Channel

33| Despite It All

"Hey Ken, where are you? Your jeep isn't in the parking lot?"

"I had to go somewhere, be home in like ten minutes." Kenna says over the sound of music blasting. Music blasting means happy Kenna.

I decide not to ask about earlier or where she's coming from because 1. I trust her, and 2. Im sure she'll tell me when she is ready.

We talk for a few more minutes until she tells me she's outside. Not seeing her all day felt so weird but it's also nice to know we can spend time apart without going insane.

I run out of the front door and meet Kenna at the bottom of the steps. She throws herself into my arms giggling and places frantic kisses all over my hair.

"Hi baby."

"Hi Wes. I have so much to tell you."

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm." Kenna replies giggling again. She locks the jeep and I carry her up the stairs back into our apartment.

I've learned over time that one thing Kenna doesn't handle well is pressure, so having her come talk to me first, has always been what works best for us.

I sit on a barstool at the counter top and watch her move around the kitchen. I brought a few groceries home after my shift because the kitchen was an actual ghost town.

"Mr. Carter, did you go grocery shopping?" Kenna says leaning against the fridge with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I did Mrs. Carter, glad to see you noticed." I respond resting my head on my fists with my elbows propped up on to the counter top.

"That's Calvin to you." Kenna says shaking her head and giggling. Such a tease.

I point at the small piece of fabric around my ring finger and she laughs.

Kenna spends another ten minutes going back and forth between the pantry and the fridge trying to find something to eat. After a while she turns to look at me and drops her head.

"I'm so hungry that I'm losing my appetite by the second trying to figure out what to eat." She says walking around the counter and in front of me.

I turn my body towards her and instead of sitting in the barstool next to me she climbs up in to my lap.

"I still have a lot to tell you." Kenna whispers, twirling my hoodie string with her finger and completely forgetting about being hungry.

"Whenever you're ready." I whisper back.

"Im staying Wes." She responds immediately, taking her attention away from my hoodie and to my face. I give her a confused look and wait until she continues talking again.

"Im staying in Channel after graduation."

"What about semester at-" Kenna shakes her head with a small grin.

"Why. Why are you staying? That was like you're dream Kennedy." Half of me is concerned on why she decided to drop out. And the other half? Bouncing off of the fucking walls.

"For you. This life we've built, the friends we've made. The memories we have created." I stare into Kenna's eyes as the words leave her mouth and I can't help but feel genuine love for her.

The weeks we've spent together, the obstacles we have faced, and here we are, despite it all. Sitting in my apartment on a Tuesday night, cuddled up on a barstool talking about us.

"You make me so happy Ken." I whisper moving loose pieces of hair that fell from her messy bun out of her face.

Kenna smiles and picks up my hand placing it over her heart.