Elly & Kent - The Complete Story: Includes Books 1-3 (22 page)

"I..." I shook my head, wondering if I should tell him anything at all about my social life. Of course I should. He's my friend. I sighed, feeling stupid for even thinking of keeping him isolated from the rest of my life. "So, I'm uh...I'm singing at open mic night tomorrow. I figured I'd invite you and Jen to come see me. You know, if you want to."
 

I shrugged softly as I stepped up to the coffee counter and ordered my chai tea. I paid in cash and then stepped aside so Kent could order. I figured changing the subject would be easier than telling my friend that he needed to get his head out of his ass and pay attention to his feelings. I wasn't very good at it either so I couldn't really fault him.

Kent nodded his head. "I'd like that. I'm sure I can convince Jen to go."

I doubted it very much but I nodded politely anyway. "Good luck with that." I poked his side with my free hand. I shook my finger and winced, "Ouch. You're like a rock these days."

Kent chuckled as he ordered his drink. He lifted up his shirt to show his abs. "Not bad for a dorky kid, huh?" He let the shirt drop. His drink came up and he took it in hand.

I tried not to stare so I looked around instead. "Oh god, Kent. You're drawing the wolves' attention. They're going to come maul you if you do that again." I grinned. "I'd show you my abs but then you'd just be super emasculated."

Kent laughed as he put his arm around my shoulder and walked us to a table. I didn't embrace him back but just walked casually as if it were no big thing that my high school crush turned super hottie had his arm around me. And that he smelled like a nighttime forest. And that I wanted to smack the coffee out of his hand and have my way with him on every table in the joint. "You laugh, but that's only because you haven't seen them. And you probably never will. I don't like seeing grown men cry."

"Right, right. Maybe we'll have to go to the gym sometime and see who's better at what. Or maybe just work out together. Mike would love it if you'd join in. He'd get to stare at you. It would be a nice change. It's pretty creepy when he stares at me." Kent led them to a table where he took a seat.

I sat down across from him and chuckled, "I'm sure you'd have no trouble finding a girl to work out with you two. There are lots of PYT's dying for attention from two strapping college men like yourselves."

Kent shook his head. "I don't want to do that. It's enough dealing with Jen when I have a hot friend, much less more girls trying to force their way in."

"Woah, woah...back up." I motioned backwards with my hand, "You think I'm hot?" I raised my eyebrows to match the surprise I felt.

"Yes. Why are you surprised? You were cute before, but you're smoking now. So, does it feel good to hear that from guys? See the way they look at you?" Kent took a drink of his iced coffee.

I shrugged, "Guys actually approach me now but I wouldn't say anyone looks at me differently." Not that I paid much attention. "And yes, I am surprised to hear you admit that you find me attractive. It only took what?" I looked up and pretended to mentally count, "Like ten years?"

Kent scoffed and shook his head. "You wanted to hear me say it for that long?" He smiled.

I smiled back, "Longer, probably. That's okay, though, I'm on my way to out-sexing you. I'm going to leave your monogamous ass in the dust." I sipped my tea, trying hard to make light of my guy situation.

That playful smile wavered for a moment but whatever he'd been thinking had quickly passed. "Yeah, yeah. If you count how much I've had then you've still got a way to go, Elly." He stuck his tongue out at me just as his phone played a few notes.

I kicked his shin under the table, "Oops." And then looked away innocently.

Kent grabbed at his shin under the table as he made a pained face and pulled the phone from his pocket. When he looked at it he sighed. "It's Jen. She's wondering where I am."

"Okay, well, I guess you should get going."

He pushed the ignore button and stuffed it back into his pocket. "Nah. She can wait. I'm with my friend right now." I was about to burst on the inside. Had he really just ignored Jen for me? It was like a dream come true! I tried my best to keep my smiles on the inside.

"You are talking about me, right?" I asked. He was leaned back, his body language exuding how comfortable he was around me. And his deep chocolate eyes stared at me, they seemed to sparkle more now that they weren't hidden behind his glasses.

He smirked, "Who else would I be talking about?"

