10

10

You're Welcome

KENDALL WAS nervous.

She was in her bathroom, straightening out her curly bob. Her makeup was already done, and she was already dressed.

She paused from straightening to check the time. Ryan would come to pick her up soon, but she was almost finished.

As she did her hair, Kendall wondered what it would be like on the red carpet. She wondered if it would feel the same as when she imagined it when she was young. But she also worried about the celebrities and press not liking her. Even though everyone she met instantly adored her, she still worried about not being accepted by others.

Her mom taught her that if she didn't fit in, then she was most likely doing something wrong. She also taught Kendall that gaining the acceptance of others was crucial. No matter how many times Kendall denied it to herself, she still had those underlying beliefs.

Constantly wanting to please others made Kendall feel weak. And she wasn't weak. She was Kendall Morgan.

After curling her hair slightly, Kendall unplugged the straightener. A knock then sounded throughout her apartment.

"It's open!" Kendall called out.

Kendall stepped out of the bathroom to see Ryan clad in a black suit and tie. He was leaning against the wall, which made his toned muscles show more prominently through the suit. His dark hair was gelled back from its normally free position. He looked incredibly dapper.

When he saw Kendall, he pushed himself off the wall and took her hand,  kissing the back of it gently. "You look ravishing."

Kendall blushed. "Thank you. You look really good, too."

"Oh, and happy birthday," Kendall added. "I do have something for you, but I'll give it to you afterwards."

"Thank you." Ryan smiled and reached into his suit, pulling out two black velvet boxes. He set the larger one down and opened the smaller one, revealing a pair of ruby earrings. They were chandelier earrings, and the rubies were cut into a pear shape. The smaller ruby acted as a stud and the larger ruby was meant to dangle from the wearer's ears. Both gems were lined with gold and diamonds.

Kendall's breath hitched at the sight of the jewelry. "Ryan . . . These are beautiful, but I can't accept them."

"I want you to wear them," Ryan stated. "I won't stop insisting until you put them on."

Kendall sighed, but took the box from Ryan anyway. She moved gracefully to the full-length mirror that leaned against the wall next to her bed. As she put on the earrings, Ryan came up behind her with a ruby necklace to match. The chain of it was gold, and it had evenly spaced circular rubies throughout. At the center of the necklace was a large ruby, similar to the ones that now dangled from Kendall's ears.

Not seeing the point in arguing, Kendall moved her hair for Ryan to put the necklace on her. He did so delicately, his fingers gently grazing Kendall's neck. Ryan's hands then wandered from Kendall's neck to her waist. He lowered his head slightly so that his soft lips brushed over her ear, making her quiver slightly. "You are stunning."

The intoxicating aroma of Ryan's cologne enveloped Kendall. Her heart was beating sporadically, threatening to jump out of her chest. Ryan was the only guy she'd ever met that had the ability to make her feel this way.

To his surprise, Ryan snapped out of his daze quicker than Kendall. He cleared his throat and extended his arm out to her. "Shall we?"

Kendall grinned as she linked her arm with Ryan's. "We shall."

★

Ryan stepped out of the sleek limousine, then helped Kendall out. Everything was just how Kendall pictured it to be. The flashing lights from cameras and the screams of raging fans were exactly what Kendall had imagined. The sumptuous dresses that celebrities sported were just how Kendall had envisioned them when she was a little girl. A feeling of exhilaration overtook her, briefly masking the uneasiness she was experiencing. But she was determined to remain collected. She refused to let everyone see how nervous she was.

Ryan took Kendall's hand and led her in front of the press. Men and women called Ryan's name, trying to get his attention as they took multiple photos. Ryan snaked his arm around Kendall's waist and pulled her close.

"Mr. Hughes, are you two a couple?"

"How long have you two been together?"

"What is her name?"

"Her name is Kendall," Ryan responded confidently. Kendall smiled. She loved the way her name escaped Ryan's lips so effortlessly. It was as if his voice was chocolate pudding; sweet, dark, smooth, and rich all in one.

Ryan lowered his lips to Kendall's ear. "I'm going to go do some interviews really quick."

"What'll I do?"

Ryan smirked as he tucked Kendall's hair behind her ear. "Pose and be pretty. That shouldn't be too hard."

Kendall bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't want Ryan to leave, but this was a part of his job. Pushing away the urge to stay glued to Ryan's side, Kendall nodded. Ryan planted a kiss on Kendall's forehead before walking further down the carpet.

Kendall turned back to the press, placed a hand on her hip, and gave her award-winning smile. Anyone who watched her pose would think that she'd done it a million times before. She appeared to be the epitome of elegance as the paparazzi took pictures and hollered questions at her.

Keep it together, Kendall.

