The Kents

Fourteen

"We'll talk... We'll talk... We'll talk." I repeat in mind. I stop before I climb the stairs and give that "Talk" a thoughtful moment... Will he ceasefire? What'll he talk about? I bet it'll just be another one of our fights. I bury the thought at the back of my mind and look for Stacey.

Erik meets me halfway up the stairs and his face looks frustrated.

"What happened?" I ask him. He gives me an unsure smile.

"That was a total shut off..." He chuckles. WHAT?!

"What do you mean?" I block him before he descends further.

"She doesn't want to go out with me alright?!" His voice escalates and I take a cautious step backwards nearly tripping... Until his arm was wrapped around me and he started laughing his hilarious breathy laugh.

"What the fuck Erik?!" I slap his arm as hard as I can but he doesn't even flinch.

"You get scared easily. She didn't shut me off Emma... She just said she won't go out and leave you on your own here..." He explains with a smirk.

"You better get in there and tell her you don't mind or I'll leave you to trip and die." He threateningly loosens his grip. I forgot I've allowed my weight to depend on his arm.

"Fine! I knew she would never shut you off! Now move let me give that girl a lesson about how to pretend to be hard to get, harder than that." I laugh and he rolls his eyes amusedly.

"Tell her we leave in 30 minutes." He calls from the base of the stairs.

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"Stacey, what the fuck?" I start to tell a pacing-back-and-forth, finger-biting Stacey Abraham.

"You won't leave me alone in MY OWN house? Seriously?" I grasp at my stomach from laughter.

"Shut up okay? I couldn't think of anything else Emma he is so HOT!!!!" She speaks with that speed of hers that always uses up all my hearing sense power.

"Well, I don't want you to panic but he's expecting you to get ready in like... thirty?" I take a cautious step backward when I feel her hands grip me stiffer at the shoulders.

"Oh god!" She takes a dramatic leap towards the closet nearly diving into it.

My phone pings and I retrieve it from my pocket.

"Oh look at that! He's like; "The dress she's in would be just perfect for where I am taking her..." I stop as I read a sentence that he has put between brackets; "(It'll be easier to take off, save time and all...) DO NOT TELL HER THAT!"" I cough stifling a laugh at his dirty joke and decide to text him back.

"Don't you dare talk dirty about my friend now Kent!" And I add a ridiculous face with a gun pointed back towards the face.

"That's it?" Stacey asks taking a step toward me. I lock the phone and nod. I sigh when she looks like she believes me.

"Seriously?" She glances down at her dress and then shrugs.

"Okay. One step down, a million left to go!" She panics.

I sit there and watch her curl her beautiful hazel hair, apply some make up, sooth her dress for the millionth time, until she was finally ready to go.

"What do you think?" She performs her flattering pirouette.

"Stunning! As usual." I hold my arms out for her. We hug and when I release her she looks like she was about to throw this whole thing out the window.