This Was Not the Plan (gxg)

Chapter 31

The drive to Taco Bell was excruciatingly awkward. Nick and Zach held a conversation the entire time, allowing Kendall and I the proper time to calm down from our initial panic.

In all the chaos of the last few weeks and being ambushed by Nick literally throwing Kendall into my car, I forgot Zach even existed. I was never really sure why they were together in the first place, but now I was even more confused. If she was so afraid of love, why was she with him?

I kept glancing at her, clenching my fingers around the steering wheel to keep myself from reaching over to her. I just wanted her hand back in mine. I wanted to go back to when it was just us. We had so much more to talk about.

When I pulled into the taco bell parking lot we all filed out of the car. Zach casually approached Kendall and threw his arm over her shoulder. She flashed me a worried glance. I slightly shook my head to let her know it was okay.

"Ronnie, can I talk to you for a sec?" Nick asked before we reached the door.

I nodded, stepping to the side so the others could go on ahead of us. Once the door was shut behind them, Nick cleared his throat, "hey, so, I kind of panicked and told Zach that you and I got back together."

"Oh, alright." I said, not really sure how to respond, "are you going to be okay? You really didn't need to do that,"

"Its fine. We can pretend however long you two need." He said, scratch the back of his neck.

"Thank you."

"So, Im guessing the chat went well, considering..." he said, alluding to the fact Kendall and I had kissed.

I nodded, biting my lower lip, "I think so. We still have a lot to talk about, but she is opening up."

"Good," he said with a half smile.

I wanted to ask him if he knew everything she had told me about her past. Or why he forced her to talk to me. But Zach, Reagan, and Kendall were waiting for us inside the small fast food joint.

Nick carefully took my hand and guided me into the restaurant. It felt weird, having his huge hand in mine for the first time in weeks. I had forgotten how small it made my own hand feel.

Kendall's eyes glanced to Nick and I's interlocked fingers, and she immediately scowled. The way she always did when Nick and I displayed PDA before our breakup. Suddenly, I felt like I understood why now. Because she didn't want me dating her cousin. She wanted me to be dating her.

We ordered our food and sat at the large booth in the back corner of the small dine in area. I squeezed in next to Reagan and Nick sat on my other side, but not nearly as close as he would have in the past. Zach and Kendall occupied the seat across from us.  Zach was leaning back on the bench, his arm stretched out past Kendall, resting on the backrest. Kendall was slumped down, trying to avoid touching Zach.

I felt soft skin brush against my leg, followed by gentle pressure burrowing into my ankle. I ignored it at first, figuring Zach had accidentally stretched his leg too far. But when the pressure didn't release, I realized it was Kendall. The realization sent warm waves through my body and butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I hesitantly glanced at her. She was fixated on her crunchwrap, taking carful bites.

I decided to follow suit, biting into my taco. I almost immediately regretted it. My stomach was too unsettled for food. My adrenaline was still pulsing steadily in my veins. I had so much I still needed to say to her, to ask her.              

"I figured lunches would be loud again when you told me you two got back together." Zach said, clearing his throat after an enormous bite of his burrito.