A/N: I hope you all like this chapter of Hooked! :D I do!
Big shoutout to Koala75 for REVIEWING AND READING EVERY CHAPTER :) and of course LIV3xLAUGHxL0V3 just for being so amazing! Go read her stories, now. I command you :P And here is a sexy snippet from waterwicca's Past the Sorrow!
He kept a hand behind her head as he repeatedly pressed her into the wall, neither one of them bothering to stifle their moans as he slid in and out of her. Being loud is one of their favorite parts of being together when they have sex outside of the house; where they don't need to be stealthy. Kendall loves hearing Sage moan his name, and Sage shivers every time he groans or growls into her ear as he buries himself deep inside of her. His cock throbbed with his oncoming release, and he could tell that his lover was close as her walls convulsed tightly around him and her breathing hitched.
"Oh my god…" Sage cried and bucked wildly into his erratically moving hips, both of them still amazed at how every time together feels just as hot and just as special as their first night.
Kendall pressed his head into her neck with a shout as she bit down onto his strong shoulder, both of them climaxing simultaneously. Sage moaned into his skin as she felt Kendall's hot cum flood into her shaking body, and he continued thrusting in and out slowly, stretching out the intensity of their orgasms.
As both of them breathed heavily, Kendall let Sage's legs fall to the ground, but left his arms around her waist; keeping them attached at the hip. Sage peppered kisses all over his cooling skin as he reached down to his jacket with one hand, pulling a box from one of the pockets with a sly smile.
"Close your eyes," he instructed playfully, turning to look at her as she lay her head back against the bricks and struggled to catch her breath.
"They're already closed," she giggled lazily and squeezed his upper arm blindly as she rested her eyes and took in the feeling of Kendall still inside of her.
"Then keep 'em that way," he chuckled giddily, kissing her cheek before opening the small blue box and taking out the small prize inside and throwing the container to the ground. He held her Valentine's Day gift in front of her face.
"Open."
Sage opened her eyes with a brilliant smile. Kendall dangled a silver necklace in front of her. It was a pendant crafted in a heart shape with a scripted "S" and "K" intertwined in the center.
"You like it?" he asked happily, already knowing the answer, and leaning in to kiss her sweetly.
Sage smiled against his lips and placed her hand lovingly along his cheek. She pulled back and examined the silver trinket that symbolized their love between her fingers with shining eyes.
"It's perfect."
And of course there is a wonderful quite…sexy…snippet for all you Past the Sorrow readers, old AND NEW! If you haven't checked this story out, you must.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Fake
All was silent nearing 9:00 in California, as Kendall lay facing the window, the dark sky and the twinkle of stars in the distance. He sighed deeply, bundling up in his covers, even though it was warm and humid out, like every other day in California.
Kendall had a long day today, waking up bright and early, almost dying from laughter by the pool earlier, his talk with James, going back down to the pool with the boy, and spending some time with Katie, something he hadn't really done in a while. To say that he was exhausted would be an understatement, especially seeing that he had a long day of rehearsals and harmonies tomorrow, and Gustavo was bound to be pissed about something.
He took another deep sigh and cuddle up in the covers a bit more, closing his eyes tiredly as the racket from downstairs was heard of Carlos and Logan playing Carlos' new videogame, which now all four boys were beyond addicted to. James was out on the date he had been talking about all day, in which he spent at least two hours to get ready for, causing Carlos to throw a fit when he looked at the condition of their room when he walked out the front door.
Kendall heard muffled expletives flying left and right from downstairs, and his mother condoning the boys, threatening them with no dessert if they didn't stop. Kendall chuckled at the fact that his friends were acting the like five year olds they were when they met, but his face dropped a bit when he realized he was in bed before dessert time, something that hadn't ever happened no matter how tired Kendall was.
California was proving well for the boy, in every sense of the word. His anger fits, while still there, had not come anywhere even close to how they were back home. While Kendall had a tendency to raise his fists and want to fight, he tried his best to slow down, and take a few deep breaths, just like that helpful bitch of a therapist had told him at his last visit before going back to Thief River Falls. He didn't want to make any stupid moves with his best friends again, and risk losing them when he needed them the most right now. Keeping his anger in check was hard, but definitely proving to be more successful than just going ballistic. The whole forgetting about Stella thing was starting to be set in motion today as well, seeing as Kendall had taken the first step and talked to James about their sex life as hot and sexy, rather than beautiful and meaningful, as it really was. Kendall felt a bit hurt afterwards, demeaning the relationship they had to something was trivial as just sex, but it was necessary. It was the only way he was going to get this whole "perfect goddess" vision of Stella out of his head, and the only way he was going to be able to put her aside as accept her as a first love that wouldn't mean anything else.
All the while we he looked out the window, he couldn't help but feel that his friends had been right all along, from the very beginning. If he would've just listened to them, and hadn't been so deluded by Stella's quicksilver love, maybe he would've spared the hurt, the heartache and the time he spent dreaming about her. Maybe he wouldn't have broken the tough ties between his best friends, which were now more than fixed, but would never be the same strength again. Maybe he would've been there for Logan when his father left instead of ignoring his desperate pleas for help when the boy admitted he was wrong and Kendall was too stubborn to even answer. Maybe he wouldn't have punched James when the boy was merely expressing his own opinion on the situation about love, and had gotten carried away with it due to Kendall's own attitude and words. Maybe he wouldn't have made Katie so scared of him, that the girl wouldn't even want to touch him, and be afraid oh him. Maybe if he wasn't goddamned stubborn all the time, Kendall would've been able to listen to everyone around him telling him this wasn't the right path for him, and that this love would never be able to last, especially at such a young age.
