A/N: Sorry this is so late guys! It's been a REALLLY busy week so far! But I hope you like this Kogan friendship chapter, and those of you who have been wondering about Mr. Mitchell…your answer is in here. Oh, and also, there is a cameo ;D FORESHADOWING FTW.
***NOTE: If I am a usual reviewer of one of your stories and I haven't reviewed, PLEASE nicely tell me to review. I'm losing track lately and it's been a super busy week.
Also, here is a snippet from the beautifully written Past The Sorrow by waterwicca :D You must check this out!
An hour later, the group of four found themselves at Sage and Kendall's 'spot'. They had gone back whenever they could, enjoying the isolation from the rest of the town, especially after a long day at school or a full Saturday with Elliot. They decided to bring Katie and Karen and share it with them once the small lake had frozen over so they could all skate together.
It wasn't long before Kendall found himself paired off with his little sister, chuckling lightly as he helped her keep her balance. Katie was a bit rusty on her skates from a lack of practice, but Kendall had moved like a professional since pee-wee hockey with James, Logan, and Carlos. As he held her small hands in his own with her body facing his, they looked over to Sage and Karen skating side by side on the other side of the ice.
"So, she really can't stay tonight… even though tomorrow's Christmas?" Katie frowned and bit her lip sadly. Sage had become a sister to her in the recent months. She lived with them most of the time, and Katie didn't like a member of their small family not spending the holiday at home. Kendall sighed and shook his head, turning it to look down at her.
"No, Baby Sister, she can't…" he spoke solemnly and fought not to scowl. "Sage doesn't have a choice. Elliot will be home tomorrow," Kendall added bitterly.
Katie knew the details. She had seen the bruises and blood with her own innocent eyes. She had learned to develop a hatred that no ten-year-old girl should have to have for a man she's never even laid eyes on.
"Was Dad ever like that?" Katie asked suddenly, sounding younger than she usually acted.
Kendall skidded to a stop, making Katie halt with him. The freezing air seemed to get colder as the wind blew and soaked through all of their layers. He tightened his gloved fingers around his sister's.
"What?" it was all he could stutter out, waiting for Katie to clarify.
"Is Elliot - … Is that what all dads are like?" Katie cautiously questioned further, hoping not to upset her brother. She hadn't ever really experienced a father, and Elliot was her only model. Kevin Knight died when she was barely two.
"No, Katie… not at all," Kendall insisted sternly and definitively. He needed her to know that Elliot was nothing like most fathers. "Never think that, Baby Sister. Dad was an amazing man… He was smart and brave, just like Mom. If he were here, he'd know what to do about Elliot…" Kendall took another glance at Sage across the ice. He always fought to stay strong for her, but sometimes he felt like it was never enough.
Yup. I know you wanna keep reading, so do it ;D
Please read and review this chapter! Until next week ;D
Chapter Sixteen: California
"I'm so ready to leave this ice bucket for a few days."
"I know. California here we come!" Logan said with enthusiasm. The blonde and raven haired boy exchanged looks in the back seat of Kim's red mini-van, John and Kim in the front. Finally, Kendall was getting out of this horrible, sick cycle that he had been in since returning from his last vacation.
Kim had already warned Kendall that he best behave in the care of John Mitchell, and not meet any girls that were runaways in California. Kim found it a bit easier to talk to Kendall about the whole Stella debacle by joking about it, something they had done as Kendall packed his bags last night.
Now, at 4 AM she was driving her son, his best friend and his father to the airport so they could catch their 7 AM flight, arriving in California at 9 AM their time after the three hour flight. It made Kim happy to see her son going on a relaxing vacation with his best friend, and made her even happier that he would be getting away from the idea of trying to find Stella.
The past week had been filled with a desperate Kendall begging his mother to call Jenny Tregger to see if Stella was still at the general store, or if Bryan had seen her around town. Perhaps the worst part of the whole thing was that Kendall had absolutely no idea what name she was using now, and couldn't find any way to possibly contact her. He thought of trying to contact the police in Thief Great Falls to see if he could put some sort of report out for a runaway, but Kim educated him with the fact that if he did put a report out, Stella would be brought back to a shelter, or a halfway home, and neither of the Knights wanted that.
After Kim sat Kendall down and told him that was not much else he could possibly do about finding her, the boy had to accept the fact that Stella was going to have to find him. Luckily, Kendall had undying faith in the beautiful blonde and in his heart felt that he would be seeing her soon. Luckily, Kim had been forcing excitement about California down the boy's throat every day in order to get him wound up for the trip, hoping to revert Kendall's twenty-five year old mindset back to the original sixteen it had been before his father had passed.
Kim drove into Duluth International Airport slowly, the traffic once passing the gates to entry severely congested. Kendall looked out a plane taking off the runway and chuckled, turning to Logan.
"Jeez, I haven't been on a plane…in years," he said. Logan smiled curly and John turned his head around to the blonde.
"You get used to them after a while, kid. I live on them," John said with a hearty laugh. Suddenly, a techno ringtone filled the car, and everyone shot out a puzzled look. John turned his attention to his pocket and sighed, taking his cell phone from his holster. Kendall, who sat in the back seat diagonal looked at how John's face dropped when he read the caller ID and he sheepishly rubbed his neck, looking nervous. Kendall looked more intently, and watched as he flipped it open and ignored the call, slipping it back in his holster and chuckling.
