Kay hated her family more than ever. So much so that she ended up counting the money she'd managed to save every single night.

Her shift at Earl's had barely ended and she was already counting her tips for the night. Damn, it wasn't that much. He still needed a lot to buy her ticket to Dallas and secure her transportation to the town she'd left behind. If she could only call Kyle and ask him to pick her up.

Though, if she could call Kyle, she wouldn't be having this issue in the first place. She'd just tell him where she was and she was sure he'd show up immediately to whisk her out of there.

Then, they'd drive off into the sunset together and she'd never have to see her abusive parents or that idiot Donnie again. As it was, she was stuck with them until she gathered enough money.

Come on, you can do it.

It had been five months. Maybe he'd gotten over her.

"Play for keeps, remember?"

He'd said that and she believed him with all her heart. Maybe something had happened on his end, too. The thought of anything happening to him squeezed her heart even more than missing him. But Max had mentioned that he was in danger and she'd witnessed that danger first hand when they'd had their brakes cut off and plunged into a ravine.

"Hi, Kay!"

Her chidlhood friend, Angie, bounced into view, too energetic for the late hour and the prospect of the night shift. Which only meant one thing.

"Had a fun afternoon with Tom?"

She blushed furiously which was all the answer Kay needed. "We're just helping each other with homework."

Sure, just homework. Kay felt like rolling his eyes, wondering if this was how Kelly felt every time she'd claimed she and Kyle were just friends. Bullshit.

"Buuuut..." Angie rocked back and forth from the tips of her toes to her heels. "Tom and I came up with a fabulous idea."

"Really?" Kay asked amused. "Is he finally asking you out properly."

Angie shook her head, her black waves covering her face. "Don't make this about me. This is about you."

Kay raised her eyebrows. "Alright..."

"You see, Tom's brother is rather in the same situation as you. So... Maybe you two could go out?"

The next breath Kay took went down the wrong way and she found herself coughing so badly, she missed Angie's next words.

"...messy break up, so you'd be perfect for each other."

"I didn't go through a messy break up. I was practically kidnapped!" She and Kyle were still together.

Angie waved her hand as if there wasn't much of a difference. "You need to get away from that asshole and from your parents. Come on, it could be fun!"

She had a point there. Kay was so sick of her parents and Donnie always coming over she'd basically locked herself in her room where she spent her time crying and rolling the key to Kyle's Ferrari between her fingers. Maybe getting out of the house would do her good. And a date didn't necessarily have to become anything romantic, right? Maybe she could make a new friend.

Because she was so great at having guy friends. She'd completely fallen in love with the one she thought she had. She shook her head, trying to drive the worrying thought back.

"Plus, Jimmy is so cool and really hot," Angie continued.

Kay fought the impulse to laugh out loud. After Kyle, yeah right!

"Please. For me?" Angie batted her eyelashes at her.

Kay squinted at her. She could tell Angie cared for her, but she wouldn't squander this opportunity.

"On one condition. You stop pretending you don't like Tom as more than a friend."

Angie paled and pulled back, her excitement  wavering. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I just want you to be happy, too."

"Well, Tom and I are....um, complicated."

They were 16 and 17. What was so complicated about it?

"Say it."

Angie took in a deep breath. "Okay, I might be slightly attracted to him."

"Slightly?"

"Okay, not slightly. But once you see Jimmy, you'll know why. They do look alike."

"Fine then, I'll go. But tell Tom to tell this Jimmy not to expect much." There was no way in hell anyone could replace Kyle.

"As I mentioned, he's in the same mindset as you, so don't worry about it."

If only things would go that easily. Kay glanced at the wad of cash in her hand. She hoped Jimmy was paying for dinner because she was not about to spend her escape money on nonesense.

🌗

Everything went to hell on a Tuesday.

After multiple weeks of cursing his decisions and his inability to predict that he needed time for a job as well, not just studying, Kyle had had enough.

Yes, his father had made it pretty clear that there was no way he was getting out of there because he had no money, but that didn't mean Kyle couldn't ask his mother. So, on that fateful Tuesday, he decided to do just that.

How much money did he need to get back to Texas anyway? Yes, Max didn't want him anymore and Kay was definitely not there, but if she managed to escape her asshole parents, that was the first place she'd go. And he'd be damned if he wouldn't be there waiting for her.

All he needed was money for a plane ticket and cheap rent until he got a job of his own.

With that thought in mind, he entered the kitchen. He was a little shocked to find both his mother and his younger brother Jerry there, the two of them cooking for what looked like an army.

