"Good morning." Kendall wrapped his arms around Jo and sniffed her hair. She was standing at the stove cooking breakfast in a pan.
"Good mo—noooo!" She turned around waving an egg covered spatula. "You're supposed to be in bed and I'm supposed to serve you breakfast."
"Sorry, you want me to go back to bed?"
"You're fine," she sighed placing a mug of coffee in front of him as he sat down at the counter. "Happy Birthday."
"Thank you."
He felt a something small and round hit him squarely on his right shoulder.
"One."
And there it was again.
"Two."
He turned to see his sister come at him again.
"Three."
"You pack a powerful punch there, Baby Sis," he said as she continued on her way to twenty.
"Happy Birthday, Big Brother."
"Gee, thanks." He rubbed his arm. "That's going to leave a bruise."
"Think of it as my birthday gift to you."
"So, you didn't get me anything?"
She produced two packages.
"One from me and one from Mom."
Kendall tore into the wrapping paper as Jo set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him and her birthday present to him, which he turned to after opening the first two. Jo's gift turned out to be a leather bracelet with "Jo (hearts) Kendall" branded on it (the (hearts) is the symbol for a heart but unfortunately this site won't allow that to show up), which he immediately put on his left wrist.
"Are you ready for your birthday punches?" Carlos asked bouncing into the room with Alexa behind him.
"Too late," Katie said.
"He's got another arm."
Kendall stuck a hand up catching Carlos's fist before it made contact with his left shoulder. Alexa laughed.
"Happy Birthday," Carlos mumbled sitting down on an available stool.
"Hello?" Kendall answered his ringing phone.
"Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks, Mom."
"Wow," Camille said later that afternoon. "The Hollywood Super Party kings really outdid themselves here." She stood at the counter with Logan, who was told by Carlos and James not to do much because of his broken arm, and Kendall, who was told he didn't have to do anything because it was his birthday, while a female caterer put tiny quiches on a silver tray.
"The DJ's all set up." Jo entered the kitchen and kissed Kendall. "Now we just wait for the guests to arrive."
Kendall patted the surprise in his pocket. "The only guest I care about is already here."
"Gag," Katie said walking in and stealing a quiche.
"Just wait til you're in love."
"Yeah…but that doesn't mean I have to watch you and Jo…"
"It's my party and I'll kiss my girlfriend if I want to." He kissed Jo again.
"I know when I'm not wanted," Katie said when the doorbell rang.
The party was in full swing. Most of the guests had arrived and spread out between the living room and the back patio. The DJ set up outside with speakers inside. Tina and Nina were dancing with each other in the living room. Linus and Lucy were avoiding each other which meant Lucy was being extra attached to James which he liked. Carlos had been scarfing down the appetizers and was now sitting in a lounge chair a bit away from everyone else nursing a small tummy ache with Alexa. Jo and Kendall sat around a campfire outdoors with Logan and Camille, Blonde Jennifer and her date Oliver, Kat from Kat's Crew who signed with Galactic Records after leaving Rocque and her boyfriend Kevin, and Lindsay, who happened to be the co-star on the show Coco.0. Carlos never dated Dara even though they both liked each other, but they did remain friends so when they came to mail out the invitations, Carlos thought of inviting her. Dara's stepmom figured it would be good for publicity. Dara and Lindsay just thought it would be good for fun. Carlos was surprised that Dara's stepmom didn't accompany them to the party (surprised but glad).
From a distance Carlos watched as Jett approached his sisters. Jett wasn't as bad as they once thought but he still didn't like what he saw. Jett took hold of Tina's hand and kissed it. Carlos sat up almost knocking Alexa off the chair.
"And who is this young lady?"
"Oh my gosh, it's Jett Stetson!" Tina squealed. Nina just stood there wide-eyed.
"I see we have a fan over here."
Even though he didn't know what Jett was saying just seeing him talk made Carlos fume. Leaving Alexa in his wake, he stomped over to Jett.
"Not with my sister!"
"This is your sister?"
"Yes and she's only fifteen!"
"Cool it, Carlos," Tina said. "He wasn't doing anything."
"You have a hot sister."
Tina's face turned red with embarrassment while Carlos's face turned red with anger. He reared his hand back wanting to punch Jett in the face, but something squirmed in his stomach. He thought maybe it was guilt. He didn't like hurting people. But, when he threw up on Jett's shoes he knew that wasn't it.
"Carlos!" Tina and Nina exclaimed.
"My shoes!" Jett squeaked.
"Are you okay?" Alexa asked running over to him.
"I am now. Let me help you clean that up."
"You've done enough already." Jett stormed off.
"I'll help you clean up the rest," Alexa offered. "Carlos?" She snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention. "What are you looking at?"
"That." He pointed to his brother dancing very romantically with Dara.
"That's Dara from Coco.0!" Nina shouted. She pulled out her cell phone and snapped a picture of the two. "Is she really a robot?"
"No, dummy. She just plays one on TV," Tina answered.
"Hey, I'm not a dummy and I'm also not the one who thought Alexa Vega was a spy."
"Hey!" Carlos exclaimed.
