A/N: Hello everyone! I know that it's been forever since I've updated this story, but I'm finally back with a new chapter!
But before we get to the new chapter, I'd like to thank everyone for still supporting me while I was away. It really means a lot to me and I just want you all to know that I am NOT giving up on the story! And there is still a lot more to come from both me as well as this story :)
P.S. Please read my Author's Note at the end of the chapter for an announcement of sorts :)
I hope you all enjoy the new chapter!
On Monday they announced their engagement on Facebook, and all week the messages of congratulation kept flooding in. Everyone seemed so happy for them. Kendall was glad people were supportive, but he felt a little distanced from it all. Every morning he had to remind himself that they were really doing this and then fight down the accompanying wave of anxiety. He couldn't get his head around being engaged and having a fiance. It didn't feel real. He seemed to be cycling between fear and denial with the odd bit of excitement thrown in.
Even his dad finally replied to Kendall's text. He didn't say much, and he didn't sound particularly excited. But he did offer his congratulations, so Kendall supposed that was better than nothing.
A few people asked about rings, so Kendall broached the topic with James over dinner one night.
"Do you want an engagement ring? It hadn't occurred to me, especially as neither of us really did the proposal thing properly."
James put his fork down and met Kendall's eyes. He frowned as he considered it. "I'm not sure. Do you?"
"Not really." Kendall replied honestly. He tried to put on a neutral expression. He didn't want to show how uncomfortable he was with the whole idea of engagement rings, because he wasn't sure if it was something that was important to James or no. Kendall felt weird about it, and he wasn't sure why. he guessed they'd have wedding rings eventually, but he had some time to get used to that before it would be an issue.
"I mean, people already know we're engaged so what does it matter? It's just another thing to spend money on, isn't it?"
"Well, they wouldn't need to be expensive." James picked up his fork again and dropped his gaze to his plate. His cheeks were a little flushed, but his tone didn't give much away. "But whatever. I don't mind. We don't need to bother."
"Okay. If you're sure." Kendall felt guilty about the relief that rushed through him. He quickly changed the subject. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. My mom texted earlier. She wants to know if we can come over for lunch next Sunday."
"Sure." James replied. "We're both free."
"And she said to bring any plans or notes we've got about the wedding so far, so brace yourself." Kendall grinned. "Hurricane Jen is coming."
XxX
'Hurricane Jen' was about right. They'd barely got through the front door before she was talking wedding plans.
They'd deliberately arrived early, so they'd have time to discuss things with her before Kendall's sister arrived and the day descended into noisy chaos. Kendall half listened, while James did a better job of keeping up with her. It was sweet how excited she was, but she made Kendall's head hurt. He went to put the kettle on and left James telling her about possible dates and venues.
The kitchen was warm, and the scent of roasting chicken made Kendall's mouth water. While he was waiting for the kettle to boil, Katie let herself in through the back door that led directly into the kitchen.
"Oh, hey." She said, smiling as she registered Kendall's presence. "Have you escaped mom already?"
"She's talking James' ear off while I make coffee. Now get over here and give your brother a hug."
Katie came, and he wrapped his arms around her, nearly lifting her off her feet. It wasn't hard. She'd always been slender.
"So, how's life?" He asked casually. "School okay? Got a boyfriend at the moment?"
Katie shrugged, avoiding his gaze as she tucked a long strand of her ear. She fiddled with another strand of hair as she replied, "Life's boring. School's boring. And my love life is none of your business."
"Okay, then." Kendall put his hands up jokingly. "Want anything?"
"Yeah, coffee please."
She hung around, watching Kendall as he made coffee for himself, their mom, James and herself. Then she helped him carry them through to the living room.
"Hi, Katie." James stood up to greet her with a hug. She hugged him back.
"Hi. Welcome to the family, I guess. Well, nearly. It's not too late to escape, you know. Nobody would blame you if you couldn't put up with my annoying brother." She grinned as Kendall made an outraged noise and James chuckled before taking a seat on the sofa, and promptly got out her phone.
XxX
By the time lunch was ready, everyone was settled.
After they'd eaten they all helped with cleaning up. Katie tried to sneak off before she'd done her share-in her mother's opinion-which resulted in a shouting match between her and Jennifer.
"I helped put stuff in the dishwasher!" Katie snapped. "Besides, there's barely enough room in here with all four of us!"
"I would send you to your room, but that's what you want, isn't it? So get in the dining room and wipe the table. Then you can go and be as antisocial as you like."
Katie snatched a dishcloth and stormed out.
Kendall turned to grin at James where they stood at the sink, Kendall washing and James drying. "Sorry about my family. They're so noisy compared to yours."
James laughed. "It's okay, I'm getting used to it now."
Kendall knew that James had found his family overwhelming at first. Jennifer and Katie got into fights all the time, and that didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Yell first, apologise alter tended to be the norm with those two.
"Yes, I'm sorry about that." Jennifer said as she walked in, taking a baking tray out of James' hands to put away. "But that girl... I love her to death, but I swear I've got twice the grey hairs I had before she hit her teens. I don't know what to do with her sometimes. She's always out late, doesn't call. I don't know where she is half the time."