As she continued to pose, another celebrity approached her. "So, you're Ryan's new flavor, huh?" she asked nonchalantly, stopping to pose next to Kendall.

Kendall turned to see the owner of the voice. "Oh my God. You're Claire Walsh."

Claire sighed as she placed her hand on her hip. "The one and only." She flashed a generic smile at the press. "Please don't start fangirling right now."

Kendall furrowed her brows in confusion, but quickly recovered from Claire's harsh tone. She knew that Ryan and Claire used to date, and she knew that the breakup was messy. But what she didn't know was why.

And she wasn't sure if she wanted to.

Ryan came back to Kendall, answering her silent prayers. Ryan sighed. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing." Claire turned to Kendall. "He never trusted me when we were together. He was alw—"

"That's enough, Claire," Ryan interrupted. He took Kendall's hand and began to lead her inside the theater.

"Oh, and Kendall?" Claire called out, causing Kendall to look over her shoulder. "You're welcome."

Ryan gently tugged Kendall's arm, silently urging her to continue walking. She did so, but shot Ryan a puzzled expression. "How does she know my name? And what did she mean by 'you're welcome'?"

Ryan shrugged. "Let's just get inside."

★

Ryan and Kendall were just arriving at the premier's exclusive after party. The sound of laughter and soft jazz could be heard throughout the lavish penthouse. Wealthy people and celebrities talked amongst themselves.

Kendall felt out of place. She felt as if she didn't belong in a room full of famous people. The champagne that they were sipping on probably costed more than her healthcare.

One of Ryan's costars spotted him from across the vast room. He picked up a fork from a nearby table and clinked it against his champagne glass, causing all conversation to halt. "Happy Birthday to the lead of The Final Generation. He has truly made this movie a success." He raised his glass. "To Ryan!"

"To Ryan!" the crowd repeated. The sound of clinking glasses followed after.

Ryan flashed a closed-lip smile at a waitress who handed him two glasses of champagne. He handed one to Kendall before raising his own. Another waitress wheeled out a three-tier cake as the entire room began to sing happy birthday. Ryan smiled awkwardly. He hated when people sang happy birthday to him. But for some odd reason, he didn't mind anymore when Kendall joined in.

At the end of the song, the entire room clapped and cheered in admiration of Ryan. They cut the cake and the party continued. Throughout the party, Kendall felt uncomfortable. But she made a vow to herself that she would stay until eleven, and she was impatiently counting every minute.

Ryan was across the room, conversing with the movie's director. He looked past the director and noticed Kendall fidgeting with a fork. Eventually, he said goodbye and walked over to the table where Kendall was seated. "Ready to go?"

Kendall nodded. The two then left the party and got into the limousine that awaited them out front. The drive to Kendall's apartment building wasn't a silent one. Kendall and Ryan talked quietly amongst themselves, mindful of the tired driver who was just trying to get them home.

Once they reach their destination, Ryan gave Kendall a head start to her apartment. He stuck his head through the limousine's passenger seat window. "You can leave if I'm not back in twenty minutes," he informed the driver.

It was his birthday, after all. And he was feeling lucky.

The driver nodded as Ryan jogged to catch up with Kendall. Once they got to her apartment, Kendall unlocked the door and invited Ryan inside. Kendall walked over to a shelf and picked something up, then immediately hid it behind her back.

"I was stressing myself out trying to think of what to give you for your birthday because, what do you give a man who can afford anything?" She sat next to Ryan, who was now seated on her couch. "So I thought that I should give you something that you can't really buy."

Kendall removed her hand from behind her back, revealing a CD in a plastic case. Written on the disk in neat, curly handwriting were the words: "Ryan's song".

Kendall shook her head and scrunched her nose. "I know it's cheesy, and I'm sorry if you hate it . . ."

"If you wrote it, I already know that I'm going to love it."

A blush creeped onto Kendall's cheeks as she subconsciously bit her lip. That was all it took to drive Ryan insane.

Noticing Ryan's unwavering gaze on her lips, Kendall leaned in and kissed him. At first it was a slow, passionate kiss. But it immediately transformed into a lustful, unchaste one. And Ryan was glad that he finally had the opportunity to feel Kendall's lips against his once more. Kendall's kiss had the power to make Ryan lose himself into a sensual state of intoxication, but he didn't ever want to be found. After tonight, Kendall would finally be his. They'd be completely and totally head over heels for each other.

Ryan's hands found their way to Kendall's waist.

What came next seemed to happen all too quickly.

Kendall's dress was on the floor, along with Ryan's suit, which was next to the wrapper from a condom that conveniently happened to be in Ryan's wallet. Ryan's lips were hungrily roaming Kendall's body. When he came back up to meet her lips, Kendall took his face in her hands.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Kendall's heart pounded rapidly. "I'm sure."

©2019 Brianna Loriston

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