The next day, Kendall decided to text Etta that he wanted to see her today. She had classes until noon, but BTR had to tape a performance at 1:00pm so, they agreed to meet at 7 later that night. He was waiting around in his hotel room when Kelly knocked on his door.
"Hey, Kelly, what's up?" Kendall said as he opened the door.
"Is it true that you're going on a date with my cousin?"
"A date? Um…well…we're just hanging out. I know it would be kinda stupid to want to date her since we're going to leave as soon as the promotion is done. I just figured it would be good to get to know her while I'm here. Besides, she's busy with school and all."
"I'm just making sure you don't get too involved because…I would hate to see either of you hurt. My cousin is very dear to me and…I care about you as well. Just be careful, okay?"
"I will. I just…when we snuck off to that coffee shop, I felt a connection with her. She was so…open." he said and Kelly nodded.
"Okay…I'll back off. Don't stay up too late. Gustavo would kill you."
"I won't." Kendall said as Kelly left. A few minutes later, there was a knock on his hotel door and he knew it was Etta.
"Hey, Kendall. I hope you don't mind, I brought day old pizza. My roommates didn't want it anymore, so I took it." Etta said as she walked inside and set the pizza box on the desk. "how you been?" she asked as she sat down on his bed.
"I'm okay. We had to tape a performance today. I just sat in my room. Thinking."
"About what?" she asked and he sighed.
"My mom called today. Ever since she told me…well, you know." he said and she nodded. "I really haven't talked to her. I'm still so pissed."
"I understand. It took me nearly 6 damn years to talk to my mother again. It's hard you know when you love the person that destroyed your family and everything you thought was perfect." Etta said with a sigh.
"Yeah…" Kendall said with a similar sigh. "How were your classes?" he asked trying to change the subject because he didn't want to dwell on his pain with her.
"Ugh…boring. Not all of them, but when you have professors that speak with a monotone voice…it's pretty hard to take. Have you ever thought about going to college? Well, I guess you really don't have to since you're this big star and everything…" she said with a laugh.
"You know…if I wasn't you a 'star', I would be in college. Though I'm not sure what my major would be. Probably music or something."
"Yeah…you'd definitely be a music major. Voice or instrument?"
"Both." he said and they laughed. "Okay, pizza time." he said as he opened the box of cold pizza and he handed her a slice. "Mmm…cold pizza."
"A college dorm staple. Though, I'm trying to get my own place. As fun as dorm life can be, I really want some quiet time to study and think and just be…you know?"
"Yeah…these hotel walls get sort of boring and sharing a suite with the guys gets a bit much." Kendall said before biting into his slice of pizza.
"I feel you." Etta said as she stared into Kendall's green eyes loving the light color of his eyes. It was very unusual in a good way.
Kendall couldn't help but stare at Etta's lips wondering how they would feel against his. They were so plump and round and they looked soft. He wanted, desperately, to kiss her.
Suddenly, his phone rang and he sighed. Of course someone would call at this time. He saw it was his mother and sighed as he excused himself and went into the hotel bathroom to take his call. He didn't want Etta to hear him arguing with is mom.
"Yeah…" Kendall answered the phone and his mother sighed.
"Kendall, please don't be like this. Not today. I had a really bad day. Katie's been asking about you. Why don't you call her?
"I will, I'm just a little busy. Was there anything else?"
"Yes, there is. I want you to talk to me. I know you're upset, and you should be, but…"
"But?! No, there is no damn but about this. You fucking lied to me about who my father is and why you and that man I thought was my father really divorced."
"Kendall, please." his mother begged. "Don't you think I feel bad about this enough? It kills me that one mistake caused this."
"What are you saying I'm a mistake?"
"No! You know I don't think you're a mistake. I just wish your father wasn't the man I cheated with…I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I can say this."
"Not enough…" Kendall said as he hung up and sighed feeling embarrassed that he exploded on his mom while Etta was there. He hoped she didn't think he was some crazy angry guy who hated his mom. He walked out of the bathroom to see Etta sitting on his bed wearing a sympathetic look on her face. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."
"No, it's cool. Listen, you just learned that the man you thought was your father, isn't your dad. And it's because your mother had an affair. At least you're sort of talking to her. Like I told you, it took me 6 years to talk to my mom again, and that includes all forms of communication. Just go with what you're feeling right now."
"What I'm feeling…is that I feel betrayed. I feel like I want to scream or hit something. I…" he said feeling his head pound and when he grabbed his temples, Etta became alarmed.
"Are you okay?" she asked as Kendall sighed with his headache and he shook his head.
"My head is fucking killing me…Ah…" he said in pain.
"I have aspirin if you want some." she said and he nodded. "Okay…" she said as she reached in her bag and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. "Here. I'll get you some water." she said as she went into the mini-fridge and pulled out a small bottle of water.
"Thanks…" he said as he dipped his head lower. "Ugh…could you turn off the lights?" he asked and she got up and turned off the lights.
"I'm going to go…" Etta said as she stared at him cautiously in the dim light given off by the bedside lamp. Kendall sighed.
"You don't have to go…I'm sorry you have to…"
"No, it's okay…you're not feeling well. Look, my only class for tomorrow is canceled, so we can hang out then, okay? And don't worry about this. Migraines are a bitch."
"Thanks…" Kendall said as he held his head. "I'll see you tomorrow." he said and Etta left. Etta was almost half-way to the elevator of the hotel when she realized she had left her purse in his room. She ran down the hall back to his room and knocked on the door. When he opened the door, he looked different. Something about him was off, but she wasn't sure what. All she knew was that he didn't look to be in pain as he did earlier. Was he faking?
"I think you left this…" he said in a sexy tone as he held up her purse.
"Thanks." she said as she reached for it, but he grabbed and tried to kiss her. "Kendall?!"
"Actually…it's Keith…" he said with a smirk and Etta looked confused.