"Wrong number. Happens all the time," John said with a nervous, suspicious chuckle.
Kendall ignored it and returned his gaze out the window, looking at all the planes lined up ready to take off, wondering which flight was theirs. The sky was still dark, it being so early, and he looked a bit more ahead at the alit terminal of Duluth International smiling. The airport reminded him of his father. Anytime the Knight's would go visit Kim's parents in Florida, Kendall and his father would always set out and explore the shops and vendors Duluth International had to offer, getting lost looking at comic books or drinking smoothies while making up stories about where people were going on their flights as they passed. Kendall sighed deeply, feeling a small pang of guilt and sorrow in his heart. He had been so concerned with Stella the past few weeks, and getting her letter back, he hadn't thought of his dad too much.
It then hit Kendall that it had nearly been a year since his father had died. This year had been the hardest year of his life so far, and the fact that his father was gone all this time made Kendall feel a bit empty inside. His head rested against the dirty glass window quietly, green eyes looking out at the small lights from faraway planes as Logan tapped his arm concerned.
"Dude? You okay?" Logan asked Kendall with a small, sympathetic face on. Logan looked Kendall when he turned his head, his expression sullen, green eyes full of some emotion Logan just couldn't figure out.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just—anxious, bud. We're going to California," Kendall said smiling at his best friend, trying his best to keep a somewhat upbeat attitude. Here he was going halfway across the country to sunny California with one of his best friends. Kendall had to be positive, because if he wasn't, he knew his mind would slowly but surely drift back to Stella. Logan chuckled and nodded, holding out his fist to his friend which he bumped. Traffic began moving more quickly, as Kim drove up directly to the curb in front of the airport and stopped the car, putting it in park.
"We're here," she spoke softly with a smile, John wasting no time getting unbuckled from the front seat. Kendall sighed deeply, looking around at the dark, but busy airport waiting right in front of him, frozen in his seat. Logan unbuckled his seatbelt with a smile, and began to open his back door, Kendall still frozen. He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath, an overwhelming rush of emotion coming over him. He needed to relax about all of this, about Stella, about his father. He needed to just take some time off from the world and all his problems, just escape. And now, this was his only chance, and he was going to have to take it.
Kendall sighed and got out of the car, the brisk, cold Minnesota morning hitting his skin like ice, as he went to back of the mini-van where Logan and John were taking out their bags and luggage. Luckily, Kendall had stuffed all of his necessities into one of his old hockey duffels, definitely trying to avoid checking his bags like his mother had taught him from his first plane ride when he was eight. He slung the bag over his shoulder as John closed the trunk, and he made his way to his mom's side of the car. He sighed and smiled at her as she lowered the window and gave him a small, sympathetic smile.
"I guess I'll see you when I get back," Kendall spoke with a small chuckle. Kim smiled at her son who nervously ran his hands through his hair. He never was too good at saying good-bye. Kim smiled up at him, taking her hands off the steering wheel and sighing.
"Please enjoy yourself, sweetie," she spoke, extending her hand to Kendall's face, touching his jaw line affectionately. Kendall nodded and swallowed hard, giving his mother a small smile. Kim looked at him and tugged his face down to her lips, pushing his blonde hair from his face, and giving him a tender, loving kiss on the forehead and then releasing him with a chuckle. "And behave, alright?"
Kendall rolled his eyes playfully at his mother, as Logan and John came up from behind him, John putting a hand on Kendall's shoulder with a smile.
"If he gets out of line, I'll send him home first class, don't worry," John said with a chuckle. Logan and Kendall both laughed and smiled, Kim giving John a thankful, friendly smile.
"Let's go see how long the line is," Logan said enthusiastically to Kendall, sprouting a smile from the blonde boy. Kendall looked at his mother one last time and smiled, reaching through the window and giving his mother a tender, sweet, caring kiss on the forehead, parting with a smile.
"Love you, ma," Kendall spoke with a sly grin. Kim's heart flew up into her chest seeing Kendall so genuinely happy and looking forward to something after his tumultuous past few weeks.
"Love you too, Kenny. Remember to call me before you go to sleep, alright?" Kim said. Kendall groaned a bit but nodded as him and Logan began to take off to the terminal. Kim rested her hands on the door and peeked her head out.
"Have fun!" she screamed after them, the two boys entering into the sliding glass doors enthusiastically, slinging their arms over another with laughter. Kim's heart swelled at the sight as she looked back up at John Mitchell.
"I can't thank you enough, John. Kendall's been having a really tough year, and this is perfect for him," Kim said with a smile. John chuckled, fastening his own bag on his shoulder and nodding with a smile.
"Don't even worry about it, Kim. It'll give Logan someone to spend downtime with while I'm in my meetings. And even though Kendall gave Logan the tickets, I knew my son didn't feel right accepting them," John said with a sad demeanor, licking his lips awkwardly. Kim swallowed hard and nodded, her eyes getting a bit glassy.
"I-I know Kris really wanted him to see the game, so I'm just so glad he gets to go," she spoke softly, tears welling up in her eyes. She sighed deeply, bit her bottom lip and looked up at John with a smile, after a few moments of silence.
