AN: Happy Wednesday Rushers! I'm absolutely delighted with the feedback for the last chapter. I've never had that many reviews for a chapter of this fic so thank you! This chapter follows Elle a few days after the end of the last update and the fallout from Kendall's actions. Elle gets some payback too. I hope you enjoy this update, the beginning this is a bit slow but it picks up at the end. Thanks for reading!

If things had been tense when Kendall hated me, someone would have to invent a new word for how it had been since we kissed. Awkward didn't even begin to cover it and unfortunately, people were beginning to notice. When he blocked my path on the bus, he nearly threw himself out of the way to avoid me.

"S-Sorry." He muttered, ducking his head and shoving his fists into his pockets. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." I avoided his eyes but could see his cheeks were just as red as mine were.

He quickly slid the door to the bunks shut and when I sat down the guys all looked confused.

"What was that?" Logan asked.

"What was what?" My voice was an octave higher and I shifted in my seat. "What are you talking about?"

James pointed to the door. "Kendall, he just acted like you'd burn him or something."

"And he apologized to you. Since when does that happen?"

I just raised my shoulder in a half shrug. "I don't know." My words came out rushed. "It was nothing, he just got out of the way, and that's all."

"Are you sure you're okay? You've been weird for the past few days." Carlos frowned and his eyes were full of worry. "You're quieter than usual. Is it Kendall?"

A handful of days had gone by since Kendall and I kissed backstage. I was still weirded out from that but just two days ago we were in Phoenix, my hometown. Between Kendall and memories from my childhood, I felt burnt out. One of the last times I had been in Phoenix was when I was bouncing from one shitty foster home to the next. I gave Carlos my best smile.

"I'm fine, just feeling run down." I looked over at the bunks. "And as for Kendall, I think we've reached the point of just ignoring each other."

James' slight chuckle broke the tension. "Obviously, last night you were awkward with each other on stage."

I cringed, I had hoped the coldness we had during our duet in Oklahoma City hadn't been too noticeable. When we sang the line about kissing Kendall was practically the color of a tomato. And when I had sung about being tangled up my face was warmer than the sun. But even though we were uncomfortable on stage, Night Like This was still #1 on the charts and had surpassed Big Time Rush's song. It seemed like whenever I turned on the radio it was on. This did nothing to ease things between us.

"Well, you have to be on guard when he's a dick." I forced out a laugh. "You never know when he'll lash out at you."

The conversation faded after that and I was grateful. I tried not to dwell on it too much because the next two days were something I had been looking forward too. Because Texas was such a large state we were in Dallas for two nights so we were staying in a hotel. This was a luxury on tour, being able to sleep in a full-size bed and having your own bathroom was always good. Another perk of being in a city for two shows was that one of the days was always way more relaxed. This meant that there were no interviews or radio performances to do. So despite all the nervous energy between Kendall and I, my spirits were high. I decided to get some work done on a new song for the album, I had been so focused that I didn't hear a knock.

"Elle?"

I pulled out an earbud and saw Logan standing in the door of the back lounge. "What's up?"

"We're at a rest stop if you want to get out."

It had been a while since my last smoke so I was itching to get out there. "Bless you. How far are we from Dallas?"

"About an hour but James was getting pissy about the lack of Starbucks on the bus." He watched as I rooted through my purse for my cigarettes and lighter. "He and Carlos are inside."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks for remembering to come get me. God knows Kendick wouldn't."

He returned my smile and his hand went to my hip. "I could never forget about you."

There was a shift in the mood as he pulled me towards him, it was unexpected. He pulled me into a hug, holding my body close to his. I tried to protest but he shushed me. It wasn't until I heard a scoff did things make sense. I peeked out of the corner of my eye and Kendall was pouting. I hugged him back and tucked my fingers into his hair.

"Is he gone?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah, we're good. I figured it would help." He then smirked a bit. "You do look particularly nice today though."

I shook my head but my tone was light. "You're too sweet."

"All in a day's work."