Kendall should've listened.
"Sweetheart?" he heard the soft voice his mother say, echoing through the ajar door. She knocked on the door softly, pushing it open, Kendall not even bothering to move from his comfortable position on the bed. All the lights were completely off, and the only light peeking in the room was from the stars and the hallway. Kim softly walked into the room, knowing Kendall wasn't asleep by how neat and orderly his usually messed up linens would be, seeing as the boy had a habit of tossing and turning in his sleep.
"Yeah," Kendall said sighing softly, closing his eyes heavy with prospective sleep. Kim turned the light on in the room, causing Kendall's eyes to immediately close, trying their best to adjust to the new bright lights.
"Is something wrong? Why are you in bed?" she asked softly, walking over to his bed as Kendall turned over towards her, knowing his mother despised talking to the back of someone's head. He sighed and Kim sat down on the edge of it, Kendall politely moving back to make room from her as she smiled down at him concerned.
"I'm just tired, mom. I had a long day," he said softly, nestling more into the pillow and closing his eyes as she took his hand to his forehead, feeling the coolness of his sticky skin. She felt around his face as Kendall sighed deeply, nestling into his mother's cool touch a bit before she smiled.
"Well, you aren't sick," she said "you're as cool as a cucumber," Kendall chuckling at how his mother was always so concerned for him She touched his face gently, tipping it to her as she looked at him with a sad expression. "I thought you had gone in the bathroom to take a shower or were up here doing some homework. All the guys are downstairs playing video games, baby. It's only 9:00. There's a reason you're up here, and I want to know why," she whispered softly, running her fingers softly along Kendall's sleek blonde locks. Kendall sighed and closed his eyes, knowing that his mother would never stop searching if she didn't find what she was looking for. She was definitely a treasure hunter, as if Kendall was the map to read, and the truth was her own personal form of reward. He was up here because he was tired, but also because he just needed to think some things over in his head, about Stella, about his father, about this opportunity he was given. It was all just a big bowl of mush in his head right now, and he was trying to sort it out the best he could.
"I just wanted to be alone for a little bit. I woke up early today, and I'm tired, and we have a long day tomorrow. Nothing is wrong, mom. I promise," Kendall said, trying his best to lie. It wasn't like he was telling her a total lie. It wasn't like Stella was hiding in the closet across the room, or that Kendall had beaten up James without telling his mother. He just didn't want to have to worry her with his petty little problems when she had a daughter, and three other kids to worry about, even though deep in his heart, he knew that his mother would kill to know what was wrong with him.
"That's what you told me back home, when everything was wrong," Kim said with a chuckle, gently tracing her son's hand with a smile. Kendall chuckled and shrugged under the covers with a small smile on his face, looking up at his mother, knowing she was right. Kim sighed and traced Kendall's face with a smile, her expression falling a bit. "I know that I'm not your father Kendall, and that I never will be," Kim said softly, causing Kendall's eyes to look straight up at her in fear and confusion unto what she bringing up. "But, I'm-I'm really glad that you're starting to talk to me more, about everything that is going on with your life," she whispered out with a smile and nod. Kendall nodded and swallowed hard, knowing his mother wanted to put their newfound relationship out in the open.
"Well, it just took a bit of time, mom," Kendall said to her. "I don't expect you to understand why it did, but it did. It took me a lot to tell you the things I was so used to telling dad," Kendall spoke out softly. Kim moved closer to him and nodded, understanding her son completely. "I guess, I never wanted to disappoint you if I messed up," he whispered out softly with a smile, "or Katie." Kim smiled at her son, knowing of his good heart and she sighed with chuckle.
"I know there is no relationship like a father, son relationship, baby. I understand that completely, but, you left me out in the dark of so many things that happened to you while you were growing up, and I know it might be awkward to tell me some stuff because I'm not a guy, and I don't get it," she said, mocking her son's voice to which Kendall smiled, "but you can't keep everything bottled up inside anymore, alright?" she asked him. "I mean, look at what happened when you did? You nearly ruined your friendship with James, and with Logan," she spoke out softly, as Kendall nodded, taking the heat completely. "And I don't ever want to see you get angry like that because you are keeping everything up inside, alright?" she said. Kendall nodded, a bit ashamed of his actions and Kim realized how sorry and somber the boy really looked.
"Sometimes, I wonder how lucky I am to have you and Katie," Kim said smiling. "What did I do to deserve two absolutely wonderfully strong, loving, caring children?" she whispered with a smile, pushing Kendall's bangs back with ease.
"You were a great mom, and you still are," Kendall smiled, chuckling, sitting more upright in his bed. "And you always will be," he added on. Kim smiled at her son and rested her hand over his as he looked down, and then up at her with a smile.
"You've grown up in considerable amounts since your father's accident, Kendall. And just—just watching you become a man is so breathtakingly beautiful," Kim said with a smile, causing her first born to blush considerably and look down embarrassed. "You are learning to take responsibility for your actions, and as hard as it is for you to get past everything that's happened in the last year or so, you're trying your best," she said with a smile, taking his hand in hers and giving it a small squeeze. "And I know you are doing everything you possibly can to start fresh," she added.