"Logan's very lucky to have a father like you, John."
John Mitchell shifted awkwardly on his feet, his hand instinctively going to his cell phone as he licked his lips and nodded with a nervous grin.
"Well, I guess I better go catch the boys before they get on the wrong plane. I'll make sure Kendall keeps in touch alright?" John asked, his breath catching in his throat a bit. Kim nodded and smiled, John extending his arm to touch Kim's hand with a smile, as he quickly walked around the car, and out of her sight.
"Holy shit," Kendall grumbled under his breath, as the two boys, dressed clad in jeans and jackets walked out into the hot, humid, California air. The two boys stood in front of a terminal at LAX, their eyes both wide at the blue skies, the busy traffic, the tall palm trees and the short-shorts on women everywhere.
"This is fuckin' awesome," Logan mumbled out under his breath with a large smile on his face, his brown eyes looking up at the sky. Kendall and him both exchanged laughter as they each dropped their bags to the floor and began to take off their jackets in front of the airport as they awaited the car that Logan's dad was provided with.
John had been off making a business call for some time now, leaving the two boys in front of the airport, just marveling at what a different world California was. Kendall closed his eyes and took in the scent of the ocean waves, and the sun. He opened his eyes and excitedly fished in his pocket for the sunglasses he had bought when they got off the plane. Kendall had never really had a pair of nice sunglasses before, but now he could definitely put them to use. He put them on the bridge of his nose and pushed them up with a long sigh, taking in the rays of sun into his skin.
After marveling for a few more minutes at the beautiful landscapes, expensive sports cars and thousands of people running around with awesome tans, John appeared behind the boys, putting a hand on each of their shoulders and shaking them playfully.
"How you boys likin' LA so far?" John asked with a laugh and smirk. Logan shook his head, turning around to his dad in awe, fastening his bag on his shoulder as John pushed his sunglasses up into his graying, thinning black hair.
"This is pretty awesome, dad," Logan said with a smile. John smiled brightly at his son and Kendall chuckled.
"This is amazing, Mr. Mitchell," Kendall spoke out. John smiled at the boys and sighed with chuckle.
"Wait till you see what the company comps me," John spoke. Kendall and Logan each exchanged looks of pure delight and smiled at each other, John subtly pushing them forward towards the curb.
In the matter of seconds, a classy, black Lincoln Towne car pulled up in front of the three, and the driver stepped out. He was an older man, perhaps fifty-five or sixty, and wore a dark blazer with a company logo on it, over a blue button down and black tie with black pants. He was incredibly tan for his age, and definitely full of life. He pushed his sunglasses up off his eyes and into his silver hair as he laughed at the sight of Logan's father.
"Johnny Mitchell, it is so nice to see you in sunny California again!" the man said with a deep voice, coming over to John and embracing him in one of the classic man hugs.
"It's good to be back, Stan. Haven't been here in a while," John chuckled out in his shoulder, Logan and Kendall looking cluelessly at the exchange of words between the man and Logan's dad. Parting from the man, with a hand still on Stan's shoulder, John looked at Logan and Kendall with a smile.
"Stan, this is my boy Logan, and his best friend Kendall," he said proudly. Stan looked at John in surprise and laughed, running his fingers through his thin silver hair with a wide eyed expression.
"This is little Logie?" he asked. Logan immediately turned a bit pink and embarrassed as Stan offered out his hand, Logan shaking it with an embarrassed smile, but firmly.
"Quite a handshake ya got there, Logan," Stan said with that old man fever. He looked at John quite flabbergasted. "The last time I saw a picture of this kid, he was about seven inches shorter and had three teeth in his mouth."
Kendall, Logan and John all chuckled as Stan turned to Kendall with a smile, offering him a hand as well. "How do ya do, son?" Stan said with a pearly white smile. Kendall instantly liked Stan. The way even though he was older, he still had a bunch of vim and vigor left in him. He always imagined when he got older he'd that kind of old person, and an instant smile went to Kendall's face.
"Good, sir. Thank you," Kendall spoke with a smile, shaking his hand firmly. Stan's eyes lit up and he made a deep laughing sound, looking at John as the two hands parted.
"Woah-oh-oh. This one's got a celebrity handshake," Stan said animatedly. Kendall looked a bit confused and raised an eyebrow, bringing his hand back down to his side.
"A celebrity handshake?" Kendall asked, turning to Logan who had the same face on as he did.
Stan nodded and laughed, taking John's bag from him and hoisting it on his shoulder.
"Yup. Short, sweet and strong. If you ever get famous, you'll definitely have the handshake for it," he said with a smile. Kendall was a bit confused at his comment, but shrugged it off as Stan took both him and Logan's bags and loaded them up in the trunk of the Towne Car. The boys got in the back, John in the front, as they sped off in the air conditioned beauty, leaving LAX in the distance.
The drive to the hotel downtown was short and sweet, John painstakingly silent and texting on his cell phone, as the boys and Stan had riveting conversation about ice hockey, Minnesota, and what female celebrities they hoped to see in Los Angeles. Stan pulled the car up to the enormous, luxury hotel, Logan and Kendall's hands pressed against the windows in absolute awe of the size of the building and its surrounding grounds.
