Author's Notes: It's been over a year since I've written Kames, and the only reason it's happening now is because I made the mistake of leaving James and Kendall alone for an entire chapter of "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder." I knew better, knew I should've just stopped after getting Carlos and Kendall together, but I wanted to write more so I did and now we have this. There's a reason I try not to include Kendall in my Jagan stories, and this is it—he always ends up wanting James. So I finally gave in (as I always do with Kendall) and gave him what he wants—his own story where he can go after James.
If you've read my first BTR fic "Minnesota Wild", you might find this one similar in the beginning, but I promise it goes in a different direction. The pairings are the same and there's hockey involved, but the main difference is that this one is AU while the other one was strictly canon (at least what was canon at the time I wrote it). It doesn't take place in Minnesota, but in California. It was inspired by a picture that popped up on Tumblr one night, and I'd link you to the pic but of course FF does not allow that, so...I'll just say it was an old pic of James Maslow in high school, walking next to a dude and looking like his normal, pre-BTR gay self. Oh, what I'd give for video of him back then instead of just pics.
This fic has also been dubbed "The Brat Prince's Birthday Present", since she decided I must be writing this to satisfy her Kames craving. Yes, dear, that's the reason I wrote this. Just for you. It had nothing to do with the fact that Kendall was hounding me for days to give him James. So I'll dedicate this to you, because I do love you and while writing this I was reminded a lot of MW and of how you were such a huge help on that story, coaching me and making me a better writer. I will always cherish that time and credit you with getting me writing in this fandom. I love you, dude.
Huge, massive thank you's to kathrynew30 and Aranelle for letting me spam them with fic. I don't know what I'd do without you guys. Probably stop writing. So thank you.
Being the new kid in school was never fun. Kendall had learned this from numerous students over the years who had transferred in from all over the country, and he'd always felt sorry for them in some capacity. While it wasn't in his nature to reach out to strangers, with new kids he'd always at least attempted a "Hello" or a "How's it going?" to try to make the transition easier for them.
What he'd never expected was to find himself in that situation, and the fact that he'd always been somewhat welcoming caused him to resent every single student he came into contact with on his first day at his new high school. Would it kill one of them to give a friendly nod or even a half-smile? A simple hello? How about a "You look lost, what class are you trying to find?" Kendall had been here two hours and the only person who had been nice enough to point him in the right direction was a security guard.
At least if he could've signed up for a hockey team like his mother had promised him he would have an automatic group of friends. Having been part of sports teams his entire life, Kendall knew that it afforded you a team of buddies who accepted you automatically as one of them, whether they hung out with you outside of sports activities or not. When his mom informed him that his new high school didn't even offer hockey, though, he'd gone through a sort of culture shock.
Hockey was the only thing Kendall wanted to do. It was his passion, his chosen life path, the one thing he was really good at and when people spoke to him, they knew him as "the hockey guy." Even adults knew him as such because in a city as small as the one he'd grown up in, when you're a star player everyone knows you—and loves you. You're the one who's "gonna make a name for himself someday" and "get out of this place and move on to better things."
Well, Kendall had certainly gotten out of that place, but much sooner than intended and by no fault of his own (or at least only in a dim way could it be blamed on him). His mother had needed a change, she said, now that Kendall's father moved back to Minnesota. He could've chosen any city, but he chose theirs. Kendall's little sister Katie had been excited, thinking this meant time with Daddy (she had fond memories of days spent at the park or the ice rink with him), but after he'd lived there two weeks and still made no effort to contact either of his children, Katie had fallen into a depression. Kendall could deal with his father treating him like shit, but when Dad started upsetting Katie, there was no sitting around and taking it. He'd gone to see his father at work and mouthed off, causing Dad to later call Kendall's mom and instruct her to "put that kid on a leash."
Though his mother won't admit it, Kendall knows this is what led to her sudden desire to move; not only was Kendall unpredictable when it came to his father, but as it was the first time she'd spoken to him in over five years, it left her shaken. There were some abandonment issues Kendall hadn't picked up on when he was eleven, but at sixteen he was able to look back and see it, remember the way his mother had gone through major depression and only managed to come out of it for her children, who needed her more than ever since their daddy was no longer in the picture.
For this reason Kendall did not put up as huge of a fight as he could have over moving to California, though inside he was panicked and devastated. This place was all he'd ever known, these people who praised him the ones he'd been raised around and who took care of Katie and him if need be, because once Dad left, Mom had been forced to work a lot. Obviously as Kendall got older he was left in charge of Katie more and more, but there were times when a mother (or neighbor) was just necessary.
