Perfect School

Michael:

"I'll come." It took me a bit to come to that answer. The food was helping me sober up a little as was going into the bathroom and splashing my face with water, though the latter was more to make me feel more awake. My steps were more sure of themselves compared to the restaurant. I let him lead the way, assuming he knew the way. Entering the room behind him I paused and blinked at the sight before me. Kira was putting together a handgun with only one hand. And from how her brow furrowed just the tiniest bit and her fingers looked beat up I could tell it was a struggle. But it was her other hand underneath Jonah's that gave me pause.

Kyle:

I dropped the bag on the bed next to Kira. “I know you didn’t eat earlier so I got you something. Eat it,” I said in a slightly hushed tone. I didn’t care too much for Jonah but considering my sister had put him in this situation, I thought it was only right to be somewhat respectful of his rest. I eyed her hand in his. It wasn’t ideal, I was just glad it wasn’t Kyra.

Kira:

I looked up after finally getting the slide back into place. Letting out a sigh I looked at the bag of food then up first at Kyle then at Michael and then back again. "I didn't call." Searching his face a moment I turned away to put away the kit and then the pistol into my backpack, spending only a brief moment to inspect my hand and the little cuts I'd acquired.

Kyle:

“I’m aware,” I said. “I didn’t think you would either. We’re going back to the hotel and I wanted to give you the option to come back if you wanted. Otherwise I will be back in the morning to check on you with anyone else who wishes to come.” I glanced back at Michael.

"I want to stay." I gave a look towards Michael along with Kyle before looking towards the bag of food. I wasn't hungry still, but I needed to take my medicine. I could feel the effects eating at me slowly. "Thank you for this."

Michael:

Stepping further into the room I focused on Jonah, "How is he doing?"

"They didn't tell me. He was awake a while ago."

"He should be fine then. He's strong." I looked down at my daughter and set a hand gently on her back. "I'm sorry Kira."

"So is everyone it seems." Her tone was flat but she did look at me again after delivering it. "And yet it doesn't change what happened."

Kyle:

“No, it doesn’t. All that can be done now is to recover,” I said. I didn’t just mean Jonah. As a family we needed to heal from what had happened. It would take time, but I didn’t want Kira to give up. I would do my best, even if her parents didn’t.

"This isn't a paper cut Kyle. A band-aid and a kiss aren't going to diagnose and help recover what has been done." The quip fell past my lips before I could check it. After my brain processed what I'd said I pulled my hand from under Jonah's and rubbed my face. I wasn't going to apologize, not for what I'd said or my tone. But it was true, and I wasn't exactly still in a good frame of mind for his badgering antics.

Kyle:

“I’m glad you don’t think kissing is the solution.” I flicked my gaze to Jonah for a second. There was a fine line to walk with Kira. Taking her bait wouldn’t be productive. I patted her shoulder. “Eat. Get some rest. We’ll come back in the morning.”

I turned my head to give him a long look of exasperation then glanced up at Michael. "You both should do the same. At least one person in my life should be fully functioning. Too many are either catatonic, drunk, selfishly nosy, or attempting to break apart my little world."

Michael:

I winced at her pointed words. She could tell, though I doubted it was very hard. "Good night Kira. I'll see you tomorrow. In a better state than I am now." Offering her a weak smile I got a tiny nod then a wave before she turned her head away in a clear dismissal. I led the way out of the room and to the car, finally releasing the tension I felt in my body as I climbed in. "That could have gone better."

Kyle:

“Under the circumstances, I think it went fairly well,” I said as I started the car. Kira was hurting, that was plain to see, and she was lashing out at those around her. It didn’t bother me like it would bother others. It showed, at least, that she cared.

"Ha. I'll defer to your expertise on teenage girls for that. I could tell she didn't hate me at least. Disappointed for sure, but not hate." I smiled and shook my head. It was another reason for me not to drink. Or at the very least, to never drink to this capacity again. Not if I was going to be scolded by my own daughter over it.

Kyle:

“She’s hurt.  That comes out as anger.  It’s going to take a lot of work on your part to fix this.  You and Krissy both,” I said. I glanced at him.  “But first you need to work things out with Krissy.”

Michael:

“Aye...I know.” Running a hand through my hair I sighed. The tension settled back onto my shoulders and I stared out at the road ahead of us. I wasn’t looking forward to the conversation that was to come but at the same time I missed my wife.

Kyle:

I wished him luck but I didn't say anything else on the matter. They had to work this out on their own. Judging from how they had always been in the past, it was probably their first major argument. I parked at the hotel and led him to Krissy's door. I knocked for him then left him alone to go check on my daughter.

Krissy:

I jumped out of bed and hurried to the door, hoping that it would be Michael and not Kyle or Kyra. When I saw that it was him, my first instinct was to hug him close. I paused instead remembering how I had clung to him earlier and how he hadn't held me.

