Page 20 of Reviving Kendall

Glancing up, I see that it’s pointless for him to ask, because he’s already sitting down. It’s also bringing us lots of unwanted attention.

“Look,” I start, “I don’t know what you’re after, but I don’t want any of what you’re selling.”

He stares at me with a ketchup covered French fry half-way to his mouth, “I’m not selling anything.”

His words are nice, but I just don’t feel comfortable enough to be sitting here with him. He’s too close in relations with the guy that has spent the past two years torturing me, “No thanks.”

“I just want to be friends,” he says, “What? You have so many that you don’t need one more.”

I cross my arms against my chest and my phone beeps in my lap. Without thinking about it, I open the group chat and say,Sorry guys. Give me a sec. Some rando won’t take no for an answer.Right after I hit the send button, I realize my mistake and my heart drops into my butt. I count to three in my head before the reply from Maverick comes through followed by one from Goose.

What do you mean won’t take no for an answer?

What the fuck?

Shit,I tell them,Sorry. That was meant for Teagan and Lucas. I accidentally did the group chat thing.

Maverick’s reply is instantaneous,I don’t care who it was meant for. You have less than a minute to tell me what you’re talking about before I have to get in trouble leaving class to call you.

After I explain about Billy, I look up to find said subject watching me. I take a deep breath and think about the fact that I’ve never seen him sitting with the football crew. “Are you friends with Derrik?” I ask.

He takes a drink of the sports drink in front of him before responding, “Am I sitting with him?” I shake my head and he says, “Well there’s your answer.”

My eyes narrow as I try to fight off the suspicions, “Then why are you just now wanting to be friends? As I told you yesterday, we’ve been going to school together for years. Why are you just now wanting to be friends?”

Propping his elbows up on the table he says, “Yeah, look. I’m sorry about that. I walk through here with a blindfold on most of the time. I wasn’t trying to be rude or anything yesterday. I just saw a pretty girl who looked like she needed a little help. But I completely understand if you don’t want to be friends.”

He starts putting his stuff back on his tray and goes to stand up before I stop him, “I’m sorry that I’m being such a bitch. You can stay.”

“You sure?” he asks still half out of his chair.

I nod, “Yeah, its fine. I’m just cranky because I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Out late with the boyfriend?” he asks.

If it wasn’t for the blasé way he asks, I would worry about ulterior motives. But it does throw me at a loss as what to say, so I settle for, “Not exactly.”

This makes him smile, “Which part? Being out all night or the boyfriend?”

“That’s for me to know and you to never find out,” I say looking back down at my phone.

There’s been an entire conversation between the four of them that I’ve missed, so I have to go back and catch up. The bell rings as I type in my opinion on an argument that needed a tie breaker.

Billy stands, “Thanks for letting me sit with you, Kendall. Same time tomorrow?”

“Sure,” I say.

He smiles, and I’m left staring in wonder at his retreating form. How is it that I go from being the trailer trash freak to where I am right now in only one week? My text must have ended the fight, because no one has said anything else. There are three other messages in my texts however.

Hey Kendall, I hope u don’t mind I stole ur # from Ts phone.

This is Ryleigh. Want to go shopping after school?

KENDALL???

Her impatience makes me smile. I dump my tray and text her back as I walk to class.

Sorry. Walking to class. No work today so I’m free. Want me to meet you there?

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