Chapter 16

I woke up at five in the morning, and I rarely wake up and get up, but today I did. The moment my eyes opened, I remembered that today is the day that I’m studying with Noah. For some reason, I woke up and immediately sat up.

After showering, I ran a comb through my hair, allowing it to slowly dry. I put on a pair of black pants. To match them, I put on a thin blue sweater. On it were the words, “Running Sucks.” I pulled on a blue hoodie, which I zipped up so the words were covered.  I slipped on my socks and my black Converse. Deciding to put my hair in a ponytail, I put a bow above the ponytail, letting it sit on top of the elastic that’s holding my hair together.

“Not that you don’t look absolutely adorable, but why are you so dressed up?” my mother asked as I galloped down the steps with my bag in my hand.

“I just felt like dressing up today,” I shrugged. “Why are you up so early?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered.

“Mom, can I go to Marissa’s after school?” I questioned, internally pleading that she’d say yes.

“Yeah, why?” she asked.

“Noah agreed to tutor me in math,” I told her, leaving out the part about my failed math test.

My mother grinned, nodding as she snorted. “That’s why.”

I had a feeling that there was a deeper meaning to her words. “What?”

“Oh, nothing, I just think that’s why you dressed up,” she told me with a smile.

I glared at her, shaking my head. “No, it’s actually not.”

My mother just nodded, looking towards the Christmas tree, where our wrapped gifts were. The gift that I bought my mother was down there, too. “Whatever you say, do you want me to make you breakfast?”

I nodded, watching as she giggled and got up, walking towards the kitchen.

<<>><<>> 

“Whoa, Kenna, is that you?” Marissa asked in shock.

I looked at her, my eyebrows raised. “What do you mean?”

“You’re wearing pants that aren't loose and bright colors!” she exclaimed. “And is that a bow in your hair?”

I suddenly felt self-conscious. “Yeah.”

“You look so pretty!” she squealed as she sat down across from me. “So why are you dressed up?”

The words my mother said earlier replayed in my head. “Oh, no reason, I got up a bit early this morning and I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I just got up and got ready.”

“Are you sure this has nothing to do with your study session with my brother?” she asked, smirking.

I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling my cheeks warm up. “No, it has absolutely nothing to do with that.”

“You’re blushing, Kenna,” Marissa sang, earning a glare from me.

“Can I ask you a question?” I piped, changing the subject.

Marissa nodded, stuffing a piece of fruit into her mouth, her mind somewhere else. “Sure.”

“Where does Noah go on Thursdays?” I asked.

“Therapy,” she stated absentmindedly. My eyes widened and she quickly realized what she had said. “Don’t say anything! Kenna, really, you can’t say anything!”

“He goes to therapy?” I asked her, my eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah, but he can’t know that you know. Okay? Don’t say anything,” she told me. “Promise?”

“I promise, but who would I tell?” I asked her and she shrugged.

“I don’t know, but just don’t,” she told me. “And don’t ask why, because I can’t tell you that.” I nodded in understanding. “Don’t assume he’s a freak now because of that," she muttered.

I looked up at her. “I didn’t think that; I went to therapy before and I’m pretty cool.”

Marissa rolled her eyes but I could tell that she was happier.

<<>><<>> 

After art with Mr. Komodo, I was called aside by him. “Ms. West.”

“Yes?” I asked warily.

“You are one of my best painters,” he told me with a smile.

“Thanks, sir,” I awkwardly replied as he stared at me without blinking.  

“I am gathering a few of my students to paint a large picture for the school and I wanted to know if you’d like to participate,” he offered.

I stared at him for a moment. “Me?”

I never thought I was a very good painter. I just dipped a paintbrush in paint and slapped it across some paper. I’ve always liked art though; it’s fun and an easy A. “Yes.”

“Yeah, sure, okay, that sounds fun,” I nodded my head excitedly.

He grinned. “Great, I will get back to you with the details once we get back from vacation.”

“Have a good day, Mr. Komodo,” I smiled as I exited the art class.