"Dude, this is sick," Kendall whispered softly in amazement, Stan turning the car off and arching his head back to the boys.
"Okay, you're all set. I'll see you boys tomorrow at 6 PM sharp before the game, alright?" Stan spoke with a bright smile. Kendall and Logan both nodded, each giving Stan a small slap on the hand in gratitude as John slipped him a twenty.
"Thanks, Stan," he said with a smile, patting him on the back and getting out of the car. Logan and Kendall stepped into the heat again and looked up laughing in disbelief. Kendall had always loved hotels for some reason. Just the fact that they were all so different, and how the rooms smelled. He liked being away from home at times. The last time he was away from home was…well, Thief Great Falls. The image of Stella came into Kendall's mind, and he quickly shook it away, trying his best to enjoy his vacation and to keep faith in his lover.
About an hour later, after the boys and John had checked in, Logan and Kendall stood in the center of their amazing suite that John had been comped for his business stay. It was an elegant room on the twentieth floor overlooking the back pools, hot tubs and bar areas of the hotel grounds. The two beds quilted with a light, tan mattress and soft blue pillows rested against the dark blue wall, the entire space alit with the sliding glass doors leading out to the spacious balcony. With his hockey bag on his shoulder, Kendall looked around at the warm, heavenly paradise he was going to get to call home for the next five days and smiled brightly.
There was a large, flat screen television across from the beds, housed in a giant entertainment center already stocked with DVD's and video games. There was a small table against the left wall with a bouquet of blue flowers, and to the left a door leading to the elegant tan and brown tiled bathroom. The white carpet was perfectly clean, and small pictures of palm trees hung on the walls. A warm, salty breeze flew through the balcony door, as Kendall dropped his duffle at the end of one of the beds, Logan following suit.
"And this is all free?" Logan asked confused, his father fiddling with his cell phone again smiling.
"Yup. This is the kind of perks that your father gets in the business world," John said with a hearty laugh. Logan's brown eyes examined the room again, and he looked back at Kendall whose hands were in his pockets, his sunglasses pushing back his blonde bangs just looking up in awe at the beautiful place he was in. Logan instantly smiled at the total joy, and excitement in Kendall's eyes, something he hadn't seen in a while.
"Well boys, I have a dinner tonight with my boss, and some clients of ours downstairs in the grand ball room around 7:30," John said, picking his suitcase up from his side and with a grunt, settling it on the other bed. He zipped it open as Kendall and Logan looked at each other with wide smiles, not believing that they were even here, and with limited parental guidance. John Mitchell wasn't the type of parent who needed to know every little thing. As long as Logan always followed his rules, and didn't get in trouble, he didn't feel the need to be uptight, like Logan's mother Kelly. "But there will be rules to this vacation."
Logan and Kendall both sighed a bit disappointed, but knew that John's rules were not going to be anything to worry about. John turned to the two boys and smiled.
"First off, both of you gotta have your cell phones on and charged at all times…Logan," John said with a raised eyebrow and smile, Logan chuckling at his father. It was obviously some sort of inside joke Kendall didn't get, but he smiled with a small grin anyway. "Second of all, no drinking, no drugs, no sex," John said pointing a finger at the boys with a grin, obviously trying to be funny, knowing the boys didn't dabble in it. Logan and Kendall peered at each other out of the corner of their eyes at the sex comment, Kendall trying to hold back his small smile and revert from his mind going to Stella. "And third of all, I don't want you guys going further than around the small town here. There will be enough for you to do there the next three days. And then, when I'm off Saturday, we'll hit the beach and do some exploring in downtown LA. Sound good?"
Logan and Kendall both nodded with excited faces on, just dying to go out and explore the amazing hotel that awaited them. John looked at both the boys and chuckled, motioning his head to door.
"Okay, go explore. But be back here by 7. You guys can order room service tonight for dinner," John said. Within a second of his last sentence being said, Kendall and Logan were fishing in their duffle bags for their swimsuits and towels.
Not even ten minutes later, Logan and Kendall basked in the sunlight, sunglasses sitting on the bridge of their nose as they looked out at the amazing, crystal blue pools in front of them.
"This is so awesome," Kendall chuckled out, his striped towel over his shoulder. The boys stood on the outdoor patio of the huge outdoor complex of the hotel. Tan women scantily clad in string bikinis, families with children, and many other people graced the two enormous pools, and the restaurant bar area. The beautiful tall palm trees and other shrubbery brightened up the area, as laughter and conversation was heard throughout.
"We are definitely not in Minnesota anymore, K-Dawg," Logan chuckled out. Kendall rested his hand on Logan's shoulder firmly and sighed, both of them looking up at the beating sun.
"Definitely correct, Logie," he spoke. Logan and Kendall made their way to some of the available lounge chairs right by the side of the pool, finding two next to each other as they sat down with a sigh. Kendall immediately kicked his flip-flops off, lying down and laid his arms behind his head, already feeling the damp sweat collecting on the back of his wifebeater. He sighed deeply, Logan sitting in the same position as him, both boys with smiles on their faces.
"I can't believe we are sitting poolside in California right now," Kendall said with a chuckle, biting his lip in amusement, letting the warm sun beat down on him.
