by Marie Cole
"How about you get the vegetable stir-fry and I'll get the chicken and you can try a bite or two to see if you like it. Deal?"
"Ok." His eyes looked down to his menu on the table. "Are we still friends, Elly?"
"Are we still friends? Yeah, I guess so. Nothing has changed really." I glanced at him, pretending we were cool. His eyes were still looking down at the table.
"Will the awkwardness go away? I'm afraid to try and call you. Afraid to give you a hug. I don't want to," he paused, "be in the way."
"Welcome to my world, Kent. And no, it won't go away."
Kent closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry I put you through that. It sucks."
"It wasn't all bad. The awkwardness was worth still being involved in your life somehow."
There was another nod of his head. "I think I understand." He said softly.
"Remember after the store's opening night? When you got so drunk you grabbed onto Jen and told every man to back off because she was your w'man? You couldn't even say the whole word!"
Kent chuckled. "Yeah, I remember." There was a smile there for a moment. "Jen's friend called me the other day. Remember Miranda Walker from high school?"
"Miranda... No, what about her? Was it a booty call?"
"No. Apparently Jen did a lot of other things. Said she felt bad and heard what had happened." The smile faded.
"What are you talking about? What kinda things?"
"Apparently Jen was never really true. High school, college, after we were married. Guys, girls," he shook his head.
My jaw clenched. I looked at Kent and then looked away. How could I feel like Jen was the only wrong party? I'd made love with Kent twice when they were together.
"Apparently it wasn't just on me either. She mentioned one of your boyfriends."
"Yeah, Dave..."
"No. The one you walked in on in college. Said she told her she didn't know how you didn't know it was her. Made it easier since you didn't recognize her."
I blinked at him. "Will?" My eyes glazed over a little as I replayed the memory in my mind's eye. I let out a humorless chuckle. "Oh my god," my eyes came back to Kent. "Wh--I don't get it. Was she just some super slut or something? Or did she have a personal vendetta against me?"
"She saw how close we were. I think she just wanted to fuck that up, and even then she got bored with me and went," he tried to find the right word, "adventuring. She still held that fucking jealous card."
I shook my head and looked down at my hands. "Once we got to college we barely saw each other anymore. I was trying to give you space," Not to mention I couldn't stand to look at the two of them, it hurt too much to see them together.
"That was when she really starting straying. That trip she went on to help her mom move apparently only took a day. She was gone for three. I don't know who she did and I don't care. Sometimes it makes me not feel so bad for--" the words stopped as the waitress dropped off their drinks. Kent took a big sip of tea.
I looked up to him. "Not feel so bad for what?" Did Kent have another girl? Someone I didn't know about?
Kent shook his head. "I can't," his cheeks were starting to show a blush.
I frowned at him, "You can't what?"
Kent's hand squeezed the glass of tea on the table. "Tell me, Elly. What would you have done if I had whispered your name?"
He couldn't look at me. I felt the air leave my lungs, felt the color begin to fill my cheeks as I moved between shock and anger. "You..." I could barely hear my own voice as the implication of what he was saying moved through my mind.
"Do you hate me? Do you hate that I woke up with that going on, and then I figured out it was real? I almost whispered your name." Kent shook his head and sighed as he pushed the sweet tea away from him on the table.
I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't. I couldn't get any words out, his confession choked me. I ran away from the table before my tears blinded me.
I was pacing by the outdoor fountain in the little paved area between the Japanese restaurant and the movie theater when Kent walked slowly towards me. When he was a few feet away he spoke calmly. "Elly."
I looked at him and shook my head, a frown on my face. "Don't you fucking dare..."
"That has been weighing on me for a long time. I couldn't hold it in anymore." He held my water bottle in his hand. "I understand if you don't want to see me. I understand if you hate me, just know that I realize what I should have done." He set my water bottle down on the fountain but it was the furthest thing from my mind when I exploded.
