Chapter Song: Wish I loved you in the 90s- Tate McRae
I'd been back in town for not even a full twenty-four hours and I'd already seen him. What a cruel joke that seemed to be never-ending.
Salt in an opened wound.
I knew I'd see him sooner or later at the wedding. I just at least hoped I'd get some time to prepare. I should have known better than to think I would have time. I guess I was foolish enough to think or even hope that he wouldn't be around.
I guess it was one of the reasons to come back early. To give me some time to adjust but also to prepare to see everyone. The questions, "the fake nice" adults tended to play at events. It could definitely be a lot to take in. Overwhelmingly so.
Leave it to Liam to not care about any of that. He'd throw us in a room and lock us in there until we were best friends again. It didn't matter what either of us was feeling, as long as we could get along. I just had to make sure I didn't let Liam anywhere near locking us in a room together. Maybe I shouldn't have come back so soon.
Maybe I shouldn't have come back at all. No. I couldn't do that either. I wouldn't. Regardless of how painful being back here was.
What I shouldn't have done was take Cal's car. I shouldn't be flipping on the blinker onto our old street where so many memories sat between us. I shouldn't be parking into my driveway as if I did it all the time. I shouldn't be lingering on the memories flooding my brain. I shouldn't be feeling a sense of normalcy even for a second.
At least not in his car.
I forced myself out of the car and up the driveway without a second thought. Too many thoughts. I climbed the three front steps and rang the doorbell. I thought I should have knocked but who knows if they'd hear it. Besides what else are doorbells for?
"What in the world?" His voice rang out through the entire front yard. "Is that you kiddo?"
"Hi dad," I nodded vigorously stepping closer towards him. He stumbled towards me wrapping me in a giant bear hug. I inhaled the familiar cologne he always wore. "It's me," I whispered.
"My Kennedy is home," he kissed my forehead. "C'mon let's get you inside. Tish! You better get in here." He called out to the house as he shut the door closed behind us.
"What? What is it?" I heard the footsteps before I saw her. "Kennedy? Oh my god!" She rushed into my arms and squeezed me.
"Hi," I said weakly.
"Welcome back. God, I can't believe you're here. And early!" She rocked me back and forth more likely afraid that I'd disappear if she let go. I couldn't say I blamed her.
"Let's sit down yeah? You want coffee? Who's car is that? A rental?" My dad asked as we walked to the kitchen.
"Yeah, please that'd be nice." I let them lead the way even though I could walk the path in my sleep.
"Cream? Sugar?"
"No black is fine," I gave a small smile. We waited in silence until the Keurig started its brewing cycle three times through. One for each of us. "It's Cal's car. Ran into him at Liam's."
He slid the mug across from me. I watched as the waves of coffee calmed to stillness before picking the mug up. I tried not to look at it. Instead, I focused on the billows of steam in front of my face as my lips reached the mug.
"Ahh, I see. He's doing okay? I think I saw him a week or two ago." I gave him a nod not really listening.
"So how's Sam?" I winced.
"Probably busy hating me," I shrugged. It was true.
"Why? What happened?" Tish gasped.
"We broke up. It's not a big deal." I still remembered the exact look on his face the night I came to grab my stuff. He couldn't even look me in the eye. I couldn't say I blamed him.
"Oh, honey-"
"No no. Don't do that. I promise it's okay. I just didn't realize how much I didn't want a future with him when I thought I did." He proved me right in the end.
"What about work?" Another low blow if they knew. God, I wished we could skip these questions. But they just kept coming and coming.
"Well, most of my stuff I can do remotely. It's the beauty of technology," I lifted my eyebrows. "They don't mind that I'm working from home. As long as I stay on top of the due dates I'm solid." I didn't tell them that I quit my job over a month ago. Couldn't spring too much on them at once.
"How long are you here for?"
"Pfffft. I don't know." I trailed off. "At least until the end of the wedding. Maybe longer, I don't know yet."
"Where are you going to stay? You can stay here if you want. You can always stay here kiddo." My dad offered. I'm sure my room hadn't been touched since I'd last stayed in it.
"Thanks, dad. I was thinking going back and forth between here and Liam's." I sipped lightly on my coffee some more. It was still so weird to be back here. It'd be a miracle if I lasted until the wedding.
"We missed you, Ken." Tish grabbed my hand.
"I missed you too," I felt a tear slowly fall down my cheek. I quickly took my hand back to wipe it away. I knew I didn't have to hide my emotions from them, but I didn't know why I was crying either.
"It's weird being back," I muttered.
"Yeah, I bet," my dad whistled.
They asked me more questions trying to keep my mind off things. Too much time in my own head was never good. I was thankful for it. Video chat only got us so far. It was much better talking in person. Pretty soon we all needed a second cup of coffee.
"Have you seen anyone else?" Tish asked. I knew who she was talking about. "Have you seen Riley's studio? It's gorgeous."
"Not in person. She showed me pictures and videos of it when she was remodeling it. She said Cal helped design it yeah?" Dangerous waters that's what I waded into.