“You too, Kennedy,” he waved. I did a happy dance once I was out of the classroom. I stopped when someone cleared their throat. Whipping around, I grimaced when I noticed Noah standing there. I was glad he stopped me when he did. I was two dance moves away from twerking, well, trying to twerk.

“You saw that?” I asked. He nodded his head and I shook mine. “No, you didn’t.”

“Are you ready to go?” he asked as he walked beside me, about two feet away.

“Yeah, but how’d you know that I have this class last?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Marissa,” he told me with a shrug. I simply nodded and followed him out to the parking lot. Marissa’s car was gone. I walked to my car and pulled out of the lot, following Noah’s car, which hasn’t been cleaned yet.

When we got to the house, I pulled up in the front, yanking my rucksack from the passenger’s seat. I watched Noah languidly walk into the house and the door slowly closed behind him. I stood at the door awkwardly, unsure of whether or not I should walk in or knock. A few seconds later, the door swung open and Noah looked out before glancing down. He dramatically swung his hand as if telling me to come in.

“Just sit down and take out your Algebra 2 stuff. I’m going to go get something to eat,” he said, walking towards the kitchen. He stopped midstride, turning around. “Are you hungry?”

I sheepishly nodded and he curtly mirrored my action before entering the kitchen. I opened my bag, taking out my textbook. I shuffled through my stuff, grabbing my notes, too. I was sitting on the couch when my phone vibrated in my pocket. ‘Don’t kiss him too much.’

I glared at the screen of my phone, quickly replying back to Marissa. ‘Shut up, please.’

About ten minutes later, Noah walked in with two plates. I grinned widely as he set one down in front of me. A sandwich. Noah made me a sandwich. I smirked triumphantly and Noah raised an eyebrow. “You made me a sandwich.”

“Don’t think that I won’t take the sandwich back and eat it myself,” he told me. I lifted the sandwich up and bit into it, letting the silence encase us like a blanket. It took me only five minutes to eat. I finished before Noah and he noticed this. “Slow down.”

I simply shook my head. “Speed up.”

Once he finished, I slammed my textbook down onto the couch between us. “Teach me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What am I supposed to teach you?”

“These are my notes from this past quarter. Can you just tell me if you recognize anything?” I asked as I handed him my notebook which was slightly tattered and drawn on.

He was looking over things, nodding occasionally. At one point, he turned my page upside down and I looked at him. “What are you doing?”

He handed me the notebook and it had a doodle with the words ‘starting point’ on one side. I followed it, flipping the notebook, and once I reached the end, it said ‘ur a loser.’ I laughed, remembering that day before handing him back the notebook. He closed it and nodded. “So you remember it?”

“Yeah,” he sighed as he turned to the first page. It was a page full of my notes on graphing linear inequalities.

He started explaining it to me, pointing at the numbers that I wrote on the page. I listened intently, set on passing this math test tomorrow. We flipped the page sporadically and when I said that I didn’t understand something, he would help me to understand. And this time, I made sure to ask the questions that I should’ve asked in class.

We managed to get through half of the notebook in two hours and we decided to take a break. I put the textbook and my notebook on the table, sitting back and awkwardly glancing around. “Do you know what today is? The date, I mean.”

“No, I don’t pay attention to dates,” he shrugged.

“It’s the twenty second,” I told him.

His eyes widened slightly. “Already?” he asked and I nodded.

“That means that Thursday is Christmas,” I told him.

“And I care why?” he asked.

“I just thought you should know,” I responded. He sent me a clueless look. I think it's safe to tell him. I mean, he was the one who told me he was busy on Thursdays. He doesn't have to know that I know what he does on Thursdays. “Well, the other day you said that you have somewhere to go every Thursday. This Thursday is Christmas, so I thought I should let you know that it’s probably cancelled.”

He looked at me before sighing, pressing his hand to his forehead. For a moment, I thought I did something wrong but he stood up, taking his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll be right back.”

