Four Roads

Daydreams

Chapter 16

One of the few things people used to tease me about when I was a kid was how much time I spent with girls. "Kenny plays with girls. Kenny plays with girls." They said in that annoying sing-song voice over and over. I mean I played with boys too and I was into "boy things" like sports and trucks. I didn't get what the problem was. I liked playing with Audrey, Bridget, and Briana growing up and it was easy cause they lived so close.

I could just walk up to their doors, knock, and ask their parents "Hey can she come out and play?" When the neighborhood would play kickball and I was captain I always picked Audrey to be on my team first. Other guys would laugh at me and say I was stupid for picking a girl to be on my team when I didn't have to. But they didn't know what I knew. Audrey was a fast runner. She was decent at kicking and catching. Some of the boys our age had terrible hand eye coordination when we were younger. She was a good player, a good friend, a fun person to be around.

Bridget would complain sometimes though, that I never picked her first. So I did that once. Right after I picked Bridget the other captain picked Audrey before I could. Probably just to annoy me. I love the girl but Bridget sucks at sports. She did back then and she does now. However, I never wanted to make Bridget feel bad for it. Anyway that day Audrey kicked a home run and everyone found out what I already knew. Audrey was the best.

____

Audrey slowly crept down the stairs to the basement. She wanted to delay the awkwardness for as long as possible. Kendall had a similar feeling when he retreated to the lowest area in the house so as to create a large amount of distance between him and his curly haired friend. Really it had backfired on him. Even though he was physically separated from Audrey the image of her body in that moment was on a constant loop I his mind. He was in that daze when Audrey approached him.

"Kenny." Audrey said quietly which Kendall responded to with a smile but his glossy eyes did not meet her hazel ones. So she said it again louder and slightly sing song. "Kenny?"

Kendall grabbed the hand she was waving in front of his face instinctively. His eyes widened then softened then diverted as he looked at her.

"Oh hey Auds." He quickly dropped her hand and folded his arms across his body as if adding an extra barrier between them.

Audrey was used to awkward situations. Her quiet demeanor had placed her in many, but she did not want that awkwardness dwelling between her and Kendall so she decided to speak directly on it.

"So how about we initiate a policy to knock before we enter each other's rooms from now on." Audrey said with a soft smile.

Kendall nodded still not lifting his eyes. "Yeah, sounds good."

"And bathrooms!" Audrey added quickly.

"Most def."

Silence filled the room again for a minute.

"You know." Audrey began wondering if she should admit to something she had held secret for so long.

"What?" Kendall questioned nervously.

Audrey bit the corner of her plump pink lips right when Kendall raised his head. He couldn't help but gaze at her in that moment. Audrey was effortlessly cute but in that moment she was also kid of sexy.

"Well." Audrey clasped her hand over her mouth then released it. "I saw you naked once." She rushed her words so they blended together, but Kendall caught it.

"WHAT?" He yelped.

"Calm down. It was like eight years ago." Audrey chuckled.

"I don't believe you." Kendall squinted his eyes at her.