I was somewhere between sleeping and awake when I heard the pitter-patter of two feet come rushing down my hall.
Collage life was beginning to be a complete disaster. Especially with my father and his "business" in the mix. I cherished these few tiny moments when I wasn't running around trying to save some poor sap in debt or fighting off Willow's advances, or even my so called "brothers" in the fraternity.
Come to mention it, I'd have to find some way to work something over with her when I had my head cleared.
A faint knock came from the door. I groaned and rolled over, not willing to get up and answer the door.
"Vince…" I heard Kendra call. My head popped off of my pillow. "Vince… are you awake?" she asked.
My head was still slightly foggy from what had happened the other night. I got up off the bed and trudged to the door. Kendra was standing there looking like a sight for sore eyes. I smiled widely at her.
"Hey… babe." I sounded like a drunk.
"Oh wow Vince, you… ah… you look like you haven't slept in forever. Are you okay?" She said with concern. "I'm sorry should I come back later?" Her beautiful blond hair shading her eyes hat were full of worry.
"What? No…come-." I paused for a yawn, "Come in."
I stepped to the side so Kendra could walk in. She sat herself on the couch we had in the living room. I sat in the beanbag chair across from it. I yawned again, my eyes threatened to close on me.
"Sorry I didn't clean up. I mean if I knew you were coming I would ha-."
"It's okay Vince. I'm not staying for very long." He voice was laced with sudden seriousness.
I looked at her then. Her delicate features composed into a small and weak smile. She opened her mouth as if to say something then paused. For a bit she dug around in her messenger bag looking for something.
She pulled out a big envelope, the kind you'd send maybe send legal documents in. I watched as her fingers gingerly held it. She was handling it as if it were a bomb and if she dropped it we and the whole apartment building would be dead. She stared down at it for a minute. I could see her eyes water. She swiftly swiped the tear away smudging the thin layer of mascara in the process.
"Kendra?" I said softly. My hand reached over for hers but she moved hers away.
Now I was worried.
"Are you okay?" she didn't answer me, "Kendra, talk to me please."
She looked up at me then. Her eyes were extremely teary now.
"I think we should see other people."
"WHAT?!"
"Vince please." She pleads.
"Is this because of me not spending enough time with you? Is-is that it?" Kendra rolls her eyes.
"No, Vince-."
"Because if that is the case then-."
"NO! Vince would you listen for just a minute!" Kendra yells over me. It took me for a minute to realize I've been yelling.
I sit back down but Kendra is still standing.
The envelope is still in her hand.
"I just think that we aren't working out." She muttered. I waited a bit impatiently for her to continue, "I mean with all that's happening it's probably just better if… you didn't have a girlfriend." She mumbled girlfriend like she was ashamed to say that.
"But-." I reached for her wrist that she so gracefully moved away.
"Please Vince. You're making this harder than it needs to be."
"But Kendra." My voice cracked. This time I successfully took hold of her thin and slender wrist. I held on to it like a life line. I pulled her closer to me so that we were face to face. I held her figure against my beanpole frame.
"I…love you."
She stared at me. A small little tear slid down the side of her face and then another.
She shoved that envelope against my chest, pushing me away.
Her voice filled with a repressed rage and contempt I wasn't sure she was able to contain. "Don't say that."She frowned at me and headed towards the door I fumbled with the envelope for a minute.
Kendra has stormed down the hall by then. Every now and again I'd glance to monitor how far she'd gotten.
I rip the top of the envelope with my fingers. A stack of photos spill out.
One of them I recognize in a heartbeat.
Willow is on top of me smiling. I am too.
This wasn't good, not good at all.
"KENDRA!" I call after down the hall.
I throw the rest onto the couch and run down the hall.
She's almost to elevator. She's purposefully sprinting from me.
"Kendra please! I can explain."
God I must have gotten this from my mother, my dad knows when to be a clam.
She's at the elevator now, her finger pushes the button, I finally catch her and spin her around. Her tears are large and grey, picking up the makeup on her eyes as they roll down her face.
"Kendra, listen. I can explain those pictures-."
"Explain them then Vince." She mutters under her soft sobs. "Because I want an answer, I really do." A few more tears roll down her face. "All I wanted was just a little honesty. I could take what happened a year ago with your dad and whatever he does…" she says avoiding the word we both know we want to use.
"I get it Vince, there's some secrecy when it comes to your life but that back there!" she said raising her voice and pointing to my apartment.
"That's just ridiculous! So please, just give me an explanation. You told me you didn't like her, after what happened at the club and at the beach I'm thinking otherwise. I had to sit there and watch you roll around on the beach kissing her. That was complete torture, my dad was shoving it in my face like-."
"Wait. You're dad's here?"
Kendra stood still, looking at me. Her face crumpled into a look of disgust.
"You don't care do you?" she asked flatly. My mind was a million miles away.
The elevator dinged behind her.
"Okay." She whispered and stepped into the elevator.
"Wait, Kendra no! I didn't mean it like that-."
"Goodbye, Vince."
And the elevator swallows her up.