Free Kendall

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ari's POV

Punching hurts

Nikolai envelops me into a tight hug, and I wince as Jonas holds my hand.
Kendall gives me a wistful look and walks away and I watch him as Nik leads me to the car.

He lets me sit in the middle row while Ian has their medical kit, sitting next to me.
Nik sits in the driver's seat, with Hazel in the passenger, Jonas to my left, and Diana in the back.
He drives us out of there, and we head to my house.

Dad isn't home yet, and we all get our stuff and go into the house.
The backpacks go onto the floor by the stairs, and Jonas leads me to the kitchen with the medical kit and ice pack handed to him from Ian.
I lean against the counter while Jonas and Nik clean up my knuckles.

"I'm going to beat up Alessio," Hazel mutters.
Ian rests a hand on his shoulder, and Diana skips around the kitchen, making some type of dessert.
Nik finishes up and Jonas puts the kit away.

"I'm fine guys," I say. "I handled him."

Diana sighs.
"We know you did, but it still isn't right."
She shoos us out of the kitchen and we all sit on the couch.

I hear her humming as I'm smushed into Nik's side, and he puts his arm over my shoulders.
We all give a collected sigh, and I turn on the tv.

"What should we watch?" I ask.
"Finish binging Love, Victor?" Jonas suggests. "We're on Season 2 episode eight."
I shrug.
"Does anyone object?"

Nobody does, and I click the Hulu button.

A lot of hours later, my Dad walks through the door to find us all passed out on the couch.
He chuckles, and locks the door behind him, letting my friends and I sleep peacefully.

***

I wake up the next morning, my forehead curled into Nik's arms, while my legs are spread across the arm of the couch.
I pry myself from Nik and check my watch.
8 am. Seriously.

The leftover bloodies that Diana made are on the coffee table.
I pick them up and go to the kitchen.
I clean up Diana's mess and start to make French toast.

I pull the grill down and plug it in, and the smell wakes up my sleeping friends.
Ian is the first to rise, and I cut on the Keurig, and fill a cup of coffee. Ian grabs it from the device as soon as it's done and smiles at me.

That's groggy Ian for, "Thank you"

Jonas and Hazel follow soon after, Nik and Diana the Sleeping Beauties of the group.
You would think my friends were zombies or cranks from this behaviour.

I giggle and flip the toast.
"How did you guys sleep?"

"Pretty good," Hazel says. He is a morning person once a cup of coffee is in his system. "Your couch is comfy."
Everyone else nods.

My Dad climbs down the stairs.
"Good morning gang," He says.

"Good morning Ari's dad," everyone replies groggily.
Dad opens the fridge, pulls out the orange juice, and pours himself a glass.

"Plans today?" I ask, putting a piece of toast on everyone's plate.
Dad grabs the silverware and syrup before shrugging.
"There's a football game that Liza's at, she said it's on tv around noon. Then I have an extra shift at the hospital since Dr. Irwin is in Australia for a few weeks."

We all nod, and start eating.
I watch the room, smiling at all my friends.

"What are we going to do today?" I ask as Dad waves, going to his room.
"It's a surprise," Nikolai replies, winking at me.
I groan.
"You guys know for a fact that I don't like surprises."

Ian snorts.
Jonas makes a sound that sounds like 'no duh', and Ian smacks his shoulder.

We continue to eat, and one by one each of them grabs their stuff and leaves to go home.

My Dad is watching a tv show, eating the toast as I pass by.
He gestures to me to join him and I come in and sit, pulling me into a one-armed hug.

"Is everything okay, Ari? Your friends seemed worried about you."
I nod.
"Just a small disagreement with Alessio at school. Kendall and I handled it."
Dad nods.
"Kendall's the new kid that Nikolai mentioned, right?"

"Yup."
"You're not into Kendall or Nikolai at all?"
I shake my head.
"Nik's gay, Dad. And Kendall doesn't like me that way, and, I barely know him."

Dad shrugs.
"You never know."

I chuckle.
"Even though you played matchmaker for Liza and all her girlfriends, I don't think it will work for me."
"Ooo-kayyy," He replies, winking subtly at me.
"Daddd," I groan.

He pulls me into a comfy embrace.

"What are we watching?" I ask.
"Squid game," is all I get before he turns the volume up and I'm forced to be quiet.