6.

Kira - Your mom and mine were friends a few years ago.

"Huh, that's not so bad, is it?" Cara asks as she looks at my screen.

Me - That's a good thing, right?

Kira - Depends on your point of view. Your mom, Ms V. Grand, asked my guardians' permission for me to come live with you guys for the year,

Suddenly my mouth went dry. A year is too long to live with someone I do not know.

Me - I don't know what to say.

Kira - Is it fine with you? Me staying at your place? Ms Grand said it's all up to me but I'd like to know if I'll be crossing any boundaries.

Me - It's not my word that counts. If my mom invited you, I don't see a reason why you wouldn't want to come.

"Why would mom invite a stranger and not tell me?" I look at Cara for answers. She just shrugs.

"Maybe she's a cousin or something? Maybe your mom wanted to surprise you?" she asks me, but I feel like she's trying to convince herself instead.

Kira - Okay, cool. My flight's on Sat. See you then?

Me - Sure. Take care.

I feel my muscles tensing as I shove my phone in my bag. Cara purses her lips and looks at me. "Living with a friend's daughter for a year, huh?"

"How exciting is that?" I remark sarcastically.

"Hey, your mom reached out first. She hardly makes a bad choice," she nudges my shoulder.

"That lady is always right," I ruffle Cara's hair, and she swats my hands away. "Maybe it'll be fun, yeah?" She smiles and grabs me in one of her special hugs. The kind whereby my face is in her neck and hers in mine. The kind that I never expect. The kind that make me long for her even more. I tickle her sides and she giggles, moving frantically. I hold her a tad longer and the bell rings above us. She groans as she pulls away.

"We'll have to get a pass now," she pouts.

"You don't need a pass when you've got me," I wink and take her hand in mine. She sighs and trails behind me. We go up the last stairs that lead to her block. She stops at the Literature class. I knock on the door and it's pulled open, revealing a sweet ol' Mrs Roberts.

"Mr Grand, what brings you here?" She still remembers my name? The guys and I had her for Literature when we were sophomores - best year of our English Studies. I believe I was secretly her favourite student, although Miguel insisted it was him because she was friends with his mom, hence they often had dinners together. Now that I think of it, they still do. Parents.

"I came to return Ms Heil to you personally," I say as I look past her into the class. Yepp, Cara definitely fits in with all these people. All smart, glasses, tight buns- My thoughts are cut shorts by the sound of Mrs Roberts deliberately clearing her throat.

I look at her and see that she's looking down at our hands as Cara tries awkwardly to remove my grip on her, causing me to hold her firmer. She looks at me plainly and I wink at her, making her roll her eyes. Mrs Roberts smiles and gestures for Cara to walk into class. I release her and she walks to her desk, only looking at me when she takes her seat in the front row.

"Let me write you a pass," Mrs Roberts says as she returns to her desk.

"That'd be much appreciated," I say, before winking and blowing a kiss at Cara. Mrs Roberts hands me a green paper and I thank her, before leaving her class.

"Enjoy your day, ma'am," I wave at her and she waves back.

---

"Are you serious, man?" Miguel asks as he spins in the CST chair with arms. We are in the Ceramics class completing our assignment. Ryan designed a car and I am finalising my motorbike.

I told them about Kira arriving tomorrow and they don't seem fazed about it. What are friends for again?

"I don't see how bad that could be," Ryan says as he smoothens the exterior of his model car.

"Never mind then." I look at Miguel's artwork and smirk. "What are you doing?"

He looks at his craft and beams. "Boobies," he declares proudly, showing his white teeth. Ryan bursts with laughter and I can't help laughing along.

"Ms Montez said we should model something we're grateful for having in our lives," Ryan reminds Miguel.

"Yeah," Miguel says as he points to his work. The bell rings and I shake my head as I take a last look at his work. Maybe she'll be impressed this time. Last time, he just wrote the word 'you' with clay.

"Please leave your artwork on your assigned tables. I'll come around and mark them," Ms Montez shouts over the noise of the class. She's one of the good looking female teachers. With her long legs and brunette hair, brown eyes and tanned skin, she perfectly fits into Miguel's type of women. It's no surprise he was attracted to her when she first arrived.

We exit the classroom and go to the wash rooms to clean up. "What's today's plan?" Ryan asks as we walk to the school's parking lot.

"I'll just stay home," I sigh as I unlock my car.

***

Ryan and Miguel unlock theirs as well. One of the things that define us as a trio is our cars. We have the same cars. Even our number plates are almost the same; Miguel is 1070, Ryan is 1071 and I am 1072.

That's also the order in which we park our cars. The rest of the students know better than to park in our spots. It's not that we threaten them not to park in our places, but if they do, they might just find their car in the district's tow garage.

