KENZIE
A FEW WEEKS LATER
"What is he even talking about?" Sam leans overs.
I look up from my laptop and over at her, "No clue. I'm looking for new gym shoes." I turn my laptop to her.
"Oh my gosh," she shakes her head but then focuses on the screen, "Those one's," she points at the blue Nike's.
"I was between those and these," I point a light green pair.
"Ooo yeah, you always look good in green," she nods.
"Thank you!" I smile at her.
"There will be a quiz next week," our professor says making us both look forward.
"Fuck," I mumble. I haven't paid attention in this class at all and we've been in class for four weeks. It's a boring lecture, can you blame me?
The professor talks about what will be on the quiz and I make sure to write it down because now I know what my weekend will be full of. Studying.
"I'll see you at home later?" Sam says as we exit the building.
"Yeah, have fun," she's off to go work her on campus job at one of the cafe's.
"I won't!" She laughs as she walks the other way.
I shake my head with a smile as I head towards the parking lot.
"Hey!"
I ignore it at first because there's lots of people around me all heading to other classes or where ever they're going.
"Makenzie!"
I turn to look over my shoulder.
"Oh hey!" I stop and wait for Dylan to catch up. We took a microeconomics class together last semester. He was one of the first people I became friends with who wasn't on the dance team.
"Where you headed?" He asks.
"The parking lot by the library," I gesture over my shoulder.
"Same," he smiles and we fall in line together. "How have you been? How was your summer?"
"I've been good," I nod, "Summer was okay, I spent a lot of it training. How was yours?"
"I spent it working, so," he shrugs.
"Bet you made good money," I look over at him. He's from Los Angeles and if I remember correctly he works at his dad's auto shop.
We keep up the small talk until we make it to the parking lot and he walks me to my car. It's easy to talk to him, he's funny, smart and actually listens.
"What are you doing tomorrow night?" He asks as I dig my keys out of my bag.
"Uhm not sure, why?" I shade my eyes looking up at him.
"A couple of my friends are in a band performing out in Santa Monica, would you maybe wanna go?" He asks.
"Sure," I answer almost immediately. Because why not? And I don't want to study, I want to go to a free concert, and probably get free drinks!
"I'll pick you up at seven?" He starts backing away with a proud look on his face.
"Sounds good," I smile at him.
-
THE NEXT EVENING
"Where are you off to?" Emma asks as she walks past my door.
Emma's a freshman on the dance team. She reminds me a lot of Macey, cute and innocent but down for anything. She moved in a week before classes started, she took over Danni's room.
And Ivy, a now senior on the dance team, took over Becky's room. She felt bad taking the big room but Alana, Sam and I didn't wanna move our stuff and Emma didn't care which room she had.
"Uhm a date?" I look over at her from where I'm standing in front of my dresser picking out earrings.
"Why was it a question?" She crosses her arms over her chest and leans against the frame of my door.
"Because I'm not sure of it actually is or not," I start putting on my earrings, "He invited me to go see his friend's band play."
I turn to face her, "Am I over dressed?"
I'm wearing a black strapless dress that goes to my knees with a loose oversized denim jacket. I layered a couple necklaces and plan to wear my white sneakers, I think it's pretty casual.
"I think you look cute," Emma smiles, "Flirty but casual. Who even is this guy?"
"A guy?" Ivy and Alana pause outside my door as they come up the stairs.
"Kenz is going on a date," Emma looks over her shoulder at them with a smirk.
"Oh my god! Who?" Ivy asks getting very excited. The three girls crowd in the doorway, as I keep putting on my jewelry.
"We had a class together last semester," I hook the clasp of my necklace around my neck, "We helped each other through the whole class," I turn to the girls, leaning on my dresser, "And I ran into him on campus yesterday and he asked me if I wanted to go to this show with him tonight," I shrug, "So I am."
"Is he cute?" Ivy asks.
"I think so, kinda the quiet type but pretty blue eyes, dark hair that's kinda long," I describe Dylan for them.
"Tall?" Alana asks with a smile.
I nod.
"Please tell me he's not in a frat," Ivy sighs.
I give her a tight smile, "I think he is, or at least he was."
Ivy shakes her head and Emma rolls her eyes, while Alana says, "They're not that bad!"
I ignore them all as I walk to grab my shoes from my closet, "Are you guys going out tonight?"
"Yes!" Alana cheers, the party girl of our little group, "The football team is throwing a party!"
"They always have the best music!" Ivy adds.
"We came up to ask if you guys wanted to come," Alana smiles, "But Kenz is busy and Ivy sounds like a yes."
Ivy nods as Alana finishes saying, "So, Em?"
"I'll go," Emma casually shrugs.
