ISAIAH
Asking Kennedy out on a date is turning out to be more of a hustle than I imagined. First she got sick and I went to visit her. I didn't intend to ask her out that day when she was so vulnerable but the moment felt right. She was giving me all the right signals and just as I was about to her parents came home and it was clear from the go that they did not like me. Maybe it's because I'm black or because I had Ruby with me and they don't like animals in their home. Whatever it was, they couldn't get rid of me fast enough. I left peacefully to avoid causing Kennedy any more strain than she was already in because of her illness.
Then we travelled for an away game and I haven't seen her all week. We were in constant communication calling and texting the whole time but it's not the same as when we are in person. We haven't had the chance to properly talk about that day or discuss the way forward with our relationship.
Nothing seems to be going right but I am not letting any of that deter me because I finally have my chance. Senior lock-in night. It happens every year, a week before Thanksgiving. All seniors gather at the school for a night of fun, food, games and great music. It's like a massive sleepover, a last supper kinda thing, a meal shared between all seniors. Each student signs up for a dish that they are going to bring and the school provides the drinks plus the space. Then we all sit down together share the meal, play lots of games, listen to music, dance the night away and finally sleep in the gymnasium.
We obviously have chaperones but they don't really bother us knowing that teenagers will be teenagers.
Our theme for this year is Casino Night but instead of dressing all fancy, we are doing it in our pajamas which I think is so much better. I'll leave the tux wearing for prom night and graduation.
The cafeteria is already abuzz with activity when I enter carrying the dish I registered to bring. I walk up to Miss June who is signing in all the food to make sure each student does their part. She checks me in and just as I'm about to set it down with the rest I am attacked from behind. I nearly topple over but I manage to catch myself before I spill my food.
"Boys no playing around the food?" Miss June scolds.
"Sorry Miss June." Wesley the culprit apologizes.
I scowl at him and set the food down.
"Is that Mama Khalil's famous casserole?" He asks peeping over my shoulder at the covered bowl.
"Nope, it's spaghetti and hot dogs made by yours truly." I reply.
A frown mars his face at my reply. "Shucks, I was really looking forward to your moms casserole."
"She's not in New York so she couldn't make it, sorry dude." I console.
Mom left for a conference before I came back from my away game so I haven't seen her in a couple of days. She felt bad not being around to help me cook the meal I was bringing but I assured her that it was okay. I already know how to cook thanks to her so I had things handled.
"That's fine, you're not so terrible in the kitchen so you'll have to do." Wesley relents.
"I'll have you know that I'm great at it." I declare.
"Sure you are." He mocks. "Anyway where's Kennedy?" He inquires looking around.
"In my back pocket." I answer sarcastically.
"Where? I can't see her." He says looking around until my words register in his brain and he frowns. "You are a douche."
I laugh ducking away before he can hit me. "We're not glued to the hip you know." I remind him.
"You might as well be. You see each other at school, work and possibly elsewhere too." He bites back.
He is not wrong but it's good to see that his words aren't bitter. I'm sure he still has lingering feelings for Kennedy but he accepted that she doesn't like him back and he is moving on. I have my best friend back and I couldn't be happier. Now when I ask Kennedy out I know we will have his blessing. I wouldn't want to choose between my best friend and the girl I like.
"Dude chill she's not here yet. There's still time. Why are you so excited for her to get here anyway?" I ask him.
"That's for her to know and you to find out." He grins hoping from foot to foot excitedly.
"Fine with me. I'm going to get my sleeping bag from my car." I say and excuse myself.
I drove today because Parker couldn't drop me off. He had to stay home with Cairo and I didn't want to take the subway today. I arrive in the parking lot just as a silver Bentley is pulling up. A familiar old guy in a suit gets out and unlocks the back door for an even more familiar mop of red hair.
"Butler drop offs now. You ready to come out with the truth?" I ask Kennedy.
She's startled by my voice but once she looks around and spots me, she relaxes.
"Hi Iz." She waves shyly smiling at me.
I haven't seen her in more than a week so I can't resist pulling her in for a hug. She giggles when I straighten up with her in my arms, her legs lifting off the ground.
"I feel like I haven't see you in forever. I missed you." I confess.
Maybe Wesley is right, we should be glued to the hip because I see her everyday and when I don't something feels wrong with my day.
"I missed you too. Congratulations on your wins." She answers.