He'd held on to the promise of hockey, though—a new team, new people to "wow" who would see him skate and know what a great thing they'd had grace them. It wasn't that Kendall was conceited or full of himself, but hockey was his identity and in that one thing he knew he would always shine. It was his ticket out of "new kid" status and into "Hey, wanna join us for lunch?"
His mother had apparently not understood the fine line between a school hockey team and community hockey league, though. She'd promised there was ice hockey in San Diego; he'd assumed she meant as a school sport. Apparently there was indeed a community hockey league for teens, but as most of the team members attended schools other than Kendall's new one, it did him no good on a social level. He wouldn't even get to join until the weekend, and by then he'd be going crazy with no one to talk to and would probably drive everyone insane trying too hard to make friends.
This was all foreign to Kendall, who'd never had to worry about making friends. In fact, there were people who considered him a loner because he was perfectly happy to spend time alone rather than tag along to a movie or go out partying. Still, Kendall was never as content as he was holding court among a group of friends. He was the one they looked up to, the one who solved everyone's problems, and the truth was Kendall just plain liked being needed.
What he'd also never experienced was a bond so tight his friends were more like brothers. He'd seen it in movies and read it in books, where you'd be willing to die for your best buds, but somehow Kendall had never found guys who brought that out in him, the desire to sacrifice everything just to see someone smile. He ached for it, for that legendary friendship that made others wish they could be part of it. Instead he'd had buddies and plenty of acquaintances, but never quite fit tightly into anyone else's group or even formed his own. He thought that maybe this place would be different, maybe there was a group of guys just looking for someone to lead them, and hockey was the thing that could bring them together.
When he'd discovered there was no hockey team at his new high school (unless you counted the girls' field hockey team, and really you couldn't), he'd raged at his mother for so long she'd sent him to his room and grounded him until he was able to "talk about this calmly and rationally." Instead he'd laid in bed all night depressed and moping, and in a little bit of shock because getting grounded wasn't something he did often. It only made him sadder because he'd always dreamed of being grounded over some stupid stunt he pulled with his group of compadres—the ones he'd hoped to meet here in San Diego but now lost any dream of actually doing so. Yes, there could be awesome guys on the community team waiting for him, but he wanted buddies to hang out with at school and after, not just on the weekends or at practice.
And on his first day of high school here in San Diego, as a junior with nothing going for him to make him stand out, things weren't looking good. He was the freak. His mother had enrolled him in yearbook, for heaven's sake. Yearbook. "You need an elective and this will help you make friends." Somehow he didn't see it that way.
He found the right room finally and cringed when everything went quiet, all eyes staring in his direction. Of course he was late, but did it really warrant that much attention?
Kendall approached the desk and was greeted by the teacher, who nodded and checked off his name on the roster. "Perfect! Carlos, here. Now you have a partner of your own." Kendall was pointed toward the back of the classroom, where three students were gathered around a small table. One of them, a shorter kid who seemed to practically bounce on his feet, flagged him down.
"Hey! Come on over here!"
Eyes wide because Kendall was not used to such buoyancy from high school students, Kendall made his way to the empty table the Carlos boy had moved to. The rest of the class returned to whatever they'd been doing before he made his grand entrance, and Carlos held out a hand.
"Hi! I'm Carlos!"
"Hey. Kendall." Kendall lowered himself into the chair Carlos gestured at, setting down his backpack.
"You new this year?"
"Yeah. From Minnesota." Go ahead, tell me I'm a freak.
"Minnesota! They have real snow there, don't they? I'm so jealous."
Kendall chuckled. "Yeah. Real snow. It's not as exciting as it sounds, especially when you have to shovel it."
"Still. You get to go sledding and make snowmen and have snowball fights...damn. We have to drive for hours to get that. And it's a big deal, not something you can do every day. Why would you move here?"
"It wasn't by choice, I promise." Though Carlos' enthusiasm was a tad intimidating, Kendall couldn't help liking the kid a little bit.
"Why'd you have to move here?" Carlos asked again.
Yeah, that was a bit forward to ask someone you'd just met, but Kendall sensed no judgement from Carlos so he answered it honestly. "Problems with my dad. Mom moved us out here."
"Brothers?"
"No, a sister. My grandparents live out here, so that's why Mom chose San Diego."
"San Diego's pretty cool. We got the beach. No snow, though."