Kendall nodded with wide eyes and sighed deeply, looking at him and his mother's intertwined fingers with a large smile. Even though Kim and Kendall weren't as close as they should have been when Kris was alive, it was better late than never. While surprised with her reactions towards his revelations the past few weeks, Kendall never ceased to understand exactly how his mother worked. While she was different from many other of his friend's moms, he took great pride in the fact that she raised him and the Katie the way in which they would understand their mistakes, instead of being punished for them, as many other parents did. Kendall had begun to think that his mother was just going easy on him because of his rough year, but after thinking it over, and truly understanding what his mother meant, the respect he had for her skyrocketed tremendously from its already high peak, opening doors of communication between the once walled out souls.
"Remember, what you said to me…about love?" Kendall asked Kim with a small, subtle grin on his face, biting his plump lower lip nervously. Kim nodded and moved herself more comfortably on the bed, trying to think back to what she had said to the boy, knowing he was taking her advice and opening up to her again.
"When?" she asked with pursed lips as Kendall sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"When you told me, that sometimes, you have to let the people you love go?" he told her with sad, heavy eyes, his heart beating fast. Kim nodded at her son and smiled.
"Yeah, what about it?" she asked him. Kendall looked up at her with concerned, sunken eyebrows, his face looking pathetic for answers as he took a deep sigh.
"How I can I do it without it being so hard?" he asked her quietly, allowing the small lock on all of his emotion to come seeping out between his lips in an effortless whisper. Kendall turned his head away from his mother's for a few seconds, a silent understand between the two. Kim sighed, bringing her hand to his chin to softly gear it back towards her face so she could look him in the eyes. As she touched her son's face, she felt a tear fall from his eye onto her hand and her heart dropped as Kendall refused to turn his head towards her. He didn't want to cry in front of her, especially not after that whole schpeel about him becoming this beautiful man. He had to stop crying, seeing as he was chock full of tears the past few weeks, and it was getting quite embarrassing.
"Kendall," Kim whispered, trying to gear him so he would look at her. The boy took his hand to his eye and shamefully battered away the tear that fell, his insides angry at himself for crying. He looked at his mother in the eyes and bit his lower lip, taking a deep breath and ceasing the rest of the tears that threatened to fall, his eyes still glassy. "I know it's hard, honey. But it's for the best, and it'll get better," she spoke softly nodding, "I promise." Kendall licked the chap from his lips and let out a small, sarcastic scoff with a smile.
"How would you know, mom? You and dad were the perfect couple," Kendall said softly. "You never really fought, you loved each other all the time, you always were happy together, it was like out of a story book," Kendall joked out. Kim smiled and nodded no, closing her eyes with a small laugh at what her son had taken upon himself to assume.
"Me and your father were not the perfect couple, sweetheart. We had some pretty nasty fights before you or Katie were born, where your father would get so worked up about something, that he would just scream, and yell, and stomp around," Kim said with a small sigh, looking into Kendall's eyes. Kendall cocked his head a bit confused, contorting his face with a chuckle, not believing the words that were coming out of his mother's mouth.
"Really?" he asked confused and surprised. Kendall couldn't remember a time his father was ever really angry or upset about something, even after the Wild lost the Stanley Cup a few years back to the Penguins in a shootout game 7. It seemed that Kris always kept himself together, even when he was angry at his son.
"Yes. Your father and I had some pretty vicious fights in the beginning of our marriage that I'm very thankful neither you or Katie ever had to witness," Kim said with a smile, the memory of her late husband slowly incapacitating her mind as she looked at her son, seeing the similarities between the two.
"I never would've thought that about dad," Kendall said surprised, Kim giving him a smile.
"Well, your father was very passionate with whatever he did," she spoke out, Kendall immediately smiling, "like someone else I know," she finished with a chuckle. The boy seemed very interested in this, not knowing this side of his parent's marriage, sitting up even more alert in bed, turning to his mother.
"Well, what did you used to fight about?" he asked her, bringing his hands to rest atop his knees. Kim looked up at the sky, pondering what specific fight she could use to tell her son, one that she remembered very well, when suddenly a smile came across her face.
"Okay, I got a story," she said chuckling. Kendall smiled at her and Kim sighed and closed her eyes, trying to think back to the place where she had been nearly 17 years ago. "It was around…March or so I believe, and your father and I had been sitting down for the past few days talking about whether or not we wanted to move from the apartment we were living in about a town or two away from the house," Kim said, Kendall listening intently as she sighed and smiled. "Your father didn't want to spend the extra money on a house right then because he was just starting at the company where he worked and had a pretty low salary, and I wanted to move into a new house right away, because the apartment was falling apart, and the area around it wasn't the best," Kim told him. Kendall nodded, looking up at his mother with intent, green eyes. "And your father was so adamant that we didn't have enough money, and that we needed to wait until he got a raise, and I had been feeling sick the past week or two, so I wasn't in a good mood to start with. We got into this huge argument about it, and it of course escalated into something more about than just the house, as does every argument between two people, especially those who love each other," she said, "and we exchanged some really hurtful words." Kendall nodded, remember how the argument he had with Stella had started with her trying to comfort him, and trying to be there for him and blown up in both of their faces. He wondered if his father had ever hit his mother like Kendall did to Stella, but quickly felt shame even thinking about the question, or wanting to ask it.
"What did you say to each other?" Kendall asked specifically. Kim sighed and nodded her head, closing her eyes to bring her back to the fight again, knowing exactly how it unfolded, or at least part of it.
