For Nathan
...
"Who is that?"
May turned her head, eyebrows raised before she caught sight of whom Rose was staring at. "Oh. That's just Kay," she reached for her wine glass.
Rose shifted in her seat to get another look. The boy was wearing all black and had messy blonde hair. He was holding a bottle to his lips as Hulk and Xander crowded him, chattering happily at his arrival. A pretty girl with dark hair stood off to the side, eyes moving back and forth between Kay and the crowd. "And the girl?"
"No idea," May gave a little shrug, "he's always bringing around girls. He gets bored fast."
Rose leaned back in her chair, thinking. Rose wondered just how long the girl with him would last. Kay turned his head at that moment, catching her eye. His eyebrows rose slightly and she held his gaze. After a moment, he gave her a friendly smile. Rose returned it.
...
Kay was alone this time.
He was on his back now, laying on the ground beside her. His hair was still a mess, but he wasn't wearing all black this time. His green button down was rumpled. The party was still going strong around them, the music still playing, but that had all faded to the background. Kay had a sleepy drunk smile on his face as he spoke, flashing a pointed canine in her direction everytime he turned his head towards her. His blue eyes sparkled happily.
"I don't know," he was saying, "it just always leaves me feeling kind of empty."
Rose turned her head to stare at the ceiling, "I know how you feel."
Kay turned his head to stare at Rose, looking interested in what she was saying. Rose's head was blurry, a little from the alcohol, a little from Kay. The conversation turned to music, and Kay's eyes lit up, his face brightening.
Rose couldn't keep her eyes off of him.
...
"I'm obsessed with Hailee Steinfeld."
"You're weird."
"You just wish you were as cool as Hailee Steinfeld."
...
"Kay thinks it's funny to pick on you."
Rose's head snapped up. "I'm sorry?"
Todd nodded, "he was talking about it after the party. Said he thinks it's funny when you get upset."
"Oh he does?" Her eyebrow rose as she leaned back against the bench. "When did he say that?"
"After we went to the diner," he took a sip of his soda before continuing, "he said he thought it was funny when he made you angry."
Rose hummed in response, thinking. Todd glanced at her face, giving her a smile. He somehow had a smile that was a flat line across his face, his eyes almost drooping closed. Rose didn't like to stare at his face too long, so she turned her head to watch the line of the roller coaster move sluggishly forward. Kay had acted strange at the diner, teasing her, then ignoring her, seeming to have forgotten the hours they'd spent talking on the floor. It'd bothered Rose, but at Todd's words, she now knew she had some things to say to him.
"Kay is weird," he said.
"The weirdest."
...
Kay was awkward this time.
He had a small smile on his face as Rose approached him outside the cafe, his hands stuffed inside the pocket of a black hoodie. Once again, he was wearing all black, making his skin look impossibly pale. Rose would've teased him about looking nervous if she hadn't been nervous herself. When they'd planned this she hadn't known what to expect, or if Kay would actually be happy to see her.
