�Lee? Are you okay?� Jessica asked.
Kaylee shook her head. �No. I can�t do this.� She started to reach for her keys to leave.
Jamie grabbed the keys out of the ignition. �No. Your ass is going in there.�
Kaylee scowled at her little sister. �I taught you too well.� She opened her door and stepped down. �Can I have my keys?�
�No.� Jamie shoved the keys in her pocket.
�Too damn well.�
Sighing heavily Kaylee reached the door and walked inside. She led her sisters to Good Charlotte�s Studio and gently knocked on the door.
Paul opened the door quickly and smiled at her. �Hey we were wondering if you were coming back. What happened?�
�They got in a fight at the mall.� Kaylee motioned to the twins behind her. �I don�t know what about though.� She sat down on the couch next to Billy.
�The twins should be back any second. They forgot something at the hotel.�
�They don�t know,� Billy reassured her.
�Does Paul?� Kaylee asked.
Paul nodded. �He told me right before you got here.�
She leaned back into the couch. �Help.�
�Don�t tell Joel in front of everyone. Even though he�ll know, he doesn�t need to know we do.�
�Don�t just bring it up during total silence either. Talk about something and bring it up mid sentence,� Billy instructed.
�You�re back,� Joel sounded pleasantly surprised to see Kaylee.
�Hey.� Kaylee smiled. �We�re not staying long. I just wanted to see if you could come over when you�re done tonight.�
Joel nodded. �Yeah. I�ll call you before I come over.�
�Great.� She smiled again. �We gotta go.� Kaylee kissed him quickly before ushering Jamie and Jessica out the door. �You�re staying at a friend�s tonight,� she told them when they were in the truck. �Kayla�s staying at someone�s house and Mom�s staying at her boyfriends.�
�You don�t want everyone around do you?� Jessica asked.
�You�re quick,� Kaylee said dryly.
�You�re gonna cry, aren�t you.� Jamie wasn�t asking a question.
�Probably.�
~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaylee fell back on the couch, her hands over her face. Joel had called a few minutes ago and was on his way. He was due to be there any second.
There was a strong knock on the front door.
�It�s open,� she called in the door�s general direction.
�It�s me.� Joel smiled as he walked in. �Are you okay?� he asked when he saw her sprawled out on the couch.
�Peachy,� she muttered. �I�m just not in all that great of a mood.�
He sat down next to her and leaned down to kiss her.
�You might not wanna do that.�
�Why are you sick?�
�No. But you�re probably gonna hate me in a few minutes.�
�I won�t hate you, Kaylee.�
She sat up and sighed. �That�s up for debate.�
�Tell me what happened and I�ll tell you if I hate you.�
�Well�it started about three years ago. I started talking to this guy on the internet, we�d never met. And when I finally did meet him, it was actually for the second time, I wanted to kick him in the balls.�
�You lost me.�
�I�m the girl who broke Benji�s heart.�
Joel was quiet. Kaylee had to look to make sure he was still breathing.
�Are you okay?� she asked quietly.
He didn�t say anything. Joel looked like he was trying hard to control his anger.
Kaylee pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees, watching him.
�Why?�
�Why what? Why didn�t I tell you? Why do I hate him? What?�
�Both.�
�I didn�t tell you because he�s your brother�and because I like you.�
�And the second?�
�Because he ignored me the first time we met�you were there, he was a total ass and didn�t acknowledge that I existed. I don�t like it when people do that.�
He nodded slowly. Joel stood and looked down at her momentarily before turning and walking out the front door.
�That�s why I didn�t tell him sooner,� Kaylee muttered to herself. She wiped the tears that were beginning to form from her eyes.