"I don't remember everything we said, but the one thing that I'll never forget, is being by the window of our apartment in a pink shirt and black pants, crying and shoving my finger in your father's face," Kim said, "and I told him that if our marriage was going to work, that we needed to compromise," she told her son with a small smile. Kendall nodded, agreeing with his mother and looking at her oddly as she swallowed hard and laughed, "and your father told me that maybe he didn't want the marriage to work out, and that we wanted too many different things it, and maybe we weren't right for each other since we fought all the time," she ended with a sigh, as Kendall looked on a bit horrified at the words that came from his father's mouth. How could his dad ever think that, when his parents were so incredibly made for each other?
"D-dad really said that you?" he asked her, the timeless fairytale romance Kendall had created in his head falling apart with each word his mother said. Kim nodded and laughed.
"Oh yeah, he screamed it to me," she added. "And then we fought aimlessly for about another five minutes, cursing and screaming before your dad walked out of the apartment and left me crying in the living room," Kim said, totally unaffected by the memory Kendall found so absolutely shocking.
"All over a house?" he asked her as if he couldn't fathom it. Kim nodded.
"All over a house," she said. Kendall looked up at her with innocent, curious eyes and a smile came across his face, his eyebrows furrowing a bit.
"Who won?" he asked with a small chuckle.
"Neither of us really won, but we wereforced to move into a house that summer anyway," Kim said happily and brightly. Kendall looked at her confused as she reached out her hand to touch his blonde locks affectionately.
"Why? What happened?" he asked her curiously. Kim smiled at him, touching his hair, and adoring her son's innocence and wonder.
"You did," Kim said with a smile wider than Kendall had seen it in a while. Kendall furrowed his eyebrows a bit confused with a smile on his face. "We found out a week or so later that the reason I wasn't feeling well was because I was pregnant with you," she said softly, "and your father couldn't have been happier, Kendall," she told him, with a bit of wavering emotion in her voice, "I don't think I had ever seen him that happy before." Kendall smiled and looked down a bit embarrassed as Kim took a deep breath. "Relationships take a lot of work, sweetheart. It takes two people, trying at it, every single day of their lives, wanting to make it work more than anything in the world," she said to him, making sure Kendall understood. "Some cases are like me and your father, where there are momentary lapses of judgment in one another which leads to fights, and name calling," she continued, "but sometimes, as much as you may love another person, you have to be mature enough to realize that you aren't the best option for them, and that they aren't the best option for you. And true love is allowing that person to go out into the world, and find the one they fit with, even if it isn't you," she finished.
Kendall looked up at his mother in awe, with a soft, sullen smile on his face. He sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes hopeless, nodding in his hands, as he looked up at her with confused, truthful eyes. "How will I know?" he asked her.
"You'll know, trust me," Kim said smiling at him. There was a moment of silence between the mother and son before Kendall looked up at her again and asked her the question he had been dying to ask her since revealing Stella to her so long ago.
"Do you think…Stella is right for me?" he asked her in a whisper. Kim sighed with a frown and moved closer to him, planting a kiss atop his forehead and stroking the back of his hair affectionately.
"Only you know who's right for you, Kendall," she whispered to his forehead, pulling away with a smile. Kendall looked at her and shrugged his shoulders annoyed, flopping back on his bed as she chuckled.
"Get a good night's sleep, alright? I'll see you in the morning," she said getting up from his bed as the boy cuddled back into his covers. Kim got up and began to walk out.
"Mom," Kendall said weakly from his bed, as Kim turned around in the doorway with a smile. He took in the image of his strong, and independent mother protecting him at his doorway and smiled. He had never felt more at peace the past few weeks as he had right now, talking to the one person who was going to love him no matter how he screwed up he was. "I love you," he said with a small smile that even if the dark of night Kim saw easily as she replied with a smile.
"I love you too, baby."
"So why'd you ask me out anyway, James?" the beautiful, tall, tan girl in front of him asked with an alluring smile and a soft chuckle.
"Cause I like you," James said confidently, crossing his arms and leaning them on the table with a smirk, as Lianna sighed and rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face.
James had done it right. He had taken Lianna to a small little French place a corner of Sunset Boulevard, after much discussion with Kim about driving around LA. If it was Minnesota, she would have no problem with James taking the small, silver rental car she had been graced with, compliments of Rocque Records, but this was Los Angeles. Every single street was filled with traffic, bad drivers, people biking, people walking, and about a million other traffic obstacles that could be in James' way. It was definitely a "discussion" that had James beyond upset, feeling he was sixteen and old enough to drive, but Kim refused with crossed arms and a raised brow, telling her "son" that since she was in charge of him, she had to make sure that he was safe at all times, and that meant following her rules and being cautious. James had to admit, he was a little bummed that he wouldn't able to drive Lianna around like he wanted to, but after Kim suggested James use the limo that the boys had been provided with, he didn't contest. Now, at 8:00 PM, with the sun nearly completely gone, James and Lianna sat at a quiet table, with a white linen table cloth on underneath two salad plates, two glasses of sweet tea and a candle in the middle. He had pulled back her chair for her when she sat, ordered her drink for her and of course complimented her beauty countless times since arriving.
And as hard as it was for him, James didn't want to touch her in any way, shape or form that would give her the wrong idea. And there were to be no "wrong ideas" until he was certain he could give her the right one.