"Ew," James said watching the exchange between Carlos and Jett.
"I don't think he liked Jett flirting with his sister."
James turned his attention to the speaker.
"Hey, Fallon, glad you could make it."
"Oh, so this is Fallon?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, this is Fallon. Fallon, this is Lucy."
Fallon stuck her hand out to shake and Lucy reluctantly accepted after a slight nudge from James.
"I hope you don't mind I brought my roommate along. Actually, when I mentioned where I was going she begged me to come. I told her it wasn't my party to invite people, but she begged and begged." She pointed to the blonde girl trying to talk to Logan.
"So, you're the girl who's been taking my James to church every week," Lucy said accusingly.
"He has questions and the church has answers," Fallon replied. A guy returned with two cups of punch and handed one to Fallon. "Oh, this is my boyfriend from back home, Jimmy Coleman."
Lucy raised an eyebrow so high it threatened to disappear into her hairline.
"This is James and his girlfriend, Lucy."
"You're the pretty boy band member who's been taking my Fallon to church?" Jimmy said.
"You're not happy with this, either," Lucy spoke up.
"Well, I know she loves me and I do trust her."
"Yeah, I trust James. I've been burned too many times, though. Not his fault. He's been the perfect gentleman." She watched him talk to Fallon. "And I know his reputation."
"He's a womanizer."
"Well, no, not exactly, but he does love the ladies. He's never had a real steady serious relationship before. He just bounces from girl to girl."
"And you're afraid of him bouncing away from you."
"Well, my last two relationships—" she sighed.
"I don't think we have anything to worry about," Jimmy said.
"Why?"
"Because the entire time he's been talking to Fallon he hasn't taken his eyes off you."
"This is a great party, Logan," Alicia said. "Thanks for inviting me."
He almost said, "I didn't invite you," but that would be rude and Logan didn't want to be rude.
"You're welcome."
"Thank you, Logie," Camille mocked in a high pitched voice. Logan elbowed her softly in the side.
"Logie!" Alicia laughed. "I'll have to remember that."
Logan gave Camille an "I'm dying" look causing her to laugh silently.
"I didn't know Fallon was your roommate. You never told me that," Logan said.
"I didn't know."
"You didn't know she was your roommate?" Camille questioned.
"No, I didn't know you knew her. I mean, I didn't know she was going to church with James Diamond."
"Yeah."
"Oh my gosh, is that Dak Zevon? You know Dak Zevon? Of course you do. You're Big Time Freakin' Rush."
"I thought you said you weren't a fan?"
"Well, I'm not," she answered with a sly smile.
As soon as Alicia left them to talk to Dak, Camille grabbed Logan's hand.
"Let's dance."
The DJ started up a fast tune which got Camille going. Logan shyly followed again having a little trouble with his right arm in the sling.
"Is that Cristian with Dara?" Camille whispered into Logan's ear. It was either whisper into the ear or shout over the music.
Logan turned around to spot the two still dancing cuddled together.
"They didn't previously know each other, did they?" She asked.
"I don't think so. I know Carlos maintained a friendship with her but I don't think he ever introduced his brother to her."
"They look so cute."
"I hope Carlos doesn't ruin it." He scanned the room for Carlos, spotting him with Alexa and his sisters. Alexa was saying something and Carlos was not taking his eyes off his brother. "Don't do it, Carlos." Carlos grabbed Alexa's hand, turned around, and went outside. "Phew."
"Aw, Logan, you want Cristian and Dara to be together."
"I can't say I want it, but I'm not against it. Dara's a pretty sweet girl and Cristian is a lot quieter than Carlos. I'm not sure he's ever had a girlfriend, but it's not like I stayed in touch with him when we moved out here. I haven't heard Carlos say anything, though, and I'm sure he would have brought it up had it happened. If they do date, he better watch out for her wicked stepmother."
Camille laughed. "I thought that was just a rumor."
Later in the evening Kendall had separated Jo from the party and found themselves walking along the edge of the backyard. The land the house occupied was actually pretty large covered with fluffy green grass and a few flower beds. Kendall was sure the landscape looked beautiful when it snowed and then in the spring when the flowers bloom.
"I'm glad you were able to come," Kendall said absent-mindedly.
"Of course! Wouldn't miss it for the world." Jo smiled up at him.
He dropped Jo's hand he'd been holding and she gave him a funny look.
"I love you."
"I love you, too. I miss you at the Palm Woods."
"I miss you, too." Kendall stopped walking and placed a hand in his pocket.
"I wish you could stay here," Kendall said as Jo said "I wish you would come home," at the same time.
"Jo—Jo-," he cleared his throat. "Josephine Taylor."
She raised her eyebrows. He never called her by her full first name. She raised her eyebrows further if that was possible when he got down on one knee and pulled a box out of his pocket.
"Will you marry me?"
A tear dripped down her cheek. "No."
Don't hate me!
My head is spinning. I just gone done watching short track speed skating and as I re-read this for some reason the characters are speed skating around in my head. I think I'm going crazy.
The Cristian/Dara thing was not planned. As I wrote this chapter it just came out of nowhere.