Two reasons why a person would have a problem with you: they felt threatened by you, or you made them feel better about themselves.

I couldn't choose which of those reasons applied to what happened to Kairi.

It seemed to be a little bit of both, because even though Smooches made her popular, she still had issues with her self-esteem. She was always asking me if I thought she was cool, or what that dress she was wearing said about her.

"You're fine, Kai," I would tell her. "You look great."

Then she'd give me a smile and tell me she loved me.

Staring at Smooches' 1.4 million followers, I couldn't remember the last time someone told me they loved me. It was a completely absurd thought, because I was supposed to be happy that people were actually interested in the laundry I was airing out, that Smooches' Instagram had gone from eight hundred thousand followers to one million and more in such a short time. The comments on the blog had doubled since the last time I checked, and I should've been happy about that, not thinking about what was and what wasn't.

"Kim, we need your help in the kitchen!" a delicate voice called out to me, sounding a little distressed, like its owner was in the middle of a workout.

"Yeah, get off that computer and join us or you'll ruin your eyesight," Kairi added, and I forced my eyes away from my laptop.

"What do you need help with?" I asked, but my voice wasn't as loud as it should've been. I was about repeating myself when Kairi spoke.

"The tray is stuck, and the turkey's heavier than we thought."

I sighed, then logged out of Instagram and closed the laptop, putting it aside before making my way to the kitchen to meet my sister and mom-to-be.

When my mom was still here, I loved watching her cook. She'd tell me stories as she stirred delicious mixtures and gave me tips that were supposed to be helpful to my future—specifically for when I was married. We'd sing and dance (quite terribly) around the kitchen while Kairi was out at one social event or the other. The magic of cooking seemed to die along with her, because now, even thinking about it brought pain.

I saw Eliza's smooth brown hair first when I walked into the kitchen, then I noticed how she was crouched in front of the oven with Kairi as they struggled to pull a whole turkey out. She must've sensed my presence, because she looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"A little help? Shield the turkey so it doesn't fall, and I'll try to get the tray free. This is a cooking hazard."

I looked around for an extra pair of oven mitts, then joined Eliza—who Kairi had now abandoned—after putting them on. We were panting slightly by the time we got the turkey out and placed it on the counter.

"How'd you get it in by yourself?" I asked in disbelief, staring at the size of the turkey. It wasn't that big, but it was heavy, and we weren't physically strong women.

"I have no idea," Eliza responded with a whoosh of breath. "Feels like Thanksgiving." A smile went up to grace her gentle features once again. "All right. Let's get some slices of this on the plates, then put it in the fridge after it's cooled a bit. I'm taking a good chunk home."

I went to get the plates that were already set on the table as Kairi said to her, "You should invite your friends over so it'll be easier to finish. Easier and faster."

Eliza laughed, grabbing a scary-looking knife. "I don't think Kimie would appreciate that," she said, sending a glance my way.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked as I placed four plates in front of her.

"It means you hate people," Kairi replied bluntly, smiling.

"I don't hate people," I argued, passing a plate to my sister, who put some fried rice on it, then passed it back.

"It sure seems like you do," Eliza said, placing a few thin slices of the delicious-smelling turkey beside the rice. "Your dad told me you don't have people over, and that you spend virtually all your time in your room doing homework."

"I take online classes, and I don't spend as much time alone," Kairi added, and I rolled my eyes. Liar.

"Well," Eliza looked at me, "we have turkey, and I could make sandwiches using my grandma's old recipe if you bring some of your friends over tomorrow. Trust me, you've never had a sandwich like it."

I hated the way she was smiling at me, so I took the plate of food to the kitchen table.

"I don't have friends," I mumbled, then added as an afterthought, "Not anymore."

Eliza sighed. "When I was in high school, I always tried to make friends. You couldn't sit next to me in class and not get pulled into a conversation. I was more or less a people-pleaser." She returned back to the turkey. "I had people over all the time, much to my mom's disappointment. She believed people with a lot of friends didn't do well in school."

"Really? That's terrible and super old-fashioned." Kairi put some more rice in her plate, then gave it to me. "My mom was always encouraging us to meet new people. Step out of our comfort zones, learn about life beyond our house—that kind of stuff."

Yeah, I thought, and look where that brought you.

Even after months, I still couldn't understand how Kairi managed to talk about our mom like that—like it was a normal thing to do. I couldn't even think about her without having my heart threaten to implode.

"You won't know what you're missing until you get out there," Eliza supported, her voice so full of cheer.

Before either of them could say anything more, my dad walked into the kitchen, looking slightly less exhausted than usual. "There are my favorite girls," he said, walking up to me first to give me a kiss.

"Hey, Dad," I said with a smile after his lips left my hair, wondering what was wrong with him. It had been a while since he did that.

"Hey, sweetheart. Hmm, the food smells delicious." He gave Kairi and Eliza their own kisses, then peered into the pot in front of Kairi. "You made this?"

"Yeah, Dad. I learned from Eliza."

My dad smiled wider, then looked lovingly at his fiancée, who smiled back at him. It kind of hurt to watch them give eyes like that to each other, because it reminded me of when my mom was still here.

"Okay, no," Kairi said, thankfully snapping them out of whatever world they had pulled themselves into. "Not in the kitchen, both of you. To the table!"

They laughed as she steered them towards the kitchen table, but I wasn't finding anything funny. I quietly followed and took my seat, after which Kairi said the blessings.

"So, for the next two days, you're having turkey breakfast, lunch and dinner," Eliza said as she put some food into her mouth, looking at my dad. "Eric, I told you to always fix your hair," she complained, lips coming together in a slight pout as her eyes zeroed in on my dad's tousled hair.

He pointed his fork in her direction. "You don't work ten-to-six, so leave my hair alone," he told her playfully.

