Elly & Kent - The Complete Story: Includes Books 1-3 (15 page)

And then her lips were on mine, her hands on my body, doing things and going places that weren't appropriate for public viewing.

"What?" She slowed a bit so I could think.

"Not..." I paused. My pants were becoming very uncomfortable with the hard on I was sporting. "Too many people. "

She grinned up at me. "Okay. I'll go find us a more private spot. Go walk off that steel in your pants." She pressed another kiss to my lips and then left me standing there alone.

Chapter Eighteen

ELLY

This was stupid. Why was I even here? And dressed up? For who? For Kent, who was sucking face with Jen in front of everyone? No. I was done with this. He wouldn't even notice I was gone anyway.

Just before I reached the picture guy I felt a warm hand around mine.

 
"Dance with me," Kent said as he pulled me towards him. He was already off balance, his glasses missing, his eyes wide. "If not now then you have to before the end of the night."

I stared at him as if he had two heads. "What?" I looked over my shoulder, wondering if someone was going to prank me or if the devil was going to come and burn me alive. The devil in this scenario being Jen.

"It's our senior prom. We have to dance together tonight sometime." Kent offered me a smile.
 

"You're drunk." I gently tried to pull my hand away from his.

"What does that matter about a dance?" he replied still holding onto my hand.

"You're just..." I stopped, and swallowed back the self-pitying words I was going to say and smiled graciously. "Okay, let's dance." I gripped onto his hand tightly and pulled him towards the edge of the dance floor.

Kent moved with me, it wasn't a fight to get him to come.

Once we were safely amongst a group of people I let go of his hand and put a little distance between us. The music was slow but the song was just about over. I smiled nervously up to him. "You should probably put your glasses back on so you can see where your two left feet land."

Kent laughed. "I can see perfectly fine. The world is blurry because of the alcohol."

"No." I grabbed his glasses from his pocket and put them onto his face. "It's because your glasses were off."

"Well there went that argument. Jeez." He stuck his tongue out.

I looked down at my feet as the music changed to something peppy and upbeat. I didn't want to embarrass myself so I just stayed still, contemplating my next move. But I saw Kent's feet shuffling awkwardly and looked up. He was a terrible dancer. I laughed and shook my head.
 

 
"No, stop. You're terrible. This was an awful idea."

Kent laughed. "Fine. I have to go to the bathroom." He grinned, "Next slow dance is mine, Els." And with that he moved off towards the bathroom. I smiled as I watched him go. The fluttering in my chest at the thought of a slow dance with him was happening again.

I shook my head and went the same way, ducking into the restroom. While I was squatting over the toilet I overheard some girls chattering amongst themselves. It was a loud jumble, most of them were in here to gossip and fix their faces.
 

"Oh my god, did you see Suze's dress? Barf! Whoever told her that gold would look good on her told her the biggest fucking lie."

"Did you see Henry? Oh my god, he is so damn hot in his tux!"

"Who do you think is going to win prom queen?"

"I'll tell you who isn't. Jen. Not with Kent Lytle as her date. I don't understand what she sees in him."

"I hear he has a huge dick. And a really long tongue."

"Ew!" The girls giggled and then their voices faded as they exited the bathroom.

I sat there a few moments longer and stared at the floor, holding my dress up so it wouldn't get dirty. The reality of the situation was coming back to me again.
 

He wasn't here with me. He was here with her. It wasn't a date between us. I was his pitiful friend who couldn't get a boy to ask her to prom. What was I even doing here? I'd come, that was what he asked me to do. I'd done my duty, it was time to go.
 

I finished up in the bathroom and then headed for the lobby, my chin held high. It only lasted a few steps before I saw some guys slapping each other on the chest and murmuring amongst themselves as they were obviously spying on something they shouldn't be. I headed that way, I felt the anger boiling in my chest, the Salt-N-Pepa song in the background driving me to be ballsier than I usually would be. I was ready to grab onto their collars and yank them backwards like the drooling dogs they were when I caught of glimpse of blonde hair through the large crack in the doorway.

"Yes, Kent!" Her voice sent chills down my spine as my eyes moved down her body which intersected Kent's where they both bent in half. Jen's hands were on his chest, her nails curled into his tux shirt. His hands were on her hips which were moving up and down in a rhythmic motion. I put my hands on a pair of shoulders to hold myself up and then I pushed off. I couldn't believe he was having sex. In public. On the floor. Especially when he knew I was here. I went to the bathroom and he decided it was a good time to get a quickie from his girlfriend?

"Aww, poor Elly-phant," I heard faintly, it barely registered above the heavy pounding in my body.
 

I drew the air into my lungs when I burst outside. I wasn't sure how I'd gotten there but I was glad that I had. I could leave it all behind and try to get past it. I wouldn't have to see the smirk of contentment on his face when he finished and found me. And I wouldn't have to pretend like I didn't know anything, when I did.

I wouldn't have to hide the hurt that was surely showing in my eyes and that I felt so badly in my chest.

My knees were starting to give out so I started walking faster, wanting to get away before someone witnessed my impending break down.
 

Why had it taken me so long to accept it? Kent didn't want me. He didn't see me that way. He wasn't mine outside of the little friendship we sometimes indulged. We were going away to college soon. We would part ways. Anything that we ever had or ever would have between was friendship. I didn't know if I could actually still be friends with him.
 