I finally set her down though I want to hug her much longer but it would be inappropriate as Glynn is around watching us.
"Thank you, you look better than the last time I saw you." I comment.
"Last time you saw me I looked like death but the flu is gone and I'm back to my regular old self." She grins twirling around happily.
"Good, I'm happy to see you all better. So what's with the butler?" I ask her looking at Glynn who's watching our whole interaction silently.
"He wouldn't let me take the bus so if anyone asks he's an uber driver. Plus I didn't want to ride the subway with all the food plus my sleeping bag and blanket." She explains.
"Makes sense, need help?" I ask her.
"Yes please." She replies and we round to the trunk of the car.
"Hello Glynn." I greet the kind older gentleman.
"Good evening sir." He replies politely.
"Sir? I like you Glynn." I grin.
I've never met a butler before and Glynn is a delight.
"The feeling is mutual." He answers making me smile wider.
"At least one person in that house likes me." I comment recalling my interaction with her parents.
"I like you." Kennedy speaks up.
"Two for two, I can handle those odds." I grin happily.
I'm counting on the fact that she does like me because tonight is the night we take our relationship to the next level.
"Plus you haven't met my sister yet and I know that she will like you as well." Kennedy adds.
"3-2... The odds are in my favor and I take that as a win." I declare happily.
She laughs and turns to retrieve her sleeping bag from the trunk. She hands it to me and her backpack while Glynn hands her the tupperware with her home made meal.
"You two have a goodnight. Miss I'll pick you up tomorrow." Glynn expresses once Kennedy has everything she needs for the lock-in.
"Okay Glynn, thank you." She replies and immediately an idea pops into my mind.
"Is it okay if I drop you off instead? I drove here so Glynn doesn't have to make the trip." I offer.
"It's no bother really, it's my job." Glynn butts in.
"Yes but I'm already here and we'll be going the way." I respond.
"It's up to you miss." Glynn says and we both turn to Kennedy.
She doesn't even take a moment to think about it and says. "Iz will drop me off, thanks Glynn."
I grin victoriously that she has chosen me even on such a miniscule thing.
"My pleasure, have a lovely time." Glynn wishes with a polite bow.
"Drive back safe." Kennedy replies and we both step back.
Glynn gets in behind the wheel and a minute later he is gone. Kennedy waits while I get my sleeping bag from my car as well so we can walk in together.
"So what did you bring?" I ask her eyeing the tupperware in her hands as we enter the school building.
"Pot roast. Glynn made it because as you know I'm useless in the kitchen. Were it left to me I'd have brought pizza." She answers.
"The guys would have loved that and yes I do remember your terrible cooking skills. If I do recall correctly you were to marry me so I can cook for you for the rest of our lives." I remind her.
"Yes I was but you demanded a diamond ring and its on back order. Please be patient with me." She requests with a teasing grin.
"I am." I chuckle.
We enter the noisy cafeteria and she signs in her meal. Afterwards we seek out our friends after I tell her that Wesley has been eagerly awaiting her arrival.
"Finally! I've been waiting for you all night!" Wesley declares once he sees her.
He picks her up in a hug that has her lifting her feet off the floor. If I was an insecure guy, their affection would drive me crazy. But I know it's how their relationship has been from the beginning and I can't stop them from being friends. Wesley has already stepped back to allow us the freedom to be together so he is not a threat. Plus I'm not her boyfriend. Yet. I'm working on changing that tonight.
"I'm here now Wes. What's up?" Kennedy asks when he sets her down.
Wesley reaches into his back pocket and retrieves a piece of paper. He hands it to Kennedy and her eyes light up a moment later when she sees what's on it.
"Wes this is incredible." She cheers and hugs him again.
I am confused so I take the piece of paper from her and its his results. He has all A's and B's except for one C in Chemistry. He's not a huge fan of Mrs. Turner so I understand why he got a C in her subject. Overall his grades are impressive, a huge improvement from his last report card. Now I understand why he was so eager to see Kennedy.
"I wouldn't have been able to do it without you, so thank you." He expresses.
"You are welcome, I'm proud of you Wes." Kennedy replies.
"Congratulations Wes." I say giving him back his report card.
Our conversation is interrupted when the dinner bell is rung. It means that everyone has arrived, the doors are closed and the lock-in has begun. The cafeteria has been arranged in rows like the dining hall in Harry Potter with all the food set up on the tables like one giant feast.