I walked off the bus and went around to the side, ready to smoke. If I was being honest I was glad Logan hugged me, Kendall's scent seemed to linger on my skin, it was beginning to irk me. I could still feel his lips on mine when I shut my eyes. I rested my head against the bus and let the nicotine unwind the knots in my stomach. Other than the Kendall drama, the tour was going well and it felt right to be back on the stage and in the studio. The songs were coming out of me faster than I could write them. After Jett's attack and what happened a few weeks after that, I hadn't wanted to write much of anything. So it felt good to be working again. I was still in a cheerful mood as I took a long drag but this changed when I saw Kendall round the corner. There was a cigarette dangling from his mouth and when he saw me he groaned. It wasn't his appearance that bothered me but it was the thrill that went through when I first saw him.

"Of fucking course." He muttered, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Never mind."

"Hello to you too." I greeted dryly as I let out a puff of smoke.

He avoided my eyes and his voice was quiet. "I didn't know you were out o-out here."

"Now you do." When I looked up he was a bit red. "You can smoke, I should go find Logan."

I flicked the butt of my cigarette and brushed past him. At the mention of Logan, he rolled his eyes but I walked off. He could feel as uncomfortable as I had for the past few weeks of tour, it was only fair. I made myself comfortable in my bunk when I returned to the bus. Avoiding each other seemed like the most viable option, but unfortunately, we were in Dallas too quickly. Liz had rushed me into a costume and on stage for soundcheck the moment we arrived, we were running behind.

"Elle that was great, now if we could just rehearse a dance number to make sure the mic is picking it up," Gustavo ordered from the front row. "Dogs! I know you can hear me backstage so get ready."

I turned to the side of the stage where the guys were all hanging out. I wiggled my eyebrows at them and smirked.

"Yeah dogs, you better get ready."

I ended up running through an older song called Circus it was from my first album. And while it held a special place in my heart, it was more inappropriate than the other songs on that album. When the music kicked in I started dancing.

"There are only two types of people in the world. Those who entertain and those who observe." I ran my hand over my body and then pointed to the guys with a wink. "Well, baby I'm a put on a show kind of girl. I have to be first."

The song had a slow build and I rocked my hips to the music during the pre-chorus when they beat dropped I did the dance routine. It included a lot of grinding and rolling around on the stage. When I looked over to the side of the stage the guys were all bobbing their head along to the song and Kendall's seemed more interested than usual. I could feel them following my every move. If he could make things awkward so could I, I danced over to where they were and gyrated my hips against Carlos and then stood in front of Kendall.

"There's two types of guys out there, the ones that can hang with me and the ones that are scared." I flashed a grin at the guys and then looked at Kendall and patted his cheek. "So I hoped that you came prepared."

The blush on his face was worth it so I shimmied back to the stage and glanced over my shoulder. He was staring at me and his fist was clenched. I just tossed my hair and went back to my rehearsal. Once Gustavo was satisfied I went backstage, ready to rest up before the show tonight. I was walking into my dressing room when I overheard the band laughing.

"Dude your face was priceless." Carlos taunted from behind the door. "You totally think she's hot."

"I'm surprised you didn't have an aneurysm." James sounded smug. "She's talented, isn't she? You have to admit it even if you guys have been weird. She knows how to put on a show."

There was a scoff. "She's not ugly and she has talent for a B list pop star. And we haven't been weird, it's called ignoring her." Kendall muttered and I could almost picture him crossing his arms. "She's just trying to get under my skin, I'm trying to be the better person. Which isn't that hard considering who she is. Besides you missed her and Logan on the bus this morning."

"Dude, what happened?"

"It was just a hug," Logan explained himself. "But seriously be nice to her."

"As long as she stays away from me." He sounded petulant. "She might not be that bad."

The door opened and I ducked into my dressing room. Kendall walked out first, he was still red in the face and he rolled his eyes as the guys continued to taunt him.

"Good." I thought. "It's his turn to be the one who was insulted and walking on eggshells."

When showtime finally rolled around I was excited to perform. The venue was larger than the ones we had been in so far and the crowd proved to be even better. They sang every word at the top of their lungs and their signs were funny. But when Kendall came onstage I didn't mention any of them, I didn't want a repeat of the other night. Especially not when it had ended in a kiss.

"Hello, Dallas!" He smiled as he walked onto stage. "You sound great I hope you'll be this awesome for BTR."

I had to admit Kendall was good at playing to the crowd. We did our scripted side hug it was stiff and awkward but I did my best to not grit my teeth.

"Who knows Kendall, anything can happen on a night like this." I teased, it was one of our scripted jokes we had both agreed on. "Isn't that right Dallas?