"There's a party down at some freshman's today," Ryan says as he leans against his car's door.

"Is that the same freshman that tried to get into the football team?" Miguel sniggers. Ryan smirks as he nods.

"I don't even know why he tried," Ryan comments. I tune out on their conversation and think about tomorrow. Kira is arriving. How is she? Is she blonde? Is she a quiet person? Is she rude? Is she having piercings all over?

"Kian! Over here," Ryan waves in my direction. "We'll get going," they say as they get in their cars.

"Have fun you two," I wave them goodbye as I get in mine. They drive off, and my car remains one of the only cars in the parking lot. I sigh and pull out my phone to reread Kira's texts. It's hard to believe I'll be living with an English girl for a whole year.

Man, I swear their accent works on me sometimes. Especially when they won't stop talking. Why can't she just live with her own parents instead? I sigh and open the compartment in front of the passenger seat, collect a small plastic container and down two pills with soda before putting it back and rest my eyes for a while.

"Kian!" my name's called, and I look up through the windshield to see Cara waving at me from the school doors. Who was I expecting? I step out of my car and lean against the door, my eyes squinting from the bright sun.

"What are you still doing here?" she asks as she comes towards me.

"I could ask you the same question."

"I stayed for the Editorial Committee," she says as she brushes her hair from her face. The wind has picked up a little speed since brunch.

"I just didn't drive when the others did," I say as I kick a few rocks.

"Why? Is anything wrong?" She asks when she comes to a stop and puts her hand on my arm.

"No, not really," I half-lie. "Is your car here? I can give you a ride if you want." She shrugs.

"It's in the elite's parking lot. Where yours should also be," she teases. I chuckle and open the passenger's door for her.

"How long has it been in there?" I look at her. She tends to forget her car anywhere she goes. She defends herself by saying she got used to taking public transport in Milan. She was there for only three months before moving here.

"Not very long," she tries not to smile. I look at her with a knowing look and she rolls her eyes. "Just 2 weeks, no biggie. And plus, I'll come get it tonight." I pull out of the parking lot and head for the highway.

"Any reason why?"

"Mom wants me to attend a date with one of her colleagues."

"Why? Do you like him?" I smirk and she laughs, shaking her head.

"Nope, she says it's for their company. They want to get investors 'by any means possible'," she says, making air quotes.

"Good luck with that then," I glance at her, "Is your car safe there?" She chuckles and turns to me.

"Yes, Kian. And even if it does get stolen, which I highly doubt considering the school's security system, I can always ride the bus to and fro." I look at her in shock.

"Believe it or not, some kids do take the bus. It's really fun. You should try it sometime," she smiles convincingly.

"I'm not so sure about that." The bus sounds too crowded for my liking.

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"Let's see; it could break down?" I offer my second best reason.

"It's a vehicle; of course it'll break down someday."

I switch lanes and turn into her neighbourhood, slowing down outside the largest house in the vicinity. "Remind me what profession can afford this house again?" I say in awe as I admire her house. She shakes her head as she unbuckles.

"Being a fisherman and a domestic worker," she says, smiling. I narrow my eyes at her and she looks at me blankly. I shake my head as I chuckle.

She looks out of the window and I follow her gaze. I see a man I'm assuming is the father holding his toddler. He straps her in her seat before closing the door and getting into the driver's seat himself, before driving off.

I look at Cara and see pain and longing reflected in her eyes. Almost the same pain as mine, except that I just don't remember anything about my dad. Her father left them when she was just 6.

"Cara," I gently put my hand on her shoulder. She snaps out of her daze and looks at me, tears falling down her pale pink cheeks as she blinks pain away.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she assures me, but honestly she's trying to convince herself. I wipe her tears with my thumbs and she smiles genuinely. I have never met someone as strong as her. She still has faith in happiness after her dad took almost everything and left them and their mom broke.

Luckily, my mom took initiative for them and contacted her lawyers to reclaim most of the money they lost. With that, they helped each other climb the socialite ladder again. This time, it looks like they are there to stay. I couldn't be more happier for them, really.

"Look at me," she brushes her hair out of her face, "do I look like I need a father?" she deadpans.

"Not a chance," I look into her eyes, "you're better off without one. He just turned into a waste of sperm carrier, anyway." She gives me a knowing look as she slings her bag over her shoulder.

"Well, I have to go now. We don't want my mom's security becoming suspicious of you, now do we?"

"Alright, fine. I'll call you tonight though," I say as I get out of the car as well.

"How about you just stick to 'Cara'?" she asks as she gives me a hug. She laughs at my confused face until it finally sinks in. I groan teasingly and she lightly slaps my cheeks.

"Take care of yourself. For me," she winks as she walks onto their premises.

"Will do," I whisper to myself as I get in my car and drive off.