Kendall doesn't like how daddy's friend looks at mommy, even though they never talk to each other. She doesn't know why, and when she tells Linnie about it she's only left more confused, so she finally decides to ask mommy.

"Sometimes people fall in love with someone who loves somebody else." She brushes a lock of Kendall's hair. "It's no one's fault who they fall in love with, and they can't be blamed for that.

Kendall disagrees, but she doesn't say anything.

Linnie has been acting weird, but she won't tell Kendall why.

The only thing she managed to find out is that it has something to do with Linnie's boyfriend, which pushed her sister's buttons in a way that Kendall never wants to happen again.

Eventually, Linnie confesses that she just… doesn't love her boyfriend anymore, not like how she's supposed to, and it's not fair to him that they stay together when her heart isn't in it.

Kendall thinks she should've tried harder and tells her so, but Linnie only pats Kendall's head and says she'll understand when she's older.

Kendall really, really likes Ronaldo. He's smart, funny and encourages her own academic pursuits. He tells her it isn't a problem when they enter the same science competition and congratulates her when she wins first and him second.

She barely even notices when he starts trying to change her.

It starts small. Off-handed comments about how it makes his heart squeeze when she reacts calmly instead of lashing out. Or how he appreciates it when she lets him take charge in their group projects. And how he can't stand it when one person doesn't let anyone else answer in class. How girls who play sports aren't as lovely as those in the performing arts...

When Jackie (and later Kick) pulls her aside to talk, Kendall insists that everything's fine. Because it is. Sure, she's not as loud, or as bossy, or participates as much in school… but she's still herself. Yes. She's just more mature now and that's part of growing up.

But then… then...

She thought he'd be different. She was always too smart. Too stuck up. Too bossy… and with Ronaldo she wasn't.

Looks like she was wrong.

Part of her wants to ask why, ask him how is it that even after she changed… even though he made her feel small… she wasn't enough to keep him from straying. Through her tears she remembers her mother's words, how people cannot be blamed for who they fall in love with.

I don't care, she thinks, what he did to me was wrong.

Kendall ends their relationship by smashing his face in and wearing her attitude like armor, because she refuses to let anyone make her feel small just because she's too much.

After she eventually allows her heart to open up to someone new (someone who's smart, funny, outgoing, and even an avid soccer player, just like her), Kendall's horrified to realize that she doesn't like him as much as he likes her.

That even though she enjoys spending time with him, talking with him… she already gave her heart to someone else. Someone reckless and impulsive and yet so, so thoughtful that he gave her a coral-pink necklace just because he thought she'd like it.

She tries so hard to push her feelings aside, but it soon becomes clear they're too strong to be ignored. Maybe her mother was right, but Kendall refuses to hurt him the way she was once hurt. Just because feelings cannot be blamed doesn't mean actions can't either.

Kick's face is red, and he seems really anxious, but he looks her in the eye and asks, "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes."

Kendall gently removes her necklace for the first time since Kick gave it to her all those years ago.

Why? Why? What is so wrong with her that even Kick Buttowski would look her in the eyes and lie about loving her? How could he say that everything everyone else hated was what he loved most? How could he smile at her and hug her and kiss her when his heart no longer belonged to her?

She's so hurt and angry and miserable and heartbroken and… and… and tired. She's so, so tired. For months it's been nothing but anxiety and insecurity and pent-up anger, now it's never-ending tears and she just wants it to stop.

Because she still loves him, but she would rather never feel again just to keep from suffering this all-consuming grief. She knows it will be hard, but she refuses to drown in this heartache.

She can blame his actions, but she can't blame his feelings.

"It's not his fault," She tells herself, "That his heart ended up falling for someone else."

She drops the necklace into the sea.

The sky begins to darken.

There are two voices, one warm and peaceful, the other cold and spiteful, asking the same question.

"Do you forgive him?"

Kendall thinks of her mother, of letting go, and nods. "Yes."

And finally, some context :3
Not gonna lie, i've wanted to post this chapter for a while and i was like, it's only a couple days early, why not?
Will I post the next chapter on time? Sweet heavens I hope so.