She stares at us, as we stare at her back. She exchanges looks with each of us as she watches Kyle, her child, pin me down with my hands above my head, while I wear his hat. No one breaths, no one moves. I can't tear my eyes away from her blank expression. Suddenly, after what feels like hours, she calmly shuts the door without a word.
She knocks on it slowly, and whispers something about dinner being ready, and to come down whenever.
We hear her footsteps walk calmly away from the door, and down the stairs, until it's silent in the room again. I don't dare move, but neither does he.
He slowly turns to look at me, like he's seen a ghost. Pale and nervous. I chuckle a little under my breath, but suddenly I burst out into laughter. Loud and bright.
He quickly lets go of me and gets up. Sitting on the floor next to me and I giggling like a mad man.
"Oh. My. God". He says quietly, turning redder then I've ever seen him. Putting his head in his hands.
He looks over at me wide eyed and starts laughing ever so slightly with me.
I wipe the tears from my eyes and I try to speak.
"Holy— shit!"
"This is not good..." he tells me.
"No fucking way that just happened!" I tell him as he looks back to his hands. "That was— so fucking funny.." I say chuckling still.
"That was not funny! Oh, god. How are we— gonna eat dinner after that?"
"Come on man, just explain what happened". I tell him patting his back.
He groans in his hands.
__________________________
Dinner was— well, to be aspected I guess. Awkward, and a little funny as Kyle ovoids his mothers gaze. She pretended she didn't see anything, which I didn't mind. She makes small talk with me and her husband, I laugh with them and Ike at the table. Kyle doesn't speak more then two words.
After we finish, I offer to help clean up. His mother declines my offer again and again stating, I'm a guest, and I shouldn't worry my pretty little head about it. I thank her for the delicious meal, though I'm not entirely sure what it was. It was good nonetheless. Kyle hands me my things at the door and I reluctantly give his hat back. Feeling just a little bit colder now. He reaches down to fix some stray hairs on my head from the hat, but quickly stops when he catches his mother staring. He pushes me out the door for privacy.
As the door shuts he looks to me and sighs, though he's smiling.
"Thanks for you help." I thank him, standing on my toes to wrap my hands around his neck.
He stiffness for a second before wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in, tight. Flush against his own warm body. I feel him breathing in my scent, as I do the same. I bury my face in his neck as I sigh. We stand there like that for a while before I pull away first. He keeps his hands on my hips as he smiles at me.
"Anytime..."
"Don't say that, I'll be here every night." I joke.
"I wouldn't mind". He tells me, sincerely.
"Whatever.." I laugh, rolling my eyes, and he lets go.
"Goodbye Kyle."
"Be safe".
I turn around and walk across the street, back to my house. Once I'm inside I begin to shut the door, stealing one last glance at my neighbor, who's waving at me. I wave back and close it all the way.
I have a few hours to waste before I head over to Craig's house, so I decided to bake a fresh batch of cookies for Kenny tomorrow. Maybe I'll bring some for the rest of the boys, just for good measure. I feel as though I own them an apology. This whole Wendy situation has taken a toll on my heart, and I'm sure it has them too. I feel bad, like it's my fault. They get so worried about me, and I cause nothing but trouble.
I keep that thought at bay as I throw myself into these cookies. I need a distraction, I can't be left alone to think, because everything will hit me all at once. I don't want to feel right now, I want to bake cookies. The boys think I'm doing better, I want to be better.
I decide on chocolate chip cookies, their my favorite, so I throw my hair up and begin.
After I finish mixing all the ingredients together, I hear my phone ringing. I wash my hands and pick it up expecting one of the guys. I stand back, when I realize it's my mom calling.
"Hello?" I ask.
"Hi honey, have you eaten yet?" She asks through the phone.
"Yeah, I actually ate at Mrs. Broflovski house". I tell her, stealing a bit of raw cookie dough in the bowl, and eating it.
