I am back! Hello again to everyone! From now until the future? I will give replies to your reviews at the beginning of every chapter!
anaBTRusher- Thanks for giving my story a review and I'm glad you liked it! (:
Anyways since this story is rated T in later chapters it may include strong language and such so, just a reminder of that.
Enough of me talking on with the third installment of Palm Woods High school! -Vivienne
Kendall's POV
It was finally April, and we had at least 2 more months of school! Just need to suffer through a few more weeks, and I can taste the beautiful scent of summer! We usually have a tour during summer, but we're starting ours when summer is over, and it will go until the beginning of next year. to add to my excitement for summer, last night I received my drivers license!
But, the thing that bums me out is that we have that one thing at every near end of the school year, which every student dreads to happen. Yep, it's finals this week. A whole week of freaking out, whether you'll graduate or not. Luckily, our school just has two days of finals. I obviously, want to graduate. I want mom to be proud of me. I want to make her happy for taking care of Katie and I through all these years, since dad was out of the picture.
Dad, or Malcolm may I say, is a complete asshole. Mom fell in love with dad back in their high school years. When they got married they had me. Things went smoothly, me and dad had a good relationship, when it all started to go down hill. When dad found out that mom was pregnant with Katie, he was frustrated. I didn't know why, we seemed like a happy family. Sooner or later, I found out that dad was cheating on mom with his co-worker, Olivia. I told mom, and suddenly dad left. Mom told me when I was twelve that he left us for Olivia and they both ran away, she said they took mom's money she was raising for Katie. After that I couldn't stand seeing my father, and I haven't seen him since.
I woke up early for school today, because I always like to drop Katie off at her middle, which was just a few blocks away from PWHS. I want to spend as much of time with her as I can before tour. She doesn't mind me dropping her off at school, unlike other girls who would be embarrassed and stuff.
I got dressed in dark blue tee, and dark brown shorts. I check the temperature on my phone, it was in the low hundreds. I slip into my black Vans and headed downstairs. Katie was already eating her breakfast, and mom was cooking more for me. She sees me walk down the stairwell.
"Hey honey. What do you want?" she held out bacon and eggs, and pancakes.
"I'll take bacon and eggs on a sandwich to go, I'm dropping Katie off as usual." I spoke, as I grabbed my backpack off the side of the stairwell. Katie gets off her chair, and puts her dishes in the sink. "Get ready, Kat. We're walking."
"What? Again? I thought you got your driver's license last night?" she complained,
"I did but, mom needs the car. Plus, i'm not getting a car until I receive the money from tickets sold of from tour this year." I explained, and she just sighed and went to get ready. I walk over to the kitchen counter, and mom hands me my sandwich wrapped in a napkin, inside a medium sized ziplock bag.
"Hey, Kendall I need something important to tell you." she stopped me, "Okay? What is it?" I asked,
"Well I'm going to need you to pick up Katie after school today because, I'm picking someone up this afternoon, and you might be-"she was interrupted when Katie came out with her backpack on her shoulder.
"I'm ready!" She called out,
"Pick up Katie after school. Got it, " I kiss her on the cheek, "Bye, mom." Katie and I head out the door, and begin walking on the sidewalk. I open my ziplock back, and took out my sandwich and began to munch.
"Don't you want to go to college?" Katie asked out of the blue.
"I can't go to college if I have tour plus, what would I study anyways?" I answer with slight food in my mouth.
"You could study music? Or get a scholarship for hockey?" she suggested, I gave her a look reminding her of tour. "Okay, tour got it."
"What about you? Did you take the entry exams for PWHS?" she nodded, "Did you pass?" she stay quiet for a moment. "Katie..."
"I'm sorry! I got a 78.3% on it but, they needed at least an 80% for passing. I could've made it. I'm sorry." she frowned, and I pulled her towards me for a hug.
"It's alright. We all have mistakes, and there's always next year. You can probably got to Summit for freshman year." I reassure her, and she looks up at me and smiles. We continue walking to her school and she decided to go ahead for me to not be late. we parted ways, and I was just a few blocks away from PWHS.
