"Yes, Mindy. That is James." Kimberly sighed and trailed off. Her eyes darted between Mindy and the group, attempting to make sense of the situation.
The memories of past conflicts between Mindy and James rushed back. The sarcastic comments, the never-ending competitions, and the relentless quest to outdo each other.
It was a rivalry that everyone at Denfeld and Duluth High School knew about.
"Why would he be here?" Mindy whispered, her voice a mix of anger and genuine curiosity.
Before Kimberly could answer, Carlos, who was sitting next to Kendall, spotted them. He gave a wave, which caught the attention of the rest. Kendall's eyes met Kimberly's and he offered a friendly yet surprised smile.
Deciding to address the situation head-on, Kimberly gently pulled Mindy along. "Come on, let's go say hi."
"But-" Mindy began, clearly apprehensive.
"You'll be alright." Kimberly assured her.
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AS THEY APPROACHED the poolside, Logan was the first to greet them. "Hey girls! Didn't expect to see you here."
"Trust me, the feeling's mutual." Kimberly nonchalantly stated.
"Hi Kimberly." Kendall spoke, flashing a small smile.
"Hi Kendall." She smiled back.
Mindy's eyes remained fixed on James, who now sat up, removing his shades to get a better look. The tension between the two was palpable.
"So," Kimberly began, trying to break the ice, "How did you guys even end up here?"
Kendall exchanged a glance with Logan before answering, "It's a long story; one I could tell you later."
Kimberly nodded, sensing there was more to the story than they were letting on. The mysteries of the Palm Woods seemed to be multiplying, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were only scratching the surface.
It was a facade she had mastered over the years, especially in situations that felt overwhelming.
Mindy, on the other hand, was having a harder time containing her emotions. James' presence seemed to trigger a flood of memories and pent-up frustrations.
"Look who it is." James finally spoke up addressing Mindy with a smirk. "Still trying to steal my spotlight, Mindy?"
Mindy's nostrils flared, and her eyes narrowed at James. "Funny, James. Considering how dim that spotlight is, I wouldn't even have to try."
Kendall coughed to stifle a laugh, and even Logan couldn't help but crack a smile. Carlos, who had been quietly observing, looked between the two, clearly baffled by the intensity of their interaction.
Kimberly sighed with annoyance.
James snorted. "Yeah, Mindy. Why don't you just—"
"Why don't you go find another mirror to admire yourself in?" Mindy shot back, her voice dripping with venom.
Kendall, looking increasingly alarmed, tried to calm the situation. "Hey, why don't we all just chill out and—"
But James wasn't done. "You're just jealous, Mindy. Jealous because even after everything, we got the gig and you—"
Mindy took a threatening step forward. "Oh don't even start with me." She sneered.
"Oh, my god!" Kimberly had enough of the quarreling and intervened. "The both of you need to cut this shit out. We didn't come here to do this, and people are watching." She could feel the intensity in the air and had no intention of letting things escalate further.
Kendall, looking somewhat taken aback by the sudden hostility, nodded in agreement. "She's, right. Just take a step back."
Mindy's gaze never left James, her fingers curling into fists. "Fine. But this isn't over."
Kimberly's patience was wearing thin, and she grabbed Mindy's arm, pulling her away from the poolside. "Let's go."
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KIMBERLY COULD FEEL Mindy's anger radiating, once they walked away. She knew that if she didn't intervene, it would've escalated into something much worse.
But rather than thinking about Mindy's anger, she thought about her own frustration.
It had been a while since Kimberly interacted with Kendall, and while she didn't harbor any ill feelings, there was a nagging thought that often resurfaced in her quiet moments.
The fact that Kendall didn't reached out to her after the auditions, bothered her. They had shared some genuine moments, connected on certain levels, and started to form some sort of friendship.
Yet, there was no word from him afterward.
"It's funny," Kimberly started, more to herself than to Mindy, "how people connect in the oddest places and then... just seem to drift."
Mindy glanced at her, sensing the underlying tone. "What?"
Kimberly chuckled, trying to brush off the sentiment. "I'm talking about Kendall."
"Oh," said Mindy.
"I mean, it's not a big deal or anything, but he could've at least dropped a message or something. Let me know how things went."
Mindy nodded, her anger now replaced with understanding. "People get caught up, Kim. Maybe he just got busy."
"Or maybe he just forgot," Kimberly stated with a hint of sarcasm. "It's not like I was waiting."
Mindy smirked, "Of course not."
They both shared a light laugh, but Kimberly's thoughts were still occupied. She valued genuine connections, no matter how brief, and it hurt when those connections seemed unreciprocated.
She sighed, then shook her head. "I don't know. I-I don't know."
Mindy placed a comforting hand on Kimberly's shoulder. "Who cares. He's here, and you're here. You can talk to him now."
Kimberly smirked, her mood lightening. "Yeah, and also become the next pop sensation while I'm at it."
Mindy chuckled, "Never say never."
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