Once Upon A Dime (hiatus)

19. Promises and Proposals

"I like getting orange flavored drinks from here."

"Kendall."

"No, I swear! They're really good."

"Kendall-"

"You really should try-"

"Kenny! Stop changing the subject!" I whine, pounding my sweaty palms atop the hardly polished surface just above my lap. I grimace at him, and he gives me a smug expression. "God, Kenny. Where can I even start? Why... Why don't you start?"

"You're really not going to let up, are you?" He smiles sadly, shaking his head back and forth. A chunk of my swollen heart breaks off at his low expectations, and my mood turns fiery with rage. How dare he think that I would stoop as low as to kiss him and then wave him off?

"No." I state firmly, peering into his eyes. I can see how nonchalant he's trying to be, but on the inside, it looks like he's been the happiest he's been in a long time.

"Jenny... You don't understand." He brings a set of cold fingers through his distressed hair, and sighs deeply. "If... If I give in and tell you, you won't be able to back out any-"

"I don't want to back out." I snatch his hands away, gripping them intently in mine. He looks shocked for half of a second, before a full out smile breaks onto his face. He then shoos it away, and casts his gaze downwards with his drooping bangs shielding him from me. His fingers begin to constrict around mine, squeezing all the tighter.

"I should have told you earlier. Either that, or just got away from you sooner." He laughs lowly, gazing at my eyes through the slits in his hair. "Okay. Here goes nothing..."

"It started when I was about 7. Dad started showing signs of.... yeah. At that time, he already got married to his 2nd wife, Pam, or as she said, Pammy!"

He groans at the mere recollection of whoever this woman may be, and I do a terrible job at holding back a chuckle.

How... How am I already laughing? I feel like I should be crying. Dying. Praying. Maybe.. Maybe I'm just too happy to see him. Too happy.

"As soon as she found out Pop had it, she went berserk, and got a divorce, taking half of everythin' we got, as well as half of the rights to me. Not like she gives a flying fuck, though."

"Awww. How could someone not care about someone as cuuuuuute as you?" I gabble, poking his nose with the edge of my finger. He scowls under his hair, blooming a reddish color. He looks away with a cold, embarrassed expression on his face. "Aw! You're blushing!"

"Am not!" He snaps, folding his arms in front of him, and turning away so I can only see his scarlet ears.

.... I'm only going to get him for myself until... when were the tests taken? Oh, right. September 1st. So... One year..

Oh, God. That's almost six months now. Six months until he stops breathing, his heart stops pumping, and he.... he....

I bite on my hand until I can taste blood spurting up from my sharp wounds, reopening a bit of the healing, vulnerable scab from Griffin's party bash 2010 style. I feel hot tears trickle down my cheeks, and I look anywhere except at Kenny, who's still turned, thank God. Don't turn around... Don't watch me cry.. Please.

Damnit.

His shoulder begins to rotate slowly, his eyes latching onto mine. They fly open faster than a bullet flies from a gun, and he immediately stands tall from his seat, and prances over to me. He links his hands beneath my arm pits, and hoists me to my feet, hauling me out the door and into the crisp, winter air.