"Not who. What." My eyes dropped to his crotch which was just barely visible beneath the table. Was there a bulge there? My eyes darted back up and caught sight of a little color on his cheeks.

"No, you pervert. Were you just checking out my junk?"

"What? I," I scoffed, "no. Why would I? Ew." I shook my head in mock disgust and watched as he failed to believe me. "Apparently all the working out you've been doing has been going to your head. Your ego is a little too big if you think I'd be checking out your junk." Apparently that had hit something because he dropped his gaze to his cup.

"You're right. I have become somewhat of a jerk." He looked so defeated that I just wanted to hug him and take it back. Just as I was about to apologize he stood up. "Come on, Elly."

I shook my head as I looked up at him, "Where are we going?"

"Someplace where it's hard to be a jerk."

Where the hell would that be? I stood up, finished the last of the coffee and threw my cup into the trash as we exited. We walked through campus until we reached his car. I had a lot of questions but now wasn't the time to be asking them in case it ruined whatever new scheme he had in his brain.
 

He turned the radio to my favorite station and sang along loudly with me when the latest Mariah Carey song came on. I had no idea he still listened to pop music. If he did, it was probably Jen's doing and thinking about Jen was going to ruin my happy mood so I pushed the thought aside and pretended, while I could, that Jen didn't exist.

Kent joined a little line of cars waiting to park in a large, dusty parking lot that was only used a handful of times every year. This time of the year was County Fair time. I hadn't been to the fair since freshman year in high school. Last time I'd come it had also been with Kent. It was the first time our mothers let us go anywhere alone without adult supervision. I, being naive as I was, had fantasies of my best friend kissing me on the ferris wheel and romantically feeding me funnel cake. Instead we walked around, played games, pet some farm animals and joined a pie eating contest, of which Kent won.

I was smiling as Kent lifted his hips to withdraw his wallet from his back pocket to pay for parking. "Excited, Els?"

"Hells yes! I haven't been here since--" He interrupted me.

"Freshman year." His grin was contagious.
 

"Yes," I confirmed.

After parked the car we got out and headed into the fair, which wasn't too crowded because it was so early in the day. We went to the farm animals first.

"I never understood why you liked this part. They stink."

I bent down next to a pen that held a couple of lambs and smiled as their little heads popped out. "Because they're trapped here. And they're beautiful, despite the smell they omit." I grabbed some hay from their feeding box and held it out as they came over to eat it. I heard the electronic shutter noise and looked up. Kent was smiling, having just taken a picture of me. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Collecting some memories. Duh."

I turned back to the sheep, for some reason that made me sad. Did he think we weren't ever going to come here again? Because of Jen? Because of life in general? Was this just another short little sliver of heaven that I'd have to hold onto forever?
 

I gave each of the lambs a pet and then stood up. I forced a smile as I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture of Kent who was bent over the pig pen, his lips puckered as he made kissing noises to try to get its attention. "Perfect. Give her a little kiss for the camera." I was able to admire my photo for only a second before Kent was coming towards me.

"Is it bad? Let me see."

"Oh no, it's great." I backed away quickly and stuffed my camera into my book bag.

"Elly, let me see!" I shook my head and ran away. He gave chase until I stopped at the funnel cake booth. I inhaled deeply and then moaned. The smell of sweet fried dough was so deliciously sinful. I inhaled one more time, my eyes closed.
 

"Just buy one." Kent's voice was at my side.
 

I looked at him and shook my head. "Are you nuts?"

"Probably," he nodded and then approached the booth. He came back a minute later with a steaming plate of funnel cake, lots of napkins and one fork. He was smiling as he held it under my nose. I inhaled and moaned again. He brought it over to a little table and sat down. I sat down next to him on the bench and looked around, trying ignore the temptation. A few seconds later Kent was moaning. I looked and was about to say something when a forkful of funnel cake entered my mouth.
 

It was just the right temperature and heavenly. I chewed it slowly, savoring it as it seemed to melt on my tongue. "Oh god." When I came out of my funnel cake orgasm I looked up and noted a blush on Kent's cheeks. "What's wrong?"

