POV: Kendall Knight

Every group of friends, however different they may be, always has the same type of people. They have a snob, a brainiac, a crack-head, and a
ring-leader. If you spent an hour with my friends and me, you would have to have brain damage not to see who's who.

James Diamond. A.K.A. snob. I admit, he's my favorite, but he's a little too obsessed with his reflection.

Our brainiac-boy is Logan Morgan. He's mostly the logic. Emphasis on "mostly".

And then, Carlos Garcia. Mr. crack-head himself. He's always wearing this black helmet that's supposed to give him "ultimate protection". Okay, he's one of my best friends, but the guy's an idiot.

Then there's me. Boring old Kendall Knight. The ring-leader. The orderer. And hated by Mr. Wally Dooley.

A daily activity for us at the Palmwoods is just chilling out on the beach chairs by the pool. That's what we were doing now.

Carlos sat up. "Can any of you make your eye move by itself?"

Logan shot up. "Can I make my eye move by itself? That doesn't make any sense!"

"It makes perfect sense!"

"And you wearing that helmet does?"

"What the heck can you even do to yourself at the pool?" James asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

"I could fall!"

"How? There's nothing to trip on!"

They just kept bickering like that. I try not to join them.

Lowering my hat over my eyes, I pretended to fall asleep.

"KENDALL!" they all yelled at the same time.

"WHAT?!"

"Pudding," Carlos said. "Chocolate or vanilla?"

"Grapefruit."

"What?" Logan asked. "There is no such thing as grapefruit pudding!"

"There is in my world!" I got up and got two mango smoothies. One for me, one for Jo.

I went to her room and stood there for a minute. Both of my hands were full. Knocking was going to be very difficult.

So, I put one of the smoothies on my head and knocked. SUCCESS!

Just as I was taking the smoothie off my head, a maid came by, knocking me into the door. In the act, spilling the smoothie all over my head and shoulders.

And, of course, that's when Jo decides to open the door. "Kendall?"

"I got you a smoothie." I handed the un-spilled one to her. A chunk of mango fell off my chin.

"Come inside. We need to get you cleaned up."

"That would be best."

She put my shirt in her washer while I nearly drowned myself in her sink with water and smoothie. It's not a very good experience.

"Jo! Towel!" I yelled a while later.

She threw the towel at my face. I just let it hang off my head for a second.

"You're helpless," she laughed. She started drying my hair for me.

I just stood there, getting drunk on Jo. Enjoying the feel of her fingers running through my hair. Drowning in happiness.

"Kendall?"

"Yeah?"

"Were you listening to me?"

"Umm…"

"I asked about when we were going on that dinner-and-a-movie date you promised me."

"Oh. Umm…" I thought for a minute. "I'm pretty sure that dinner wasn't a part of it."

"Now it is."

Okay. "I'm good with that."

"How about tonight, then? Around seven?"

"Sure. I'll pick you up."

"Can't wait."

I just sat on her couch for a while, waiting for my shirt to dry. Her apartment was all brown. The furniture, cabinets, beige walls and carpet. And no swirly slide. That was a definite downer.

Jo sat next to me. "How's your sister?"

"Katie? Oh, she's okay."

"You don't sound very reassuring."

"Yeah, well, she's growing up."

She laughed. "You're the one who needs to grow up. She can pull you around by the ear! Literally!"

"Yeah, you're right."

"Other than that, she seems like a nice girl."

"Yeah," I said. "They say the same thing about serial killers."

She punched my shoulder lightly. "You know what I mean."

"I know."

God, for as long as we've been dating, almost a month now, I haven't gotten the courage to tell her how I really feel about her. I needed to soon. Our relationship wasn't very exciting at the moment.

"I… umm… I have to go," Jo said, standing up. "Audition."

"Okay." I stared at the floor.

"You can just stay here until your shirt's dry."

"Okay."

"I'm leaving now. I'll see you at seven."

"Okay."

"Say something besides 'okay'."

I looked up at her. Wow. "You look pretty."

Jo looked at me, her head turned sideways. "Really?"

"Yeah."

That got me a hug before she left.

I was alone in my girlfriend's apartment.

What to do….. What to do…..