"I know. Now aren't you glad you decided to come?" Logan asked Kendall with a chuckle. Kendall nodded, knowing that even though Logan couldn't see him, he knew what the blonde's answer was. Silence fell between the boys for a few moments, with the only thing heard other people around the pool interacting, and Kendall feeling a slight splash of water anytime a small kid jumped in the pool.
Logan took a deep sigh, and he sounded a bit nervous actually. Kendall shrugged it off as nothing when he heard the small boy clear his throat.
"So you've been—alright, Kendall?" Logan asked.
Kendall sighed deeply. He knew this was coming. Anytime he had seemed excited, or happy, Logan would stare at him with that smile that was infectious, like something was bursting in his heart. He knew it was Logan's content that Kendall was actually enjoying himself, and not slopping around on a rollercoaster of highs and lows like he had the past few weeks. Kendall was going to take this trip to return to his old self, and try his best to be strong again. Even though he was alright with breaking down, he needed to be strong.
"Yeah. I've been alright," Kendall spoke back with a chuckle, allowing his hands to tangle in his blonde locks.
Logan nodded and fiddled with his thumbs nervously, the sounds of distant conversation making his heart beat faster. All he wanted to do was to let Kendall have his relaxation, and to set his mind straight. However, since Kendall had told them all about Stella, and everything he had experienced with her, Logan couldn't help but feel a bit out of the loop. He was smart and logical, and very popular with the honors kids in his classes, however not with the girls. While James, and even Carlos, had at least had some drive to chase girls, it seemed like Logan and Kendall were the half of the group that concentrated more on just their own lives. It was a very small part of him that Logan hadn't even realized was there until he heard Kendall's song for Stella. He was indeed upset at the fact that he really didn't understand something about his best friend. Even if it wasn't love, it was still like…and it was something Logan didn't know anything about to even the slightest degree. He couldn't sympathize with Kendall, or talk about it with him, and quite frankly, it drove him insane.
It was arguable that Kendall and Logan were the closest to each other in the group, and Logan had always found their relationship special beyond all means. But now here Kendall was, dealing with things beyond his years, a love life, a sex life, and Logan felt more and more like the defenseless little fifteen year old boy he still was. While it was a small thought that racked Logan's brain a bit, he thought that the most logical thing to do was talk about with his best friend to try to understand.
"You're sure?" Logan asked again. Kendall nodded and looked at Logan, pushing his sunglasses into his hair and chuckling.
"Yes, I'm sure Logie. How could I not be? I'm in California with my best friend," Kendall laughed, touching his arm playfully with a true Kendall Knight smile.
"I know, I just—I wanna make sure you're having a good time, dude. I know you got a lot of shit going on, stuff I wouldn't understand," Logan said, the deterioration in his voice evident to Kendall. Kendall gave Logan and odd look and sat up in the chair a bit more with a confused look on his face.
"What do you mean stuff you wouldn't understand?" Kendall asked. Logan swallowed hard and shrugged, his hands going through his hair with a deep sigh.
"Like, I don't know…things about Stella. I-I don't know about girls, or sex or any of that stuff," Logan said sheepishly, his eyes casting down to his white feet out in front of him. "You have all of these things going on in your life, and I can't even help you, cause I don't understand them," he said sadly. Kendall looked at his best friend in awe and was very confused by what he had said.
"You get me the best, Logie. You know that. God knows that James doesn't understand things about me and Stella, but you have been there for me the entire time through all of this. It means a lot," Kendall said with a smile. Logan sighed and looked at Kendall with half-smile, but feeling sort of guilty, since Logan had outrightly admitted that he didn't believe in Stella and Kendall's love to the boys.
"I guess, but still…you're—like a man now. You're in love," Logan started off shakily doubting the latter, "you've had sex, you've gotten into two fist fights…face it dude, you're a man amongst a child," Logan spoke out softly, adding a small, desperate chuckle at the end. Kendall looked at Logan almost perturbed by his statement.
"Seriously? You think I'm a man cause I'm in love, had sex, and kicked the shit out of two people? What am I….James?" Kendall asked with a chuckle, turning more to Logan. The raven-haired boy sighed and shrugged at his friend.
"Forget I said anything," Logan spoke softly, trying to forget about this whole conversation. Of course, Logan knew better than for Kendall Knight to just let something go.
"Logan, we're still best friends. Just because I found love early on, and lost my virginity, and beat people up doesn't mean I'm any less of a kid than you are. I'm still sixteen, and I still like hockey, and I still love to watch old sitcoms at night, and have sleepovers. You act like…I'm a different person or something," Kendall said, his eyebrows knitting in confusion and misunderstanding.
"You're not a different person or anything Kendall, I-I just feel like you've grown up so much since you left…and that I'm still a kid. I don't know, I guess I always felt that we were equals of some sort, and now…well, that theory is kinda put to shame," Logan chuckled out, rearranging his body on the lounge chair. Kendall looked at his best friend with a sad glimmer in his eye, and sighed deeply.
"We'll always be equals, Logan. It doesn't matter about the things we have or experience, you're always gonna be my best friend," Kendall spoke out softly, giving the boy a smile. Logan, wanting to drop the conversation but feeling quite good about it, looked at Kendall with a smile.
