Free Kendall

Chapter 28

Chapter 28
Ari's POV

Dance time bitches

The ball is coming up so soon, and the committee prepping has filled every surface of my mind.
We have to go shopping for the outfits, for the makeup, for the decorations to fill the gym.

There's a crown royalty this year. No King and Queen. Just royalty.

The day ends, and I go home. 
This is the hardest part of my day. Going home.
The trauma is bad.

Dad always picks me up.
Or Kendall's parents.

Anyone who I trust can pick me up from school and take me home.
I hate being alone now. I used to love it, thrive in it.
But now it's an obvious hell no.

Dad drops me off at our house.
Diana parks her car right next to Dad's.
He kisses my forehead, driving back to the hospital.

Diana, Tate, and Hazel are all now my study buddies.
But we are also all in committee.

We converge on my closet the minute her shoes are off and we sprint upstairs.

I find my box of ideas, and Diana starts planning the outfits for everyone.
I critique her choices every once in awhile.

After an hour or so, my phone buzzes.
"Shopping tonight?" I read aloud. "Nik wants to know."

Diana shrugs.
"I'm free."
I nod.
"As am I."

I send a thumbs up, one for me and one for Diana.

Maybe this is when I could ask Kendall to the dance.
Sometime during the shopping.
I swear to myself.

"Stop making the simpy face," Diana mutters, holding up a sexy silver dress that shows a lot of chest, and has ruffles above the knee.
"What do you mean, 'simpy face'?" I retort. "And that dress would be great for Tate. Maybe she'll finally get her seven minutes in heaven with Jonas."

Diana coughs, starting to wheeze.

"I said what I said."

She nods, still wheezing.

***

We both greet our gang at the Friendly Centre again.

"This feels deja-vu-ish," Quinn says.
I nod.

"Where do we start?" Tate asks, holding Jonas's hand.
Kendall links his fingers with mine.
"Belk?" Nik suggests.

Rayssa shrugs.
"That sounds good to me."

We walk across the street, looking for cars and other pedestrians.
We pass Coldstone.

I freeze.
"Guys, I'm craving some ice cream. Anyone else?"
The rest shake their heads.

"Want to meet up at Macy's?" Ian suggests. "Just send pics if you find any cool outfits."
They all nod.

Half of the group disperses, and the rest of us go into the parlour.
The ice cream smell hits my nose. 

I make an 'mmm' noise, and Kendall chuckles.
I order a strawberry on a waffle cone, with gummy bears on it.
Kendall gets chocolate-peanut butter, with peanut butter sauce and reese's on a waffle cone.

The two of us walk to the back corner, sitting and eating.

Kendall gets some ice cream on his upper lip, and I chuckle.
I lean over and kiss him, effectively getting the ice cream off.

He blushes bright red.

"Kendall?" I ask, pulling away from him slightly.
"Yes, Ari?" He replies, sounding out of breath.

"Would you like to go to the Winter Ball with me?"

The area around us goes quiet and I nervously eat my ice cream.
He takes a bite of his, turning as red as a tomato.

"I'd love to," He replies. "That sounds amazing Ari."

I blush, smiling like an idiot.
He hugs me, pulling me into his lap.

We finish out ice creams, smiling like gits.