The Kings of Kentworth

71.

On the fifth day of thier visit to Paris, Mrs Clarice thought it wouldn't be complete without a visit to the souvenir market and fair. The fair grounds were filled with people who, understandably, were predominantly tourists; People buying souvenirs from those who were selling them.

Lenny and Stephanie walked side by side without speaking to each other for almost thirty minutes. Stephanie looked to the side and saw a pretty lady pose for a sketch artist and couldn't help but smile. She turned to Lenny in a playful manner and tugged on his arm like a child asking for candy. "Let's get sketched," she said.

Lenny looked in the direction of the artist and his client and then frowned.

"Nah. Thanks. I'm good."

Stephanie's face dropped. "Why?"

"I'm not really good at sitting in one place for too long. My ass would get numb easily."

Stephanie gave him an incredulous look. She wasn't buying his crap; not one bit. She had known him since they were nine. Something was obviously bothering him. "Lenny," she pulled on his arm gently to stop him from moving.

He stopped, then turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"You know you can talk to me, right?" The sympathy in her voice was unmistakable. Lenny kept his green eyes on her blue ones for a while, before a kind smile played out gently on his lips. It always warmed his heart whenever she showed concern for his well-being. Truth be told, their friendship had made his life a lot easier; a lot more interesting. He didn't know what he would have been able to do without her.

Stephanie was his best friend, his second half; she was family. A lot of people, most of all, the mindless teenage boys blinded by their testosterone overdose, thought their relationship was weird.

"If you're not fucking her, dude, what the fuck are you doing with her?" One of the condescending morons in Lenny's Biology class had asked him at one time. But he was use to ignoring them now. How those Neanderthals always thought about sex, always baffled him. He raised his fingers to her face and pulled a strand of her red hair behind her right ear.

On a normal day, telling her he accidentally ran into a naked girl wouldn't be a problem. They would just laugh it off and she would make fun of him, but there was something about this particular situation that wasn't funny to him. He didn't want them to laugh about it. He didn't want it to look like a joke and he didn't know why, or was it because it was Lisa?

The sight of Lisa from that night flashed in his head and Lenny's sudden arousal annoyed him. He spun away from Stephanie. "Stop it," Lenny growled loudly. Something he didn't intend to say out loud.

Stephanie's eye brows furrowed in confusion as she eyed her best friend. "What's wrong?"

Lenny suddenly turned to face her with apologetic eyes as he moved close to her and held her shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry. Sorry, I just..." Lenny paused and then his eyes landed on something in the distance not far from where they were standing.

Stephanie followed his gaze and her eyes landed on no one else but Lisa; smiling ever so brightly and walking hand in hand with Trevor. She turned back to Lenny, dropped her shoulders and sighed.

"What?" Lenny uttered, looking defensive all of a sudden.

"I didn't say anything," she shrugged with a mischievous grin on her face. She was expecting a shy smile from Lenny, but she was slightly disappointed when it didn't come. Lenny kept a straight face and watched Stephanie's smile slowly dissolve into that of worry.

He glanced at Lisa one last time, before he looked down at his best friend. "I-ehm-I'm going to get a drink."

Stephanie had never heard Lenny speak in such a tone before; not since his grand-mother's funeral a few years ago. Her smile came back quickly again as she reached for his arm. "Cool," she said. "I could use a drink."

"No," Lenny's reply made Stephanie pause and her smile fell immediately. "I need to be alone for a while."

"Lenny, come on," she said as she came close to him and searched his green eyes. "Talk to me."

Lenny gave a weak smile and caressed her cheek. "It's okay," he said. He looked over in Lisa's direction just in time to see her kiss Trevor, before he looked back at Stephanie; the pain in his eyes, as clear as day. He kissed Stephanie's forehead and started to back away. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

Stephanie held herself from going after him. She didn't want to piss him off. Whatever was bothering Lenny, it wasn't a joke. She was no fool though. The occasional glances at Lisa had given him away. Whatever was bothering him had something to do with that skank. Stephanie felt a pinch of guilt at her thought. Lenny would be mad if she ever called Lisa a skank before him. She looked up at Lenny as he started to vanish into the crowd of people.

Poor guy.