"Well that sucks. I was hoping to cut you loose," Logan said, reverting his gaze to the sun in the sky. Kendall rolled his eyes and followed his friend's suit as the two boys sighed in unison.
"Too bad. I'm not leaving anytime soon," Kendall chuckled out. Logan smiled and sighed, allowing his hands to rest folded on his stomach, taking in the amazing atmosphere of sunny California.
"Damn straight."
After a refreshing night of sleep, and fighting off jet lag and sun exhaustion, at 6:00 PM the next day, Kendall and Logan sat in the back seat of the Lincoln Towne Car driven by Stan, on their way to see the Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild fight to the deaths for a victory. The two had spent the entire day walking through the small shops of Los Angeles, just a block or two from their hotel. Kendall had picked up some new string bracelets, and Logan had picked up a new protective case for his iPhone.
And now, they were on the way to see their absolute favorite ice hockey team beat the pants off the Los Angeles Kings.
"You boys ready?" Stan asked from the front seat, his eyes in the rearview mirror. Kendall and Logan both nodded feverishly, both of them wearing their Wild's jerseys they had been sure to pack. "It should be quite an exciting game."
"You got the tickets, right K-dawg?" Logan asked him with a smile. Kendall's face immediately fell and he looked at his best friend with furrowed eyebrows.
"I-I thought you were taking them," he said concerned. Logan looked at Kendall with wide eyes and swallowed hard, his voice beginning to shake a bit.
"Kendall, I left them on the table right by the door and told you to make sure had them before we left the room!" he yelled annoyed, his voice cracking and squeaking a bit. Kendall chuckled and fished in his pocket for the two perfectly preserved tickets and Logan brought his hand to his chest in relief, his breathing heavy. "Dude, don't do that to me!" Logan said, shoving him playfully. Kendall began to become entrance in a fit of laughter as Stan looked back at him raising an eyebrow as they stopped at a red light.
"You two okay?" Stan asked with a laugh. Logan and Kendall both nodded, Kendall dying down from his laughter and Logan catching his breath. Logan had to admit, as much as he hated Kendall for nearly giving him a heart attack that they would have to trek all way the back to the hotel through traffic, the sound of the boy's laugh was music to Logan's ears. He hadn't heard a real, true laugh from Kendall in a while, and the past day or so with him had really brought back Logan to the times before Kendall's father was killed.
Only twenty minutes later, were Logan and Kendall walking towards the Staples Center, looking as all burly hockey fans with King's Jerseys stormed the arena. Kendall looked down and laughed, turning to Logan.
"Dude, I think we are the only people here with Wild jerseys on," he laughed out. Logan nodded in agreeance, both boys' eyes turning to a huge crowd of people further back in the parking lot. It was a mess of people howling and yelling, in some sort of riot it looked like.
"What do you think is going on over there?" Logan asked, trying to crane his neck to see better. Kendall, being the taller one, did the same thing and was able to see a long black limo. His eyes grew wide and he looked at Logan with excitement.
"It's a limo. Do you think it's one of the players?" he asked. Logan's eyes grew wide in excitement as well, as with one knowing look, the boys began to take off towards to large crowd who was pushing and shoving their way against everyone. Kendall and Logan easily and magically pushed their way through the crowd of black, purple, silver and white jerseys a bit, people screaming and reaching all over the place. Logan noticed that the crowd was mostly young people like themselves, and a few what looked like fathers and mothers. Getting to the middle of the crowd, and not being able to push through anymore, Logan was a bit too short to see anything.
"Kendall, who is it?" Logan asked, trying to push elbows and shoulders from his face. Kendall craned his neck even more and stood on his tippy toes, as he saw a very large man decked out in a matching sweat suit and one of those grandpa hats, and a petite, fashionista, black woman who was trying her best to push people away, along with the help of the largest man Kendall had ever seen.
"It's not the Wild or the Kings," Kendall spoke, trying to avoid getting pushed even more than already had been. An older man next to the boys in a King's jersey turned to Kendall and Logan and chuckled.
"My daughter dragged me over here when she saw the limo, and now she is lost in the crowd somewhere," the man laughed. Kendall and Logan looked at each other and then at the man.
"Who…is that?" Kendall asked, motioning his chin the all the screaming that was up above. The man chuckled and gave the boys an odd look, raising and eyebrow.
"You boys aren't from here, are you?" he asked. Kendall and Logan looked down at their jerseys and then back at the man, whose eyes were stuck on their jerseys as well. The man nodded and laughed with them, Kendall and Logan nodding no.
"That's Gustavo Rocque. Mega producer here in LA?" the man said, the entire crowd beginning to shift with hysteria. Kendall and Logan caught their footing, the man as well, as they looked at him like he had four heads. Logan's eyes suddenly lit up and he had a revelation.
"Ohh! That's the dude who said he could turn a dog into a pop star, right?" he asked. The man nodded, as more screams were heard up ahead, all three of their attention going up ahead.
"He is searching nationwide to try to find his next big project. And I guess he is stopping in L.A for a stay. He hasn't found anyone yet, and I hear he's getting desperate," the man said. He sighed, turned to the two boys and chuckled.
