Perfect School

His words only gave me pause within my head. Outside of that I went right on up the rest of the stairs. I only stopped long enough to pet a few of the dogs as I passed them until I disappeared into my room to grab a change of clothes. I was pissed at Jonah, pissed at the situation, and stuck because I had nowhere I could go or talk too about this. If I said a word to my parents they'd try to kill him. If I went to Marie it was actually likely I'd be locked away at this point and my parents would become targets. If I contacted anyone else this was liable to blow up. I grabbed a set of clothes and went into the bathroom to shower to rinse off the bit of sweat I had as well as to help calm me down.

Jonah:

“Good morning,” It was Krissy in the kitchen when I came in. I greeted her and thanked her when she offered me coffee. “Kira’s in the shower,” I told her. She hadn’t smiled at me once.

“Yes, I saw her come out of the basement. I don’t think she saw me though,” She said and handed me a mug of coffee with milk and no sugar. That Kira hadn’t noticed her was a mark of how bother Kira had been. I sipped my coffee and offered the woman help when she began to prepare breakfast.

By the time I finished the shower I was calmed down. I assumed many of the products in the shower were Kyra's from her visits. And as such I didn't mind using them. I drew out the entire thing rather than face Jonah right away. But I only had so much I could do. I couldn't even use the idea of shaving as one of the things Marie had me do every four months or so was get all the hair lazered off my body that wasn't supposed to be there. Dressing I ventured out towards the sounds of voices and everyone else.

Krissy:

I didn’t like being alone with Jonah. I had an odd feeling about him. There was something familiar in the way he acted. I smiled at Kira when she came in. “Good morning,” I said to her and offered to pour her a cup of coffee. Or if she didn’t want that I could make tea? Or we had juice and milk as well. I was eager to get anything she wished.

"Coffee would be great, thank you." I said with a nod. I glanced at Jonah for a moment then followed Krissy and helped her prepare it just the way I liked it for standard drip coffee. "Where's Michael?" I asked after taking a look around and noting that the dogs had disappeared during my shower.

Krissy:

“He’s letting the sheep out and feeding them, he’ll be in shortly,” I told her. It made me happy that she wanted to know where he was, at the same time I worried that she wouldn’t be satisfied with me alone. “I’m making scrambled eggs with English muffins for breakfast. Unless you like your eggs cooked differently?”

"Oh, okay. I don't mind scrambled. I'm not picky." I picked up my coffee and sat beside Jonah. I took a sip and gazed into the depths of the mug. My annoyance at him had cooled somewhat, and while my face was more expressionless than it had been this morning and last night I still figured it would be better to be civil. "If Jonah or I can help in anyway please let us. I'd rather not feel like I'm being a burden on you."

I had never felt like I was being a burden, but I didn't relish the idea of watching Krissy and Michael slave away while I sat around and did nothing.

Krissy:

“No! You aren’t a burden whatsoever,” I assured her. I turned to the pan and poured the scrambled eggs in. “I never got to do this for you before. I want to take care of you,” I admitted. I never got to be a mom. Even if it was something as simple as making her breakfast, or teaching her how to make s’mores. It made it more real.

I frowned at that but was left with no real argument against it. I couldn't exactly tell her no, not when she phrased it like that and especially not when I knew that if I raised a protest she'd probably cave in a heartbeat. It was a bit heady, knowing I had this much power over someone. It made me wonder if this rush was what Jonah thrived over.

Krissy:

“I hope you slept well?” I glanced behind me at the two kids. I didn’t care about Jonah but it seemed awkward to ignore the guy.

I finished making breakfast by the time Michael came in. He was cold and I hugged and kissed him to help warm him up then handed him his cup of coffee the way he liked.

"I slept better than I expected too." I admitted between sips of coffee. I watched her work, trying to picture what life would have been like had I grown up here. Would I have sat in this kitchen, kicking my feet while I laughed with Krissy?

Michael came in and went right for his wife, embracing her as she hugged him. I watched as he slipped a hand under her robe and I got the barest hint of him raising her shirt and pressing his hand against her skin while his free hand accepted the coffee. Would this have been the family picture I'd have grown up with?

Krissy:

I gasped and winced but it was payback for last night. Still, I would have another opportunity to return it. It was an endless cycle. I kissed his cheek after enduring the cold. “Breakfast is ready, my love.” I said then got plates out. “Would you mind setting the table?” I asked him. Perhaps if we had been a real family I would have asked Kira to do it.

