“Damn it. Is it 8:30 already?” Blake looks up from his phone.
“Man, we are so dead,” Will laughs. I have no idea what they’re talking about. But it seems pretty obvious that they forgot about something. Or is it someone?
“Yep. He’s going to kill us,” Alex agrees. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Winter. But we really have to go. Looks like this is goodbye.”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be.” Blake sends a flirty smile my way before suggesting that we exchange numbers.
I hesitate for a second but then I tell myself I could use knowing someone in Florida. I nod and reach for his phone to register my number into his contacts. Just as I finish typing my number, I’m stopped by an incoming call. I almost drop the phone. No freaking way.
“Seriously? Again?” Will says. “That’s like the fourth time in a row. He is pissed.”
I can tell my face must’ve changed from the confused looks the guys are giving me. My mind racing, I quickly put all the pieces together. No. That’s impossible. What are the chances? My lips part as I stare at the name written on the screen.
Kendrick Kingston is calling…
THE WALK BACK TO MARIA’S HOUSE turns out to be a lot of questions along with a lot of confusion. As soon as I drop the “Kendrick’s my cousin” bomb on them, a million scenarios start spinning in their heads. They seem hesitant. They know how bad Maria hates them and are probably worried she’s pinned me up against them.
We also found out that, just like I suspected, Will, Alex, and Blake go to my school. I don’t share any classes with them either, and their lockers are in a completely different section, which explains why I rarely see them. An unshakable thought haunts me as we walk. What is it about them that inspires such hatred in Maria, the most loving person I know?
Yes, they were smoking and that makes them a bad influence. But to say that Maria hates them because they do stupid things teenagers do every now and then seems far-fetched to me.
“Home, sweet home.” I smile, unlocking the front door to a very quiet house. Kassidy is probably up in her room watching America’s Next Top Model on repeat, and Maria will be working a night shift at the hospital for two days in a row. As soon as we walk inside, we hear Kendrick’s heavy footsteps in the distance. I recognize the sound of his feet thumping against the wooden floor right away and crinkle my nose at how he drags his feet and always has. I used to call him “elephant” when we were kids.
“Where the hell have you been?” he blurts out, too focused on complaining to notice me standing behind Blake.
“Oh, you know. Here and there. Laughing, skating, talking with your cousin.” Will grins.
“Wait, what?” Kendrick exclaims. Will motions to me. Only then does my cousin become aware of my presence.
“Winter, the someone they met is you?” He comes to the realization that I am to blame for his ruined plans.
“Surprise.” I laugh lightly, putting my hands up.
“Why didn’t you tell us your cousin was so hot?” Will smirks. To say I am shocked would be a lie. It’s become pretty obvious to me that tact and William Martins are not friends. He makes his way to the fridge, which he shamelessly opens to grab whatever food he can find.
“Because she’s not. Look at her,” Kendrick hooks his arm around my neck to tousle my hair. I push him away with all my strength but still barely escape his grasp.
“Sure. She’s hideous with her big b—”
Kendrick cuts Will off. “Hey. Watch your mouth, dick.”
A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips. Good old protective Kendrick.
Will puts his hands up. “I was going to say big brown eyes.”
“How about a big black eye?” Kendrick warns.
Blake scoffs and looks up at the clock on the wall. “We really have to get going.”
“Oh, you guys are going somewhere?”
A hint of discomfort can be seen on my cousin’s face.
“Yeah. A party.” He rubs the back of his neck.
I immediately know he’s lying.
How? Simple. He rubbed his neck. Multiple flashbacks hit me as I remember the way he lied to his parents when we were kids. I think about the time he ate all the Popsicles and said someone came into the house and stole them. Or the time he accidentally hit his sister with a basketball and said the wind knocked her out. Maria and I developed a very specific technique to know if Kendrick is lying. Guess what comes shortly after every single lie? The neck rubbing.