I nodded as he walked upstairs, his phone to his ear. It was silent and the television was on but muted, thanks to my request. I heard a rattling noise and I turned to see the doorknob shaking. A few seconds later, it was pushed open and a man in a button down shirt and slacks walked in, with about three bags beside him. He placed them into the house before his eyes fell on me. “A random girl in my living room; let me guess, you’re Kenna?”

I nodded. “That’s me.”

“I’m the father. Let me guess, you’re here for Marissa?” he asked.

“Not at the moment, no, but she’s my friend,” I told him.

“So you’re here for Noah?” he asked, his eyebrows shooting upward.  I nodded and he smiled. “Okay, cool.”

I heard footsteps and Noah emerged from the stairs. “I found this in my closet and I thought we could use it…”

He trailed off when he noticed his father standing in the doorway. “Hey, Noah, want to help me with my bags?”

Noah walked over towards his father after he handed me a notebook. He picked up the bags and began walking towards the stairs. “One second.”

 I nodded absentmindedly as I opened the notebook, flipping through the pages. His handwriting was much neater than mine, and he was only fifteen at the time. I can tell because on the cover of the notebook, in his neat handwriting it says Noah Rivers; 10th grade; 2013; Algebra 2 with Mr. Carlisle.

His notes were much clearer than mine and they were way more organized. A few minutes later, Noah came galloping down the steps like a majestic pony. I stood up, excusing myself to go to the bathroom. “One second.”

He rolled his eyes as I left. I took off my hoodie, deciding that it was too warm. I looked at my sweater in the bathroom mirror and I smirked. After using the bathroom, I washed my hands and walked back over to the couch. Noah’s eyes skimmed my sweater and he shook his head. “I’ve been teaching you math for two hours while you’ve been wearing that disgusting sweater?”

I looked down at it and shrugged. “I bought it on Saturday.”

“Well, you should return it, it’s a lie,” he scowled with a shake of his head.

“Your face is a lie,” I muttered as I plopped down onto the couch.

“You’re a lie,” he retorted.

I grinned while placing my notebook back on the section of couch between us. “Teach me more.”

We managed to finish the rest of the notebook in two hours with no pauses, aside from when Mr. Rivers came downstairs to get a drink. Once we finished, I sighed. “I think I’m going to pass this test.”

“Think? I spent five hours helping you study so you can think you’re going to pass a test?” he asked as he stretched his limbs.

“Well, if I say that I’m going to pass and I don’t, I’ll be crushed,” I told him. “If I set my expectations high, nothing will ever come out right.”

“What a weird way of thinking about things,” he muttered. I was going to ask him what he meant when someone interrupted us.

“I never really introduced myself,” their father smiled. “I’m Lukas.”

I stood up, shaking his hand with a large smile on my face. “I’m Kennedy, but you can call me Kenna, as you have already.”

“So you’re a friend of Marissa’s?” he asked. I glanced at Noah, my grin not faltering.

“And Noah’s.” I nodded.

He nodded as well. I was glad that he didn’t bash his son, at least one adult in this household respects Noah, whether he’s seventeen or not. “So what are you guys doing?”

“Helping her study for a test,” Noah shrugged as I placed my textbook into my bag. Noah handed me my notebook, along with his. I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, so I placed it in my bag, intent on studying it once I get home.

“Do you guys have the same math class?” he asked.

I snorted, shaking my head. “No, I’m in Algebra 2. He’s in Pre-Calc.”

“Not everyone can be as smart as me,” Noah shrugged.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “How modest.”

“I try to be,” Noah sighed, as if being modest was a hard thing to do.

“Well, Noah, I noticed you’ve been a lot more social since I’ve been gone,” Lukas laughed.

“Unfortunately I was forced to be,” he sighed.

“Unfortunately? I’m cool!” I gasped.

“Yeah, that’s a lie,” Noah muttered.

“So, Kenna, what do you like to do for fun?” Lukas asked.

I pursed my lips. “I like to read, play instruments, and write.”

“Instruments?” Lukas asked. “What do you play?”

“Well, I know how to play the piano. I know a little bit of violin, drums, and flute,” I nodded. “And I’m teaching myself how to play the cello. I want to play the guitar, too, but we surprisingly don’t have one of those in my house.”

