The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter Fifty

I stretch my arms above my head as I lean back in my seat, looking across the parking lot to the door of the restaurant to the beat up van that's parked on my right. I can't help but smile as I watch the sun set over the tops of the building across the street. Lacrosse practice went perfectly today. I'm back to being my coach's golden boy. My friends...well they were shitting on me all day for getting a girlfriend. But they can go fuck themselves for all I care. They're just pissed because most of they are single.

My smile grows even wider as that thought crosses my mind. I got a girlfriend. Kenedi is my girlfriend.

I tap a random beat on the steering wheel as I look back at the door again, waiting for Kenedi to get off of work. I mean, waiting for my girlfriend to get off work. Because I have a girlfriend now. And that's what boyfriends do. I laugh quietly to myself as I shake my head.

God I'm a fucking mess.

But my smile doesn't stop as I think back on today. Sure it was awkward during school; with the not so subtle whispers that followed me around the entire day, the pointed looks which questioned my sanity, the continuous laughter that was probably at my expense.

But the fact that Kenedi was waiting for me at my locker after school made all of that shit worth it. Maybe those full, pale red lips wishing me luck at practice is what made me do so well today. My coach even pulled me aside as I was walking back to the locker room and told me he was glad I "pulled my head from out of my ass".

As I look back to the restaurant door for the fifth time in as many seconds my phone starts to ring from the center console. I look at the screen to see Alan's name popping up. I groan as I hesitate to pick it up, wondering if he's calmed down from his little blow up earlier.

I answer it on the last ring. "Hello?"

"Hey man," Alan says after a second. "Where you at?"

"That barbeque place in town," I reply, not explaining exactly why I'm here.

"Oh..." Alan is quiet for a few moments, the sound of shuffling echoing from the other end. "Listen man, I'm sorry about earlier and everything. I just need to take a step back or something."

"A step back would be good." I agree, losing interest in the conversation as I look at the clock and then out the window.

"Yeah. I know I won't be able to convince you not to date her anymore." He continues. "I was just trying to look out for what's best for you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know mom," I laugh, rolling my eyes at his protective nature.

"Whatever man, you get the point." He laughs too, probably rolling his eyes from wherever he is. "I gotta go, but I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

I look out the window and see Kenedi finally walking across the parking lot; the streetlights bouncing off her kinky black hair. "Yeah I gotta go, too."

I hang up on Alan as I get out of my car, unable to contain the grin on my face as I lean back against the shiny black door and watch her walk toward me.

She smiles as she looks up and spots me. "Hey you!"

"Hey ba-uh-you-um—Kenedi." My smile falls slightly as the awkward greeting fumbles out of my mouth.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Instead of rolling her eyes while cracking a joke at my expense like I expected she giggles softly as she walks up to me, stopping so close that our clothes brush against each other.

"Why are you so awkward?" She asks, staring deeply into my eyes.

I flounder for an answer before I finally admit I don't have one. "I have no idea."

She doesn't respond to that, her head cocking to the side and her eyes lighting up despite the darkness enveloping the parking lot. "Are you still nervous around me, Shills?"

I don't have an answer for that either.

"I don't want you to be." She purses her lips even more; causing my eyes to flicker down to the plump flesh a few inches away from my own lips. "You shouldn't be."

I nod hesitantly, trying to figure out if the reason she is so close to me is because she wants me to kiss her. Should I kiss her? I mean I haven't kissed her since that one time at her house when her parents walked in and that was...beyond awkward. Before I even get the chance to move in for a kiss she is already pulling away from me, turning her back to lean against my BMW beside me.

"So, how did your friends take the news today?" She asks, a knowing laugh barely hidden from her voice.

"Better than I expected." I laugh, remembering the animated outbursts that I've encountered throughout the entire day. "Yours?"

"From all the yelling at my lunch table you'd think World War III started! So yeah, it was exactly as I expected." Her head rolls back to look up at the darkening sky, before it rolls to the side and rests on my shoulder. "But it seems like they've more or less accepted it."

I try to mask the surprise on my face as I stare ahead at the concrete sides of the restaurant. "They accepted it?"

She nods, her fluffy hair tickling my neck.

"So...we're really doing this, huh?" I can't stop the question from tumbling from my lips.

But once it's out there, I don't regret it. I feel like I needed to ask her this. Kenedi doesn't respond for a while, staring at the restaurant in silence. A swirling energy of anxiety builds from within me, forcing me to think of everything that could possibly be running through her mind right now. But I never expected the words that follow.

"If you want to back out do it now." Her voice is cold, almost emotionless, as she refuses to look at me. I gape at the profile of her face as she continues talking. "Don't spare my feelings. If you just rip the band-aid off I'll respect you more in the future."

I clamp my mouth closed as I see that she's trying to hide the same uncertainty from her face that is rolling inside of me. What the hell is she talking about? Does she want me to—

I grind my teeth together angrily as I push off of the car suddenly, rolling so that my body is flush against hers once more. Her chin jerks up as she stares at me in surprise at my sudden move. I lower my lips down to hers, although I don't have to go far. Her lips shape perfectly against mine, gently matching every twist and gasp of my own. A minute later I pull away, my head swimming as I try to draw in some air.

"How's that for a band-aid?" I whisper against her lips, barely resisting the temptation to go back in for another. Instead I give her some space again, moving back to my earlier position leaning against the car next to her.

The silence between us is peaceful.

Natural.

Perfect.

"So, we're really doing this?" She asks hesitantly.

I nod, reaching out blindly to grab her hand that is softly brushing against the leg of my joggers. Kenedi nods back, accepting my silent gesture as an answer.

"If we're gonna do this I'm going to need you to be one hundred with me. This relationship is between you and me. Not everyone else at Alpine High." She turns to face me now, bringing our intertwined hands between our chests as she steps as close as she possibly can, our bodies flush in this dark corner of the parking lot. "That's the only way this is going to work Jude. I'm not going to be in a relationship with you if it's going to be like all this drama and unnecessary shit that's happened over the last two months."

I nod at that, my messy hair flipping forward slightly to mix with her voluminous fro. "It'll be just us."

Her smile blinds me momentarily before she leans in for another soft kiss. Kenedi pulls back just enough to whisper a promise into my lips.

"Just us."