"Well," I come out of my closet, slipping my shoes on in the process, "Have fun, maybe I'll come join you guys after."
"And tell us all about it!" Emma smirks.
"Oh there's will be a morning debrief tomorrow," I nod as a knock on the front door makes us all freeze.
"Is that him?" Ivy asks.
"Probably, you guys stay here," I say pushing past them. I left my purse downstairs after running some errands this morning so I head downstairs.
"I wanna see him!" Alana groans.
"Stay!" I point at the three girls who are all at the top of the stairs.
They all just stare back at me like sad puppies. I adjust the top of my dress, take a deep breath and then go to get the door. And sure enough Dylan's waiting on the other side.
"Hey," he smiles, "You look great."
"Hey, thank you," I can feel my cheeks warm, "Let me just grab my purse."
I step away from the door and grab my purse from one the command hooks on the wall then follow him to his car.
He opens the passenger door for me.
"Thank you," I nod at him as I get into the low sitting Mustang.
I take a deep breath as he shuts the door and walks around the car to the drivers seat.
Just go have fun, Kenzie, it's just a fun night out....with a cute guy.
-
Oookay I've had a bit too much to drink, but I needed it because I am and was so nervous.
It's also way more obvious now that this is definitely a date and a pretty good one so far.
I've been leaning back against him while we watch his friends band, both of us swaying to the music, his arms wrapped around my waist. He keeps paying for both of our drinks, even thought I keep offering to buy a round.
"Let's go outside for a sec," Dylan whispers in my ear as the band leaves the stage. I nod as his hand finds mine and he leads us out to the patio.
We find a free table over in the corner, both sliding into the bench side, "Thank you for inviting me, I'm having a lot of fun."
"I'm glad you came," he smirks taking a sip of his beer as his hand finds my thigh. My heart rapidly beats against my chest.
It's been a while since I've been on a date. When I transferred to UCLA I was too focused on dance and showing my mother that the transfer was a good choice. So while I focused on dance and school I kinda forgot about dating. But I like this, the excitement of a first date, the flirting, the little touches. It's exciting.
"Your friends were really good! Their Blank Space cover was amazing!" They mainly play pop punk music so it was really cool to hear such a poppy song with more of a rock influence.
"Last time I saw them they did Emotions by Mariah Carey and it was crazy," Dylan starts to pull his phone from the pocket of his jeans, "I think I have a video."
Dylan finds the video, so I scoot closer to him while we watch it.
"They're so good," I say looking over at him as the video ends, "You may have gotten them a new groupie tonight."
"Damn, I'm loosing you to another guy after one date," he teases.
I laugh right as the band walks up to our table.
"Mikey!" Dylan cheers standing up. It's the guy who was on the drums. The two of them share a high-five and hug.
"This is Kenzie," Dylan introduces me.
"Hi," I wave at them all.
"Kenzie, this is Mikey, Jett, Tony and Ruben," Dylan points at the drummer, then the guitarist, the lead singer and finally the bassist.
"What did you think?" Jett asks as we all sit around the table again.
"You guys are incredible!" I smile at him, "Dylan showed me your guys' cover of Emotions! Amazing!"
"Thank you," Jett smiles like he already knows he's the shit. It makes me kinda cringe on the inside.
Dylan and Mikey fall into their own conversation catching up. I hear parts of the conversation, evidently they went to high school together.
I just sit and listen to the boys around me talk while I sip on my drink.
"So," Jett says sliding next to me after he and Ruben go to get more drinks, "You and Dyl?"
Dylan's disappeared to the bathroom.
"What about us?" I ask suddenly feeling very sober. Something about this guy makes me want to run. He looks like Coachella circa 2016 threw up a member of Mötley Crüe and he kinda smells like cigarettes.
"Are you two dating? Just sleeping together?"
"Wow," a bit straight forward there, "Uhm how about it's none of your business."
"Feisty," he smirks taking a sip of his beer.
"I'm gonna go use the bathroom," I say sliding out of the booth on the other side.
I make my way through the crowded bar. I just need a second alone, and maybe a water.
"Makenzie?" Dylan's voice makes me stop and look up at him. He's walking out of the hallway where the bathrooms are.
"Hey," I force a smile, "I'm gonna hit the bathroom, I'll be back out there in a second."
"You good?" He asks obviously skeptical.
"Yeah," I smile at him, "I think I just might need to cut myself off," I chuckle.
"I'll grab you a water?"
"Yes please, thank you."
After a long wait for the bathroom and cautiously using the sticky bar bathroom, I make my way back out to the table.
"Hey," Dylan smiles at me, "We're gonna head back to the boy's place to just hang out, you wanna come?"
"Sure," I shrug. Maybe getting out of the crowded bar will make me relax a bit.