James had to admit, Lianna looked absolutely beautiful. The way her soft black hair fell down her shoulders, her smile with soft pink lips, her arms absolutely flawless and tanned, along with her legs that seemed to go on for miles and miles. The yellow and orange print dress she wore accentuated her body in all the right ways, making James overactive mind work its gears overtime as he followed the plunging neckline down to her hips, to her legs to the strappy heels she wore.
"And I hope that maybe, I can get you to like me," James said with a smile, reaching over and touching her hand delicately. Feeling her warm hand in his, James had a feeling this was going to be incredibly easy, and he smile got wider as Lianna looked at him with a chuckle, her eyes bright and her smile infectious.
"Well, you can try," she said deviously, raising an eyebrow at him. James chuckled, rubbing her hand gently, making a bet with himself in his mind that he could get Lianna in bed with him in two dates, instead of the usual three. It would be a challenge, but definitely not impossible with the way she was acting. He felt her touch melt into him, and how she wantonly let him take advantage of her hand, James wondering what else he could possibly take advantage of. There was something about Lianna that made her sexier than any girl he had ever been with in Minnesota, and the fact that he hadn't had a lay since his parents left on their vacation a few weeks ago had made James, for the lack of a better word hornier, than he could ever remember.
"Okay, well how can I do that?" James asked valiantly, shooting Lianna his award winning smile, and gently allowing his silky bangs to fall over his eyes. She shrugged and abruptly pulled her hand away from his, crossing her arms at her chest, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a sinister chuckle.
"You tell me," she said leaning back in her chair a bit, as James moved back from the table in his own a chair a bit confused by what she was proposing. "Start feeding me all your lies," she said snidely, looking James up and down with a grin. Did he not just have her eating out of the palm of his hand a second ago? Lianna's sudden attitude threw James for a loop as he smiled widely, not understanding what she was saying, thinking that she just being cute or flirty with him.
"W-what are you talking about?" James asked with a nervous chuckle, pushing his bangs from his face with an odd smile, chewing on his lower lip. Lianna moved her body forward, resting her forearms on the table as she sighed and smiled.
"I know who you are, James. There is no hiding," Lianna said seductively, biting her lower lip with anxiousness as James held onto the table, his back straight up against his seat, very confused. He had absolutely no idea what Lianna was talking about, and the way her face looked a bit devious, he wasn't sure he wanted to hear this.
"W-what?" he asked her nervously, trying his best to keep his cool and relax. Lianna then sat back in her chair again, quite amused as the restaurant bustled with people around them, the soundtrack of waitresses and waiters the only thing filling the silence between them.
"Oh come on, James. Look at you. You are a pretty boy. You are one of those guys who go out with girls, feed them charming talk, take them to fancy restaurants," she said, motioning to the scene with her hands, "and then hope to get something out of it lets see…on the fourth date? Or is it the third?" Lianna said smugly, looking at James directly in the eyes, seeing right through all the bullshit that he had fed her since arriving here.
James couldn't believe it. Not once had an innocent girl he had corrupted ever called him out on his usual game plans, but then again that was Minnesota. Were California girls really that different? James swallowed nervously played with his hands on the table, trying to find some possible way to persuade Lianna otherwise, so he could get at least somewhere with her on the next few dates. He couldn't give a girl this beautiful up, and James knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he needed her. It was like she had some effect on him, that James didn't understand in the slightest. From the moment James had picked her up at apartment 6L, and she had walked out the door looking up at him with that smile, his heart had been beating irregularly. James never felt this way about girls before, even if they were as attractive as Lianna. This was definitely some new sort of feeling for him, and James tried his best to push it away by defending himself against her assumption.
"That's not true, way to just assume," James squealed defensively, grabbing the table tightly, trying to somehow hope that Lianna wouldn't be able to tell he was lying. He looked into her eyes and saw the fierceness, and a flash of pain come over them, her smirk faltering but then picking back up a second later.
"People talk, asshole. I've heard more about you from people this week then I could count. You've been here what, a week or so, and yet, everyone knows exactly what your game is James. And I'm your first catch aren't I?" Lianna said with an entertained chuckled, crossing her legs under the table, hitting James' calf a bit violently. He silently cursed himself and went to rub it as Lianna sighed. "I know a lot about boys like you, James. And I'm not about to fall into this little trap to get me into bed, alright? I've heard it, I've been close to it, I know more about it than any other girl that you are gonna find here, so don't even think about trying it with me, alright? Cause it's not gonna work," she stated proudly, low enough for her voice to be quiet, but louder than a whisper. James was shocked at her rude attitude, but all in all, his affection for Lianna just grew and grew, as he became more lost in her upset movements, her narrowed eyes and her sinister smile, even though the words that were coming out of her mouth were not friendly.
"Wow…you-you really have the nerve to try to sum me up, you don't even know me, alright?" James said defensively, looking at her with a sarcastic chuckle and pointing a finger at her. "You have no idea what kind of guy I am, and who gave you all the power in the world to assume that I'm some asshole who is gonna get you into bed, and then never call you again?" he asked her angrily, his face flushed as the restaurant continued to busy around them. "Who the hell do you think you are?" he asked her outright, chuckling at her with anger.
"You thought it was so easy to take me out on a date, didn't you? You push me in the pool, and then act like I'm some innocent little girl who could only be apologized to by having the honor of going out with you. It's people like you who piss me off," she said with rage, keeping her voice low but her eyes locked on James' hazel ones, licking her lips with determination. "You just assume that every girl in the world is going to go out with you, and give you just what you want."
