A/N: I do not own Big Time Rush or anything like that. (Unfortunately.)
Rated T for language, rating will change later!
Thank you for all the reviews guys! They are all appreciated! :)
On with it now!
"[Review] it even if you hate it." –Michael Buckley.
I walked into Spanish on Monday with a wide grin on my face, thinking about the weekend's events. After my sudden realization, I continued walking down the massive staircase and followed the Knights' voices to the kitchen. When I got there, Kendall was sitting at the bar, biting a slice of pizza, and when I smiled at him, he pouted viciously and shook his head.
I giggled and Mrs. Knight asked, "How's it going with el español? Please Maria, help yourself to a slice of pizza."
I grabbed a paper plate from the stack on the counter then slid a slice of pizza onto the paper plate. I sat on the bar stool next to Kendall and took a bite.
"I was only teasing," I nudged him playfully. He didn't react so I gave him by best puppy dog look, jutting out my bottom lip, and batting my eyelashes. His face softened into a smile after a moment then pushed my side playfully.
"You're mean," he said.
I swallowed the bite of pizza and went, "What? It's true! Tengo hambre is I'm hungry, con una 'a'." He gave me a look, then guzzled down his pizza.
Now, in Spanish, I sat next to him as he was scrambling to do the last bit of homework we didn't go over on Saturday. He was flustered, hair messy as if he'd been running his hand through it repeatedly. I on the other hand was coolly taking my Spanish book out and doing the homework (at a quicker rate) with him. When I finished, I handed him my paper just as the teacher started talking.
"Just this once. " I said as he took it and started scribbling down the answers.
His eyebrows furrowed, "How come you get to do the homework in class."
"Porque yo he tenido una 'a' en esta clase desde el primer dia. De mi primer ano."
Kendall looked at me blankly, I could practically see my words going in one ear and out the other, then he said, "… I get your point." I laughed and turned my attention back to the teacher.
The bell rang just as I finished the last part of the Spanish activities the teacher assigned. I glanced at Kendall while I was packing up, and saw that he was struggling with the "usted" command form. He finally gave up and shoved his book into his backpack. I walked out with him in silence until we reached his friends.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Logan asked cheerfully.
Kendall groaned and complained," I'M FREAKING OUT! I'm going to fail my Spanish test tomorrow, and then the class, and then I won't be able to do hockey-!"
I squeezed his arm lightly to stop him from continuing on with this slippery slope, and then thought about what I needed to do that day before I said, "Do you want to study with me right now? I don't have to be home until 7, and you have my number just in case you want to go over anything tonight."
James said, "Dude! You said we'd hit up the mall to look for homecoming attire!"
Kendall screamed, "NOT FAILING SPANISH IS A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, JAMES! WE CAN DO THAT LATER!"
I laughed as James took half a step back, and nodded, "Okay. But I need a ride to your house. My car is being fixed." The four boys started bursting with laughter and we walked to the parking lot.
I moved aside the various hockey gear and slid next to Kendall in the back seat of Logan's car. Carlos slid in to my right, and threw his backpack into the space in front of him. I put my own bag into my lap, and Kendall did the same with his.
Logan had been apologizing since we got to the parking lot about the mess in his car, "My three best friends are pigs," he'd said to me as I opened the back door to the smell of sweaty socks and saw the floor littered in hockey items and old fast-food containers.
I scrunched my nose slightly," It's cool. I've seen worse, in my house. When my older brother used to live with us, his room was like a block of stink." As soon as those words left my mouth, I knew I'd regret it. Thinking about my brother or the past in general silenced me the whole way to Kendall's house. Thankfully, no one pressed on about it.
I didn't like talking about my family. Thinking about my family tore open wounds that left me bleeding and crying. Figuratively, of course. The scar that runs from my ear to my neck is the only physical symbol of the pain I've been through. But it said so much, that is, if you knew me.
I shook my thoughts away and focused on the ride to Kendall's house. I noticed him looking at me then, and I gave him a wide smile. I knew how to fake happiness; I did it a lot in middle school. It became a habit to mask my pain and sadness from the people around me. I was an actress, it came easily. Now, I was apathetic to everything, only caring about leaving here for New York in the summer, with or without Iña and Nicole, like we planned. But plans can change, and I needed to leave, and soon.