Michael:

I gathered the plates from my wife and stole an extra kiss on the lips before setting the table like she asked. I had felt Kira's eyes on me through the whole exchange and I flashed her a smile and nodded to Jonah as I passed them both. Before I'd even finished setting the table Kira had moved to it and was sitting in one of the chairs I'd laid a plate before.

Krissy:

After breakfast I suggested that we visit the hot springs this evening. The spark that shone in Kira's eyes at the suggestion warmed my heart. Today was going well. I hadn't messed up. I smiled and squeezed Michael's hand.

Jonah:

After breakfast I insisted on helping clean up. I washed the dishes while Krissy dried and put them away. When I was done I went to Kira. "I think I'll go for a walk. Will you join me?" I asked her. She had cooled her temper, but it wouldn't do to have her continue to stew over our spat.

Kira:

Not having anything else to do I simply observed the trio in the kitchen. Jonah insisting to help with dishes, Krissy suggesting we go to the hot springs later, and Michael taking care of the dogs. Watching them made me think of a family, working together as a unit. But oddly it also made me think I didn't fit in at all. I didn't fit in any where with this picture. I had nothing to do with my time besides what I was already doing.

I was surprised that Jonah invited me on a walk. And I eyed him for a long moment before finally nodding. "Alright. Let me grab my jacket and shoes."

Jonah:

I grabbed my jacket and wrapped a scarf around my neck. I waited for her by the door. Krissy watched me. I gave her an easy smile. I thought she would be easier to win over. She was too suspicious.

I opened the door for Kira when she came out. Cerberus and Fluffy joined us. “I owe you an apology, Kira,” I said as we walked.

I put on my own scarf and tugged up the hood of my jacket. Even with my preparations I still shivered at the first blast of cold air when we stepped outside. Stuffing my hands into my pockets I watched Cerberus and Fluffy explore ahead of us and wander around. The apology wasn't what I expected to come from him. I glanced at him and then away. "What brought this on?"

Jonah:

“Well, I’ve come to realize that you don’t have the best opinion of me.  I know much of that is my own doing.  I’ve pushed you too much.  But I would like to change that, if you’ll let me.  I would like to apologize, also, for disrupting your morning workout,”  I looked down at her with a slight smile.

"All you've ever done is push Jonah. And anytime I've brought up that you push too far you seem to take that as a personal challenge and find a way to move around the line I make on what's too much." I refused to look at him, but I knew without looking fully at his face that he was probably smiling at me. "And I have the opinion of you that you deserve."

I finally looked up at him and huffed through my nose. "Ruining my workout is not acceptable. How often do you tell me I need to relax? Lighten up? I don't do the morning workouts to please anyone but myself. And you prevented me from doing it."

((Disregard this post because I love you and just wanted to tease you but I promise to make it up to you.))

Jonah:

“I know. I’m sorry,” I said. “Kira, I meant what I said. You are my closest friend, even if you don’t see me as such,” I said, watching the dogs play ahead of us. “And I would like to say, you did get something wrong in your assessment of me earlier. You’re not a body to me. In fact your body is not even what I want. You’re not my doll. You’re not my weapon.” I adjusted my scarf when a gust of wind came at us. “What you are is the one person I can walk by and speak honestly with.”

Looking away and focusing on the dogs too I didn't speak until after he'd finished. When the gust of wind hit I hunkered down and slowed my steps until the wind had calmed down a bit. It was only after I resumed the same pace that I finally spoke. "Then stop trying to play me. You want me to think differently of you? Then don't treat me like your favorite little game where you poke and prod, smile and flirt all to get me to bend in the way you want. Stop acting like I'm your personal bonsai to groom out of the shape that I've already been made. Treat me like the normal person you seem to want me to become. Let me grow freely."

Jonah:

It was ironic to me that what she disliked in me, was the very thing she received from Marie her entire life yet refused to give her up. “You think that everything I do with you is by design. I can’t even smile at you without you assuming I’m trying to get something. So, are you asking me to leave you alone entirely?” I asked. If she so wished, I would give her time. Enough at least to satisfy her request.

"That isn't possible to do in the middle of a vacation." I countered then let out a slow breath. "I believe that you want things from me Jonah. That sometimes you are patient in waiting, and other times you push the issue. Stop pushing. Give it time. Because I am learning and changing. I am not the girl I was when you first met me."

Jonah:

“No, you are not,” I agreed. We walked a few paces in silence. “Then you admit that, given time, there may be something more than this,” I gestured to us, “between us?” I watched her with a sideways glance as we walked. If I could get her to confess some kind of feelings for me, I would be content to let the matter settle for now.