"I was being nice to you because I felt bad that I accidentally pushed you, alright? Sorry for being a gentleman about it and offering to take you out, like I did," James said angrily. "Jeez, I mean what the fuck is wrong with you to nicely and politely agree to go out with me and then totally freak out on me out of nowhere? You're pretty, but not that pretty," James spat out, choking on the last part, knowing it was a huge lie, and that Lianna was absolutely gorgeous. There was silence as the girl fell back in her seat a bit, licking her lips softly.
"Wow. Pretty? That's all that matters, isn't it, James?" Lianna said taken aback, a bit hurt by the statement, the corners of her mouth turning from sly to upset. James sighed and sat back in his chair, looking at her near exhausted, swallowing hard and sighing deeply. He tapped his fingers on the table and looked up at her with a sigh, pushing his bangs from his face and sighing deeply, as the restaurant continued to bustle around them, silence between them.
Lianna looked up at her counterpart, and saw the upset in his eyes, but knew it was there for a reason. James did seem a little angry about what Lianna had said to him, but he was more upset than anything. Upset that this girl had figured him out before he got a chance to even try to play the game, sort of like when Logan ruined movies for the guys by telling them the ending before they even got fifteen minutes in. His eyes were out of focus, staring down at the elegant silverware on his napkin, as he played with the edge of his fork lazily and awkwardly. Lianna took a deep breath and swallowed hard, running a hand through her hair and biting her lower lip.
"Listen, I'm sorry," she said softly, changing the entire demeanor of the conversation. James looked up at her with a raised eyebrow and sat up in his seat as she sighed deeply, looking at him in the eyes with a broken, ached face, her eyes weighing down her mouth to a frown, her shoulders slumped and tired.
"Now…you're sorry? For just totally freaking out on me…out of nowhere?" James asked annoyed with her, but seeing the regret and anger behind the girls eyes.
"You just…you pissed me off, alright?" she said angrily with a chuckle, licking her lips with a deep breath, looking at James straight in the eye.
"What did I even do? I was trying to be nice!" James said defensively, somewhat lying through his teeth again. Lianna looked at him with a knowing glance, and the boy sighed rolling his eyes at her. "Okay, fine," he said, putting his hands up in surrender, "I did think that maybe I could kiss you on the first date, or something like that cause your hot," James admitted with a sly grin. Lianna blushed a bit and looked at him.
"I thought I wasn't that pretty?" she asked him with a raise eyebrow. James rolled his eyes again and sat forward in his chair.
"That…I'll admit was a lie," he said with a soft chuckle. Lianna looked at him and nodded, crossing her arms across her chest with a definitive smile across her face, James smiling back at the cute dimples she had on her cheeks.
"Just, I don't know. The way guys think how they can get anything they want from a pretty girl, it just bothers me sometimes," she said annoyed, picking her nails and looking down at her place setting upset. "I know you were trying to be nice and all, but, it's like you just assumed I would go out with you and do whatever you wanted me to, I don't know—" she trailed off softly, James peering down at her face to where it had completely dropped, "I guess I felt stupid about it or something and I wanted to call you out on it," she said, taking a deep breath. "And now I'm not even making sense," she chuckled to herself, fixing her gaze back up to James. He smiled at her for the first honest time that night, nothing about her looks causing the outbreak on his face, but rather her soft voice, incredible spunk, and all around good attitude about this. James had to admit, she had called him out, in public, and basically tricked him into thinking she was a sure bet when she was just the opposite. If this was anyone else, James would've been beyond pissed, but with Lianna he really didn't mind.
It scared him a bit.
It scared him a lot.
"No, I guess understand," James said softly, nodding his head. He looked up at her with a small smile, being totally honest with her. "Listen, I'll be honest with you. You were totally right, okay?" he chuckled out, sitting back in his chair. "I guess I'm what you girls would call a man-whore, or a player or whatever, cause I…date…a lot, and I really don't have any serious girlfriends," James said nervously and upset, hoping the fact that he had sex with these girls was implied and that he wouldn't have to say it. Lianna seemed to understand him and widened her eyes and raised her eyebrows in surprise with a small chuckle.
"So did you ask me out…just because you thought you would get something in return?" Lianna asked him.
James swallowed hard, and looked into her eyes. He definitely didn't want to tell her the truth, but for some reason, James felt that if he did, Lianna wouldn't act like normal girls would, throw a napkin in his face, and stomp out of the restaurant, leaving him to sit there and enjoy his Chicken Cordon Bleu alone. She would in her own twisted way understand him, and it was something that James had never really come into contact with. As he looked in Lianna's eyes, he felt a part of her close herself off from him, something she was guarding. He could tell by the way she kept her arms close to her, her lips tightly thinned, and her fingers tightly wound in one another, as if something was threatening to escape from her body, over her free will to control it. He didn't know what it was, but it troubled the boy. Although he knew that telling her this would effectively ruin any type of hookup James could be guaranteed, he threw caution to the wind, and forgot about the consequences.
"I guess I did," James said effortlessly, the honest truth passing through his lips like a ghost of a whisper. He hadn't even realized how submissive he was being to Lianna at the moment, and truthfully didn't mind. "I'm sorry," he said softly, looking into her eyes with the utmost regret.
It was the first time James Diamond had ever been honest with a girl.
"Well, then I guess I'm not really the girl for you," Lianna spoke softly.