He 'laughed' at my joke. "I guess you're right Elle. That sounds familiar, a night like this. Where have I heard that before?"

"I don't know but it could be a great name for a song."

He scratched his chin pretending to think about it. "You're right. Would you guys listen to a song called Night Like This?"

The audience screamed and waved their light up wands that were a part of the merch. I gave a fake laugh and shoved Kendall which was part of the routine.

"I actually think we wrote a song with that title." My smile was forced as we pretended to be comfortable with each other.

He gave me a half smile. "Of course, that's it."

We performed the song without any major drama. Everything was laid out and rehearsed, like a scene from a play. I knew just when to smile at him and he knew when to interact with me, But for the most part, we kept our distance giving fake smile and looks. When the song was over he always threw out a fake compliment and I'd pretend to be humbled by it. By the time we had another fake hug, I was thoroughly annoyed each night. It really seemed easier to just not perform it but it was too big of a hit to skip.

"Thanks, guys! We'll see you in just a few minutes!" He promised before dashing off stage.

Once my set was finished and I changed into a less sweaty outfit and fixed my hair, I waited. Backstage was always surprisingly quiet for being so close to the crowd, I waited for my turn to perform with the guys. We hadn't really danced or flirted since the night of our little party on the bus. And to be honest I just hadn't felt like it lately. They were still so incredibly sweet and welcoming but Kendall's drama had left me feeling rundown. So when I returned to my hotel room later that night I was grateful to be alone. All I wanted to do was order some takeout, watch reruns of Friends and go to bed early. This was all ruined when there was a knock at my door, I knew I wasn't lucky enough for it to be my Chinese food. I had only ordered it two minutes ago it was probably one of the guys wanting to go to a club or get dinner. So you could only imagine my surprise when I was greeted with the of sight blonde hair and a sugar skull tattoo.

"Kendork, Logan's room is the one across from me." I deadpanned. "James and Carlos's rooms are down the hall."

He shook his head and when I went to shut the door he stuck his arm in.

"Actually. Can I talk to you?" He asked quietly. "Please?"

He seemed quieter than usual so I was suspicious. But I stepped aside so he could come into the room. I wasn't going to let him be in control just in case he got angry so I motioned for him to sit down. I stood in front of the bed with my arms crossed.

"Yes?"

He avoided my eye and scratched his jaw, he was uneasy. When he finally looked up at me his lips were pressed into a thin line, I could practically see the awkwardness radiating off of him.

"Spit it out. You're being weird."

"Yeah, well." He sighed and shook his head. "I just w-wanted to apologize."

This was unexpected and I cocked an eyebrow. "Really? For what?"

"You know what for." He pointed at me. "Do I have to say it?"

I didn't answer and he blinked a few times, struggling to speak. I could see the blush creep across his face again.

"For being an asshole and, and for k-kissing you." He said shyly, looking back at his lap. "I'm sorry."

"Well, you are an asshole." I scoffed not missing a beat, "But why did you kiss me?"

Kendall just shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh no," I laughed in disbelief. "You came in here acting all weird and brought it up. You don't get to avoid it now."

The irritated look I knew so well flashed across his face for a brief second. His voice was low when he spoke. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" I questioned, my hand on my hip. "So it just happened for no reason?"

"I don't know it just felt-" He scowled and looked at the ceiling. "Right? I don't know."

I blinked hard at this confession, it had been the last thing I expected. All I could do was stare at him, looking for any hint of a joke on his face but his expression was pinched like it had pained him to admit this.

"You hate me." I reminded him, and for once I wish this was a true statement. "You've made that pretty clear from day one."

For once he snorted and he gave a small smirk. "I don't hate you."

In the back of my mind, I wanted to look for cameras, this had to be a prank.

"Sure you don't." I narrowed my eyes at him. "You just kiss me for no reason."

He ran his hand over his face. "I don't, it's just that you make me angry. You're so different than I am but you're funny and talented and you confuse me."

"Oh."

"And I know you're with Logan but-"

It was my turn to snort. "I'm not with Logan."

"I saw you on the bus this morning."

"It was just a joke." I found myself needing to explain everything but I held back. "Not that it's any of your concern."

He just nodded. "Well about our kiss, I'm sorry it was inappropriate." He reached out and touched my arm. "I'm sorry."

When his hand touched my arm I could feel how he was trembling. For some reason this was amusing so I let my lips curl into a smile.

