Without the Love
City Lights
-Kenzie-
“Kenz, hurry the hell up!”
I fixed my hair one more time in the mirror over my dresser before grabbing my purse, a grin splitting my features. “I’m hurrying you homo!” I sang through my tiny loft apartment, dancing out into the sunny living room. Music was singing from the radio on the kitchen island, one of Sleeping with Sirens’ new song to be exact. On my couch was my all out (and a little wacky) best friend Demi, her fingers sifting through the bowl of yellow and green Skittles on my coffee table. See, I have this thing for lemon and lime Skittles, which pisses her off. She likes the red ones. “See. I’m ready.”
“You should have been ready an hour ago,” she laughed and got up, picking her fedora up off the table.
I grabbed a handful of lemon and lime candies and grabbed my beanie off the counter. Just as I was switching off the radio, the song ended and the radio broad caster began to speak. “Good morning ladies and gents, how are you on this gorgeous May morning in So-Cal? All right, here’s what we’ve got coming up this morning.” The man said, his voice beating through the speakers. “Today marks the four year anniversary of All Time Low’s official break up, and to celebrate-he chuckled as he said it- Be Still, Jack Barakat’s new band, has released their first single ‘Congratu-fucking-lations’! Stay tuned!”
Demi looked at me, one of her perfectly waxed eyebrows rising as I turned the dial up. I’d heard the song before; it had been my pleasure to add some of the vocals to it. The boys had promised to keep my name off of it, but they’d release the version with me singing the chorus first. I grinned broadly when my voice flowed through the heavy bass as I sang to myself on the radio. “Congratu-fucking-lations, you’ve ruined your reputation. Now what? Now what? Where do you go, everyone hates you. Now you know, now you know.”
Dem shook her head and turned the radio off, a little glint of maternal annoyance in her eyes. “He really asked you to be involved in that?”
I sighed and walked to the door, opening it and motioning for her to get out. “Yes. Now c’mon. You bitch at me for not being ready- get out!”
She shook her head and walked out into the hall, waiting for me to lock up. “I have to have a word with him it seems.”
I rolled my eyes and followed her down the hall.
The crude LA sun was burning my shoulders through the thin fabric of my flimsy t-shirt, a twelve pack of beer in one hand and my purse in the other, as Dem and I trudged through the hot sand to the crowded private beach that was our final destination. Music was radiating on different songs from three open topped jeeps and laughter filled the lively afternoon air, our friends shouting at each other and at us-impertinent to the fact that we’d finally made it. Demi yelled back at them to blame me and my slow ass as she kicked off her heeled sandals and ran ahead of me. I shook my head and held up the case of beer, laughing when Sean darted over and grabbed it from me.
“Kick your heels off and stay awhile Kenz,” he grinned at me with those magnificent blue eyes and ran his hand through his sandy brown hair.
“Me? Participate in the happenings of you? No thank you!” I sang as I flounced away, following the route Demi had taken not that long before. She was already sloshing around in just her bikini, a beer in one hand and the hand of her boyfriend Dylan in the other. I smiled at the two of them and grabbed a crisply chilled beer from the light blue cooler resting on a log that was set around the bon fire that was yet to be lit.
As the night wore on and the beers started really flowing I began to lose track of time. Demi and Dylan disappeared and Sean had come to lie next to me on the sand. He wasn’t a bad guy, he was fun to talk to and everything but when he started to touch me, his hands finding their way past the fabric of my shirt, I began to squirm a little bit. “Shh, baby.” He whispered against the sleek skin of my neck, his mouth hurting me.
I hit him on the shoulder with both of my fists and squirmed, crying out when his teeth grazed my skin. “FUCKING STOP!” I tried to shove him off but he fell on top of me, my head hitting something hard hidden in the sand.
“She said stop.” A gruff voice croaked from above Sean’s shoulder.
I laid back and stared at the face, it was fuzzy around the edges but firmly familiar. I’d seen him at random times during the four years since the breakup. He’d always been a firm, helping hand. Always someone I could depend on. From that night at the bar, to the many doctors’ appointments and first days and new client’s I’d had since.
“Zack.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Kenz, hurry the hell up!”