"Sorry about that." Why he was apologizing, he didn't know; it wasn't his fault. Still, he felt like anything that made Carlos sad was not to be tolerated. "What sort of stuff do you do in yearbook?"
"Lots of things. We take pictures all year, put together spreads about school events, try to raise money and find advertisers. It's cool because you get to go to all the games and dances for free. Like a season pass for a football team. You like the Chargers?"
"I'm from Minnesota, remember? Vikings all the way."
"Vikings? Ugh. We shouldn't even be sitting at the same table. I think I need to go ask for a new partner." Carlos stood up and pretended to walk away, then grinned and sat back down. "Just kidding. I'll suffer for you. But you're going to a Chargers game with me next time I can get in."
What surprised Kendall was the momentary panic he'd felt at the idea of losing Carlos as a partner. Probably because he'd have to meet someone new all over again, but maybe also because he actually liked Carlos. "If they play the Vikings, you won't want to sit near me. I'll embarrass you."
"I'll pretend I don't know you."
"Good plan. So you got a season pass?"
"Might as well. Dad's a cop for the city, so he gets free tickets all the time. What are you doing Saturday? There's a home game and if you're not busy, you're going. I'll convert you."
"Saturday..." Kendall considered it. "I actually have plans."
"Just moved here and you already have plans? You don't waste any time. What's her name?"
"No," Kendall laughed. "Tryouts for the hockey team."
"Down at the rink? You play hockey?"
"I did in Minnesota. We actually had a school team."
"I wish we had that. I'd totally play."
"Why don't you anyway? Anyone can join, right? If they're good enough?"
"My mom wouldn't have time for that. She'd have to drive me all over and go to the games and I guess my dad could do it, but he works a lot so it would be hard."
"Dude, do you skate?"
"A little."
"Enough to play?"
"I don't know. Probably not."
"You should come with me. My mom would drive you to the games and stuff. We can go after school today if you want, I could see you skate and tell you if it's worth going."
"Man, I can't after school. I have tutoring and then have to watch my little brothers while my mom takes my sister to ballet."
Kendall's mind worked at the problem. He wanted Carlos to play hockey with him, wanted it badly. "How about tomorrow? Can we do it tomorrow?"
"I have tutoring every day."
"For what? Is there a subject you're bad at? We could go skating and I could tutor you after."
"Are you good at every subject? Because my tutor is, and that's what I need. Every subject. I have a tiny problem with my attention span," Carlos blushed. "It doesn't exist."
"Aww come on, just one day? One day you can't miss?"
"My mom would kill me. But maybe..." Carlos bit his lip, flexing his brain power. "Maybe I can convince Logan to come with me. If I promise to work extra hard on my math tonight and do double the work, he can't say anything about skipping tomorrow."
"Why would he need to come with you?"
"Because my mom pays him to tutor me and he would be pissed if he missed out on a day's worth. Plus, he's my best friend."
"So don't tell your mom."
"Kendall! I can't lie to my mom! She always knows when I'm lying." Carlos was scandalized just thinking about it.
"Well, what did you expect this guy to do, tutor you at the rink?"
"No, but if he's there, I won't have to lie about not being with him."
"Okay, fine. See what you can do. Tomorrow?"
"I'll try. But I'm not missing the Chargers game this weekend, so I can't try out anyway. Not Saturday. And you should come with me. Can't you do hockey next weekend?"
"Carlos, you don't understand. Hockey is my thing. It's what I do."
Carlos shrugged. "Football is what I do."
"Are you on the team here?"
"No. I have a hard enough time keeping my grades up as it is."
"Then we should make hockey your thing."
"Not gonna happen, dude."
"We'll see."
Carlos smirked at Kendall with a sidelong glance. "You're used to getting your way, aren't you?"
"Not really. But when it comes to hockey...I don't mess around."
"What if I suck?"
"Then you don't play."
"You wouldn't try to get me on the team anyway?" Carlos pouted.
"Not if you suck. I play to win."
Carlos laughed. "Yeah, I would, too."
The teacher stood up at that point and the class to order to update them on events they would be covering the following week, and while none of it sounded thrilling to Kendall, he was no longer dreading the class.
He had a friend.
Sadly, Kendall did not share his next class with Carlos, so he waved a quick goodbye and figured he'd live until the next day. Two hours later, though, as he was making his way through the cafeteria in search of an empty table, he heard his name being called and grinned. Turning toward the sound, his smile widened when he saw Carlos once again flagging him down and waving him over.
