Sticks and Stones

Two: It's a Bad Idea, Right?

"Because you still can't just come in," Tatum pointed out flatly. "It's meant to be private sessions."

"I don't care," Isaac interjected, hand raised in the air as if called on.

Kinsley turned around, just now noticing him. She pointed at him, repeating, "He doesn't care."

"I care!" Tatum exclaimed, pointing to herself.

Kinsley kissed her teeth, shrugging dismissively. "Anyways, I got you something."

"Nothing for me?" Isaac asked cheekily as he sat down on the mat, legs hiked up with his forearms laying loosely on his knees.

Kinsley raised an eyebrow at the boy on the table. "The day I have something for you, you'll know."

"I'll hold you to that," he said breezily with a smirk.

"Don't," Kinsley deadpanned, rolling her eyes at him.

Isaac was Brady Parker's best friend. The second Kinsley met Isaac, she found she couldn't stand him. Tatum didn't quite understand it. She could admit that Isaac did appear quite full of himself and flirtatious, but it really was just an act. Tatum was really fond of Isaac, she had never seen him come across as anything but genuinely kind.

Tatum turned her attention back to her roommate. "What did you bring?"

"A really well-rehearsed plea to come out tonight," she informed her sheepishly.

"Kinsley."

"It's your birthday at midnight!" Kinsley protested in earnest, clearly expecting the protest. "You've told me before that you love to go out but don't because of how busy you are, so don't pull any of that crap. You used to go out all the time!"

Kinsley would never let that go. Freshman year, the two girls used to go out quite a bit. They loved the parties and the debriefs in each other's beds the next day. She would spend her Friday morning lectures with her sweatshirt hood over her face and with eyes locked on the clock for when she was free. She loved it, it was genuinely fun. But eventually, Tatum's schedule got the better of her.

Tatum groaned, giving her a beseeching look. "Kins, I have to be here for a shift at nine in the morning tomorrow and then a three hour shift at the hospital right after, what makes you think being hungover is the way I wanna do that?"

"My brother will be there," Kinsley admitted in a way that almost sounded like a plea.

Admittedly, Tatum still hadn't told Kinsley that she was doing Brady's plan. She didn't know how to. She knew that Kinsley's family was an off-limits conversation. How would she feel about Tatum spending any amount of time with him?

Carefully, Tatum asked, "Why do you wanna go if he's gonna be there?"

"Ugh, I don't," Kinsley groaned out, her body slumping slightly. "But I've been dodging hanging out with Mara and I couldn't keep saying no, and she, of course, picked the hockey house."

"Say no," she suggested easily.

"Like I said, I can't keep saying no," her friend reminded her. "And she's adamant about wanting one of the hockey guys."

Tatum hesitated before asking, "Do you really think it's a good idea?"

"I'll be there," Isaac piped in. "I can try to make sure you two don't run into each other."

"See? It'll be fun," Kinsley pressed with a pleading look. "I feel like I haven't even seen you since we started the semester."

Tatum had to admit, she had a point. She was never the best at balancing things. She was so determined about getting into med-school and being top of her class, that she often forgot she had other people in her life that wanted to see her. Tatum knew she was rubbish with that, and she had been trying to be better about making plans. But it was daunting when it felt like one misstep would cost her everything she had worked for.

But Tatum loved her friend. She didn't have many of them, honestly. She was incredibly headstrong and had a tendency to butt heads with people. She had a knack for pushing people away when they got close to her, and they didn't put up much of a fight. Kinsley was different. No matter how many times Tatum would mess up, Kinsley stuck by her. Tatum couldn't take her for granted. Her friend needed her, and she was going to be there.

When Tatum told her as much, her roommate let out a victorious shout. "Yes! Thank you! It'll be fun, I swear. We can get ready and blast music like we used to. Maybe we'll even get a noise complaint again."

Tatum felt a jolt of guilt, just realizing how long it had been since she had gone out with her friend. She made a mental note to make more of an effort to dedicate at least one night a week to doing something with Kinsley. They often got dinner together, but that hardly counted. She did miss going out to parties, if she was being honest. This would be fun, she wanted to enjoy college again instead of just surviving college.

"I don't think we can get another noise complaint without getting kicked out, at this point," Tatum pointed out with a laugh.

"Please, this place would crumble without you," Kinsley dismissed happily. "Okay, I'm gonna go raid our closets for outfits for tonight."

"It's nine in the morning," Tatum reminded her, eyes darting to the clock.

"Never too early," she denied, waving her hand dismissively as she headed for the door. "See you later!"

Tatum laughed as her friend left, shaking her head and turning back to Isaac who had a dazed look on his face. Raising an eyebrow, she asked him, "You really think you can keep Kinsley and Brady away from each other tonight?"

"I think Brady will either be in his room the whole night or out of the house," Isaac pondered knowingly, eyes narrowed in thought. "He hates when we have parties at the house."

She nodded slowly. "Whatever you say. Just hope you're ready for what happens if your plan doesn't work. Now, start stretching."

"Hey, hope you didn't think I forgot it was your birthday tomorrow," Isaac said with a grin on his face as he began to stretch.

Tatum's eyes flicked up to his, giving him a dangerous look. "Don't even think about making a spectacle tonight."

He winked at her. "Wouldn't dream of it, hearty."

And for some strange reason, she didn't believe him.

●・○・♥︎・○・●

Kinsley Parker, I love you.