WICKED { #Wattys2016 }

Chapter Sixteen: A lesbian and a penis candle

Thursday at lunch, Cordelia, Ethan, Kendra, and Tiana all decided to head to Practical Magik after school. Ever since Cordelia had told them about her first and only visit they'd been interested, so they finally made plans to go in Ethan's prius.

"He said what?!" Kendra all but yelled from the front seat after Cordelia finally spilled the beans about her confrontation with Kyle the other day.

"Don't distract the driver." Ethan  said sternly from the driver's seat. Kendra's only response was when she stuck her tongue out, before returning her attention to Cordelia.

Feeling awkward under Kendra and Tiana's watchful gazes, she played with the hem of her shirt. "It seemed so random. But it was obviously something that had been bothering him for awhile." She sighed, and rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine coming on.

Her fight with Kyle, paired with her lack of sleep had her feeling extra drained. Last night she had woken up screaming from yet another night terror. She had been shaking like a leaf, long after her parents ran to check on her.

"He was upset. Worried even." She added, hoping that would be enough to satisfy her friends.

Tiana shook her head, "What a dick." She said incredulously.

Kendra didn't move. Her dark eyes were still trained on Cordelia as she bit her lip, obviously making some kind of decision.

"What." Cordelia frowned, "What is it Ken. Spill."

Kendra sighed, "It wasn't random..."

Cordelia furrowed her brows even more, and looked around the car.

Tiana seemed to have just realised what Kendra was trying to say.

Ethan had his eyes on the road, but he seemed to know what Kendra was going to say.

"Just...promise me you won't say anything till i'm done talking?" Kendra asked, biting her lip.

Cordelia almost said 'To hell with that!' but she figured that wouldn't go over well. She didn't like it, but she nodded in agreement anyways.

"Kyle has had a major crush on you for years." She finally blurted out.

Cordelia's mouth openned to say something (she wasn't quite sure what) but she remembered she'd promised Kendra to keep her trap shut, so she decided to hear her out.

Kendra waited, to see whether or not Cordelia would make good on her promise. When she did, Kendra continued with a nod of thanks.

"He's been harbouring and nursing a crush on you for years, and God only knows why he never did anything about it but he didn't. Then this good-looking guy rolls into town and has girls swooning left and right. But Kyle doesn't care. Until Cal takes an interest in you, and you seem to take an interest in him. That doesn't bode well with Kyle. So he's jealous. Then the circles start, and he sees his friends board onto the Cal train, which includes people we don't even like. And ontop of it there's the whole circle thing. Is it really surprising that someone as stubborn, conventional, as Kyle would hate it?"

Cordelia's jaw dropped.

"You can talk now." Kendra added.

"I-I don't know what to say..." She trailed off, running her fingers through her hair. "Shit." She swore loudly, craddling her knees to her chest. "Am I an idiot or what?"