"I guess not," the two teens exchanging glances filled with unspoken chemistry, and raw understanding of their situation.
And in that moment, James found something he hadn't had since elementary school.
A crush.
Kendall tossed and turned in his bed, his eyes closed, but his body awake. He had gone through a succession of temperature change at least five times in the last hour, changing his pants to just boxers, then back to pants and boxers, coupled with different settings of the ceiling fan, and finally deciding whether with the top sheet or without it. By the time it was 10, Kendall lay on top of his comforter, in baggy sweatpants with a white t-shirt on. He alternated his gaze from the window and the stars, back up to the ceiling fan, trying his best to somewhat close his eyes and get some sleep in the uncomfortable chilly, but stuffy room.
As tired as he was, he knew that at this rate of thinking, and the philosophies going through his head, that he was never going to get to go to sleep. There was a slight sweat accumulating at the back of his neck as he sighed uncomfortably, looking over at the clock and how it read 10:04. He could still hear the muffled shouts from Carlos and Logan at the television and sighed, looking up at the ceiling and wondering if should just forgo sleep and join Carlos and Logan downstairs.
Not wanting to move although, Kendall decided against it and turned onto his side, nuzzling more into the pillow and closing his eyes. He let his mind take him off into this imagination, trying his best to somehow entertain himself as he drifted off into sleep. In a matter of time, Kendall's breaths began to slow as he imagined himself on tour with the guys, playing sold out arenas, playing Times Square and performing for millions of fans as his brain began to slip from conscious thoughts into ones that were purely imagination.
Kendall woke up in a fury, sweat dripping down his face, and his breathing heavy.
He looked around his surroundings in a desperate attempt to figure out where he was, swallowing hard and confused. He saw that he was in some kind of living room, sitting on a black leather couch, with a huge big screen TV in front of him. His breathing was violent, as he swallowed hard and ran his hands through his hair, it being much shorter than usual. This place looked a bit familiar to him, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
He sat up on the couch, his knees a bit shaky and took a deep sigh in, rubbing his eyes. He felt overheated, and had one hell of a headache, his hands shaking a bit. His stomach growled with hunger, and his throat was dry, and it seemed like the room was spinning. He definitely must've had some sort of nightmare or something of the other.
"Kendall, can you help me in the kitchen for a sec?" he heard a feminine voice say, the sweet sound of her words sending a bit of a pleasant chill up Kendall's spine. The boy got up, noticing he was in his regular attire, and he walked in the direction of where he suspected the kitchen was, right behind the living room. As he stepped on the creaky, shiny wood floor, Kendall felt a bit lightheaded and dizzy, the sticky humidity on his face making him even more heated.
As he made a right into the stainless steel kitchen, he saw the back of a blonde woman at the counter, chopping vegetables. He looked up and down her a bit confused, her long blonde curls cascading down her back, her small, petite hourglass figure in tight jeans, black heels, and a frilly red shirt. He saw a pot of water on the stove, along with a pan filled with peppers and onions, among some other culinary utensils on the countertops. He looked to his left and saw a formal dining room set up for four people, the blue walls and the sun peeking through them creating a scene set for a painting. Delicate china graced the table, along with tall, thin glasses and a platter of appetizers sat in the center. He looked back at the girl standing at the counter, and moved closer to her, his heart beating, totally confused to who she was.
"W-who are you?" he asked her, a bit afraid to see the face turn around. The girl stopped chopping vegetables at the counter, putting the knife down and turned around on one heel, Kendall's eyes going wide at the revelation.
Stella.
"Are you trying to be silly?" she asked him with a small smile and a sweet voice.
Stella looked as beautiful as Kendall ever saw her. Her face was made up beautifully, her soft pink lips coated with gloss, thick black eyeliner under her eyes, brown eyeshadow accentuating the beautiful bright blue of her irises, and a thin layer of blush shadowing her cheek bones. Her teeth were perfectly white and a bit crooked, her blonde eyebrows perfectly groomed, and now furrowed at the site of Kendall's confusion. She definitely did not look like any sort of runaway. She looked absolutely breathtaking and healthy. He swallowed hard, his heart beating out of his chest, as he looked up and down her, shaking his head, not believing what he was seeing.
"W-what are you doing here?" he asked her in shock. "Where am I?" Stella looked at him oddly, moving closer to him and slowly sliding her arms around his neck with a chuckle. The second her arms came into contact with the skin of Kendall's neck, his body instantly melted into hers, the feeling of tight tingles on his skin enveloping his entire body as her manicured nails touched the back of his head, scratching the soft skin gently.
"What am I doing here? I'm cooking dinner for your parents, babe," Stella said to him nonchalantly, "and we're in our house," she giggled. "Remember? The one that we found abandoned on our long walk," she added in suggestively, leaning up and gently pecking his lips. The second Stella's lips touched Kendall's, his entire mind turned to putty, the spark from her kiss electrifying through his whole body, his mind going back to how it was when they had first met on the deck. His hands went around her waist without any hesitation, holding her closer to him. Stella began to pull away, but Kendall refused to let her, enveloping her lips in a deep, passionate kiss, his tongue slowly entering her mouth. The sweet mint taste from her mouth was still there, the scent traveling from Kendall's mouth, up to his head and then to his nose, not being able to stop kissing her. He wanted to apologize, he wanted to tell her he was sorry for everything that he did, but he couldn't tear away from her. His hands moved more to her backside, his head arching as he did his best to remember exactly what Stella loved about his kisses, nuzzling his nose with hers as he nibbled on her bottom lip a bit.
