chapter seventeen,
kia vs isaac (round 108, new york, new york!)

THE NEXT DAY, Kia is in her room, sleeping when she was awoken to the sound of her phone ringing.  Grudgingly, she answers it.  "Hello?"

"Jackie is leaving for New York." Kia quickly got up, her eyes widening.  "You're joking, right? Why would she leave?"

"I don't know, Peters. Just come over quickly so you can say goodbye."

"Give me a minute." Quickly throwing on her sneakers, she ran downstairs and exited the front door.  Entering the Walters' household, she catches her breath.  "Is she here?" Kia asked Isaac, noticing the rest of the Walter family. 

Brady and Paige entered the house, just as fatigued as their friend. "Hi, Mrs. Walter, Mr. Walter.  Hi, guys.  Sorry for barging in.  One minute." The two siblings had to relax for a few seconds, since it took so long for them to arrive.

"Where's Jackie?" the two siblings asked.  "Aunt Katherine?" Issac questioned.  The red headed woman looked hesitant before taking a deep breath.  "She's... she's gone."

"What?" the kids exclaimed.  "How could she leave without telling us goodbye?" Cole asked his mother.  "Her uncle wanted to take care of her.  He thought it would be best."  The Walter boys went upstairs to their rooms, distraught about what had happened.  "I can't believe she's gone." Isaac stated.  Kia sighed, shaking her head.  "Me neither.  She didn't even finish school yet."

"Sorry for interrupting your sleep. I just thought you would've been able to say goodbye to Jackie." Isaac said as he put his hands in his pockets. "It's okay."

"Kia! Do you want to play soccer with me?" Parker asked, holding a ball in her hands. "Sure. Are you coming?" Kia asked Isaac, a smile on her face. "You know what? Sure." As Parker went into the yard, Isaac couldn't help but glance at Kia.

She really was a beauty.

TIME PASSED AND Kia decided to go home. Saying goodbye to the Walter family, she made her way through the front door. "Peters, wait." Isaac stated, walking next to her. "Let me walk you home."

"I'm literally next door."

"I know. I just figured that I could keep you company for a minute."

Kia laughed, causing his cheeks to flush.  "Well, that's very sweet of you, Garcia. So how is the rest of your family holding up?"

"Cole is sulking as usual, Lee is a bit bummed, and I don't know about the rest of my cousins."

"Hopefully, she comes back."

"I hope so too."

"So does that mean we're friends now?" Kia asked.   "I don't know.  Maybe?"  Isaac didn't really want to be just friends.  In fact, he wanted to be more than that.  But he would wait for as long as he could  "Well, I think we can be friends." Kia stated.

"I think I'd like that, actually."  The two kids approached her house, stopping at the steps of her front porch. "Thank you for walking with me. It was... nice."

"I'm sorry, did I just hear you say thank you?"

"Yes, you did. I might say it a lot more, actually."

Isaac tried to hide a small smile, forming his lips in a thin line.  "I should probably go. Goodbye, Peters."

"Goodbye, Isaac." The boy was shocked. She just called me by my first name, he thought to himself.  He gave her a small wave as he walked back to his house.  Kia went inside, feeling happy.

The feud between Kia Peters and Isaac Garcia was finally over... well, at least for now.

Maya Speaks 💫:

The way Issac has a crush on Kia but doesn't want to tell her because she wants them to be friends (that's painful 😭)

Jackie being forced to leave Colorado when she has feelings for Brady and can't see him again (Uncle Richard, count your days)

But until next time my lovelies!