I arrived a few minutes early at school, teens were scattered outside on the courtyard. I threw my trash into the bin, then I felt my tongue dry, and my mouth thirsty. I had time to kill so I walked over to a vending machine. I input three quarters, and pressed 13 for a lemonade. I hear the clanking sound, and I kneel to get my lemonade. When I stood I could see Lucy sitting alone on a bench table reading which seems to be a textbook. I crack open my drink took a sip and walked over to her. I put my backpack on the table and took a seat across from her.
"Hello." I greeted
"Go away." her voice stern, and a bit annoyed.
"Okay, not the warmest welcome." I purse my lips, and notice she was wearing her black leather jacket once again. I could see her constantly wiping the sweat off her forehead.
"You should take off your jacket. You're sweating liters." I added,
"I'm fine. I can handle the heat...it's no big deal." she spoke,
"Okay...so I was thinking if you want to practice our performance for Theatre during lunch? You know singing and such." I sorted out,
"We're going to practice it either way in sixth period. So why bother?" she replied her face tensed, and she continued to look at her textbook. I hear footsteps, and James and Jo walk over to us. Jo sits next to me, while James just leaned on the table.
"Hey StuCo squad." I grin, James was flapping his hands on his face from the heat.
"I can't stand this heat anymore! I feel like I'm in an oven." Jo puffs her shirt for air.
"To add to the misery, I heard that the air conditioning is down." James takes a breath, "I guess we'll be sweating academics all day today." I hear Jo groan,
"It's not that bad." I say and James and Jo stare at me weird.
"You're insane." Jo comments, "Look even Lucy is like dying." she directs to Lucy still sweating.
"I can't believe you can handle this heat while wearing a leather jacket. It's ridiculous." James compliments,
"I...get use to...it." she says slowly.
"Fine, why not this weekend we head to the beach? Spend a night by the coastline. Gives us a little taste of summer before graduation." I recommend, Jo's face lightens up.
"You're right! I hear Venice is a good place to go." she smiles, and I chuckle.
"Lots of people will probably go to Venice. I reckon Huntington, Newport, Manhattan, Redondo, Long Beach, or Laguna. It's more far out, you know?" I sort out.
"You just suddenly turned southern." Lucy intruded, and I smile.
"I think that's the first nice thing you've ever said to me." I grin, she bites her lip and returns to her book.
"I vote Laguna Beach its just like that show..." James snaps his fingers trying to remember the title. "Darn it, what was that show called that was based off Laguna Beach?"
"Laguna Beach." I sneak a small laugh.
"Yeah, Laguna Beach!" he pauses for a moment. "Hey! Way to make me look stupid Kendall!"
"Sorry, I vote Laguna Beach too. It's a bit far but, I think it's worth it. What about you Jo?" I nudge her with my shoulder.
"I'm with you guys on Laguna." she agreed, "So it's settled, Laguna Beach say Saturday we go?" James and I nod in agreement. I turn to Lucy.
"Hey Lucy, you wanna come with us to Laguna?" I ask as she looks up.
"Yeah, you should come with us! It'll be fun!" Jo added with her dazzling smile as usual.
"I-I'll think about it..." she answers, I feel Jo tug on my shirt.
"Kendall give me your phone." she told me, I took out my iPhone from my back pocket and handed it to her. Then she hands it to Lucy. "Here, put your number on Kendall's phone, and he'll call when you have your desicion."
"Why can't you just give her your phone?" I objects, I leaned close to her ear. "You know she doesn't like me." I whisper,
"I'm just wondering if she likes us." she whispers back, we both turn back to Lucy.
"Alright then?" she puts her phone number into my phone and hands it back to me.
"Alright then. Saturday it is! I'll text the others about the details. See you guys later. Oh, and good luck on finals!" she waves to us, and James follows behind her. I scroll through my contacts to find Lucy's number. I press the green button, and wait for her ring.
Lucy jolts up from the sound, and gets her phone from her pocket. She looks at it, and gave me a frustrated look. "Really?" her voice sounding annoyed again.