I fixed my hair one more time in the mirror over my dresser before grabbing my purse, a grin splitting my features. “I’m hurrying you homo!” I sang through my tiny loft apartment, dancing out into the sunny living room. Music was singing from the radio on the kitchen island, one of Sleeping with Sirens’ new song to be exact. On my couch was my all out (and a little wacky) best friend Demi, her fingers sifting through the bowl of yellow and green Skittles on my coffee table. See, I have this thing for lemon and lime Skittles, which pisses her off. She likes the red ones. “See. I’m ready.”
“You should have been ready an hour ago,” she laughed and got up, picking her fedora up off the table.
I grabbed a handful of lemon and lime candies and grabbed my beanie off the counter. Just as I was switching off the radio, the song ended and the radio broad caster began to speak. “Good morning ladies and gents, how are you on this gorgeous May morning in So-Cal? All right, here’s what we’ve got coming up this morning.” The man said, his voice beating through the speakers. “Today marks the four year anniversary of All Time Low’s official break up, and to celebrate-he chuckled as he said it- Be Still, Jack Barakat’s new band, has released their first single ‘Congratu-fucking-lations’! Stay tuned!”
Demi looked at me, one of her perfectly waxed eyebrows rising as I turned the dial up. I’d heard the song before; it had been my pleasure to add some of the vocals to it. The boys had promised to keep my name off of it, but they’d release the version with me singing the chorus first. I grinned broadly when my voice flowed through the heavy bass as I sang to myself on the radio. “Congratu-fucking-lations, you’ve ruined your reputation. Now what? Now what? Where do you go, everyone hates you. Now you know, now you know.”
Dem shook her head and turned the radio off, a little glint of maternal annoyance in her eyes. “He really asked you to be involved in that?”
I sighed and walked to the door, opening it and motioning for her to get out. “Yes. Now c’mon. You bitch at me for not being ready- get out!”
She shook her head and walked out into the hall, waiting for me to lock up. “I have to have a word with him it seems.”
I rolled my eyes and followed her down the hall.
The crude LA sun was burning my shoulders through the thin fabric of my flimsy t-shirt, a twelve pack of beer in one hand and my purse in the other, as Dem and I trudged through the hot sand to the crowded private beach that was our final destination. Music was radiating on different songs from three open topped jeeps and laughter filled the lively afternoon air, our friends shouting at each other and at us-impertinent to the fact that we’d finally made it. Demi yelled back at them to blame me and my slow ass as she kicked off her heeled sandals and ran ahead of me. I shook my head and held up the case of beer, laughing when Sean darted over and grabbed it from me.
“Kick your heels off and stay awhile Kenz,” he grinned at me with those magnificent blue eyes and ran his hand through his sandy brown hair.
“Me? Participate in the happenings of you? No thank you!” I sang as I flounced away, following the route Demi had taken not that long before. She was already sloshing around in just her bikini, a beer in one hand and the hand of her boyfriend Dylan in the other. I smiled at the two of them and grabbed a crisply chilled beer from the light blue cooler resting on a log that was set around the bon fire that was yet to be lit.
As the night wore on and the beers started really flowing I began to lose track of time. Demi and Dylan disappeared and Sean had come to lie next to me on the sand. He wasn’t a bad guy, he was fun to talk to and everything but when he started to touch me, his hands finding their way past the fabric of my shirt, I began to squirm a little bit. “Shh, baby.” He whispered against the sleek skin of my neck, his mouth hurting me.
I hit him on the shoulder with both of my fists and squirmed, crying out when his teeth grazed my skin. “FUCKING STOP!” I tried to shove him off but he fell on top of me, my head hitting something hard hidden in the sand.
“She said stop.” A gruff voice croaked from above Sean’s shoulder.
I laid back and stared at the face, it was fuzzy around the edges but firmly familiar. I’d seen him at random times during the four years since the breakup. He’d always been a firm, helping hand. Always someone I could depend on. From that night at the bar, to the many doctors’ appointments and first days and new client’s I’d had since.
“Zack.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
Notes
Short yes. I know. Enjoy:)-xoxoDR
@RosesNWriters
Aw, yay, you're back! Thanks for commenting on here, or I probably wouldn't have realized.
I'll check out the revamp as soon as I can. :)
10/25/18