Midnight Rose (completed)

Chapter 14

Wes was gone this week, so I wasn't in a rush to get out of bed. The sun was blinding, the forecast showing mild weather for the next few days, so I buried my head back under the sheets. Maybe I could just stay under here until Friday.

"Good morning, sunshine." Kendra's chipper voice pierced through the solitude. 

"Go away," I grumbled.

"I brought you coffee."

She was enticing my caffeine-crazed side. I peeked one eye out from the covers to confirm she was telling the truth. She waved two cups of coffee from the local coffee shop.

I drew the covers back and sat up. "What time did you wake up?" How could she appear so flawless at—I looked over at my clock—at seven in the morning. "No, seriously, when did you wake up?"

She giggled, sitting on the bed with me. The coffee was still hot enough to burn my hands.

"I got it extra hot."

I took a careful sip and stared at her, waiting for an answer.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. I had a before-school date."

"A what? Is that even a thing?"

"It is now," she answered with a glimmer in her eye.

"All right, fess up. Yesterday you were desperate for me to be your wing girl at Natalie's party so you could find a Winter Wonderland date. What's changed?" I took another sip, enamored by her response.

She took a sip and then another, avoiding eye contact. She was stalling. "You're not going to like it." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Try me."

"Okay, but you have to pinky promise you won't freak out on me." She held out her pinky.

"Are we in first grade again?" My hands were still firmly on my coffee.

She shook her pinky and pursed her lips.

Shrugging, I held out my pinky and wrapped it with hers. "You're ridiculous."

A second later, she beamed, "I was with Elijah."

Oh, no she didn't. No, seriously. Pinky promises couldn't have jurisdiction here. I bit my lip so hard it made my eyes water.

"You're mad." Her smile disappeared, and her eyes widened.

I held onto my lip with my teeth and grunted, "Uh-uh."

"You're lying," she pressed.

I nodded while still holding onto my lip. Pinky promise, after all. "Mm-hmm."

"Are you going to drink your blood or your coffee?" She bit out, disappointed.

I finally let go, the metallic liquid from my lip overpowering the coffee aftertaste. I took another quick sip. "I pinky promised, but if you want the truth, you'd have to let me out of it."

She stood up. "No way. You keep your little promise. So much for a supportive best friend. You don't have to like who I date. What if I don't like Wes?" She stomped around the room.

"You don't like Wes?"

"That's not the point. Of course, I like Wes, because you like him. See? Good best friend." She pointed at herself.

The lines of being a good friend were blurred when it came to Elijah. He was using her to get close to me, but I couldn't tell her that, so I sighed and played along.

"I'm sorry, Kendra. You're right. I'm being unfair." I peeled my sheets off and jumped out of bed, racing around to get ready.

"What's the rush?" Kendra watched me quizzically.