When we finally reached his house I tumbled out of the car behind Kendall, thankful for the fresh air. We yelled goodbye and started for the door, but Kendall led me to the side and to the back door that opened with a click and we stepped inside.
"MOM?" Kendall yelled,"Maria is here to study for Spanish!"
No answer. Kendall and I stared at each other.
He asked, "What day is it today?"
"Monday…"
"Oh. Katie has Girl Scouts."
I looked at him incredulously, "Katie's in Girl Scouts? But she's so… assertive…?"
Kendall laughed, "Yeah, she hates it. But my mom forces her." I nodded, of course she would never willingly go to meetings with girls she deems "annoying" and "dumb".
Kendall and I then walked up the stairs from his kitchen, to his bedroom. When we got to his bedroom he turned around with a wicked grin on his face, I raised an eyebrow and his smile widened.
"I have a proposition for you." He said.
I looked at him for a moment, "Okay. What?"
He stepped closer, putting his hands on my waist and I looked up into his bright green eyes, my heart thumping in my chest as he said, "You know. You're really short." I nodded, glaring at him, he continued, "It's hot as balls. And I think we should swim for a bit before we study." It was at least 95 outside, and a swim would have been great except for one problem:
"Okay. Let me just pull a fucking bathing suit out of my ass."
"You can borrow my mom's!" he pleaded. His eyes grew desperate and he stepped closer still, and I caved. I held my hand out and huffed. He squealed and squeezed my waist slightly then ran to his mother's room.
He came back and chucked the bikini at me, then ran to his bathroom with a pair of swimming trunks in hand. I changed in a corner, away from the open window. I fumbled with the bikini, the top barely covering my chest, but since I already decided I wasn't going in the water, I didn't worry too much. Then, Kendall walked out of the bathroom.
I took in his sculpted abs and chest, and his disheveled hair, my heart once again thumping wildly. He had a towel around his neck and one for me on his arm. I grabbed the towel before I started to drool, and left it on the bed and headed for the door. He pulled me back and asked, "You're not going in the water?" I shook my head "no" and continued walking.
He walked in front of me and stopped me, "Well, that won't do." He lifted me up with eased and slung me over his shoulder. I started to protest, but he smacked my butt playfully. He jogged down the stair and through the house while I hung on his shoulders, glaring and pouting at the ground.
He held onto my legs and went, "Hmm. You have really soft legs."
I huffed, "Thanks. NOW PUT ME DOWN."
He opened the back door, walked the 50 feet to the pool and threw me in as I screamed. He jumped in after me and laughed. I treaded water, my feet barely touching the ground as I watched Kendall come closer before he splashed me.
We swam and splashed for 30 minutes or so until I climbed out and lied down on the ground next to the pool, legs still dangling in the cool water.
"I need to tan." I said, kicking his chest gently as he came over to tickle my feet, "And you need to study for Spanish." He pushed himself out of the pool and lied down next to me.
The sun blazed above us, searing our skin and slowly evaporating the drops of water that was on our bodies. It was going to be colder soon, but only enough to where there could be no more beach runs or pool parties. That's what happened in California, though most of the time the hot weather stuck around until late- October, it had a mind of its on. Right then, you could almost feel the slight decrease in temperature as water slid off our bodies and onto the cement.
Our hands touched slightly, in between our bodies. My heart quickened for the god-knows-how many-times at the slight contact, then stopped for a moment when he laced his fingers with mine. It came back faster than ever, and I kept my eyes focused on the bright blue sky above us, not wanting him to come to his senses and let go of my hand.
I loved the feeling of his hand in mine, but I couldn't shake the thoughts and pessimism in my hand telling me this meant nothing. And that it should stay that way. I was unstable, broken, prone to hard-heartedness and an even harder head. It's what I grew up with; it was the only thing I knew. My scar was proof of that. I didn't want to expose Kendall to my harsh reality. Why should I break his pure image of life?
Not answering my own question, I let go of his hand and pushed myself off the ground and headed for the house.
I opened the door, and finally looked at him, "We need to study."