"What you should have done?! That's just... That's great, Kent. What should you have done? Told your best friend the truth all those years ago?! That you're a fucking liar? I came back the next morning and you acted like nothing had happened when you knew--You knew how I felt about you? What had happened between us? And you just... You just went on. But how can I be surprised really when you fucked me two nights before you got married to her. Did you remember that in the morning too?" I didn't give him a chance to answer me, "Of course, you did. Did you feel pity for me? Is that why you did it? Poor little Elly, can't find a man... Just..." I put my hand up and then shook my head, I couldn't look at him. "I don't want to talk about this. It was a mistake. Both of those times were a huge mistake." I stepped away again, heading in the opposite direction of my apartment.
I felt Kent grab my wrist, stopping me. "No. They were not mistakes. I had just slept with my friend even though I was dating someone else. I felt crushed. It was my fault. I made you a cheater and not stopping it made me no better than Jen. That night of the bachelor party. That was the best night of my whole life. I've had lots of those with you, but that was up until we started playing the video games. All I remember are flashes here and there, but those didn't come until much later. Years later. Candles. Kisses. I was drunk, but when I got up I had realized something had happened. Again, I'd failed. I was getting married in two days and I'd just seduced my best friend, again! I know it was me. You can hold your alcohol so much better than I can."
"Spare me." I spit at him, pulling my wrist away from his grip. "I don't want to hear about how sorry I should feel for you because you couldn't keep your dick in your pants."
His shoulders fell, he shook his head and closed his eyes. "I spent too long fighting with Jen over the bullshit, over the lies. I don't want to do that with you."
"Great. Then let's not. Let's just go back to the way it was, let's just pretend this never happened and that shit never happened. Let's just have a fake friendship, a surface one. A happy-go-lucky friendship that isn't really a friendship at all. That works for me." I pasted on that smile that didn't reach my eyes, which were surely hideous from my tears mixing with my mascara. "See you at Thanksgiving, Kent. Maybe before then."
I walked away from him.
Chapter Seventy-Two
It had taken me a long time to get myself out of bed the morning of Thanksgiving. I was not looking forward to putting a happy face on for the better part of an afternoon. I'd booked the band a gig just so I'd have a valid excuse to leave early in case things didn't go well.
A sense of dread filled me as I stepped up to Mrs. Lytle's doorstep. I opened the door and stepped inside. The house was filled with the savory smells of the large bird in the oven and roasting vegetables. I followed the source of the smell and found myself in the kitchen. Our mothers were in there, discussing the next recipe they were working on. I looked around but didn't see Kent.
They caught sight of me and came forward, hugging me tightly at the same time. "Elly! Come in and stay awhile," my mom said, motioning to my shoes.
"Sorry. I was just so drawn in by the delicious smells." I kissed them both on the cheek and then made my way back to the front door. As I removed my last shoe, the door opened behind me and a large gust of cold air rushed over my ass, making me shiver.
I stood up and saw Kent behind me, his eyes fixed firmly on my ass. "See something you like?" He opened his mouth to respond but I he
ld up my hand to stop him. "Never mind. Don't answer that. Take your shoes and stuff off or you'll get yelled at like I just did." Before he could say anything I went into the kitchen, searching for a bottle of wine. I was going to need something to get me through this awkwardness.
There was a red already open on the counter. I poured two glasses and smiled as I sipped at one. "Kent and I will be in the living room. Let us know if you need any help with anything." I blocked his way as he came towards the kitchen and held one of the glasses up to him. "For you. Come pretend to watch TV with me." He followed without a word, sitting down beside me on the loveseat. I took another sip, grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels until I found the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
"Elly, I feel really bad ab--" I cut him off before he could go further down that road.
"I'm not here to talk about that. If you mention it again I'm going to make myself throw up in the bathroom and go home." I looked at him and slapped on a smile. "Just pretend we're happy sitting here together. And don't talk about that."
He sighed and turned his attention back to the TV. "What the hell is that?"
A cartoonish male figure with brown hair dressed in red and white floated down the street. I pointed to the title beneath the figure: "It's the Elf on the Shelf."
"What the hell is that?" His eyebrows were pinched together as he tried to decode it.
