Chapter 4: Kylan

“Not this pest again,” Davies mumbled underneath his breath when he heard the unwelcome voice. Kylie’s expression wasn’t pleasant either. For she knew all too well who was behind them.

Behind Davies was a blond haired lady with model good looks and an enviable figure. Loose strands of her luxurious hair straddled her swan-like neck, and a few more cascaded into her low cut blouse. Her floral skirt gave her an elegant appeal. Her brown eyes carried the grace of one who was placed above many others; one whose birth was celebrated by the stars themselves. She was gorgeous woman and a familiar figure to Kylie and Davies. This girl was Sam, a constant pest in Davies and Kylie’s side.

“What did you say?” Sam frowned in displeasure with her eyes glued on Davies. Although Davies spoke underneath his breath, his clear voice was difficult to miss.

“What does it matter what he said?” Jack turned to face Sam and asked. Although he pestered Davies and Kylie most of the time, he never looked down on them. The three had a tacit understanding between each other and knew what exactly to expect of themselves. So Davies and Kylie knew that although Jack usually followed them around and was always disturbing them in one way or another, he never meant any harm.

The same couldn’t be said about Sam though. She never hid her disdain of Kylie and Davies. And whatever chance she got to embarrass or harm them, she took it. There were many times both Davies and Kylie had fallen into Sam’s traps. However, of the two, Kylie had been victimized more than Davies. There were many instances of such moments. But the most recent one would have to be when Sam somehow was able to intercept an email detailing the schedule of tests and exams meant for Kylie and had sent a slightly altered one in its place. Although the days on the one Sam sent were the same, the times were slightly different, ensuring that Kylie would be an hour late for each test. This had caused her to almost fail a quiz. Fortunately right after that paper Davies confirmed that what she received was false. And both were able to pinpoint the entire ordeal to the gloating Sam. As for why Sam was always bullying Davies and Kylie, it was because of Jack. As the only child of one of the richest men in the region, Sam didn’t lack anything. The pampered princess grew up getting everything she wanted. And for her it was unusual to find something she liked that she could not get. Unfortunately for her, that was indeed the case. There was something she liked; yet it fell under the empty list of unattainable fantasies. This object was Jack but the burly boy wasn’t interested in Sam at all. For Sam this was very new because boys usually followed her around like flies. She was beautiful, intelligent and wealthy. She was a dream for most men. But for some reason Jack wasn’t charmed by her. Maybe it was because Jack’s family wasn’t the least bit inferior to hers, but it was still strange. And this led Sam to believe that it was because of Kylie that Jack wasn’t interested in her. She always saw Jack laughing around Davies and Kylie, something he didn’t do around her, and assumed it was because he was having a much better time with them. She didn’t know that he was mostly teasing them in such instances.

“Well, with your background someone like this pretty boy shouldn’t be badmouthing you,” Sam crossed her thin arms and said. Her words caused Davies to frown, but he chose to remain silent. His family was wealthy, but it didn’t have the history Jack and Sam’s families had. Before such deeply rooted families, his family’s money wasn’t worth much. But there was someone who wasn’t going to allow another to insult her friend.

“How does background determine how a person should speak?” Kylie stood up and asked. She was slightly taller than Sam, so when she stood she had to tilt her head just a bit in order to look the rude girl in her eyes.

“You are not worthy to speak to me either, Kylan,” Sam waved her hand nonchalantly as though Kylie was some sort of stain in her clothes.

“You…” Kylie’s eyes blazed in anger hearing how Sam addressed her. Sam knew how to get under her skin, and she never lost the chance to do so. Kylan was a man’s name, but Sam addressed Kylie in such a manner just to annoy her. Because of Kylie’s great athleticism, many of the girls teased her behind her back. It was mostly due to jealousy because Kylie was talented in pretty much everything. Added to the fact that she was pretty and intelligent, the others all felt done in by the one who created them all. If there was a God, most of them wondered, why did he give all the good stuff to just one person and leave them with pieces of what was leftover?

“She isn’t worth it,” Davies shook his head and said to Kylie seeing that his friend was close to losing her temper. Then he held Kylie’s hand and dragged her away.

“Don’t speak to them like that again,” Jack frowned and went after Kylie and Davies. As for Sam, Jack cared little for her, especially because of how she regarded others.

“Wait!” Sam exclaimed and chased after Jack.

“Don’t you dare follow me,” Jack turned back to face Kylie with a blue glow in his eyes. His face was twisted into a menacing scowl and Sam found herself taking a step back subconsciously.

“Do not let me remind you of who I am,” Jack added before finally exiting the lecture hall. As for Sam, she stood there stiffly for a while before being dragged away by a few of her friends also.

“Don’t let her get to you Kylie. You know how she is. She just loves to get a reaction from you.” Outside the class Davies was trying to comfort Kylie. His words helped somewhat, for she was much calmer now.

“I know,” Kylie sighed. “I can go to my room by myself Davies. There is no need for you to escort me.” Kylie informed Davies before hastening her steps. But Davies was quick to catch up with her.

“I want to send you back,” he offered.

“No. I would rather be alone. Please listen to me.” Kylie pleaded.

“Very well. Are we still on for this weekend?” he asked.

“Of course,” Kylie smiled before giving Davies a hug and leaving him behind. Davies watched Kylie’s figure for a while until she disappeared round the corner. When he couldn’t see her anymore, he sighed wistfully before turning to go his way.

“Argh!” Davies screamed, startled by Jack’s figure. “Why did you sneak up on me like that?” Davies complained while clutching on to his chest.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Jack apologized.

“Wait a minute. Did you just apologize to me?” Davies asked as his eyes widened exaggeratedly.

“I did,” Jack chuckled with his hands in his pockets.

“That must mean that you want something,” Davies squinted his eyes and said. Jack scratched his head embarrassingly when his true intents were exposed.

“I do,” Jack admitted.

“It concerns Kylie, doesn’t it?” Davies showed why he was one of the class’s top students with his accurate guess. Jack nodded his head in reply and said what he wanted to say.

“Why does the name Kylan annoy her so much? She is usually very calm and rarely gets upset no matter what happens to her. So why is that name able to bring out her wrathful side?”

This was what Jack wanted to know. For Kylie wasn’t one prone to anger. And he didn’t believe that it was because the girls teased her saying she was like a man that got to her. He felt that there was something he didn’t know.

“Knowing you, you wouldn’t stop pestering me if I didn’t tell you. And it will only be a matter of time before you approach Kylie herself you insensitive bloke.” Davies grumbled. Jack didn’t bother about the insult Davies hurled at him. He nodded his head to show that what Davies was saying was indeed true. His persistence was well known to Davies. In that respect, Jack and Sam were very similar.

“I don’t know how Sam found out, but the name Kylan is very important to Kylie,” Davies sighed. A strange sadness filled the lanky boy’s frame all of a sudden, and Jack found himself being immersed in his friend’s emotion.

“Why?” Jack wondered.

“Because that is the name of her brother – her deceased brother.”