“And you have a flute, cello, drum, violin, and piano just lying around your house?” Lukas laughed.

I smiled at the memory of my father. “My father loved music. He’d always bring a new instrument home when he’d travel, or my mother would buy him one for Christmas or his birthday, or just something to show her love. So we just have a lot of instruments.”

Noticing that I talked about my father in the past tense, Lukas nodded. “Your father sounds like he was a good man.”

I smiled. “He was. He’s the one that got me into piano. He taught me a bit of violin and drum, too. But I learned how to play the flute, and am currently learning how to play the cello. I don’t have the time to buy a guitar, besides I don’t know which ones are good and which ones aren’t.”

“Noah, you play guitar, right?” Lukas asked and Noah nodded. “I’m sure he can tell you what type of guitar you should get, right Noah?”

“Sure,” Noah responded. I looked at him, worrying that he’s glaring daggers into the side of my face but instead, he looked as if he was in deep thought.

“Can you sing?” Lukas asked and Noah snorted, tuning back in to the conversation.

“No, she’s horrible,” Noah laughed.

I glared at him. I already know that I’m a horrible singer. “And you’re so much better? Okay, Adam Gontier. Or should I call you Billie Joe Armstrong?”

“Actually, Three Days Grace’s new lead singer is Matt Walst; Adam left the band,” Noah explained. Well, he ruined my joke.

“So are you staying for dinner?” Lukas asked and I blinked a few times, unsure of whether or not I should stay.

“Uh,” I began to stutter. I glanced at Noah and he shrugged, so I shrugged. “I guess?”

“Great, Noah, do you want to make dinner?” When he saw Noah’s reluctant face, he smiled. “Or do you want to increase our chances of food poisoning and early death by allowing Marissa to enter the kitchen?”

Noah groaned as he got up, walking towards the kitchen. Lukas patted his back as he walked away. I went to stand up and Lukas stopped me. “I think he could use a helper. Cooking for four is hard, right?”

He was grinning as he motioned for me to walk towards the kitchen. I did so, awkwardly standing in the doorway before Noah turned around and glanced at me. “Uh, may I help you?”

“Your dad said that I should help,” I excused, plopping down into a seat at the table.

“Great,” he groaned sarcastically. “So we’re having food poisoning for dinner, aren’t we?”

I gave him a flat look.  “I like salmonella.”

“Coming right up,” he muttered, reaching into the freezer. “This will take a while to defrost so I might as well start dessert.”

I was going to respond until I realized that he was probably talking to himself. “What are you making for dessert?”

He shrugged as he opened a cabinet that had several boxed and unprepared goods, including brownies, cookies, cakes, and even special breads. “Come choose something.”

I walked over and began shuffling through it. I looked at the middle and top shelf before dragging over a chair. Standing on it, I looked around, grabbing a box of fudge brownies. “Uh, are brownies okay?”

He wrinkled his nose before shrugging. “Sure.”

“No, it’s okay; I’ll choose something else,” I responded as I continued looking. I grabbed a box of vanilla cake and set it on the counter, closing the cabinet and hopping off of the chair. Placing it back under the table, I looked at him. “There, that’s good, right?”

He nodded as he looked at the ingredients. “Can you grab me the eggs?”

I nodded as I opened the fridge, grabbing the carton of eggs. “Anything else?”

“The oil, it’s in the cabinet beside the fridge,” he instructed as he grabbed a mixing bowl. I nodded, reaching up and opening the cabinet, taking out the oil. He turned on the water, placing a measuring cup beneath it. After I handed him the oil, he filled the measuring cup, pouring the oil into the bowl filled with the cake mix.

We continued to work, making dinner together. It wasn’t awkward. If anything, it was fun. Especially because I got to watch him do something that he’s good at.

<<>><<>> 

“Hm, not bad,” Marissa smiled as she lifted a forkful of chicken parmesan into her mouth.

“I did everything,” Noah snorted.

“What? No you didn’t! I did some stuff, too!” I told him.