"I better go find my daughter. She was so excited about this game, and now she's gonna forget why she is here in the first place," the man said, beginning to push his way through the tight knit crowd. Kendall turned to Logan in the midst of all arms, hands, and bodies and looked at him.
"This is lame, come on," Kendall said, quickly tugging Logan out of the ever crowing crowd. When the two boys finally got out of the crowd, they both fixed their tugged on, and disheveled jerseys and hair and began to walk towards the arena, more and more people running over, desperate for a chance to even get a glimpse of Gustavo Rocque.
"That's so stupid that people are so desperate to get famous," Kendall said with an annoyed voice.
"Well, don't you wanna be famous?" Logan asked with a chuckle. Kendall nodded and laughed.
"Yeah but for this, not that," he said, motioning respectively to the arena, and haphazardly to the crowd of miscreants behind him. "That's James' territory," he spoke with a laugh.
An hour later, Kendall and Logan had found their seats, and the game had begun. At the end of the first intermission, the score was 3-2 Kings, the last goal being only scored seconds before the end on the power play. The buzzer rang to signal the end, as Kendall and Logan got up from their seats.
"I definitely need some food," Kendall said, his hands going to his stomach as the boys made their way up the steep staircase to the outside vendors of the arena.
"We need to pick this game up, if we don't, and I came all the way out here to watch us lose to a crappy Los Angeles team, I'm going to be pissed," Kendall spoke with laughter, as their eyes scanned the arena for some sort of food.
"What about hot dogs?" Logan asked, reaching in his back pocket for his wallet, as they walked, leafing through the money his dad had given him to spend during their stay.
"Sounds good to me," Kendall said.
The two boys made their way over to one of the hot dog vendors, and stood on line when they heard a sharp giggle, and talking behind them.
"Look, daddy. The Wild!" they head a small voice say. With the people in front of them still ordering, Logan and Kendall turned around to see presumably a father and son, both decked out in Wild jerseys looking up at Kendall and Logan in awe. The little boy had platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes, the father a spitting image of his son.
"Do you like the Wild too?" The little boy asked them, straining away from the grasp his father had on his hand. Kendall and Logan chuckled and nodded, as the boy's smile became even wider, looking up at his father.
"Daddy! Daddy, they like the wild! Look! He has Bouchard's jersey on!" the boy exclaimed, nearly jumping up and down at the fact that someone else in the world liked the same team as him.
"I see, Chris," the dad said chuckling. Kendall and Logan smiled at the father who seemed a bit apologetic.
"The kid loves anything to do with the Wild. I can't stop him," the dad chuckled out. The boys chuckled and Kendall kneeled down to the boy and smiled.
"You know, I'm gonna be the next center for the Wild in a few years," Kendall said with a raised eyebrow as Chris' eyes got wide and his mouth hung open, his grip on his father's hand getting tighter.
"NO WAY!" he exclaimed loudly, as his father looked on in amusement. Logan sighed with a knowing smile, as Kendall laughed.
"You might see me on the ice one day," Kendall said with a proud smile. Chris looked up at his father and smiled widely.
"Daddy! He is going to be famous!" Chris said, leaning into his father with a smile. The father patted Chris' blonde hair and chuckled nodding.
"Well then why don't you get his autograph," he said. Chris looked up at Kendall with alive blue eyes, and a bit of a sad expression.
"I-I don't have a pen, or a paper," Chris said. Kendall thought for a moment and smiled, going to his wrist. He had just bought a string bracelet with the Wild's colors on it today in Los Angeles, and even though he was wary of the purchase as first, Kendall now knew that it was meant to be.
"Why don't you take this," Kendall said, looking down at his bracelet and taking it off with one hand, "and when people ask where you got it from, you can say that you got it from the next center of the Minnesota Wild," Kendall said proudly, unleashing the bracelet from his wrist, and handing it to the kid. Chris took it with a large smile, his face beaming as his father laughed, and held him close, patting him on the shoulder.
"Thank you!" Chris exclaimed, as he looked up at his father in awe. Kendall stood up and Logan looked on at the exchange heart warmed, as the people in front of them left from the vendor, and Logan stepped up to order two hot dogs.
"Anytime," Kendall said with a smile, turning around to order, as the father and son behind them talked about Chris' excitement. Kendall didn't know what hit him in that moment, but it seemed like everything came crashing down on him. It was the first time since he got there, that he remembered he was supposed to be here with his father. Kendall swallowed hard, and bit the inside of his cheek upset, closing his eyes tightly.
"Kendall," Logan asked him, hitting his arm. Kendall opened his eyes, and a small tear leaked down his cheek, as he saw Logan in front of him, holding two hot dogs, and Chris and his father behind him, the boy still enthusing about the bracelet.
Kendall swallowed hard, and wiped his tear away quickly, knowing it was no use and that Logan saw it anyway.
"You okay?" Logan asked nearing him, furrowing his brow. Kendall nodded and swallowed hard, trying to rub the wetness totally away from his face, as he took the hot dog from Logan's hand, not even hungry anymore.
"Yeah, I'm—I'm okay," Kendall said. Logan looked upset at Kendall's face and hit bit his lip awkwardly.