Carlos was sharing a table with a guy who immediately appeared to be his opposite. While Carlos was bouncy and full of energy, his companion moved at a more sedate pace and studied Kendall as if he was a math problem to be figured out. Carlos' skin was darker, his hair black and spiked without any sense of direction while Logan (at least Kendall assumed it was Logan) was pale with more carefully-spiked strands that made sense, if hair was able to do that. Carlos stood up and clapped Kendall on the back as he slid onto the bench next to him; Logan continued to stare, not shy about it in the slightest.
Kendall set his backpack on the table and unzipped it, wondering how to ask the other guy to knock off the staring without it sounding rude.
"This is Kendall, the hockey guy."
"I figured that out when you yelled his name across the cafeteria, Carlos."
"Hey," Kendall said in greeting, pulling out the lunch his mother had packed him. Seeing that both boys also had packed lunches, he felt a little better about his own.
"Hello. I'm Logan Mitchell. Carlos just told me you want to kidnap him tomorrow after school and take him skating?"
"That's not quite the situation, no." What had Carlos said to this guy? "I'd like to see if he has any skill on the ice because I think he'd be fun to play hockey with."
"He doesn't."
"Excuse me?" Kendall asked in surprise.
"Logan," Carlos whined, "you haven't seen me skate since fifth grade, dude! How do you know I'm not amazing now?"
Logan studied Carlos the same way he'd studied Kendall and then shook his head while pulling a sandwich out of his lunch bag. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"Perfect," Kendall piped up. "You can see it tomorrow when you and Carlos come down to the rink with me."
"We have a lot studying to do, Kendall. I don't think that's a good idea."
"Logan, loosen up! Why do you have to be such a nerd all the time?"
"If it wasn't for my nerdiness, you wouldn't be passing your classes, genius."
"One day isn't gonna kill us. And I swear I'll do double the work tonight. You can stay while my mom goes out with Maria to ballet."
"There is no way you can stay focused that long."
"Logan, please! Give it a chance, dude! I want to do this!"
Logan finished swallowing from his water bottle before asking, "Have you even skated once since fifth grade? At all?"
"I...well..." Carlos fidgeted with the foil around the cake his mother had packed.
Kendall glanced at him in disbelief. "You haven't?"
"Okay, not really, but I'm sure I'll be better now! We don't know until we try, right guys?"
With a sigh, Kendall dropped his head into his hand. Logan merely nodded as if he'd expected it. "And you wondered why I had my doubts? Because I know Carlos. I've known him all my life. He has big dreams but lacks the attention span to do anything with them. This week it's hockey? Next week it'll be..." Logan glanced around the cafeteria, gaze settling on a table full of obviously-popular kids. "...a fashion show. He'll want to be a model."
Kendall's eyes fell on the group of well-dressed students, but he wasn't really seeing them. He was too busy processing the fact that Logan had basically just dismissed him, telling him that by next week, he wouldn't even be an interest in Carlos' life, let alone a friend. Maybe that was the reason for Logan's immediate and unfair dislike of Kendall; maybe Logan was used to this, seeing Carlos parade new "friends" over each week.
I still have him in yearbook, though, right? That's something. Maybe he won't be that do-or-die friend I've been searching for, but at least he can be a buddy like the guys back home. And at least he's not as ridiculous as those better-than-everyone rich kids who treat the rest of us like shit. Oh, here comes another one, who does this guy think he is?
Kendall watched the tall brunette with the perfectly-styled hair slide onto the bench next to a chattering blonde, his movements almost effeminate. The blonde leaned over and whispered something before giggling, pretty much throwing herself at him, and Kendall had to snicker. Give it up, Blondie. If that guy is straight, I'm a ballerina. What is that, blush on his cheeks? He probably uses cover-up and prays no one notices. I wonder how long he spends on his hair each day. And how much money on hair-care products. I bet he even-
"Kendall? Are you even listening to me?"
Shaking his head, Kendall returned his attention to Logan. "I'm sorry?"
"I was saying that I'm sorry if what I said sounded harsh, but it's the way Carlos is. Each week it's a new obsession, some crazy thing he's got to try."
Carlos had disappeared. When did that happen? "Where did he go?"
"Bathroom. Sometimes he eats so fast it makes him sick. I'm working on that."
Kendall laughed softly and asked with a hint of teasing, "What are you, his mom?"
"Feels like it sometimes, yeah."