I laughed softly as I drank more of my wine. "Some Santa-trickery for little kids, I think."
He looked at me and gasped, "What do you mean 'Santa-trickery'? What are you saying?"
I held tightly onto my glass of wine, "Kent. It's probably time you know... Santa... Isn't... Real."
His face was one of mock-horror and I laughed so hard I almost spilled my wine all over his mother's couch. We made fun of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for hours, refilling our wine glasses twice. It was so nice feeling comfortable with him again. It was like old times and I had forgotten, momentarily, all about him trying to kiss me and his recent pronouncement of love.
After dinner, which was also lots of fun, probably due to the three glasses of wine I'd consumed, I made my way to the door. "I'd love to stay, guys, but I need to get to work."
"Elly, you work too much! Tell her, Kenny," his mother said.
He shrugged his shoulders and nodded. "It's true. You work too much. You should marry me and then you can live the sweet life." The room was silent as his words moved between all of us.
I shook my head, barely. I couldn't believe he'd just say that. Joking or not, it wasn't funny. I swallowed down my embarrassment. "I guess you forgot I'm not interested in marrying you." I watched his expression crumple into hurt.
I heard my mother gasp somewhere behind Kent. "Elly, that's not nice. What has gotten into you?"
"I've had too much to drink, I guess, Mom. My apologies for my loose tongue. I'd better go before I say anything else that would offend." I pulled my gaze from Kent and put my boots on. I was out the door before I put my coat on and inhaled deeply once I was outside. The door didn't shut as I'd expected it to and I turned around. Kent was there, a dark look on his face.
I walked down the steps, putting distance between us. "Go back inside, I don't have anything to say to you."
"What happened to us being friends?"
"I said pretend friends. And I'd ask you the same question. Marry you?" I scoffed and looked back, he was still following me. I stopped and turned around to face him. He didn't stop, he kept coming, his hands gripping my shoulders as his eyes roamed over my face. I wasn't scared of him hurting me. But it was a little scary feeling the strength he had over me.
"Is that really such a crazy thought?" he asked, his jaw worked under his skin.
"Yes. Go back inside. You're drunk."
He chuckled as he let me go. "No, Els, I'm not drunk. Not yet." He released me as he turned away and walked back inside. It took me an extra minute to compose myself after his form disappeared. Shit. Was this friendship thing going to work? I texted Stacy and walked as I waited for her and Rio to come pick me up.
Chapter Seventy-Three
After the gig was over Bryan pulled me to the side and whispered in my ear, "I think I see my boss at the bar. And I think he's been glaring at me all night."
I turned my gaze to the bar, shielding my eyes from the spotlights to get a good look. It was. It was Kent. What the hell was he doing here?
"Do you want me to go talk to him?" Bryan asked, his hand on my lower back.
I shook my head slowly, "No. I'll just go get his keys and get him home." I turned towards him and kissed him softly. "Happy Thanksgiving."
His beautiful eyes smiled down at me, his fingers on my lower back clutching me into his chest a little tighter. "Happy Thanksgiving."
James and Rio were already headed for the table Stacy had reserved for them. Their post-show beers were waiting. I made my way over to the bar, preparing myself for the worst. "Kent, hey." I tapped him on his shoulder and he spun around, a grin on his lips when he saw that it was me.
"Elly-poo. I missed you. I didn't think you were going to come say hi. Since we aren't friends or anything."
I had to take a step back, his breath heavily laced with whiskey. I looked at the bartender and pointed to Kent and then made a cutting motion with my hand. Kent should've been cut off three drinks ago. I stepped between him and the guy next to him and called to the bartender, "Close his tab, please." I turned my face and Kent's was there, his lips so very close to mine. I pushed him back and frowned. "Kent, give me your credit card."
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nope. Only my friends or my wives get my credit card."
I sighed and pushed him back as he started to lean towards me. "Kent, you're ridiculous. Stand up."
He did, wobbling a little. "Ooh, little bossy Elly is back. I missed her."
