Luke
We’re already into cross-country season, so I’m at a home meet after school. I get across the finish line, and I’m trying to get my breath, pacing with my hands on my hips, when I spot my sister and Kenzie.
Liv told me they would be here to support me, but I imagine it’s only Liv since Kenzie is clearly pissed at me. I take a glimpse at them again and notice that Dalton, Noah, and Stew have joined them.
Instead of my breathing easing up, I feel it quickening. I don’t think Stew could be sitting any closer to Kenz, and I hate it. When I rejected her, a year and a half ago, she warned me that she would be with someone else eventually. How long do I expect her to wait?
After the meet, I walk over to them.
“Great job, Luke. First place as usual,” Liv says, smiling at me.
“Thanks. Are we grabbing something to eat? If so, I want to shower first.”
“Yep. You can meet us.”
Kenz stands up from the grass and dusts off her shorts. “It’s time for me to go. Mom’s actually home this evening.”
Liv points up at me, from where she’s sitting on the ground next to Dalton. “You can ride with my bro,” she says before giggling. What has her in such a good mood?
“That’s OK. Stew offered to take me home.”
Like hell he will. “Kenzie, I’ll take you. I’m right next door.”
“I don’t mind,” Stew says. I’m sure he doesn’t. He’d like nothing more than to get inside her pants.
She gives me a satisfied smile, and I believe she’s trying to get back at me. Is it because she thinks I’ve been keeping guys away from her?
If so, then she must not want to date me anymore. I barely say bye to everyone before I walk to my car. After I’m home, I take a shower and wait.
It’s embarrassing the way I’m staring out the window, watching for Stewart to bring Kenzie home. Fifteen minutes pass, and I text her, hoping he dropped her off while I was showering.
Me: Are you home?
Kenz: Yes. Why?
Me: I wanted to make sure Stew got you here safely.
Kenz: I don’t need you looking out for me.
Me: I’ll never stop doing that.
Kenz: Why???
Me: I care about you. You know that.
Kenz: Ugh, you drive me crazy!
I don’t reply, unsure of what to say. I’ve avoided her as much as possible since the incident on my bed, in an attempt to shut off the feelings I have for her, but it hasn’t worked.
She was right about me keeping guys away from her. I haven’t told anyone they couldn’t ask her out, but I’ve made it obvious to friends that I would hate it if they did.
If I’m honest, I’ve wanted Kenzie since I’ve been old enough to know what that means, but I would turn it off after we shared “moments,” I’ll call them.
Over the years, we’ve experienced times when something would happen that brought us closer together. The moments were intense between us ... not only emotionally but physically.
During one of those times, over a year ago, I decided to stop letting the “moments” happen, and I was fairly successful until a week ago on my bed.
Kenzie’s gorgeous, and with her body changing, guys have taken notice. It’s getting that much harder to keep them away from her. I’m insanely jealous seeing another dude around her, and I can’t deny it any longer.
Liv has always run interference, never wanting Kenzie and me together, but I can’t sit by and watch Stew snatch her up. She belongs with me.
***
School blows today. Stew makes a point to talk about Kenzie at lunch and in the three classes we have together. He claims she agreed to go out with him, but she didn’t say when, so I still have a chance.
I wonder what she wanted with Dalton. Does she like him, too? I don’t think he’d date her. Over the years, I’ve hinted to him about my feelings toward Kenzie.
After Liv and I get home from school, we find out my grandparents were in a car accident. They’re going to make it, but they’re beat up pretty bad, so Mom and Liv left out of here fast to go to Springfield, Connecticut to see them.
I’m outside playing basketball, trying to release some stress and sexual frustration, when I see Kenzie walking over. Shit. For once, Liv isn’t here to run interference.
I take a shot, and it rolls around the rim before falling in. She walks right past me toward the front door. “Liv isn’t here.”
Kenzie turns around and plants a hand on her curvy hip. “Where is she?”