It was the first smile Kendall had seen from the guy and it changed his entire face. His eyebrows lifted, the corners of his eyes crinkled, and his lips twisted into a sweetly crooked smile. Kendall grinned back, relaxing some. "So how did you end up being the mom to Carlos' little kid?"
Logan shrugged. "It's kind of always been my thing to look after him. Our moms are best friends, so it was natural for us to grow up together. He drives me crazy sometimes."
"But you'd be bored without him, I bet."
"Possibly. I'd get a lot more homework done, that's for sure."
"He keeps you from doing homework?"
"Not really, I guess. I do it when I get home at night, after dinner. I can't do it when I'm tutoring him, he requires constant focus or he's off and running after some butterfly or ghost he thought he heard."
"He believes in ghosts?" Kendall giggled.
"You have no idea. Someday maybe he'll tell you about the alien who showed up in his room one night."
That sounded good, it was a sign that Logan didn't expect Kendall to disappear completely out of Carlos' life. "So about this hockey thing."
"I'm telling you, he's horrible on skates."
"What if I got him practicing again? Is he coordinated at all?"
"He's...clumsy. But fast. And fierce. He'd make it to the net through sheer force of will. Why are you so determined to get him playing?"
"I don't know. I just didn't want to do it alone. I don't suppose you're any good on skates."
"Not too bad on rollerblades," Logan shrugged. "But I wouldn't have time for a sport anyway. I do a lot of stuff for my mom on the weekends. Help her get houses ready to show. She's a realtor."
"Figures. On my own, it looks like."
"You played in Minnesota?"
"How'd you know I'm from there?"
"Carlos told me. He also says you're a Vikings fan, which makes you public enemy number one in his eyes. I have no idea why he tolerates you."
"Must be my charming smile," Kendall grinned.
"Where's Carlos?" a voice asked from above, and Kendall looked up to see Mr. Perfectly-Styled-Hair himself standing over them. His eyes widened as they roamed over the gorgeous face; it was not blush but natural flushing of his cheeks, and there wasn't a hint of make-up covering the flawless skin. His lips were almost pink and his eyes a mixture of green and brown that defied description—hazel didn't even come close to putting it into a word.
Holy fuck, you really are beautiful. You've got to be a model.
"He'll be right back. What did you need, James?" Logan sounded annoyed.
"I need to know if he finished our science report. It's due today. Though I don't know why I'm telling you, it's not your business."
Oh, you're a prick, too. Figures. The pretty ones always are.
"As a matter of fact, he did finish it, and I know that because I helped him. Which is actually your job, being his lab partner and all."
"He said he'd do it. I'm not gonna argue."
"Well, don't worry, you'll get a passing grade on it. I know that's all you care about."
"Oh hey, James! I did our report last night!" Carlos smiled as he approached the table. Logan scowled.
"That's what I needed to know. See you in class."
Perfectly-Styled-Hair spun on his heel and sauntered back to his table. Kendall watched him until he was seated, and then muttered, "What a dick."
Carlos gasped but Logan busted up laughing. "My sentiments exactly."
"Is he always like that?"
"Every day," Logan nodded. "I don't talk to him unless I have to. Not like he'd pay me any attention anyway. Trust me, you're better off not dealing with him."
"Come on, Logan, he's not that bad. He's a lot of fun when you get him away from his group."
"Which is hardly ever, and I'll trust you on that," Logan replied. "I have no desire to know him better. I'm also shocked the two of you haven't blown up the school yet." To Kendall, he continued, "Those two are chemistry partners. Teacher has to be suicidal to set that up."
"Thanks for the tip. I have chemistry right after lunch, Carlos. Any chance we're in the same class?"
Carlos held up a hand for a high-five. "Only one chemistry class, buddy!"
Kendall slapped hands with him, relieved. "How about you, Logan?"
"I took chemistry freshman year."
"Yeah, he's in rocket science now," Carlos teased.
"It's not rocket science, it's advanced physics. So uh...close to rocket science, I guess."
Logan was proud and trying not to show it, and Kendall found himself liking the guy even more. "So you're pretty smart, huh?"
"Logan's a genius! I mean, an actual genius! He should be like...a college professor by now. I don't know why he's still in high school, he could've graduated last year if he took all the extra classes the counselor told him about."
