A Royal Pain

(12) "Rebel Love Song"

I don't know why, but I've always hated taking showers. The idea of standing in hot water and doing absolutely nothing doesn't sound appealing to me; I'm sorry. Although I have to take them because if I don't, I won't have any friends. And I like friends. Well, the three that I have anyways.

I stepped out of the shower and quickly put on my boxers and pajama pants. I messed up my hair with my towel and stared at myself in the steamy mirror. Today wasn't a terrible day. The movie was fantastic, I played with Kalel's cousins, I made up with Haley, I got some kisses from Kalel, and Ashe hasn't annoyed me. I smiled to myself. I love thinking about Kalel. She's definitely my favorite person ever. By a long shot.

I looked around for my shirt, but couldn't find it. Why do I always forget a shirt? Literally every single time I get dressed, I forget a shirt. You think that I'd remember after seventeen years, but nope. Still always forget. Probably because I don't like them. I don't wear them a lot when I'm at home because I'm the only one there and why not?

I stepped out from the bathroom and walked over to mine and Kalel's room to get a shirt out. I saw Kalel on my laptop, scrolling through Tumblr.

"Uh, hey," I greeted.

"Hi," Kalel nodded in my direction.

"What're you doing?" I asked and picked out my All Time Low Baltimore pullover. I own a lot of band merch, if you haven't noticed.

"Oh, you know," she shrugged. "Re-blogging stuff."

"On MY laptop?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah, your laptop was right there and I wanted to check out the Bates Motel tag, so I decided to," she said.

"Alright, fine," I responded and walked over to the mirror.

I finally put on my glasses from being blind for a few moments and looked at myself. I fluffed up my hair with my hand and shook it to get it where I wanted. That's why I like being a guy--uncomplicated hair, no makeup, no trying too hard--we have it easy, and I'm lazy, so me being a guy is perfect.

"Hey. Draven," Kalel started slowly and I saw her set the laptop back on the bedside table from when I was looking into the mirror. Crap. Girls only use that tone of voice when they have to talk about something important.

"Uh oh," I started. "What did I do?"

"Nothing and everything, that's the point," she said.

"I'm confused," I turned around, facing her.

"You've done nothing wrong but everything right," Kalel said.

"Okay," I nodded. "How exactly?"

"Well, first off: you put up with my d-bag of a brother all the time," she started listing. Honestly, he wasn't too bad. I know he's just protective over Kalel like Haley is for me--nothing personal.

"Second: you stay with me despite how screwed up my life is," she said. I tilted my head, not quite understanding what she was saying.

"I cut myself, I'm depressed, my dad abuses me, my mom is never home, and I get bullied at kids from school," Kalel said. "I'm surprised that Alex can even stand me, let alone my boyfriend."

I sat on the bed next to her. "Those are just details. There's so much more to you than you even think. And that's why I like you."

"Third: you're way too sweet," she touched her nose to mine. I laughed and blushed. I hate hormones.

"Fourth: you get along with my family so well, that it's like you've known them your entire life," Kalel smiled. "And I love it.

"And fifth: I love how you took me to the Sleeping With Sirens concert yesterday even though I was incredibly annoying on our first date," she said. I smiled as I remembered the concert.