"She'll be fine, mom." Kendall said, trying to reassure her.
"I suppose." Jennifer sighed. "Katie's a mystery sometimes. And the temper on her! Sometimes, I swear she slams her bedroom door so hard that the whole house shakes."
As if on cue, Katie came back into the kitchen. Ignoring them all, she tossed the dishcloth into the sink and left the room. The sound of her thundering up the stairs preceded the slam of a door.
XxX
Katie didn't reappear when everyone reassembled in the living room with more coffee.
Kendall excused himself to go to the bathroom and made his way upstairs. After he'd finished, he hesitated on the landing. He looked at Katie's closed door. A toxic waste sign was taped onto it over another printed sign that read 'Keep Out'. Underneath the words was an added scrawl in pen saying 'Yes mom, that means you!'
The sound of loud music came from inside, so Kendall knocked loudly. When there was no answer after a couple of tries, he opened it anyway.
Katie was sitting on her bed. Some school books were open around her, but her phone was in her hand, and she seemed to be texting again rather than studying. She jerked her head up as Kendall stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
"I did knock." He shouted over the music.
"Sorry, I didn't hear you." She reached for a remote and turned it down.
Kendall sat on the side of her bed, next to her knee. She put her phone down but avoided his gaze. She picked up a pen and fiddled with it, clicking the nib up and down.
"What do you want?" She asked at last.
"I came to check up on you. You're a bit full on the teenage angst today, more so than usual. Are you sure you're okay?"
Click, click, click went the pen in her hand.
"Yeah. I'm fine really. Just, mom... you know what she's like. I remember you yelling at her as well when you were my age."
"She worries about you."
"She fusses."
"That's her job."
Click, click, click.
"Kendall." She paused, then met his gaze, blushing a little. "When you and James got together... how did you know you were... you know. In love with him?"
Kendall held back a smile, knowing she'd see it as patronizing.
"I don't know. I liked him. I was attracted to him." He shrugged. "I couldn't stop thinking about him and wanted to be with him all the time. That's pretty much it. At first I didn't recognize it for what it was because I hadn't felt it before, but then I realized it was that simple."
"But what did it feel like?"
Kendall thought about James, about how he felt when they were together. "It's a mixture of lots of things. Happiness, excitement, a warm feeling here"-he pressed a hand to his chest-"that makes you want to smile all the time."
Katie's blush deepened. "Oh."
Kendall grinned at her. "Got something you want to tell me?"
She started clicking the pen again. "Maybe."
"What's his name?"
"Her name is Allison." She glared at him. "Of all people I wouldn't expect you to assume it was a boy!"
"Sorry, sorry." Kendall put his hand on her knee. "Yeah, you got me. I didn't see that coming." He gestured up at the wall by her bed plastered with posters of boy bands. "These guys threw me off the scent."
"You had Britney and Jennifer on your wall when you lived at home. Anyway, I like boys too, or I have in the past. I think I'm bi... maybe? I don't know. Maybe not. I've never felt like this with any of them."
"I take it mom doesn't know?"
"No. I mean, she's met Allison when she comes over, but she thinks we're just friends."
"Well, when you're ready to tell her, she'll be fine with it. She's had a little practice with me, after all."
"Yeah. But Ali doesn't really want anyone to know. Her dad won't like it, she's pretty sure about that."
Kendall reached out a hand and squeezed her knee. "Keeping secrets is hard. I'm sorry. But I think you could trust mom with it if you needed to. She might go easier on you if she knows why you're sneaking around. She probably thinks you're selling drugs or something."
Katie laughed, and it was good to see her face light up as the anxiety was chased away by amusement.
"If I was selling drugs, I wouldn't need to work, would I?"
"I guess not. Okay, I'd better get back. I've left poor James to the mercy of Hurricane Jen. She's probably hounding him some more over the wedding. I should go and rescue him. You should come back down in a bit and say sorry for yelling at mom." He stood up and turned to go.
"Kendall." Katie's voice made him turn, and she smiled. "Congratulations, by the way. James is great. I think it's awesome that you're getting married, even though I never thought you would."
Butterflies surged in Kendall's stomach, but he pasted on a smile. "Yeah. Me neither."
"But you love him."
It wasn't a question, but Kendall nodded anyway, and he didn't have to force his smile anymore. "Yeah. I really do."
Done! So, who saw that Katie bombshell coming?! I wanted to try something a little different with her for this story, so this won't be the last see of Katie and her storyline!
And it seems that Kames is still having a few issues. Will they be able to work it out?
And I wanted to let you all know that I'm thinking about starting to write original stories and posting them on Wattpad! I was hoping to get your thoughts on that :)
I'd really love to hear your thoughts on the chapter as well as if you would like to see original stories from me on Wattpad!
By the way, sorry for any mistakes in this chapter. I'm a little rusty :P
Next chapter will be strictly Kames! I've already starting working on it so it should be up by next weekend :)
Until next time!
-Epically Obsessed