I opened the door wide and leaned against it slightly so that he could come in--if he would come in... I didn't know what to say to him, one of the very few times I had ever been speechless with my husband.

I could smell the alcohol on him. I could tell that he wasn't entirely sober. And I knew that I couldn't be angry about it. It twisted my stomach that I had driven him to this. I watched his face, his blue eyes, waiting to see what he did.

I searched her face as she opened the door. I could see the repressed desire to throw herself on me, a sentiment I was grateful for. When she moved to the side I stepped into the room and sat down on the bed before looking into her eyes once more. "Could you please try to explain it to me?" I begged softly while clasping my hands together and leaning my elbows onto my knees.

Krissy:

I wanted to join him on the bed but instead, I sat on the floor in front of him. For a minute I stared at the pattern on the carpet trying to collect my thoughts.

"I'm sorry Michael. I never meant to lie to you or hurt you..." My eyes started watering when I looked up at him. I tried to blink it away. "I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't in control of myself. I left before I knew what I was doing... But you're right, I did have the whole plane trip to send you a message. I just... I didn't want you to get hurt because of me. Get killed because of me... I knew I was being reckless and I didn't care. I didn't care about what happened to me. But I did care about you. I know it was horribly selfish and I am so, so sorry... You're the most important thing in the world to me... I just couldn't risk you." tears were rolling down my cheeks now, even when I tried to control them. I sniffed quietly. I didn't want to be pathetic to him. I knew I had messed up. I knew I was selfish. I didn't know if he could ever forgive me for it.

Michael:

I never looked away from her face as she explained her side. After she finished I closed my eyes and hung my head taking time to think it through. I found I didn't agree with her choices, I wasn't happy with them in the slightest. But I also understood it. If our positions were reveresed I couldn't argue that I wouldn't have done the same. I was silent for almost a minute before I opened my eyes and sat up. Looking at her tear streaked face I sighed and then extended my arms out in a beckoning hug. "I don't agree with what you did my love. But I understand why you did it."

Krissy:

My lip trembled and I hurried to hug him. I climbed into this lap and wound my arms around him. I moved my hand up to his hair. "I'm so sorry, Michael. I'm sorry. I love you," I murmured. My heart ached terribly.

I held her close, burying my face into her neck. “I can’t lose you Krissy. I just can’t.” I murmured into her skin. Drawing in several deep breaths I finally pulled my face away, “I want to work on it with you. Maybe y’all to Jack and see if he knows someone who could help. Even if it doesn’t work I want to try okay?”

Searching her face my gaze softened. “I love you Krissy. But I’m not the main person you need to apologize too. Kira is the worst off for what happened. Tomorrow morning we are going to visit her at the hospital where Jonah is staying.”

Krissy:

I nodded. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to make this better between the two of us. “I am sorry, Michael. Truly. I don’t want this to happen again. I don’t ever want to hurt you… Or Kira… I’ll do everything it takes,” I said quietly. I felt better in his arms. The world didn’t feel like it was falling apart anymore. He came back.

Gently I held her, rocking her slowly. "I know Krissy. I know you will. It's alright." Running my fingers down her back I sighed softly into her hair. "I love you Krissy Night. With all my heart."

Krissy:

"I love you, Michael," I murmured, clinging to him tighter, "more than anything." I kissed his neck, more wetly than I meant it to be. I didn't ever want to be apart form him again.

Her wet kiss made me chuckle, but it also reminded me that I probably didn't smell the greatest. "I probably don't smell very good right now do I?" Running my fingers through her hair I grimaced, "I think I might have spread it to your hair too...I'm definitely in need of a shower, care to join me?"

With her at my side we showered, changed into pajamas and curled up in bed in each others arms. We spent a little bit of time talking about what had happened, but we changed to just talking about plans for the future. Things we wanted to do, things we now needed to do, and told each other dozens of times that we loved each other. All before we eventually drifted off to sleep and woke early the next morning.

Jonah:

The pain gradually became too much for me to stay asleep, not to mention I had other needs. I shifted and grunted in pain. I had been in pain before. I had been hurt before. Made to endure torture techniques. But I had not sustained an injury quite as invasive as this. It was bearable, certainly, but unpleasant. It wasn’t the kind of thing I could push aside.

I started to sit up slowly. My breaths were shallow. My face held a grimace.

Kira:

I was up in an instant when I felt him shift. I'd finally just started to doze off, the roller coaster I'd been forced to deal with had yet to end but I could only deal with so much before I knew I'd need some sleep. My first instinct was to snarl at the commotion but when my brain followed soon after I focused on him. "Jonah? No. Lay down." I pressed a hand onto his shoulder.