18

18

Listen to Me

KENDALL HATED exercise. She found the entire process to exhausting and overwhelming. She wasn't even sure why she had agreed to go running with Phoenix, but there she was: out of breath and struggling to keep up with her friend. Although she looked fit, Kendall was incredibly out of shape.

Kendall stops running and places her hands on her knees, barely able to catch her breath. Phoenix continues running, then looks behind her and notices Kendall, who was gasping for air.

"Can we walk the rest of the way?" Kendall asks between breaths as Phoenix jogs over to her.

"Damn, Ken, you have pathetic cardiovascular endurance."

"Whatever," Kendall says, standing up straight. "My boobs are sweating and my legs burn."

"If I knew you were gonna complain, I would've brought someone else to run with me." Phoenix sighs and awkwardly scratches the top of her shaved head when Kendall furrows her brows. "Sorry. I'm just nervous."

"About what?"

Phoenix sighs. "I'm planning on asking Maria to marry me tonight."

Kendall's face instantly lights up. She had always been fascinated by the idea of love and marriage. It never failed to give her a warm, serene feeling. Seeing other people in love entranced her, and it made her hope that one day she would have a love that would tear her apart and build her back up all at once.

She was a big believer in love, and she figured that would never change.

"That's amazing, Phoenix," Kendall enthuses. She pulls her into a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

Phoenix releases Kendall and frowns. "I'm so fucking nervous. I can't stop imagining everything going wrong. What if she says no?"

Kendall shakes her head and smiles. "Maria's loved you for two ⁠years—I don't even know how she put up with you that long," Kendall says, earning an eye roll from Phoenix. "But she's going to say yes. I know it."

Phoenix exhales. "You're right, for like, the first time ever."

"Yeah, yeah. Drive me home."

So Phoenix did. The two bickered over the ox cord, but eventually agreed on an artist. As they sang at the top of their lungs, Kendall reflected on her time in Los Angeles. It had finally dawned on her that she was dating Ryan Hughes, an actor who she just so happened to meet one fateful Thursday. It was almost bizarre that she was offered a potential record deal at the same company as Ryan's ex-girlfriend.

When Kendall received that email from GSR, something seemed off to her. It was too easy.

Not wanting to think about it further, Kendall pushes the thought away, says goodbye to Phoenix, and heads up to her apartment. As she rounds the corner of the hallway, she sees Ryan, who was sitting against her apartment door.

He looked almost kid-like, fiddling with his fingers, his dark hair falling over his right eye. Just looking at him made Kendall's heart skip a beat.

It was Ryan's charming smile and his earthy eyes that made him so handsome. His dark hair and full lips made him effortlessly gorgeous. But it wasn't only Ryan's unique face that made him handsome. It was the way his words flowed like cyanide infused honey. It was his demeanor that made America fall in love with him.

Kendall smirks. "Hey."

"Where were you?"

"With Phoenix," Kendall says casually as she unlocks her apartment door.

Ryan eyes Kendall's sports bra, which showed too much skin for Ryan's liking. "You went running in that?"

"It's LA, Ryan," Kendall says calmly. "Heat strokes aren't ideal."

Kendall's nonchalance bothered Ryan. He didn't understand how she could be so impassive toward the situation. He believed that other men didn't deserve to lay their eyes upon Kendall; that he was the only one worthy of looking at her. Just thinking of other people looking at his girlfriend infuriated Ryan.

"So, Phoenix told me that she's—"

"I don't like Phoenix," Ryan blurts. Kendall remains silent, so Ryan continues. "And while I'm being honest, I don't think you should go to Georgia."

"Well, that sucks, because Phoenix is my friend, and I already paid for my ticket. If you came here just to argue with me then you can leave."

"Kendall, just listen to me."

Kendall shrugs. "I am listening."

"You have to focus on your career right now. I just think you shouldn't fly to Georgia when so much is happening for you."

He meant what he said to an extent. Ryan needed Kendall to stay in LA, because no matter how hard he tried to, he couldn't trust Kendall completely. Beautifully innocent women like her were the best heart breakers, but Ryan refused to let Kendall break his.

Scoffing, Kendall crosses her arms. "I need to see my parents, Ryan. Why are you so against me leaving?"

Ryan steps closer to Kendall, who was now leaning against a wall. "Because your mom's put you through so much stress."

"Stop. Stop trying to give me reasons not to go."

Ryan steps closer. "Kendall—"

"I think you should go."

"Just listen—"

"I don't have the patience right now."

"Please—"

"You need to leave."

Ryan grabs Kendall's wrists and yanks her forward. "Listen to me!" he shouts, his voice booming.

Dazed, Kendall listens as Ryan shakes his finger in her face, his other hand still gripping her wrist. "Lately it's like everything is more important than us, Kendall. Your mom's treated you terribly your whole life yet you're so eager to run back to her."

Shocked and frustrated, Kendall yanks her wrist away from Ryan, tears stinging her eyes. "I'm done," she says lowly through gritted teeth. "Get the fuck out of my apartment."

"Kendall . . ."

"Now."

Ryan's fingers twitch, but he pushes his anger away and storms out of the apartment.

At that moment, nothing felt real to Ryan. He knew that Kendall had just broken up with him, but he also knew that she would take him back. That's just how Kendall was. Her heart was so big that she couldn't help but forgive. She strongly believed that all people were good, and that everyone could change.

Inside her apartment, Kendall was curled up against the wall, staring with tear-filled eyes at the finger-shaped bruises on her wrists.

©2019 Brianna Loriston

All Rights Reserved

★

Shameless Plug

You guys: "Brianna, are you seriously asking us to read your other stuff after you didn't update last week?"

Me: "Yes, yes I am. Here are some shortened descriptions:"

Picspiration:

A book in which I aim to inspire new authors through graphics that I create.

Kingston Academy:

A novel in which six teens with the Ability to See attempt to stop a ghost with an ancient grudge.

Made in Manhattan:

A novel in which six wealthy teens orchestrate a plan to steal two hundred million dollars.

(Only the aesthetics are up)

Check them out if you want.

Lots of love,

-Bri