"Just making sure, you didn't give me a fake number and all. You being, clever and all." I say, as I end the call and put it back in my pocket. I watch her as her sweat still on her forehead. "I can't watch you suffering anymore. Here, I'll take it off for you." I go around the table, and grab her jacket.
"Don't touch me!" she screams out, and I immediately let go. I look around, and I see people passing by staring at both of us.
"Look, I'm just trying to help you. Come on, you know you're suffering. Just take it off." I attempt to persuade.
"I don't need your help! Just, stay away from me!" she scolds me, and closes her textbook, grabs her backpack and left. Why is she freaking out? I'm just helping her?
Later that day, by sixth period I didn't see Lucy in class. Did I offend her, or something? I should call her to apologize. When our group for the musical song gathered, Ms. Patterson walked up to us.
"Alright, Hairspray group. You're going to be performing next Friday." she announced to us.
When sixth period was over, I called her number. I waited for a minute, no answer. I called her again, still no answer. I soon decided I'd go over to her house and apologize.
After school, I walked toward Katie's middle school. She was waiting near the entrance. She ran to me.
"You ready?" I asked, she nodded. "Yeah, uh...can we stop by someone's house? I need to do something."
"Sure? Is it one of the guys?" she questioned,
"No? It's someone else." I answered, her eyebrow arched upward. "It's not what you think."
"I'm assuming it's a girl." she teased, I roll my eyes. "Lets go already." I pushed her and we began walking.
I found my way to Lucy's house, and told Katie to sit on the curb and wait. I walked up to the door, and pressed the doorbell. No one answered. I rang the doorbell again, still no answer. Then suddenly, at the corner of my eye I see a curtain move from the window. I bang on the door.
"Lucy, I need to talk to you! Or whoever is in this house?" I spoke through the door. I hear muffles between the door and myself.
Lucy's POV
"Lucy, I need to talk to you! Or whoever is in this house?" I hear Kendall's voice echo through the wooden door. I lean my back against the the wall and slide to the floor. I sit cross-legged on the floor.
"What do you want? I told you stay away from me." I reminded,
"I-I can't stay away from you. You're all I need." Kendall's voice muffled, I suddenly feel a warm feeling inside of me. A smile began to arch at the corner of my mouth.
"I need you for our project in Theatre. You can't ever stay away from me." He explained, and my smile dropped. And the warm feeling vanished.
"Way to kill the moment, Kenny." I whisper to myself.
"What?" he questioned, and I stood up and opened the door.
"Look, I'm really sorry. I'm just helping you." he apologizes, he looks at me with his worry eyes. "I-I'm just worried you know."
"Well, I'm fine. Now get off my property." I say, as I began to close the door. Kendall's arm quickly pushes against the smooth wooden carving to prevent from closing."Let me close the door please?" I complain.
"Look, I'm curious. Why don't you take off your jacket? Are you hiding something? Like gangster tattoos, or stuff in that sense." he babbled, and I froze.
"You wouldn't understand." I finished, and kicked the door closed. I twisted the lock, and it was sealed. I feel the vibrations of Kendall's fist banging on the door.
"Just tell me!" he shouted, and soon the banging stopped. I looked through the window, to see Kendall leaving with...a little girl? The girl had long brown hair, and big brown eyes. She looked to be twelve years old, or possibly older. Kendall grabbed his backpack off the sidewalk, and walks toward the main road with the little girl. Wonder who she is?
Kendall's POV
Katie and I were just a two blocks away from home. We walked in silence as we came from Lucy's house. I could see Katie was glancing up at me every second. We walk up the our house, and I see two cars. Mom's car which was Honda civic, and I see a 2005 TJ Rubicon Jeep. One of the few cars I want when I grow up. I hurry inside the house, and I see mom sitting on the couch with a man. The man had blonde buzz cut hair, and he was wearing a dark blue polo shirt, and tan khaki pants. We couldn't see his face so I interrupted their conversation.
"Mom, we're home." I announced, and both mom, and the man turned around. I got the view of his full face. I gritted my teeth hard. I could remember that face anywhere. I feel Katie tug on my shirt.