Logan blushed but smiled at Carlos, and Kendall knew exactly why Logan was still in high school. The reason was sitting right next to Kendall, and a white hot flash of jealousy hit him hard-not so much for either of them, but for the friendship they shared. Logan had sacrificed something monumental to stay behind and help Carlos, to be with him and keep him on track. That was the kind of friend Kendall wanted, someone he felt such a deep connection with he would be willing to give up almost anything for that person.
Why are you so desperate? Because they've known each other all their lives and can't imagine living without the other? Get over it, you're brand new here. You can't be part of this.
But there had been people Kendall had known all his life in Minnesota, too, and not one of them had shared that something special with him. No one had drawn him in, made him want to sink himself into a friendship so strong he couldn't bear to live without it.
A tug on his arm pulled Kendall back into the conversation. "But you can't be my partner in chem, Kendall. I'm sorry."
"Oh, it's cool. I'm sure the teacher will figure something out. I've always been fine to work on my own, anyway. I'm used to it."
Truer words had never been spoken.
The good news was that Kendall was placed at a table behind Carlos, so at least he had a friend nearby. The move from Minnesota had reduced him to a desperate person, wanting to cling onto someone in an effort to not feel so alone, and it disgusted him. Never had Kendall Knight needed anyone, and he hated that it had come to this.
Carlos glanced back at him occasionally throughout the period, offering smiles here and there, but James paid him no mind. This was fine with Kendall, who kept hearing Logan's words in his head. Trust me, you're better off not dealing with him.
The problem was that because James was seated directly in front of him, Kendall couldn't help but "deal" with him. He stared at the teacher at the front of the room, but his eyes kept pulling just a hint to the left and getting stuck on shiny brown hair that brushed the collar of James' Abercrombie & Fitch shirt. He'd force them away only to be drawn back moments later to trail further down over the broadly-sculpted shoulders and muscled biceps. Was he drooling? Probably.
Kendall had never tried to deny the attraction he felt toward guys. He'd dated a few girls but found himself more comfortable with males, and there had been some he'd wanted to cross the line with over the years. It had happened once and while Kendall knew immediately it wouldn't work as more than friends, the physical aspect of it had been nice. He'd quite enjoyed the make-out session in the locker room and had since dreamed about it often, waking up hard and aching. A boyfriend wouldn't be a horrible thing, and maybe with this fresh start he could make that happen for once without being judged by the people who expected such great things from him.
And yet more than a boyfriend, he longed for that bond of brotherhood. He'd happily wait on the sex end of things if only he could have sleepovers where everyone tells their deepest, darkest secrets and whispers their impossible hopes and dreams in the dark, saying things they'd never admit to anyone else or even at any other time.
At the moment, though, it was the memory of rough lips on his that was captivating him as he stared at the head of glossy chestnut hair with his chin resting on a hand, and prick or not, he'd bet James knew how to kiss. Probably made a sport of it, wanting to be better than anyone else. You could practice on me anytime, sexy.
Suddenly "Sexy" turned in his seat to pass back a set of papers, his eyes narrowing into a glare when he took in Kendall's expression. "You got a problem, new boy?"
Caught, Kendall sat up straight with his cheeks flaming. "No. Sorry. I was lost in..." Your hair. I was lost in your hair and fuck me, I need to knock this off before he takes a swing at me.
James rolled his eyes and dropped the papers in front of Kendall. "Take one and pass it back," he monotoned before facing forward again.
"Hey, Kendall's cool, James. Leave him alone."
"I wasn't the one staring," James informed Carlos. "Tell your new buddy to back off."
Damn, you really are a prick. "He doesn't need to tell me anything, I can hear just fine. And I wasn't staring, I was lost in thought. You're sitting right in front of me, of course that's where I was looking."
"Next time sit somewhere else. I don't appreciate being stared at."
Oh bullshit, you thrive on it. Every move you make is with the express intention to draw focus to yourself. "Gladly."
"Hey guys, let's not fight, okay? We can all be friends."
"I don't need friends," James argued.
"Good thing, because with that attitude you sure aren't gonna make any."
"You know what?" James spun around in his seat, ready to go off, but the teacher silenced him by calling out his name and reminding them they were supposed to be working with their partners on balancing chemical equations. James sighed and waved a hand as if Kendall wasn't worth his time anyway.
"Kendall, you can work with Maggie and Christine if you need help."
Two girls across the aisle from him smiled and waved, looking excited at the prospect of working with the hot new guy, but Kendall had no intention of joining them. "It's cool," he said to the teacher. "I'm used to working by myself."
Carlos frowned back at him, but Kendall ignored it. As usual, the words were true.