"This is gonna be great. I'm gonna eat so much and only stop when I'm about to get sick." Wesley declares. "And even then I might not stop."
He's not kidding so we find the rest of our friends and sit down. Dinner is great, a bit messy because a few food fights break out but they are quickly squashed by our chaperones and order is restored. Nothing is left uneaten and we all have a wonderful meal together.
We move to the casino part of the night and because everyone is full from dinner, the hoodies and jackets come off. I notice that some of the girls are dressed scandalously in the tiniest shorts and see through nighties. There was a dress code but it's definitely not being adhered to. Kennedy is in a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants. It's humbling to see someone who can afford to be dressed in the finest silk wear something as simple as sweatpants and a baggy tee.
Instead of money we are playing for candy and its amazing. After a few rounds our group switches up to Go fish for the fun of it because Kristie has won all our candy from us and we've got nothing left to play with.
"Guys don't be such sore losers. It's not my fault that you suck." Kristie laughs at us, her lap full of candy.
All she gets are grunts in response because we all feel hustled but it's all in good fun.
"Can I have one of those?" Kennedy asks Kristie pointing at one of her ring pops.
"Five dollars." Kristie replies.
Kennedy doesn't even blink and gives her five dollars even though its not even worth a tenth of that.
Kristie gapes at her surprised that she's agreed so easily and gives her a red one. I have no idea what's running through Kennedy's mind until she unwraps it and turns to me. My jaw drops when she goes down on one knee infront of me.
"Isaiah Khalil Carter... "
"What is happening right now?" Wesley asks voicing what everyone else including me is thinking.
Then I recall our ongoing marriage joke so I can cook for her forever and it all clicks. I close my mouth now that I know what's going on and decide to play along.
"Yes ..."
"Ever since you first cooked for me I fell in love with your cooking. I'm useless in the kitchen but you're patient with me even though I can barely chop a tomato. I want to enjoy your cooking for the rest of our lives so will you marry me and be my chef for life?" Kennedy asks with the biggest grin on her face.
"Yes, it will be my honor." I reply.
She smiles, takes my left hand and slides it into my pinky finger because it won't fit into my ring finger. The hole is too small and I have big hands. She kisses the back of my hand and gets to her feet. I stand as well and hug her since we can't kiss. Not that I don't want to, it's something I think about a lot but it's not the right time for it.
"What the hell just happened?" Wesley asks when we sit back down.
"We are engaged." I reply showing off my ring.
"What?!" He demands looking even more confused.
"It's obviously an inside joke between them. Care to explain?" Baron asks.
"Do I or will you?" Kennedy asks me.
"You do it, I'm too mesmerized by my new ring." I grin making her chuckle.
I've given her the floor so she can tell the story how she wants to. I don't want to say anything wrong because she still hasn't told our friends that she's an heiress to the richest family in New York. I promised her that I wouldn't tell them and I am sticking to my word.
"Are you sure that you two are just friends because there is a lot of chemistry going on there?" Kristie asks once Kennedy is done giving them the edited version of the story.
She doesn't lie to them, she just omits why I was in her house in the first place. She plays it off as a regular hang out between us which it turned out to be after I was over the initial shock of just how wealthy her family is and who she really is.
"I know but we both agreed that we're better off as friends." Kennedy smiles at me and her words lack the usual convinction when she says that statement.
"Well you shouldn't be." Baron says and everyone else agrees with him.
This is my chance. If I don't take it, I might as well forget ever getting off the friendzone.
I stand up and hold my hand out for her. "Berry take a walk with me?"
She doesn't even question me and takes my hand. I help her stand and our friends immediately start hooting and cheering. This makes Kennedy blush and hide her face behind her hair.
"You guys are dorks." I comment as we walk away from them.
We try a few doors trying to find somewhere private to talk and all the classes are closed except for art class. Kennedy and I sit in her usual spot in class where she's working on a half done landscape drawing.
I am nervous as fuck and Kennedy deduces as much so she eases the tension by speaking first.
"I know we already talked about it but I'm sorry about how my parents treated you that day when you came over to check up on me with Ruby." She apologizes.
It's the first time we're seeing each other since it happened so I anticipated she was going to bring it up one way or another.
"It's okay." I assure her.
"No it's not. They were being assholes and you know it." She responds.
"Don't speak of your parents like that." I scold.