"That was really nice of you to do, Kendall," Logan said. Kendall nodded aimlessly and looked down at his hot dog with a deep sigh, his heart beating faster and faster. "Do you wanna leave, man? Cause if you don't feel like being here anymore, I'll just call Stan and tell him to come pick us up," Logan said, his hand on his friend's arm gently. Kendall looked up at Logan and shook his head no, trying to smile through the pain.
"I'll be fine, Logan."
"Dad, quick! They're gonna score!" Kendall called from the living room, standing up halfway from excitement as the Wild forward skated down the ice on a breakaway.
"I'll be right there, hold on!" Kris screamed back from the kitchen, fast walking into the living room with two glasses, a beer and a soda, as well as a giant tub of popcorn. Kris rushed into the room, put the stuff down on the table with a slight crash, just in time to see the Wild's forward put a great shot past the Canuck's goalie.
"YES!" Kendall screamed loudly, standing up and pumping his fists. He looked over to his dad, and fist bumped him, as the two Knight's laughed in victory. Kim had taken Katie out to see a movie tonight, so that left Kris and Kendall to watch the Wild play their arch nemesis the Canucks, and hope to God that their team would be victorious. The score was now tied 1-1, and it was an incredibly chaotic game.
"This game is insane," Kendall laughed out, flipping his bangs out of his face and sitting back down on the couch.
Kris chuckled and opened the can of beer on the table, pouring it into his glass, as Kendall did the same thing with his soda.
"I'll be right back," Kris told Kendall, getting up from the couch with a grunt. Kendall nodded, his eyes still on the game as he took a sip of his ice cold soda, licked his lips, and place it back down on the table. About five minutes passed, and Kris still hadn't returned.
"Dad?" Kendall called out into the house. He got no answer. Kendall got up from his seat with a curious look on his face, and slowly walked into the kitchen. His eyes got wide as he saw his father, laying in the kitchen floor with broken glass around him, blood surrounding him and pooling by his side, crimson splattered all over the kitchen table and cabinets, and coming out of his mouth.
"DAD!"
Kendall jerked up out of bed sweating, blinking his eyes, and letting two wet tears fall down his cheeks. His heart was beating fast as he looked around the hotel room curiously, not remembering where he was for a second. He hadn't had a dream like that in a while. His heart ached with the vision of his father after the accident, looking down at his mangled bloody body. Luckily, Kendall had never seen his father's body, aside from the wake, after his death.
He swallowed hard, and let a few more tears fall down his cheeks, trying to avoid sobbing due to Logan sleeping peacefully next to him. He looked at John's bed, and saw that it was unmade, and that he wasn't in it. Kendall took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down and slowly but surely got up off the bed, and was headed for the bathroom quietly. Wiping his tears with the back of his shaking hands, and itching at the leg of his pajama bottoms, Kendall tiptoed across the large, humid, breezy suite to the bathroom, when he noticed the door ajar, and a light coming out.
He figured John was in there and had just forgotten to close the door but suddenly, Kendall heard talking. Being a curious cat, Kendall moved closer to the door and heard slight laughter from John, like he was on the phone or something. He leaned against the wall right outside the bathroom, and listened carefully to Logan's father.
"I know, baby. But you know the situation here," John said into the phone. Kendall was confused unto why he would be calling Logan's mother so late here. His eyes went to the digital clock across the room by a sleeping Logan, and saw it was nearly 3:00 AM here, meaning it was 1:00 AM in Minnesota, and Logan's mom would definitely not stay up past 11.
"How are the kids?" John asked with a smile. He smiled and nodded and laughed a bit, Kendall still very confused. "Well, send them my love. I'll probably be there sometime next month. I have a trip to New Jersey, and I'll definitely swing by Manhattan before I leave," John said hushed. Kendall's eyes began to go wide at the sound of Mr. Mitchell's voice.
"Well I'm here with my son, and his best friend, baby. It's the least I could do for the kid. But I miss you so much, and I can't wait to kiss you, and make love to you in New York," John said with a smile on his face, looking down. Kendall's heart stopped.
Logan's father was cheating on his wife.
Kendall's temper immediately started to flare, and he wanted nothing more than to burst into the bathroom, and tell whatever tramp John Mitchell was fucking around with that he had a family, and a son who adored him. Kendall bit his lower lip in anguish, not believing what he was hearing. He decided for his own benefit, that he should just try to get back to sleep, and figure out how he was going to handle this whole thing. Kendall walked over to the bed upset, and shook his head, his entire body shaking and his stomach dipping low. He looked at Logan who slept peacefully and innocently, not knowing anything.
Thoughts filled Kendall's head immensely. How long had this been going on? Did Kelly know? Did he have a second family? Was John about to up and leave his family? Kendall slipped back into bed, just in time for John to come out of the bathroom, and he pretended he was dead asleep. Kendall faced his sleeping best friend, as he heard John settle into bed with a loud sigh and groan, Kendall's fists balled up under the sheets. How could Logan's father do this to his family? How could he be sleeping around with some other woman who had children? Kendall bit his lower lip in frustration and had to physically stop himself from getting angry again.
He figured all he could do right now was go to sleep. He could figure out how to handle this stuff in the morning, he was going to have to. Kendall nestled into his pillow and sighed deeply, swallowing hard. Here, he was back to square one.
Kendall Knight, felt absolutely helpless.