I shook my head as I shoved my hands into his pockets, looking for his wallet. Of course it was in the last pocket I'd searched. His hands had moved to my hips to steady himself as I searched him. I grabbed his credit card and shoved it towards the bartender. I watched Kent out of the corner of my eye, he was bending over slowly towards my neck. I put my hand on his chest to hold him up. I felt it rumble under my fingers.
The bartender brought me the check and I scribbled Kent's name and then grabbed the card and let him go just long enough to shove his card back into the sleeve of his wallet, fold it up, and force it back into his pocket. His lips met with my collarbone.
"Kent, come on." I grabbed his hand and ducked away from him, tugging him towards Stacy's table. She looked at us with wide eyes when we approached, a beer to her lips.
"Hey, Elly. Hey, Kent," she said after she'd set her beer down. Rio was glaring at Kent as his arms came around my waist from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. I rolled my eyes and tried to pull Kent's arms away from my waist. James's brow puckered as he tried to figure out what was going on.
"Hey. He's had too much to drink. I'm going to drive him home," I said.
"You sure that's a good idea?" Rio piped up and raised a questioning brow.
"Not really, but I don't trust him not to puke in the cab. I'll just throw him in the back, it'll be fine."
Rio stood up, "I'll go with you."
I shook my head, "N--" I froze as Kent's lips accosted my neck again. His hands wandered up to my ribcage and then suddenly they were gone. I turned around in time to see Bryan pushing Kent down to the floor with his fist to his face. I gasped and tried to move forward but a different male arm was around my waist, holding me back. "Bryan! Don't!"
Kent was on the ground, a hand to his cheekbone. "Fuck, Bryan. That's going to fucking hurt in the morning."
"You're lucky it wasn't your fucking balls. Keep your hands off of her," Bryan snapped.
I tried again to get in the middle but James squeezed me and spoke in my ear, "Don't want you getting a black eye trying to break up a fight, baby. Your pretty face is probably the only reason we get
paying gigs." I ignored James semi-compliment. I couldn't take my eyes off the scene before me.
Kent got up off the floor slowly. He stumbled a little and then turned to look at Bryan. "You're right. I should keep my hands to myself. But I'm feeling pretty frisky tonight." Kent swung at Bryan mid-word and it landed on his left eye.
"Oh shit," James said near my ear, his grip loosening just enough for me to get away. "Elly!" he growled but he wasn't as fast as I was. I put my arms around Bryan's waist and tried to pull him back. He pulled my arms off of him and went at Kent again but Rio stopped him this time.
"Dude, chill. We haven't gotten paid yet." Bryan shrugged Rio's hand off his shoulder and walked away, still seething. I was torn, not sure which way to go. Kent was holding his already bruised cheek, his eyes on Bryan's retreating back.
Rio followed after Bryan and James stood by me and Stacy. Stacy stood up and went to Kent, putting an arm around his waist tentatively. "Good fight, Kent. But we should probably get you home now. Huh, tiger?"
"I fucked her, Bryan!" Kent yelled with a grin on his face. I gasped and watched as Bryan turned on his heel and came at Kent again, faster. Pure fury on his face.
"Stacy, goddamnit, get away from him!" Rio yelled as Bryan charged forward.
I stepped in front of him but he pushed me away, "Get the fuck out of the way!" I landed against James's chest and watched with hurt eyes as Bryan made a move to punch Kent again. Kent, however, now had matched fury, not mirth, in his eyes. He rammed his shoulder into Bryan's chest, throwing them both onto the nearest table. Beer bottles and pretzels went flying everywhere.
I looked away as the punches started to land again. Stacy grabbed me and we moved out of the bar, letting the bouncer and the boys sort it out.
"Oh my god," I said to Stacy, my vision blurred from the tears.
"They're both being assholes, Elly. Let's go to Rio's van. We'll wait for everything to cool off."
I nodded slowly as she led me there. I sat in the passenger's seat and stared at the front door of the bar. Bryan stormed out first and made his way to his car. His tires peeled as he sped out of the parking lot.