"Mom, could I have a word?"

Maxi Grant turned towards him, wiping the sweat off her forehead with her forearm. "Sure, sweetie."

Kyle threw Jerry a fleeting look, but it was obvious that his brother wasn't getting the hint to get the hell out of there. Oh, well, not like Kyle cared much.

"Can I borrow some money?"

Maxi frowned. "Barrow? Honey, it's your money as well. It's not like we're going to take it to our graves. How much do you need?"

That was an optimistic start. Kyle leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, making some quick calculations. "I think a couple grand could be enough."

Maxi faltered for a moment then smiled. "Sure. What do you need it for?"

Shit, he hoped she wouldn't ask because he hated lying. "I want to buy some new equipment for my guitar."

His mother's face lit up in an instant. "That's a great idea. You'll surely need it. And righ in time."

"He doesn't need it," Jerry interjected.

Kyle glared at him. "How do you know that?"

"You're equipment is brand new and state of the art. You won't find something better."

That was true, but how the hell did uptight Jerry know that? "That doesn't answer my question."

"I've cleaned it multiple times. I know good equipment when I see it."

Before Kyle could ask any more questions regarding how Jerry would know that in the first place, his mother clicked her tongue.

"Kyle, what's going on?"

He could lie some more, combat Jerry, whine, but he was too fed up with it. His family wouldn't even let him fool them in peace.

"I want to go back to Texas."

Jerry rolled his eyes and turned back to the counter, continuing his work on what looked like a very complicated cake. Maxi let out a tired sigh.

"Kyle, please. Not now."

Not now. Not. Now. Not now? "I'm sorry to be an inconvenience, but I never wanted to be here. I can go to college anywhere and I want to--"

"College?" Maxi asked, frowning slightly.

"Yes. Isn't that why you brought me here in the first place? For college?"

His mother bit her lip, her expression turning cautious. "No. Hasn't Freider explained this to you properly?"

It felt like a lightning strike, because he was sure this couldn't be good. "Explained what?"

"Honey, you're here to get married. Your fiancée and her family are coming over tonight. That's why we're doing all this." She indicated the mountains of food on the counter as if it would explain the absurdity of arranged marriage.

"What?"

"He should've told you this months ago," Maxi mumbled. "I thought that was why you were so upset all thime, and I understand. But she's a great girl and I'm sure you'll love her."

Unless it was Kay who they were bringing over, he was sure he wouldn't love her. "I'm a fucking adult, and you can't make me."

"That's why your father should have explained," Maxi pleaded. "We're going under. We're broke and we need their money to stay afloat."

"What the hell? Get a loan. Sell the house. Borrow from Max. There are a million other options."

"We've tried them all. Our credit score is trash and Max doesn't want to help."

"Marry Jerry off."

"He's too uptight and Sam's too young."

This didn't make any sense. No sense at all.

"You'd be saving your family," Maxi said, her eyes filled with tears. "I know she'll love you because you're amazing and it's the only chance we have."

Nope, this made no sense and Kyle didn't see the point to argue further, so he left the kitchen and headed back up the stairs. No wonder Freider hadn't told him. He knew Kyle would be out the door the following minute, just like he was about to do now.

Once he reached his room he pulled out a backpack and stuffed it with a few essentials, then he dug out the money he'd managed to save from his lousy allowance. He knew already that they were not enough for a plane ticket out of there. However, he could use them for gas. He still had his Harely and he could drive out of there and never return. He'd figure it out on the road.

He glanced at his guitars and his equipment, wishing he could take them with him. It felt like a piece of him was breaking, but he would leave it all behind to escape this. There was no way in hell he was getting married. He belonged to Kay, heart and sould and body.

Step one. Get the hell out of here. Step two, find Kay somehow. Step three, figure out what to do together.

He'd never been poor before, but he'd figure that out as well.

The light dimmed outside his window and he found it the best moment to slip out. If he was lucky, no one would see him.

But the moment he reached the landing, dragging his escape backpack after him, he realized he'd made a major mistake.

"Kyle, there you are!" His mother beamed at him wearing a dark blue dress, he hair pinned up in am elegant updo.

His father joined her, for once wearing a smart black suit instead of some shade of brown. They were joined by two other people dressed for the theater.

"You're just in time to meet your fiancée, Jessica."

🌗🌗🌗

As promised, you get drama. So welcome to the drama fest. Things got so crazy so fast, but Kyle is obviously having none of this.

And poor Kay, left alone out there with no idea about what's going on. How will that go? Stick around and see.