"Ahem."
Kendall and Stella broke their kiss with the presence of someone new in the kitchen, both parting slowly, lost in each other's eyes as Stella gave Kendall a funny, confused look, her eyes then going to the person who had just entered the kitchen.
"Was I interrupting something?" the man said playfully. Kendall's entire body froze, as he closed his eyes, staying entirely still. Kendall knew that voice. The voice that sang him to sleep, the voice that shouted in encouragement on the ice, the voice that Kendall hadn't heard in a year.
There was no way.
"How are you, Mr. Knight?" Stella giggled energetically with a smile, gently pushing Kendall aside, and wiping her lips awkwardly. Kendall turned around with wide eyes, his heart stopping at the sight before him.
There his father.
Kristopher was dressed in a suit and tie combination, the same one that Kendall remembered from the last day he had seen his father alive, a black pinstripe suit with a light blue shirt underneath and a dark blue tie. Kendall looked at his father with wide eyes, not being able to take his eyes off the man who he had missed. Kris looked happy as could be, his green eyes shining as he engulfed Stella in a big, tight hug, both parties chuckling at the contact. He had no scratches on his face, no cuts or bruises of any kind like Kendall had seen from him in California.
"You get prettier every time I see you, Stella," Kris said with a smile, releasing Stella from their hug and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Kendall stepped forward cautiously, wondering if his father could even see him. "My son is a lucky man to be marrying you," he chuckled out.
Kendall's eyes got wide. Marry? His eyes instantly went to Stella's left hand, where a huge diamond engagement ring was, Kendall in a panic and his breathing getting heavier. He…he and Stella were getting married? He had proposed? This didn't make sense. He was still sixteen, Stella was still sixteen. What was going on?
"Well I'm a lucky woman to be marrying him," Stella said with a smile, looking back at her fiancé. "Where is Mrs. Knight?" Stella asked confused, with a smile on her face.
"Talking to one of the neighbors, she'll be in soon," Kris said, his eyes falling on Kendall's with a smile. Kendall looked at his father in complete and utter shock, swallowing hard, his lower lip shaking. He had seen his father after his death, but never this clearly, where Kendall could see every marking on his face, every unshaven hair from his beard, every vein on his neck. Tears were on the brim of his eyes, but no matter how hard he tried to squeeze them out, they wouldn't fall down his cheeks. His body seemed a bit frozen as Stella looked at the two with a smile, returning back to Kendall and slinging an arm around his waist, pulling him towards her.
"You just gonna stand there, bud?" Kris said to his son with a smile on his face, the same raised eyebrow Kendall had donned all these years. Kendall walked up to his father slowly, as if a time warp was going through him. Each step he took, the faster his heart beat. Kendall stood only inches from his father, and he slowly reached out his hand to touch his shoulder, being able to fully grasp it, as more tears came to Kendall's eyes. A single tear fell from his cheek, as he looked up into his father's eyes, his voice shaky and his breaths heavy.
"You're…you're real," he whispered softly, swallowing hard. Kris looked at the boy a bit confused, as Stella came up beside Kendall, and touched his arm softly. She couldn't see the tear that fell down his cheek, but she was concerned with his behavior since he had woken up. He seemed a bit out of it.
"Kendall, are you alright?" Stella asked him gently. Kendall turned to her, and she smiled up at him softly, her beautiful face mapped with concern. Kendall was terrified that if he didn't go along with this, that somehow, his father would get angry, or that maybe if he asked if this was real too many times, it wouldn't be. He closed his eyes and nodded, sighing deeply and smiling, accepting the fact that his father was in front of him.
"I'm—I'm fine, I just, I'm just a little disoriented from my nap," he lied, putting on a smile towards Stella, looking up towards his father again. Stella smiled and kissed Kendall's arm, before heading back to the stove to finish cooking.
"Too old to hug your father?" Kris asked Kendall with a laugh, sticking his hands in his pockets and smiling. Kendall's breath got caught in his throat a bit and he swallowed hard, looking at how happy Kris looked. Kendall had dreamed of this day. The day he could hug his father again, the day he could hear his father's voice so clearly, and see his face as he was before the accident. It was a dream come true.
"Never," Kendall spoke out gently, leaning into throw his arms around the man. The second Kendall felt his father's arms around him, he wanted nothing more than to break down.. He had dreamed of this moment since his father had died. To feel the rough callused hands of the man he loved most, hug him tightly, and tell him that he loved him, and was proud of him. It was a godsend as Kendall took in the scent his father radiated, smelling like his cologne that his mother had gotten him for Christmas.
It was perfect.
It was real.
Kendall shot up in bed, his breathing heavy as he looked around his dark, dismal room. He was covered with sweat, his throat dry and his head pounding. His entire body shook and he looked down seeing that he was in bed, back in California. He turned to the clock at his nightstand and it read 3:34. Kendall saw Logan soundly sleeping across from him, his small breaths creating a small hissing sound in the room, a smile on his sleeping face.
Kendall's eyes were filled with tears as he hung his head, his entire body shaking. As if a dream with him and Stella happy wasn't bad enough, but now his father was there. Kendall covered his face and sighed, blinking out a few tears, his hands shaking as he ran through his hair, unsure of what to make of his dream.
It was perfect.
It was fake.