Not As Bad As He Looks
I had successfully stayed in my room for the rest of the day. Luckily there’s a bathroom attached the room, though I did share it with the room next to me. Winnie and Jenna were sharing that room. I made my bathroom trips minimum.
I really needed food, though, considering I hadn’t eaten since 4, and it was nearly 2 in the morning. I had to limit my alcohol though because I drank 2 beers, and if I kept this up, I’d been dipping into the liquor, and those are for the more stressful days.
I grabbed my beer from the side table and headed down to the kitchen. I was just about to turn into the kitchen when-
“Kennedy, hey,” I heard. I turned around and saw Brendan coming towards me. Man, when will he leave me alone? “We missed you at dinner.”
I laughed dryly before turning and walking into the kitchen. “Yea, just what I want: dinner with a bunch of people that hate me.”
“We don’t hate you, Kenny. We-“
“It’s Kennedy.” I corrected more forcefully this time.
He sighed and took a seat at the breakfast bar. I set my beer on the counter and leaned against it. “Well we don’t hate you, Kennedy. You’ve should’ve eaten dinner with us.”
I shrugged, taking a swig of the Miller. “I guess I wanted to give you all a little time to gossip about Kennedy Cross.” My tone was what could only be described at sarcastically happy and bitchy.
“We didn’t gossip-”
“Oh you didn’t?” I asked, rhetorically. “You mean nobody mentioned the weight loss, the hair, or the fact that you all think I’m a heartless bitch.”
“Ken-”
I put my hand in front of me, telling him to stop. “Don’t even.” I gathered a bigger swig this time, needing some liquid confidence to get this out of my system. “You mean to tell me that Rhys didn’t tell you guys about what a slut I am? Or the fact that I’m a pill-popping, drug and alcohol addict?” Brendan avoided eye contact, confirming my thoughts.
“Just what I thought,” I told him, grabbing my bottle and turning away.
“Kennedy,” Brendan stood up and grabbed my shoulder. What is this, the 3rd time he stopped me? “Rhys is-”
“Wrong. He’s wrong,” I interrupted, for probably the 5th time. Okay, so maybe him stopping me isn’t that bad. “He has no idea what he’s talking about.” Brendan looked down at the bottle in my hand, and we both started laughing a little bit. “Okay, so he may be right about this.” I shook the bottle in my hand before setting it on the table.
“I’m hungry,” I told him, and he pointed to the microwave. I went over and found a plate of lasagna sitting there. I closed the door and pushed the buttons, reheating it.
“So what’ve you been up to?” Brendan asked as I got back to the bar.
I shrugged. “Growing up.”
His roamed down to my chest for a brief moment before he looked back at my face. “I can see that.” I wasn’t offended. I actually found it quite funny. We laughed together for a moment before-
“Would you look at this?” We both turned at the same time, and I found myself looking at dirty blonde hair and striking green eyes: Brooks Thompson- Jenna and Mitchell’s brother. “You two look quite cozy.”
“It’s because we are,” I told him, taking another drink.
Brandon grabbed the bottle and placed it on the table. “That’s enough for tonight.”
“It’s my first one,” I told him.
He looked at me with those brown eyes that instantly had me looking away. That had to be my 4th, and he knew it. “So what are you guys down here doing?”
“Dry humping, what does it look like?”
Brendan coughed and turned his head slightly while Brooks just smirked and leaned against the fridge. “I wouldn’t doubt it.” Wow, when did he turn into such an asshole?
The microwave beeped, so I went and got my lasagna, deciding to sit next to Brendan at the breakfast bar. Brooks was silent during this exchange, but quickly spoke up, “So what made you come back here?” There was something very condescending about his tone that angered me.
If he wasn’t going to give me a chance, then I wasn’t going to be honest. Easy as that. “I figured I hadn’t been down here in a while, so I thought; why not?”
“Is that all?”
I smirked, “I hadn’t gotten laid in a while either, and I heard that Brendan’s pretty good at what he does.”
Brooks’ cocky smirk didn’t leave his face, but Brendan shifted uncomfortably before standing up. “It’s getting late. I should go to bed.” He left the kitchen, leaving me, Brooks, my lasagna, and that good looking beer.
“So here’s what’s going to happen,” Brooks started as soon as we heard Brendan’s door close. I looked at him with both eyebrows cocked because him telling me what to do was hilarious. He’s a year younger than me which is priceless. “You’re going to act like you belong here, and you aren’t going to drink around the girls.”
“I’m older than you-”
“I’m looking out for my family, and they don’t need a bad influence like you.”
I laughed dryly, crossing my arms at my chest, stealing his attention for a mere second, but it was enough to notice. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough,” he corrected, taking a swig of my beer. That pissed me off. “You need to start eating dinner with us too.”
“I’m an adult. I’m not about to take your demands like a little puppy.”
He just smiled, finishing the last of my beer. “Do it for the girls.”
“The girls are old enough to deal with this,” I told him, really craving a swig right now.
“Kennedy, I mean this. I’m looking out for my sister, and our friend.”
“Funny,” I chuckled without humor. “I used to be a friend too.” I stood up and was about to walk out when he stopped me.
“You could be one again,” he said. I turned and looked at him, only to see him throwing my lasagna in the garbage. Shit, I really wanted that. “Not a real one, of course. But a novelty friend.”
“I don’t have to take your bullshit,” I reminded him, but also myself.
He walked closer to me, “Then leave. Be my guest.”
I don’t understand why he was suddenly hated me. I never did anything to him. Quite the contrary, actually. He told me that I’d never be anything more than a boy to anyone. “What do you take me for? A coward?”
“Not exactly,” he told me, leaning against the counter, getting closer to me. “I think you’re the kind of girl that’s good for a night or 2, but you’re bad news.”
“I’m bad news?”
“That’s what I said isn’t it?” He then stood up straighter, and boy did he tower over me. “So why don’t you just march yourself up to bed, get a good night of sleep, and join us at 10 for breakfast.”
Here’s what happened: Brooks came down stairs and was an ass to me. He insulted me, bossed me around, and demanded his way. He mocked me, and made me feel lesser despite being older than him. And yet, I felt slightly turned on because that’s how bad I’ve been fucked over.
“Aye, aye captain,” I mock-saluted, turning my back with nothing in mind but a cold shot of vodka.
“And Kenna,” he offered. I looked back at him just as he said, “Try to be sober tomorrow.”
I gave him a wry smile before doing as he said. I marched myself to bed, for a good night of sleep. It took a while to go under though, because I had one thought running through my mind.
He didn’t call me Kenny.
