You seem a little different--Kenjorine

Chapter 15 ⭐

          "So, what do you want to listen to?" Kenny asked, opening Spotify. 

          "No, Kenny, I told you I want to hear what you like to listen to," Marjorine retorted, her eyebrows furrowed. She didn't care to look at Kenny, and opted for mumbling into his shoulder. 

          "Are you sure?" Kenny wanted to listen to his own music, but he wanted to make sure that was what Marjorine wanted. He didn't doubt that she had fire music taste, but he was relieved that she wanted him to listen to something familiar to him.    

          "Yes, Kenny." Her voice was tired and ever so slightly annoyed, but Kenny paid it no mind. He wasn't one to care for slight annoyance in one's tone. It wasn't that big of a deal anyway. 

          "If you say so," he shrugged, pulling up his liked songs and putting them on shuffle. After a Spanish ad against drug use, the music poured through the old speaker. It wasn't the best quality, but it was still better than nothing. First to play was Falling Down-Bonus Track by Lil Peep and XXXTENTACION. Kenny's eyes widened as the first notes filled the air. 

          "Hell yeah, I love this song!" he exclaimed, fist pumping the air, phone still in hand. Marjorine smiled softly. She found it sweet, innocent. She'd already had many moments like this since she arrived. Even though she was cuddled into his arms like a child, she found him more child-like, like a small boy. One that runs around in the summer with a water gun and shoots at his friends, one that plays video games and plays make believe in the woods with his friends. And maybe that was him. Maybe, after she left, he let loose a little, decided he'd act more like a kid. 

          Or maybe this was him acting more like a kid since he didn't do it when he was little. When you don't get to be a kid, it catches up to you, and eventually, you'll act like the kid you never were. The one you never got to be.

          "You like Lil Peep?" Marjorine questioned. She didn't care for him much, he just wasn't her style, but she still appreciated the music he made. She'd hear his songs on TikTok occasionally, but it seemed he'd went out of style a bit. 

          "Of course, he's never made a bad song!" Kenny explained, locking his phone and letting it fall onto the bed. "I've listened to all his music that I could, but usually I get stopped halfway through an album and restart it. I don't mind, it just takes me longer to get through his music cuz' of that," he explained. Marjorine listened intently. She loved hearing him talk after staying so quiet all those years. It was a nice change of pace. 

          "What, do you not like him?" Kenny asked playfully, snapping Marjorine out of her train of thought. She winced as she noticed he was joking, as if Lil Peep was everyone's music taste. Kenny noticed this, and his face dropped.

          "How could you not like him? His music is awesome," Kenny stated, pausing the song. Marjorine felt awkward, and a small drop of sweat rolled slowly down the back of her neck. Her air intake stopped, and she breathed in before answering. 

          "I appreciate his music, but he's just not really my style," she explained, keeping her position stiff to keep her steady if Kenny started yelling. Her face scrunched up as she waited for the sounds of angry, high blabber to shoot through her ears. She waited, and waited, and...

          Nothing. Not a single word, not even a sigh. She opened her eyes to see Kenny, looking at her with a blank, confused expression. After a few more seconds of staring, he shrugged and played the song again.

          "I can't say I understand where you're comin' from, but he's not everybody's style. I get that. Now c'mere," Kenny smiled, placing his hand on the back of Marjorine's head and gently pushing her towards his chest. She moved there without protest, her face a portrait of confusion. 

          "You're not mad?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed. She was used to people blowing up at her when she disagreed, as politely as she could, with them. She wouldn't fight back. She had the fire in her to, but she didn't have any way of letting it all out. This was different. He really didn't care if she agreed with him or not. It was confusing, but so, so refreshing. 

          "No, why would I be?" One of his blonde eyebrows arched in perplexity. 

          "Oh, nothing," Marjorine excused, letting her head rest on Kenny's chest. He had to lift his head up to give her room. Although he found it odd, he shrugged it off. It probably wasn't a big deal anyways. 

          However, Marjorine, who was laying against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, did think it was a big deal. She'd been used to people getting pissed at her over the smallest things, and she definitely was expecting Kenny to get mad at her too. As she sat there, in her conscience, she started to feel bad for assuming Kenny was just like everyone else. Of course he was different; that's why they fit so well together. Still, Marjorine had expected the- well, expected. She wrapped her arms around Kenny's torso and squeezed him gently, as an unspoken thank you and apology. He moved his hand to start stroking her back slowly.

          Kenny pulled Marjorine with him as he fell backwards to lay down, and Marjorine stayed clung to him as he hit the bed. It was a lot like when they had fallen asleep earlier, with Marjorine, balled up, lying on him like a koala on a tree. Kenny had his arms behind his head, and the phone laid beside his ear. 

          Neither of them talked as the song played, or as another song played, or as another. They laid still, comfortable in their silence. Warm in each other's embrace. Song after song played, and they laid there, content and calm.

          Maybe they really were made for each other.