"What? It's true and why are you defending them when they were so mean to you?" She asks me.
I shrug. "Kill them with kindness."
"You're too good for this world." She chuckles pinning her hair up with one of her pencils.
"Berry if I reacted negatively to every person who looked down at me because of the color of my skin or the work that I do, I'd be filled with so much hatred and anger I'd probably be in prison right now." I express honestly.
She stops what she's doing and takes my hand in hers. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For the fact that the world is so full prejudice and chaos. And the fact that I'll never understand what it's like to walk even a mile in your shoes." She explains.
"They are too big for you anyway." I reply with a grin.
"Iz I'm being serious."
"Me too. Seriously Berry it's okay. I'm used to it and besides for all the bad there's good as well which leads to balance. You are not like your parents and that makes up for it." I reassure her.
She's perfect in every way and I am surprised that someone as good as her came from people like them.
"Have they always been like this?" I ask her because I want to understand more about how she grew up.
She smiles sadly and nods. "Yes, try dealing with them your whole life. I feel like my mom sometimes regrets having kids."
That statement makes me frown. "What do you mean?"
"They are never around and she's never been even remotely motherly towards me. She is always trying to change me in one way or another." She explains.
"Like when she made you dye your hair at five years old." I recall.
Is that even legal? Kennedy's red hair is gorgeous and a part of her personality. I recall how different she looks from when I met her at Oakland and I prefer the real her. Not that she wasn't beautiful then but this her is more authentic.
"Yes. Tragic right? What kind of mother does that? And its goes past the hair dying to other things. One day I just got fed up trying to please her and being so perfect and started rebelling. I had a good three year run until it landed me in Pine View. Now I just want to graduate, go to college and never come back here." She confesses.
"I'm sorry." I reply.
"For what?" She echoes my words.
"Everything. I had it pretty rough growing up but I always had my moms love. I don't know what I'd do without her." I explain.
My mom has always been my rock and still is.
"I'm jealous. I wish I had that relationship with my mother. My father isn't so bad but he's not winning any dad of the year awards. But at least I have my sister." She says with a fond smile.
"That's the second time you're mentioning her tonight. Now I want to meet this great sister of yours." I reply.
"You just might one day soon depending on the direction our relationship takes." She answers with a smile and I remember that reason why we came into the art room in the first place.
I'm not nervous anymore so it's now or never as she's given me another opening. I turn her hand in mine and link our fingers together. We fit so well together so I know I'm making the right decision. My eyes meet hers and she's giving me the same look she had on before her parents interrupted us. She wants this as well.
"Berry ..." I start my voice a bit shaky so I cough to clear it.
"Yes ..."
"I know we already had this conversation and agreed that we are better off a friends but honestly I can't do it anymore. We've become closer ever since we had that conversation and even though I said that I wasn't ready to have a girlfriend, I was just afraid then. I still am but my feelings for you are bigger than my fear. I like you so much and being your friend isn't enough anymore. I want more, I want to call you mine and I want to show you off to the world as my girl. Will you do me the honor of going out with me?" I ask.
For the fun of it, I take off the ring pop she gave me and hold it out for her. She laughs and hold out her left hand for me.
"Yes Isaiah, I will go out with you." She agrees with a smile.
I slide the ring into her finger and kiss the back of her hand my elation knowing no bounds now that she's agreed to go out with me. The ring fits perfectly because she has dainty hands.
I want to kiss her so bad right now but decide to wait until our first date.
We make our way back to the cafeteria hand in hand and its all our friends need to see to know what has just happened. They make a big deal out it and even though Wesley is happy for us he feels left out.
"Now I'm officially the fifth wheel." He grumbles.
"I'm sorry Wes, I'm sure the perfect girl for you will make her way to you soon." Kennedy consoles.
"She's definitely not in Pine View, believe me I've looked. It's all for the best anyway, I need to focus on my studies and getting that scholarship to UCLA. I'll have better luck in college." He replies.
"Yes you will." We all encourage him.
He gets over his glum mood and we get to the festivities of the night. The lock-in is a success and we have all have a great time.
In the morning I drop Kennedy off at home after one of the best nights ever. My highlight of the lock-in is asking Kennedy out and her saying yes. Our relationship is finally moving forward and I cannot wait to see where it goes after this but first I've got to plan the best first date ever. It's my first time doing all of this but I'm excited because I know everything is going to be perfect.