"I work nine-to-five—that's basically the same eight hours—but look at my hair."

"You brag."

"No, I don't. That reminds me. Kimie told me she doesn't have friends."

"Oh God," I groaned, placing my elbows on the table and putting my face in my hands.

Dad sounded amused as he said, "Kimie's our little tigress. She's not a people person."

"Could you guys please stop talking like I'm not here?" I pleaded, suddenly losing my appetite. "Not having friends isn't so bad. I'm saved from all that friendship stress, and from all the drama that comes with it."

Dad gestured to me. "See what I mean?"

"Guys, I'm fine," I said, wanting nothing more than to go up to my room and continue my research right now.

Eliza put more rice in her mouth, so elegantly that it made me want to have some against my will. "You should invite someone over sometime," she suggested, lightly elbowing my dad in the side. "What do you say, Eric?"

"That would be amazing," he answered, cutting into his turkey with all the seriousness of a lioness stalking prey.

"Maybe a science partner," Eliza continued, ignoring the disapproving look I was giving her, "or a crush—you like someone, don't you?" I didn't respond, earning an overly dramatic gasp from her, and a light kick to the shin under the table from my sister. "No. It's not getting that bad on my watch."

Before she could say anything more, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I didn't remember when I put it there, but I was happy I did. I stealthily took it out, and the name displayed on the screen made my hands fumble for a moment. This caught the attention of my family, and when my surprised eyes met with Eliza's, a knowing smile went to settle on her face.

"Um, I have to take this," I said to all of them, but kept my eyes on her, then waited for a nod of consent. "Thanks. I'll be right back."

Before I left the kitchen, she shared the look on her face with Kairi.

I picked up the call before I reached the stairs so he wouldn't think I was ignoring him, my hands slightly shaking.

"Hey," I said, releasing a breath that made me cringe. "West."

"Kimie," he greeted, his voice deeper on the phone, managing to stir something within me—that same thing I felt in the library.

There was an awkward beat of silence as I wondered what to say to him, but then something occurred to me, making me stop for a second on the stairs. "You have my number." I continued to my room and gently shut the door behind me.

I could sense hesitation on the other end of the phone. "Yeah. I've kinda had it for a while, but . . ."

I didn't know why I smiled, but I did, catching my reflection in my full-length mirror as I moved to my bed. This was extremely ridiculous. "Okay," I said, tracing a pattern on the sheets. "So, um, is there . . . something you want to tell me?"

"Are you in a hurry or something?" The amusement in his voice didn't go unnoticed, and it had me relaxing a little, the knots in my stomach slowly loosening.

"N-no. I was . . . having dinner with my family when you called, and they kinda suspect I'm up to something." I gave in to the weird urge I had to release a small laugh.

To my surprise, West laughed, too. "Same here. I found some stuff online I think you'd wanna see. Can I send you the photos?"

His question made me pause, because why was he asking? Of course he could, it wasn't a big deal. "Sure, why not?"

"All right. I'll send it now."

"Okay." I felt something in my chest, something different from what I felt earlier. Disappointment? "Um, so I'll get back to you?"

"Sure. Later."

I didn't get the chance to say anything more because he hung up immediately. For the next few minutes, I sat there, waiting for the photos he said he'd send, running our conversation over and over again in my head, and wondering what I could've said differently, but my phone remained the way it was. In the distance, I could hear Eliza laughing, and I figured I'd go downstairs and finish my dinner—or at least try to. The texts would probably come in before I was done. It was my night to do the dishes, anyway.

When I returned to the kitchen, Eliza paused mid-sentence, then smiled wider. "Who was that?" she asked, and I could hear the curiosity in her voice. It was so strong, I could probably hold it in my hand if I tried, and I knew I was going nowhere if I didn't reply to that.

"Someone from school," I responded as nonchalantly as I could, taking my seat and glancing at the expectant-looking Kairi. She looked extremely happy today.

Eliza lifted an eyebrow. "Sorry for being so nosy, but why did you have to go all the way upstairs? What were you talking about?"

My dad wasn't saying anything, but I could see the smile lighting up his tired face.

"It's a project," the lie effortlessly slipped out of my mouth, surprising me. "A school project. It has to do with research and stuff, and he's my partner."

On hearing the last part, Eliza's eyes twinkled with greater excitement. "Invite him over!" she practically shouted, choking on her food immediately and reaching for her glass of water. Dad rubbed circles on her back, and she faintly cleared her throat before having some water. "See? That shows how excited I am for you. You both could work on your project here, together, then you could ask him to stay for dinner. Tell him I insist so he doesn't say no."

"But—"

"I think Eliza has a point, sweetheart. Invite him over, let's meet him," Dad interrupted, giving me a warm smile that had guilt running through my veins. I was lying too much these days and I didn't like it—especially when it was my family I was lying to.

Giving up, I returned my dad's smile, desperate to change the topic. Thankfully, the smile worked.

After dinner was over and I'd done the dishes, I rushed up to my room to check the texts that came in just a few minutes after we'd returned to a normal conversation. I noticed I was more excited about what West wanted me to see than I should've been, but I oddly liked that feeling.

That emotion was immediately killed, however, when I saw the screenshots he had sent. They were Twitter conversations about Smooches, and my eyes went to focus on a particular comment that had my hands trembling.

If I remember correctly, the comment said, Smooches' owner disappeared from the internet after that video of her went out. So now that she's suddenly back, posting dirt she found on kids from her high school, isn't anyone's inner siren blaring? Dirt like that could get those kids arrested and ruin their futures, so the real question here is whether Kairi's more interested in her blog, or in quenching her thirst for something else.

👀 (because that's how I feel right now).

@Bushra_Tasneem, I see you girl! ❤

I'm so grateful to have all of you! Thanks for reading!