"Do I make you nervous?"

His chuckle came out shaky and it was honest. "A little. You're so damn sure of yourself and confident."

I gave a smug nod, I was glad I made him nervous it served him right. I took a step closer to him, filling in the gap between us. His confession had piqued my interest and I wanted to see what else he was keeping from me. So when I straddled his legs and leaned down, letting my hair fall into his face I was caught off guard when he let out a sigh. He gripped the bed sheets in his fists.

"I just know what I want," I said quietly as I lowered myself onto his lap. "I don't take shit from anyone."

His hands came up to grab my waist, we were at eye level now and I could feel his breath against my cheek. He was visibly nervous and his eyes took in each part of my face. He went to speak but I pressed a finger to his lips.

"You made me feel like I was a whore like I was nothing." I hissed, it felt good to confront him. "I'm tired of men making me feel like that."

Shame washed over his face. "I'm sorry, really I am."

My lips brushed across his cheek and I put them to his ear. "Just because I like to fuck, Kendall, doesn't make me a whore."

He groaned when I said fuck and his fingers dug into my sides. I took one of my hands and rested it on his face. His cheek was warm under my hand and stubbly.

"As long as it's consensual and safe it shouldn't matter who I fuck." As I said this to him I thought about how I hadn't had sex with anyone since Jett. He probably thought I slept with his friends but that didn't matter. I kissed his cheek and batted my eyes. "Right?"

His voice was strained. "R-right, it shouldn't matter."

His green eyes were full of lust and I smirked. He had been such a jerk to me when all this time he wanted to kiss me, he was so obvious in hindsight. I ground my hips into his. I could feel his dick pressing through his jeans as he brushed his lips against mine. It wasn't angry this time, it was desperate, wanting. And honestly? It wasn't bad, heat prickled up the back of my neck when he let his hand slide up to my chest. I pulled away and let my hand find his crotch, he drew in a sharp breath.

"Do you want this?" I whispered, palming him a bit. "You want this Kendall?"

He nodded eagerly, running his thumb over my bottom lip. "Yes."

My hips rocked back and forth and he let himself fall back onto his elbows. He was in a tank and I could see his full collection of tattoos, I let my fingers wander over the ink on his skin. He pressed up against me and his eyes moved quickly as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. And to be honest, I couldn't believe it either.

"You called me a whore," I said quietly. "You made me feel like I was trash."

"I'm sorry Elle." His voice was low and his expression was earnest. "You're not a whore. So sorry, let me make it up to you."

A wide smile pulled at my face as I gave a breathy sigh. "Do you want this? Do you want to fuck me?"

"I want that, yeah." He gripped my hair and shifted his hips so his dick pressed against my thigh. His voice was rough. "I-I want that, yeah."

My arms wrapped around him and I kissed him deeply. It was warm and familiar and for a moment I sank into it, relishing the way he held me against him. His hands were hot on my skin as they found their way under my shirt. He was impatient and tugged at my clothes when I broke the kiss he pouted a bit.

"I'm not a whore Kendall," I said seriously. "I just know who I am and want I want."

He nodded, trying to undress me. "Who are you, what do you want?"

I gave him a flirty smile and I leaned in, my lips just brushing against his. I could hear a groan get stuck in his throat. His green eyes burned bright and he smiled nervously.

"I'm a tease." I purred. "And I want you to stop treating me like shit and to get the fuck out of my room."

He seemed confused as my smile fell and turned into a scowl. I climbed off his lap and pointed to the door.

"Elle wait." He blinked a few times. "What do you-"

"You heard me." My eyes narrowed at him. "Get out."

He scrambled to his feet, still obviously turned on. As he walked to the door a mortified expression washed over his face, the blush covered his cheeks and he cleared his throat. I leaned against the door jamb and waved slightly.

"Bye Kendall," I sang. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Slamming the door behind him, I smirked to myself. Kendall wasn't the only one who could play with someone's emotions. And while I may have gotten him to admit that I wasn't a whore, his simple, half-assed, lust filled apology wasn't going to cut it. If he thought that would fix everything he had another thing coming.

AN: Someone clearly isn't going to let Kendall get away with his double standards. And clearly, someone likes Elle more than he originally let on. I hope you enjoyed this update, thank you for reading. I will be back next Wednesday with a new chapter. Until then let me know what you thought. Thank you!