"I just...forgot how, um, passionate you were about food," he said.

It was my turn to blush. "Sorry."

"Hey, it's fine. I just wish I'd thought to put a hat out to collect tips." He chuckled and I smacked his arm.
 

"Who is the perv now?"

He laughed, "That guy that walked by and ducked down to see if anything was going on in your pants."

"Ew." I shuddered, chuckling along with him.

After we finished the funnel cake, I'm pretty sure I only ate half, we walked around for a bit. It was so nice to just be with him. And have his full attention. And feel like I used to, before Jen. I felt confident, beautiful, and it was all because of him and the way he was with me, like I was the only one that mattered. The way he'd lightly brush against me and send shivers through my body had me thinking more unsavory thoughts.
 

We were there for hours, catching up, exchanging jokes, reliving the past. We only had one more thing to do. The ferris wheel. We paid our tickets and got into the metal box. Once we were fastened in they moved us up a notch so they could load the next cart. The sun was going down and it was beautiful. I shivered when we were almost to the top, it was slightly colder fifty feet in the air without trees to break up the wind.

Kent must have noticed because he chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against his warm side. I peeked up at his face and he smiled down at me. "If you're cold you just have to tell me."

"I didn't want to bother you. Or get you in trouble."

His eyes searched mine and he was about to speak when the ride started to move into full rotations. As we went around I looked out at the skyline. Luckily the sun was to our backs so we could see the earth draped in sherbet pink and orange.

"It's beautiful up here," I said softly.

"Yeah." I felt Kent's eyes on me so I looked up. He was looking down at me. That old look in his eyes, the look that always made me think he was about to kiss me. We stared at each other for a long moment but it was broken by the jerking of the ride coming to a stop. Our ride was over, the magic broken. I laughed nervously and tried to sit up and pull away but Kent held onto my shoulder. "Elly..." I waited for him to finish but he never did. He let me go and put his hands on his knees. "Damn. I should've snapped a picture up there."

"There's always next time," I murmured as I straightened up and looked down. Only two more carts before we unloaded. Suddenly I couldn't wait. The reminiscing had only led to yet another let down. Kent wasn't in love with me. He didn't feel for me that way, no matter what his stupid deceiving eyes said. I was a fool for thinking that just because my outsides had improved that he was going to fall all over me. He wasn't interested.
 

On the way back to campus I turned the station to rock and let it mellow us out. Kent stopped in front of my dorm and put the car into park. I'd been dreading this moment. I hadn't wanted today to end.

I smiled as I unbuckled. "Thanks for today. It was fun."

"Sure. I'll see you in class on Monday."

I nodded and got out of the car. "Bye, Kent." I was about to walk away when I remembered that I had wanted to ask him something. I ran back to the car and bent over to speak through the window he'd rolled down for me. "I'm singing at open mic at the coffee shop tomorrow night. I wanted to know if you'd come."

"I'll see what I can do."
 

I smiled. "Okay."

"Okay. Have a good night, Els."
 

After I'd made it inside the dorm I saw his car pull away. I spent the rest of the night dreaming about what should've happened on the ferris wheel.

Chapter Thirty

I looked around the crowded coffee shop nervously. I was about to break my public singing cherry and I wished like hell that I had someone here to support me. I had invited a few people who I knew wouldn't make fun of me but none of them had shown up. I was hoping that Kent would show up, with or without Jen but so far I hadn't seen him either. And I had a feeling in my gut that he wasn't going to show.
 

Before I knew it my name was announced. I figured it was a waste of time but I looked around one more time before stepping up onto the stage. I was looking for a tall, dark haired man. The same tall, dark-haired man who I'd grown up with. I was even looking for his tall blonde companion but I didn't see either of them in the sea of faces in the medium sized coffee shop.

I exhaled slowly and then smiled as I sat down. My fingers plucked nervously on the guitar as I strummed it. Adrenaline took over as I started my set and before I knew it, it was over and the crowd was applauding enthusiastically.