I barely noticed the scenery pass by but when I looked up I was staring at the 7-11 sign. It glowed like a sunbeam shining on a church. My feet, aching from the high heels that were too high, carried me across the busy intersection to my version of heaven. A store filled with sugary goodness; bright colored packages that were meant to instill a feeling of joy and happiness, and I needed some. I went to the Slurpee machine and grabbed the biggest paper cup they had. I mixed the flavors before putting the lid on. My fingers fumbled with the straw that was almost as long the distance between my mouth and the bottom of the gigantic cup. I got it all to the counter, my mouth readying itself for the sweetness to come, when I realized that I didn't have any money.
 

I didn't have any money. I didn't have Kent. I didn't have anything.
 

Tears filled my eyes quickly as I rushed out of the store, my merchandise left for the clerk to take care of. I couldn't see at all, the tears blocking my vision. I tripped when my heel sunk into the grassy plot next to the store and I fell, my chin bumping the damp grass beneath me. Awesome.
 

I got up and ripped my heels off my feet, throwing them against the dumpster just to my right. They each made a satisfying thunk against the side before they crumpled onto the pavement below. I turned my attention back to the task at hand. I needed to get home so that I could wallow alone. I didn't want anyone to drive by and see the poor Elly walking home alone from prom after being humiliated by her best and closest friend.

Tears prickled at my eyes again and I forced my feet to keep walking. The drive was only twenty minutes but the walk was a torturous three hour one. As I climbed the stairs to my room my body was physically exhausted, my mind mentally exhausted, and I just wanted the sweet relief of sleep. I hoped it would be a dreamless one.

I stripped out of my dress and climbed into bed, not caring that my feet were disgusting and dirtying my sheets. I'd take care of everything tomorrow. Everything. Including Kent.

Chapter Nineteen

KENT

I awoke the next morning with no memory of getting home.

My head hurt like shit.

I didn't have much time to process my options before my mother came into my room and pulled the curtains wide open, not gently either. "Did you have fun last night, son?"

I groaned as I tried to block the sun coming in the window with my hand. "Mom... five more minutes." I rolled over.

"No. You need to get up now. You're going to go to lunch."

She grabbed my pillow and all my blankest and left the room.

The thought of food made my stomach turn more.

"GET UP KENT! YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO GET YOUR BUTT DOWNSTAIRS WITH CLEAN TEETH AND FACE!"

"Alright, alright." I said and rolled from the bed.

When I came downstairs I was greeted with a PB&J with a side of pretzels. The table was set for one and my mother was sitting across from the plate, hands clasped, resting on the table. "Come, have a seat. We need to talk."

I took a seat and munched on a pretzel. "What are we talking about, Mom?"

"We're talking about why Elly went home last night all alone."

I felt the confusion deep in my hazy brain. I was trying to piece the night together and failing, badly. "What do you mean?"

"She walked home all alone and she didn't get home until well after one am."

"I...." I frowned. "I don't know why she...." I groaned and put my hands on my head.

"Did you fight?"

"I don't know, Mom. I was stupid last night and I drank in the limo. I don't remember anything except taking the prom picture at the dance. I probably said something stupid. I've got to call her."

She looked at the table and shook her head. She didn't say anything else.

I tried to eat another pretzel but my stomach was telling me how unhappy it was so I stopped.

My mother waited patiently for me to say anything further.

"I need to go call Elly."

I stood from the chair.

"Good luck."

She stayed at the table, still watching me. An uneasiness settled in my stomach. Or was it just the hangover?

I blinked a few times. What had she meant by that? Did I do something bad? Instead of calling I decided to get dressed and started walking. Figuring the walk would help flush the rest of the alcohol cells from my body and mind.

I didn't get too far before Jen's car pulled up beside me. The window rolled down and she yelled out to me. "Kenny! Where are you going?"

"I'm walking to Elly's house. Mom says something happened last night. I'm hungover."

"We were going out for lunch, didn't your Mom tell you? You won't find her there."
 

Jen looked behind her as someone honked. She moved a little further down the street before finally pulling into a driveway a few feet from me.

I frowned and moved to her car. "What do you mean?"

I got into her car and rubbed my hands over my face. My head was throbbing so badly and my mind was so busy with worry about what had happened with Elly that I hadn't noticed I wasn't wearing glasses until I was trying to make out the number on the blurry house in front of me and couldn't.

"How are you feeling? You look tired." Jen asked as she pulled out of the driveway she'd been idling in, ignoring my question. I pulled my seatbelt across my body and fumbled with it for a minute before it clicked in place.

"I'm hungover. My head hurts. The normal feeling after drinking." I closed my eyes tightly. Talking hurt. Thinking hurt. Jen's voice hurt. The sun hurt.
 

"I have some stuff in my purse if you want it."

God, she was speaking so loud. I shook my head, putting my head backwards, resting it on the too firm headrest. "It'll be fine. Why is Elly not home?"

Jen laughed, the noise caused me to wince.
 

Elly's voice interrupted. "Because I'm in the car."

I jumped at her voice and leaned forward and then to the side to check out the backseat. Elly was just a blob of black against the tan leather. "Hey..." I nodded in her general direction, "How did I get home last night?"

"The limo took us home. After prom. Don't you remember?" Jen asked as I sat back. No point in getting car sick since I couldn't make out anything Elly was feeling from looking at her.

"No, I don't." I said.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. You must have blacked out at some point. You need to build up your alcohol tolerance. Three shots shouldn't black you out, Kenny. Do you even remember our special time in the hotel?"

"I..." My cheeks were burning as I lied, "I thought it was a dream." I didn't remember a damn thing and that scared the shit out of me. Anything could've happened. What if I did something horrible to Elly?