"Yeah, he did. I'm trying to get him to help me with the backyard but he's always busy," my dad shook his head at the thought. "Still don't get why he's working for his dad," he shrugged.
Wait the backyard? But it's already so nice.
The backyard!
"And how he helped design Liam and Riley's house. Oh, it's just beautiful." Tish gushed.
"Wait. He helped with that?"
"Yeah, he's got a real talent." Dad chimed in.
"He's always had a knack for finding the most beautiful things," Tish looked into my eyes causing me to shrink in my seat.
"Dad you said you wanted to redo the backyard? Did you start doing it?"
"No why?" He slowly dipped his coffee.
"You remember that ugly patch under the tree? The one where grass doesn't grow anymore?" I eyed him sipping my coffee
"Yeah, why?"
"Remember our going away party around graduation? We all buried something under that spot. I think I want to dig it up before you do anything. That way it doesn't get destroyed. Might be kinda cool to see what's still there."
"That's why grass doesn't grow there? I thought the boys did something to it," he chuckled. "Need a shovel? Some help?"
"I think I'll just need a shovel," I winked.
Thankfully it wasn't raining as much as it was last night. But the ground was still pretty damp from all of the water so hopefully, it would be easy to dig out.
I never understood why the grass never grew back in that spot but was thankful that I knew where to dig. It didn't take long at all.
Finally, I was pulling up the dirt-covered plastic bags holding the box we buried so long ago. It felt lighter holding it now from what I remembered. Maybe it was because the idea of leaving all of my friends was heavier back then. Funny how things change when you get older.
I filled the hole and locked the shovel back in the garage. I went and said goodbye to my parents after getting the keys to my Jeep back. Thank god my dad kept it in good shape the past few years. I told him he could sell it but he never did.
I couldn't help but smile at his stubbornness. He kept holding onto it even after I left. I think he secretly loved driving it around. Even if he wouldn't admit it to himself.
I was getting ready to leave Cal's car keys in his mom's mailbox when a car came parading down the street. I waited until the car pulled up between our houses and knew it was the boys. Riley probably wasn't with them.
"Kenny, we're here," Liam Screamed in a high-pitched voice. He sounded ridiculous.
"You're going to wake the neighborhood calm down," I laughed. It was the first genuine laugh in a while.
"I tried to warn him, but you know you guys never listen," Cal chuckled as he closed the car door shut. "Your dad already put you to work by taking out the trash?" He eyed my hands pointing towards it. I knew he was contemplating whether or not to grab the bag from me out of courtesy.
"This bag of trash was that memory box we buried senior year of high school," I shook it for good measure.
"No way. Can we open it?" Liam raced out to me. He tried to pry it from my hands but I yanked it back.
"Liam you can't just leave the car in the middle of the road!"
"It's fine. It's the middle of the night nobody is out here," he brushed me off.
"How do you know?"
"You literally just yelled at me for waking up the whole neighborhood. Therefore nobody but us should be out here."
"Did you really just say, therefore?"
"Maybe," he grinned.
"Okay fine whatever," I rolled my eyes at him and returned back to Cal. "What do you think?"
"About opening it?" I nodded at him. "I'd say let's what to get everyone together."
"Yeah doesn't feel right opening it without them," I agreed.
"Avengers assemble," he said under his breath. I couldn't stop the giggle that erupted in my throat. I blinked back in surprise at my own body. It was natural to laugh around him right?
"Who is who?" I asked. Hoping he didn't catch the laugh, he probably did.
"I call being Tony Stark," Liam raised his hand. "We all know Cal is Steve Rodgers. No doubt about that."
"I'd say Ty is the Tony Stark," I added. Liam looked genuinely hurt by it but he'd get over it. Eventually.
"I can see it," Cal smiled.
"I think we'll have to discuss it with the team," Liam rolled his eyes at the two of us. "Ken where are you sleeping tonight?"
"Is your house okay?" He gave me a look that said of course dummy.
"Get in," he motioned to the car where Cal was already walking to open the door. Yep. Definitely Steve Rodgers.
"That's okay. Dad gave me these bad boys back," I jiggled my keys. "I thought he finally sold it last year."
"He could never sell that thing," Liam snorted. You know how many times he forced me to drive it when you were gone?" He rose his eyebrows at me waiting for an actual answer.
"Too many," Cal butted in before I could answer.
"Alright I'll meet you at the house," Liam told me before saying a quick goodbye to Cal. We watched him in silence drive down the street before I tossed him his keys back.
"Thanks for doing that for me."
"No problem. I'm glad you got back safe," he said.
"Did you want to hold onto this? I think if I keep it Riley and I will end up looking in it without you guys." I gave a nervous laugh and he bit the inside of his cheek as he smiled at me. The smile stabbed me in the gut.
"Yeah I can do that," he reached out for the bag. I didn't let his touch anywhere near me. I didn't need any pain added to what I was already feeling.
"Thank you."
"Get back to Liam's safe okay?"
"Okay. Goodnight Cal."
"Goodnight Ken."