Kayla
Trust doesn't come easy. No one knows that better than Kayla. Trusting someone involves an openness to being hurt by someone you give your fears to. The Rutherfords keep to themselves the majority of the time. Not because of isolation, but because Susan and Ben had decided to raise their child away from the distractions of their extended family.
Without family or friends of their own age, a teenager can evolve into a person they either want to become or a person they regret becoming. After growing up in northern Kansas then abruptly moving to western Washington, Kalya was trying her best to keep and open mind even though her heart was still in her hometown. Ben Rutherford, an advertising consultant for a expanding corporation had the opportunity to move to the west and his wife agreed.
Neither Susan nor Kayla want to unload the endless boxes from u-haul truck. So instead they allow Ben to unpack and they go downtown to find some restaurants they can potentially visit.
Once the sun starts to set Kayla and her mother head home to a completely unpacked house. Ben is sitting at his makeshift desk made out of binders and the old stools that were in the kitchen. In Ben’s world work never ends; he spends every Sunday looking at the computer while taking endless phone calls. Luckily for Kayla and Susan, this particular Sunday was coming to an end.
Kayla isn't looking forward to entering a new school during her senior year. She promises herself she will be outgoing and make an effort to make friends. Susan decides to drop Kayla off right before she has her interview for a bookkeeper. Kayla tries to keep and open mind while in the car but all she thinks about is her 8th grade oral presentation about different diseases. She replays the moment right after she couldn't pronounce Alzheimer's correctly. Everyone in the classroom laughs, including the teacher.
No one wishes to be an outcast, but in Kayla's situation, maybe it's the best option. She doesn't want to be one of those new kids who is automatically popular but she also remembers that once everyone started ignoring her in her old school, life got easier.
Neither Kayla or her mother are excited about entering the school. Both of them walk slower than usual, almost resembling a sloth. Once they reach the entrance, Kayla's heart starts to pound uncontrollably. Once they reach the main office, Kayla gives the principal a slight wave but says absolutely nothing. In fact, she says nothing until they reach her classroom. Susan gives Kayla a kiss on the forehead and heads for the exit. Once her mother leaves, Kayla slowly walks into the room, looking down at the floor to avoid any eye contact with her classmates.
Mr. Flores, the English teacher, scans the whole room while taking attendance. Once he is finished he points at Kayla. “Well, well, well… look what we have here.”
Kayla looks up quickly to see Mr. Flores standing over her. “Well… STAND UP! Come on introduce yourself!” Mr. Flores says.
Kayla looks down and mumbles “Umm I don't feel good."
"So we have a shy one… don't we?Well, if you're not comfortable, you don't have to,” Mr. Flores says.
Kayla spends the rest of that day with her head down and her mouth closed.
Once Kayla reaches home she is soaked by the rain. She hasn't gotten used to the dreary Washington weather, which made her even more depressed. Homework is on the backburner for Kayla. Her test grades make up for it. Instead, she scrolls through the internet, looking at lonely celebrities with better lives than her. Once Ben gets home Kayla shoots off the computer because her father's work never ends.
To pass the time in Kansas, Kayla would go out and take photos of the farm land… that isn’t an option where she lives now. Luckily for her, Ben decides to start dinner early so she can waste away time on the internet. She scrolls past a blog on Tumblr about Tyler Oakley and how he is a hero for this one particular girl. That's all Kayla wants to be, to be remembered as a good person who had an impact on people. What she wants is to be known by anyone.
After dinner Kayla decides to dedicate her entire night to watching Tyler Oakley videos to see why he was someones hero. After watching 17 videos back-to-back she knows why he was so popular and heroic. Unlike Kayla, Tyler opens himself up. He leaves everything out on the table. That's why Kayla envies him; she has always been closed off and unable to communicate her feelings. Kayla would blame other people for that but after seeing these videos she knows its been her fault.