Page 25 of Reviving Kendall

Jeez. Now I feel like I’m going to war or something. I follow her and Eddie down the stairs. When we get to concessions, they keep walking and I go up the hill. It feels a little weird to be the only one heading this way, but I trust Ryleigh’s instructions. As I crest the top, there sits the Rover. I lean against the grill and get lost in my head for a second. I never want to forget this feeling. The excitement of the game and being able to get lost in the moment of just being a fucking teenager.

Without the crush of people from the stands, the cool wind sends goosebumps up my arms. After about twenty minutes, I’m cursing myself for not just riding with Ryleigh. The wind is somehow slipping through the bundle of my jacket, and I’m shivering.

I’m so distracted with trying to keep myself warm that I don’t see the shadow that rushes towards me. Before I even have a chance to scream, I’m picked up and spun around in a circle. Teagan sticks his face right into my neck and breathes, “I’ve missed you.”

His words are sweet, but he’s hit one of my few tickle spots. I gasp in air while trying not to laugh and push him away at the same time. He smiles and finally pulls away. They must shower before coming out. I can smell the soap on him, and his hair is up in a wet messy bun.

The smile drops into a worried frown, “What happened to your face?”

I try for the most genuine smile I can manage, “I fell into the corner of a locker the other day.”

His fingertips trace the bruises and I feel myself leaning further into him. When his lips find the small cut on my nose, I hope whole heartedly that they’ll move to my lips next.

Then I hear Goose and Maverick somewhere behind him and he pulls away.

When he steps to the side, I get to watch as Maverick slows his pace as he takes in my face.

Goose doesn’t look surprised, but the closer he gets, the more pissed his face turns.

Neither one of them are the first to speak. Lucas who has been trailing behind them, has the same kind of reaction that Teagan had. Straight from all smiles to concern, “What happened?”

I ignore the glares coming from both Goose and Maverick, “I fell into the corner of a locker the other day.”

“How did you fall?” Goose grinds out.

“Well,” I start, “I was texting Ryleigh back and wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”

Teagan looks like he halfway believes me, but Maverick folds his arms across his chest, “So it was an accident?”

“Yes?” I mean to say it as an answer, but it comes out more of a question.

“I’m not trying to overstep boundaries,” Goose starts, “But if something needs to be said to your Grandad then we will. Say the word.”

It takes a second for his words to register in my brain and then my rage takes over as his accusations hit home.

“Gramps has never once laid a hand on me,” I say through gritted teeth. “It’s might fine shitty of you guys to think that too. You don’t know him. Hell, you don’t know me.”

I’m pissed and freezing cold, so I’m not going to stand around and defend Gramps to people who I shouldn’t even be messing around with in the first place. I take off back down the hill. Ryleigh is probably long gone by now, but I’m sure I can bum a ride from someone. If not, that’s ok too. It’s only an hour walk back home.

“Kendall,” Goose’s voice follows me down the hill. A warm hand closes around mine and pulls me to a stop. I shock myself when I realize I’d love nothing more than to punch whoever it is. I’m anything but a violent person normally.

Goose pulls me to face him, “Hey, I’m sorry ok? I didn’t mean to piss you off.”

I lock eyes with him, so he can see that I’m not kidding when I say, “Don’t ever say anything like that about Gramps again. Even if he was the type to do something like that, which he’s not, he couldn’t. He’s dying from lung cancer, and does his best to even get out of bed in the morning.”

“Fuck, Kendall,” he says frowning, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. It’s just I’ve been there. On the receiving end, and scared to say anything. I just didn’t want that to be the case for you. I guess there’s always that old saying about assuming.”

“What?” I ask. “That it makes an ass out of you and me?”

He laughs, “Yeah, but mostly just me this time.”

I laugh with him, because I refuse to deny that one.

“You still want to go to the party?” he asks. “We can go hang out somewhere else, or take you home if you want to go. Up to you.”

I think on it for a second. Now that the bad part is out of the way, having a good time doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. “Party?” I ask.

He does a weird bow thing that makes me laugh, and we walk back up the hill. “Fuck, your hands are like ice.”

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