"Oh good! Listen, I won't be home till late tonight, okay? Somethings came up at work. So don't wait up for me."
"Oh.. okay". I say.
"Yeah— brush your teeth! Set your alarm for tomorrow, and I love you. I'll see you later."
"..Will do, love you".
I hang up the phone and stare at the floor. It's not like she's never been late before, I'll see her again. But in this moment I feel— so utterly alone, standing in the middle of this big house by myself.
Abandoned.
It's not her fault, something came up.
Alone.
Whatever, I have cookies to finish.
I'm not thinking about it.
I'm not thinking about anything.
I have cookies to make.
I set my phone down, deciding on something.
No— he wouldn't want to— maybe?
Fuck it.
I dial up Kenny's number, and hit call. I put my phone on speaker as I hold my breath.
After two rings he picks up.
"Hello?"
"..Hi Ken". I let out my breath.
"What's up, princess?" He asks me, and I smile at the nickname.
"Nothing, just need a— distraction— I guess". I chuckle.
"Are you okay"? He asks, and I hear his phone shift around like he's moving.
"Yup". I pop the "p" as I speak.
"What are you doing"? He asks me, still moving around.
"Secret". I whisper, as I roll up some dough and put it on the baking pan.
"Suspicious". He tells me. "Come on, tell me".
I sigh, I can never say no to that voice if his. It melts like butter in my ears.
"Fine, I'm baking you cookies. Like I said I would."
I hear him stop moving around and, what I'm assuming is his bed, squeaks.
"You don't have to do that for me, princess".
"I do". I smile. He just chuckles.
"What are you up to?" I ask him.
"Just getting comfortable". He says through the phone.
"Oh, is that why I hear your bed"?
"You could hear it better from my room, princess".
"Kenny!" I yell.
"I know, I know".
I giggle at my friend.
"Always the flirt". I say sarcastically.
"Only for you, you know that".
"Do I?"
"What- of course!" He tries, digging himself in a hole.
"I'm kidding, Ken".
"I'm not". He says flirtatiously. If I could see him right now, I imagine he would be winking.
"You're crazy".
"For you.."
"Kenny, I will hang up this phone." I threaten.
"Alright! Alright."
I laugh at him.
"How'd chemistry go? He bore you to death?" Kenny asks.
"Quite the opposite". I giggle to myself, remembering the very awkward position I was in earlier today.
"What?"
"I'm not aloud to say".
Kyle made me promise, not to tell a soul. He was very embarrassed. It was cute.
"Dude!" Kenny protests.
"Ask Kyle.." I shake my head.
"Oh— I fucking will!" I hear him start moving his phone around again, quickly tapping his screen like he's texting.
After a few minutes Kenny speaks up again.
"Shit! He's calling."
"Add him to the call". I sigh.
This should be interesting.
I put the cookies in the oven and sit on the counter next to my phone, as the boy's voices fill my ears again.
"Dude! What the fuck?" Kyle asks me.
"I didn't say anything!" I giggle.
"What the hell happened"? Kenny yells.
Kyle sighs loud, and begins to tell him everything. I listen intently with my hands over my mouth trying not to laugh. Kyle is not happy.
"That— is so funny.." Kenny says.
"Right! That's what I said". I laugh, and I hear Kyle grumble.
"Aw, he's embarrassed". Kenny says, in his baby voice.
"I am not!" Kyle yells back.
"Whatever dude". Kenny's says. "I get next hangout".
"Actually, speaking of that", I look outside my window to see the sun setting. "I should probably go."
"Why, got a hot date?" Kenny jokes.
"Yup! Bye, boys!" I say, and hang up quickly, hearing their loud protests cut off halfway.
I smile to myself as I get ready to head to Craig's. By the time I come back downstairs the cookies are done, and the timer goes off. I pull them out of the oven and set them aside as they cool off. The smell of fresh cookies in the air calms my brain, as I breathe it in deep.
Yup— thoroughly distracted.