We're Almost There

14. I Got This Feeling You Were Thinking About How Sexy I Am.

Fourteen

Erin

Erin was in her room, finishing getting ready for dinner at Kenzie's. She had promised to try and talk with her parents and do what she could so that they might loosen up.

With a snap of her fingers, a casserole appeared in her hand. "That'll do," she muttered to herself, and teleported to the Coleman's doorstep.

She rang the door bell and a man in his mid forties with distracted greyish blue eyes opened the door. He seemed confused to see a girl with a casserole standing on his porch. "Um..." he started, "sorry but I don't have any money..."

Erin laughed, and Kenzie's father smiled, the hardness in his jaw settling.

She held out her hand. "My name is Erin White. I'm McKenzie's best friend and I was invited to dinner with the three of you."

David Coleman shook Erin's hand. "Oh, oh yeah. I remember you. C'mon in, Erin."

She nodded politely and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Kenzie's house was nice. Hardwood floors all around with an open living room that connects to the kitchen. Erin set down the casserole on the countertop.

"McKenzie's in her room, if you wanna head on up there," her father said aimlessly as he opened something on his phone.

"Alright," Erin said and walked up the stairs.

Along the wall, there were pictures of the Coleman family. One that particularly caught Erin's attention was one of Kenzie's parents, Kenzie, and her brother.

Erin knew of Adam, but seeing him even in what had to be a six year old picture made him seem more real. He looked exactly like Mr. Coleman, but visibly happier. Adam had a big smile on his face and an arm wrapped around ten year old Kenzie's shoulders. Erin had to wonder why Adam made the decision to leave when he seemed to be so content. Shaking off the thought, Erin opened the panel in the low ceiling to Kenzie's room and unfolded the metal stairs.

As soon as she entered, Erin was greeted my music, the sound of a man with a raspy voice singing a song Erin couldn't help but be unable to recognize. And Kenzie was dancing to it.

"With the lights out, it's less dangerous! Here we are now, entertain us! I feel stupid and contagious! Here we are now, entertain us!"

Erin couldn't say she enjoyed the music, but it wasn't bad or anything. Kenzie's eyes were closed as she twirled around and did all kinds of moves Erin hadn't seen before. At one point, Kenzie must've taken too big a step or something because she stumbled. Still not having noticed Erin, Kenzie recomposed herself and turned off her computer, from where the music was blasting. "Great. Just great," Kenzie muttered, anger and sarcasm mixed together to form her statement.

Erin pulled herself the rest of the way up into Kenzie's room and cleared her throat.

Kenzie quickly spun around, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights, but returned to normal when she realized it was just Erin. "Hi," Kenzie muttered, tugging on her shirtsleeve and eyeing the floor.

"You-" Erin faltered. "You alright, Kenz?"

Kenzie laughed then, a cold, obviously forced laugh. "Never better."

Erin walked over to her, not sure what to say. "Uh, what's going on?"

Kenzie wouldn't look Erin in the eyes. "I guess... I was thinking about Ally. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Turns out I don't like thinking very much." Kenzie knit her eyebrows like she was trying to make her own sense of what she just said.