't have to do that, I know you're tired from the journey" Kale finally said and took his seat to eat his food.
" Nah, it's fine it's no problem at all, I just wanted to make something for you, I have really missed you, you know it's been a while"
Olivia said, taking her own seat opposite her brother, Kale nodded and started eating silently.
" How have you been, how is the new school treating you, Mom said you don't want to talk to her"
That made kale pause in his actions and looked up at Amory
" That's not true," Kale said curtly.
" Well mom said you were, you aren't coming home to visit them, and you don't call her" Olivia said shrugging
" I do call her " Kale defended
" Everyday ??" Olivia inquired raising her eyebrows , that made Kale frown and look at her in confusion " Why would I call her everyday"
Kale asked genuinely confused
Elijah tsked at the conversation shaking his head at the confused looking boy
" I really don't know what you have learnt, ever since I have been teaching you as my friend"
" What do you mean" kale asked again
" She's just joking kale, it just means your Mom misses you, and wants to see you, you don't have to interpret everything literally, " Elijah said and rolled his eyes and the boy who just frowned at what he said while Olivia just chuckled lightly at the conversation between the friends.
" I have really missed the both of you and your silly bickering, I don't really know how my brother got someone so different from him to be his best friend" Olivia said
" He's not my best friend, " Kale said stoically, still not happy at the conversation.
"All I'm saying is after school closes for this session, spend time at home with Mom she's worried and missing you too, even dad though he won't admit it"
" Okay " Kale said and Olivia smiled at him.
" So, did you make a new friend, acquaintance, relationship or a girlfriend" Olivia asked again
As the question left Olivia's lips, on default Kale's mind drifted to Amory, yeah he did make a new friend or acquaintance, he was interested and attracted to Amory for the first time in his life and he hasn't even processed it yet but it ended before anything started, so he shook the memory from his head and answered
" No "
" Ugh.. really, are you sure??" Olivia asked with a look of amusement in her face as looked around the table to see Elijah had stopped eating and Kale had a distant look in his eyes.
" I said N.."
Kale was still trying to answer and Elijah cut him off
" Forget about trying to lie, I already told her you met someone and that person is Amory and you're interested in her"
Olivia glared at Elijah and whisper yelled " Elijah"
" What, I decided to say it, otherwise he would continue to deny it, and we won't go anywhere today'".
Olivia smiled and faced Kale who was just staring at the both of them
" .. it's not like he told me anything, he just said you are ugh .. friends with someone, with a girl, and that's quite unusual, so I wanted to see if I could meet with the person.
" I'm not friends or anything you're insinuating with Elijah at least not anymore" Kale said.
The two people at the table just paused and stared at Kale who just said something curtly and them to deduce it by themselves.
" Ugh.. What do you mean by that kale, did you finally decide to accept and move to the next level with her, I mean leaving the shores of friendship" Elijah asked warily, knowing something in hIs gut that it wasn't the case.
Kale looked at Elijah like he was stupid
" No Eli, I didn't change our friendship status, I'm not friends with her anymore"
" Huh.. why?? " Elijah asked clear look of surprise in his face
When kale didn't answer him, he went further to ask
" Don't tell me, you broke it off or decide to ghost her because of one reason that doesn't even makes sense " Elijah asked his full attention now on kale
" No I didn't, she decided she doesn't want me as anything, friends or not"
" What??" This time it was Olivia that expressed her surprise, it seemed as if it wasn't her brother that they were talking about.
Someone rejected Kale Kierson Calloway, okay this is soo new, so very new.
" What did you do??" Elijah asked now a bit agitated
" Why do you assume I did something??" Kale asked, now displeased at the question.
" I mean it's just not adding up that Amory that has been trying to get your attention and seduce you, no longer wants to talk to you or be your friend"
Elijah said
" Well that's what happened, apparently she was just playing a game of getting me to like her, and she was done and no longer wanted any kind of association with me "
Kale said it like a bitter taste in his throat and for the first time since they started dinner, Kale's annoyance showed and it was clear he was not happy and having this discussion just made him more irritable as he stood up suddenly took his plate and dumped it on the sink before turning to them
" I'm done talking about it Elijah, thank you for the food Olivia" He forced out and went upstairs not waiting to hear their response.
That was the first time Kale ate without washing his dishes and leaving the sink dirty and that realization made Olivia chuckle slowly.
" This is getting interesting".