“You helped make the cake and then you just spent the rest of the time standing around,” he retorted. Actually, I was staring at you.

“Because every time I would try and help, you’d mutter something about food poisoning,” I shot back.

“Stop fighting you two, it’s great,” Marissa chided.

Lukas walked over towards the table and dropped down with a glass of soda. As he took the first bite of his meal, he grinned. “This is amazing.”

I didn’t bother hiding my smile. “So are you still coming over tomorrow, Kenna?”

I turned to look at Marissa and shrugged. “You’re coming back?” Noah sounded exasperated.

“Just to annoy you, Noah, yes, I am,” I retorted.

“Don’t you have a family?” he sighed. “You know, it’s almost Christmas.”

Wasn’t I the one that reminded him of that? I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I have a family, a small one. Her name is Penelope. You’ve met her.”

“You’ve met her mother?” Lukas’s eyes widened. We all nodded and his lips curled upward. “I didn’t realize that you guys were this serious.”

I did a doubletake. “What?”

“No, I thought you guys just started dating,” he shrugged. “That’s what Marissa made it sound like over the phone.”

Noah and I turned and looked at Marissa, who lifted a piece of chicken to her mouth. “Not bad, eh?”

“You what?” I snapped before Noah could say anything.

“Look, all I said was that you and Noah were friends. He inferred the rest, I swear,” she explained.

“No, I remember you saying specifically saying, 'They went to mom’s gala together. They picked out Kenna’s dress together.' Now if that doesn’t scream relationship, I don’t know what does,” he shrugged.

“Well no, we’re not in a relationship. We’re friends,” I replied. My face was probably as bright as the sauce on the chicken.

Lukas nodded. “Okay.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

It was Noah’s turn to nod. “Okay.”

“This is some good chicken,” Marissa grinned.

<<>><<>> 

Since Noah and I made the dinner, Marissa had to clean it up. She was washing the dishes while I was preparing to leave. “Wait, Kenna!”

Noah groaned from the couch and I glared at him as I shrugged on my backpack. “Calm down Noah, I’m leaving in a few minutes.”

“You were here since school let out, it’s eight; that’s way too much time to be spent with you,” he sighed.

I rolled my eyes as I walked towards the kitchen. “You’re coming over tomorrow right? You never answered my question officially.”

I nodded, smiling. “Yeah, I will. What time should I come?”

“Uh, at two?” she asked. “That’ll give you enough time to get ready. We get out at twelve tomorrow, so you have enough time to go about your business. And it gives you enough time to wash your bathing suit if you haven’t already.”

I glared at her, rolling my eyes. “Can I just wear shorts?”

“I didn’t know you owned shorts,” she smiled.

“I do; can I wear them?” I piped. Whether or not she says yes, I’m still going to wear them.

“Sure, but they’ll leave ugly tan lines.” She scrubbed a dish. I've always liked our warm weather, now, however, it seems like a curse. According to Marissa, seventy degrees is warm enough to go swimming. Times like this, I wish I lived in a cold place where it snowed every day during the winter. I probably would die, but it's better than swimming the day before Christmas Eve.

“I don’t care about tan lines,” I rolled my eyes. “When will the other girls get here?”

She grinned at me. “Four.”

“Why can’t I come at four?” I asked.

“Because, silly, Noah is leaving at four,” she laughed.

“And I care why?” I asked.

“I figured you’d want to see him before the holidays,” she told me with a shrug.

“I just spent 6 and a half hours with him today,” I told her. “I think I’m good.”

“But come at two, okay?” she told me.

I just rolled my eyes. “Whatever, I’ll be here.”

“Great,” she called as I exited the kitchen. “Bye!”

“Bye,” I called. “See you tomorrow!”

“Ugh, can you leave already?” Noah complained from the couch.

“I’m leaving, Noah!” I rolled my eyes as I opened the front door.

“Finally,” he muttered.

I stood in the doorway and he glanced at me. “Don’t make me kiss you again, loser.”

“Get out of here, you dork!” he replied, rolling over so his face was stuffed into the couch pillows. I closed the door and cackled as I walked towards my car.