"Carlos you haven't talked to me all day! Not even a text! What's up?" It was lunch time now, and Kendall was thoroughly upset. What had he done to make Carlos so mad? Surely it wasn't about James. No way was James that cool. No friend of Logan's was that cool.
"You just forced me to stop talking to my new friend, a really cool new friend, because of your stupid rivalry. Don't you think you've taken it a little bit too far now?" Carlos spat. It was bad enough Logan and Kendall fought constantly in the halls and whenever they accidentally met outside of school. But now it was affecting Carlos and his friendships with other people. It was just too much. "I'm sitting with the Jennifers today. I'd sit with James, but apparently that's not allowed!" He stomped over to the table where the Jennifers were sitting. The three girls sneered at Kendall as he walked past.
Kendall can honestly say he didn't expect that. Why was Carlos so upset? It's not like he and James were even that great of friends. They only just recently began speaking. This school year, as a matter of fact! There had to be a bigger issue here.
Deciding he'd ask Carlos about it later, he sat with Jo (his ex-girlfriend who he ended with on a mutual feeling of friendship) and her friend Camille.
"Trouble in paradise?" Jo said sympathetically. Kendall groaned and buried his face in his hands.
"Carlos was talking to Logan's best friend and Katie is dating Logan's little brother and everyone is starting to hang out with his side and I don't like that cos WE'RE RIVALS!" Kendall said in a rush. Jo and Camille looked knowingly at each other.
"Why do you even hate Logan? What did he ever do to you?" Camille asked. It was a question everyone wanted to know. What happened between the boys that made this rivalry begin?
"I don't even…just help me out." Kendall was desperate. He really didn't want his best friend to hate him. But he also didn't want said best friend to buddy up with his sworn enemy's best friend. When did his life become a soap opera?
"I don't know how we could do anything about it." Jo said. "Your situation doesn't even make sense! How about you try actually becoming friends with Logan?"
Kendall shook his head. "No way. I couldn't even touch that guy with a twenty foot pole, never mind befriend him."
Not too far from Kendall, Logan was sitting with James. He was picking at his lunch as he and James talked. "Why is Carlos sitting with the Jennifers? He and Kendall are inseperable, I thought." In fact, I know. Logan thought.
James sighed. "Kendall doesn't want us to be friends. In third hour, Carlos told me it's because he thought I'd kill Carlos for you or something. Carlos was pretty mad about it."
"That's crazy! He has no right!" By now, Logan had forgotten about even attempting to eat his lunch. Kendall was taking this whole "rivalry" a bit too far. As if telling the hockey coach in 8th grade that Logan was the one who set off the stink bomb in the locker room wasn't bad enough, he goes and does this. He couldn't even play hockey since then!
"Yeah, I know. Just when I found someone to have dinosaur chicken nugget fights with too…" James sighed sadly.
"I am so sick of his stupid rivalry things! I don't even do anything compared to what he does to me! He forked my yard THREE times. And no one believed me when I told them I saw him running from my house with forks in his hands. Of course, they believed his story!" Logan stood up angrily. "Time to give Kenny-boy a little talking to!"
"Wait, Logan, no!"
It was too late. Logan was already halfway to Kendall's spot. "Kendall may I have a word?" Logan was trying to be as polite as possible. He really didn't want to cause a scene. He just wanted to figure this mess out.
"Sure thing, Logan."
Jo and Camille sighed. Camille whispered, "They'll figure themselves out someday." Jo nodded sadly in agreement.
Kendall stood up, but didn't move otherwise. Uncomfortably, Logan cleared his throat.
"Uhm, I'm aware that you, uh, told Carlos that he and, erm, James couldn't be friends? That's, uh, not okay with me." Logan nervously wrung his hands together. "I just think that out, uhm, situation shouldn't have to effect our friends too. Of course, siblings are a completely different story but—"
"No, I know what you mean. But no way am I letting my best friend be corrupted by you."
"I don't even talk to Carlos anymore since—"
"Why not? He too stupid for you or something?" Logan was almost squirming by now. Kendall really intimidated him.
"No I—"
"Shut up." Kendall shoved Logan so hard that he stumbled to the ground. Jo and Camille stood up at once.
The world stopped for a moment as Kendall looked in Logan's eyes for the first time in a long time. Flashes of old memories came back as he saw the regret in the poor boy's eyes.
He's my friend. You can't talk to him.
Suddenly, Kendall didn't feel too good about himself. He didn't want to be this guy anymore. He didn't want to push Logan around for no reason. He didn't want to bully his neighbor and fellow classmate for no reason. For a moment, he wanted this stupid rivalry he created to end.
I'm sorry. I didn't know! I won't talk to him again, I promise!
He was pulled out of his trance by Camille. "Kendall!" She shrieked. "What is your problem?"
Kendall blinked and the feeling of remorse was gone.
James, who hadn't been able to move since Logan walked over there, was broken out of his reverie and hurried to his friend's side. "What the hell is your problem?" James yelled as he kneeled down to help Logan. Carlos had also made his way over to see what was going on.
"He was making fun of Carlos!" Kendall lied. He didn't know what to say.
"He did not!" Camille scoffed. "You're a moron, Kendall Knight." She shook her head at him in disappointment.
"Yeah he did!" Kendall couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth. James grew angry at this.
"Stop lying Kendall!"
"I would never say a word against Carlos!" Logan spoke up from his position still on the ground.
"Thanks for stickin' up for me, man." Carlos said softly.
"Carlos? You're just going to believe him? Logan would never—"
"Kendall wouldn't just lie about that." Carlos wanted to believe it, he really did. But it sounded wrong even coming from his own mouth. Still, whether he was angry with him or not, Carlos was loyal to Kendall. He had no choice but to stick by his words.
"Unbelievable!" James grumbled as he helped Logan up. He glared at Carlos one last time before leaving the cafeteria.
The entire cafeteria was silent for a few moments, watching as Kendall stared after Logan and James. After everything went back to its regular volume, he said under his breath "This really needs to stop."
Jo heard this and she couldn't help but agree. Camille shook her head at Kendall.
"You need to be the one to end it, Kendall."
Camille had never been so right.
Sorry about another short chapter. I am kind of multi-tasking right now, but next chapter I will probably make a lot longer. :)
I'll try updating every other day, but I can't promise anything!