"Kendall, who's that?" she asked,
"Katie, that there is what I call, and excuse my language, a cheating, lying deceiving douchebag!" I shouted at dad. "Kendall, language!" mom directs to me.
"No, mom. This is our house. I can say whatever I want when he's around!" I yelled, "What the hell is he doing here!"
"Kendall, I-" she began, and dad raised his hand to mom.
"Let me explain, if I please. As your father, I came to support you since you are graduating. To show my support to you. I bought you that Jeep out there, as a gift from me to you." he explained, I walked up to him.
"Well, I don't need that jeep, and we definitely don't need you!" I pushed him, as I said it. He landed on the floor. He got up, and I could see him smirk.
"You sure, have guts to push your own father." he says, as he gets up.
"I wouldn't even consider you my own father." I spat back at him, then I suddenly mom swung her hand, and slapped me.
"That's enough Kendall." she ended, "Just accept the Jeep." I look at her and back to Malcolm.
"Fine. Just for you, never for him." I direct to Malcolm, and he hands me the keys. I grip the keys in my hand making a fist, and I swung at Malcolm. I punched him above the jaw, and he whiplashed downward. "That's my thank you." I say. I take the keys, and run outside. I stare the engine of the Jeep, luckily it was automatic. I pulled the lever, and backed out of the driveway, then I was gone.
5 days later... (Saturday)
Since my incident with Malcolm, I haven't gone home. I've been staying at Logan's house. I'd let Katie pack my clothes and bring them to me on her way to school. It was finally Saturday, the day of the trip. Logan left early to pick up the guys, and we would meet up at the Dairy Queen on Revenue St. I checked my phone, still no answer from Lucy. So I decided I would go over to her house.
I drove up to her house, and got out. I knocked on the door, the door swung open and a man in his 20s appeared in the doorway. We looked at each other for a minute. He observed me up and down.
"Umm...is Lucy here?" I asked,
"Yeah, she's in her room, and who are you?"
"I'm Kendall... uhh...Lucy's friend." I paused, and smiled. "I'm here to pick her up for the trip."
"Hayden, she never told me of the trip. But, she's in her room." he welcomed me in, and I found my way to her room. I notice a old, guitar on the corner of the room. I walked over to it, and felt the old wood tingle beneath my fingertips. I turn back to Lucy, she was fast asleep, and the man knocked on her door.
"I guess she's not prepared. Could you uh pack her clothes and stuff?" I commanded, "And uh bring her guitar. She...uh was going to teach me how to place it?" I lied.
"Sure," he accepted, and took her backpack, and tossed some clothes. There was silence between us. I shook her shoulder to wake her but, she didn't budge. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt, and sweatpants. I checked the time, it was 8:45 already. I sighed, and grabbed her arm, and carried her in my arms.
"She's a heavy sleeper." Hayden added, "I never noticed." I spoke, and carried her to my car. I put her in the back seat, and slowly put her head on my duffle bag. Hayden walked out with her bag of clothes, and guitar. He handed it to me, and I tossed it in the trunk.
"I'm assuming you're her brother?" I say,
"Yep, and you're that guy that rode my motorcycle with her last week." he raised his eyebrows.
"Oh, yeah. Thats me. Sweet ride." I compliment,
"Thank you. Listen, I love my sister a lot. But, do you have anything to do with her personality?" he asked, I looked at him confused. Personality change?
"No? I-I don't know." I say,
"It's just before I left home. I remember her all cheerful, always smiling. When she came here to live with me, she completely changed." he said, "I just want to find out why. I miss her, you know?"
"Yeah, I have a little sister too." I say,
"Look, take care of her." he held his hand out for a handshake. I gladly accepted his hand, and smiled. He turned around, and went back into his house. I hopped in the driver's seat, and looked at my rearview mirror. I saw Lucy in the backseat lying there, sound asleep. I imagined her smiling, and laughing, like Hayden said. I wonder, what could've changed that?.
Just a few things, I had just written the next chapter, and to me. It looks really good! I'm not going to spoil anything but, it reveals a few more things about Lucy, and it has the Beach trip in it! Lots of juicy things! (: So look out for it!