Holding the ball at my side, I lift my shirt to wipe the sweat from my forehead. When I let it go, I see her eyes lift. I believe she was checking out my abs. Damn, I hope she still likes me, too.
“Grandma and Grandpa Harris were in a car accident. Mom and Liv left about fifteen minutes ago. They’re going to stay with them, and I have a feeling they might be there for several days.”
She begins walking toward me as I turn and take another shot at the goal.
“Are they going to be OK?” Kenzie knows my grandparents about as well as I do.
“Yeah. A doctor at the hospital talked to Mom on the phone. He said they’ll be alright, but I guess they have a long recovery ahead because of their age.” I go after the ball and take a three point shot from the side.
“That’s so sad.”
“Liv will probably text you soon.” I stop playing when I realize Kenzie hasn’t spoken for a minute. Glancing over, I notice she’s wiping tears away with the back of her hand. “I’m sure they’ll be fine, Kenz. Don’t cry.” I stroll over to her, unsure of what to do next.
“They’re sweet, and they feel like my grandparents, too.” She begins to cry harder, so I reach for the back of her head and pull her to my chest.
“Don’t worry, hon. I’m sure they’ll be fine. Dad didn’t even come home from work. If it was more serious, I’m sure we all would’ve went.”
“True.” She reaches her hand up between us and wipes her eyes once more before placing her palm over my heart. Damn, she feels good against me. I drop the ball and wrap my other arm around her.
I try to think back to the last hug I gave Kenzie. It was one day in early summer when we were playing ball against Liv and Jared, our neighbor. He graduated last year and is away at college.
We beat them every game, and I remember hugging her each time. I’ve never been so happy to see a person leave town. He always showed interest in Liv and Kenzie.
***
Age 10:
“We need to practice kissing,” Liv says, looking at Jared, Kenzie and me. “We’ll probably want to kiss someone soon.” We’re sitting in Kenzie’s treehouse, and this is awkward. I might have to rip the heads off Liv’s collector Barbies for this.
“I agree with Liv. We need practice,” Jared says, “and you can’t kiss your brother, so it looks like you’ll have to be my partner.”
Disgusting. I’m not watching this.
“OK, but you’ll have to kiss Kenzie, too. It’d be weird if she kissed Luke.”
I look to Kenz, and her eyes are big and round.
“I’m out of here,” I say before I climb down the steps to the treehouse. I’m halfway home, when I hear Kenzie yelling.
“Wait for me, Luke.” She’s running toward me in her sundress and bare feet. Once she gets to me, she looks away and chews on her lip. She’s also out of breath.
“Can I hang out with you? I don’t want to kiss Jared.”
“Yeah, sure.” We go inside my house and get a glass of Kool-Aid before we sit on my back porch. I don’t say anything. I’m too angry.
“What’s wrong, Luke? You seem mad.”
“It’s weird ... Liv kissing him. It makes me angry. Should I try to stop them?”
“It’s her choice.”
“I guess.” I look over at Kenz and can’t help but snicker. She has a red Kool-Aid moustache.
“What?”
“Your mouth. You have a mustache.”
She tries to wipe it off with the back of her hand, but it’s too late. It’s dried now, but she’s still pretty.
***
Feeling Kenzie pull away, I come out of my daydream. How long have I been hugging her?
“I guess I should go. Thanks for the hug.” She starts across the yard, but I don’t want her to leave.
“Kenzie.” She slowly turns around. “Do you want to hang out? My dad’s working late, so I don’t have anything to do.”
She chews on her lip before finally walking back toward me. “OK. Mom’s working tonight, so I’m alone, too.”
“I need to take a shower. Do you mind waiting?”
“No. I’ll try to get hold of Liv.” She follows me into the house. Our home is older but large, with an upstairs. That’s where Liv’s and my bedroom are.
I’m nervous to be here with Kenzie, and it’s odd we were left alone together today.