“It was Strauss, the guy was a douche.”
“Still is,” Rory wastes no time continuing. “He said something once and I never repeated it because I never knew from one minute to the next if he was telling the truth or not. I still don’t know but what he said sat well with me.”
“What?”
“If I tell you, you have to promise you won’t go off half-cocked and do something fucked up you’ll regret later.”
“Hard for me to make that promise when I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Okay but again remember the source.”
I wave my head indicating him to continue on.
“Guy always threw these parties and invited everyone. They were out in the woods, a lot of times in these abandoned houses and shit.” Rory grabs a box of screws. “One time, hell it had to be more than four years ago, I ran into him and Bennett and I was with the girls. They were getting these fruity drinks and I noticed the way the asshole kept looking over at them.”
My stomach is already flipping around.
“Of course Bennett being who he is spoke up first. Josh was surprised but all he said was that he remembered Kendall at a party of his once. Said it was his senior year which would have made him seventeen or eighteen. He mentioned her going upstairs with some guy and not seeing her until she was rushing out several hours later. But if he was eighteen that would have made Kendall fourteen or fifteen years old. So I figured he had to have had her mixed up with someone else right?”
The thought sours my stomach. The longer I sit with it, the worse it gets.
“She’s never said nothing right?”
“Why would she?” That’s something a girl like Kendall would use as ammunition to build a fortress around her. A barrier she refuses to allow anyone to break through.
I climb down outof my truck and close the door, hitting the lock button before starting across the road. I sent Kendall a text that I was on my way and didn’t even look at her response. My mind has been racing all afternoon. My thoughts retracing the conversation between Rory and I again and again with no escape.
“Hello,” a whiney voice echoes from my left and I look up just in time to see a woman crossing the road, hurrying in my direction.
“Yeah you,” she waves her hand, “who are you?”
“Excuse me?” I ask, looking behind me to see if there is someone else she is talking to.
“Who. Are. You?” she states more slowly like I’m having trouble hearing her.
“Who are you?” I know exactly who this nosy bitch is. I’ve heard enough stories to know how she works. But right now I am honestly not in the mood for anyone’s bullshit.
“I asked you first.” She pauses, placing her hands on her hips and throwing me attitude that isn’t even close to being cute like it is in Kendall.
“Well, I’m not so sure that’s any of your business,” I tell her and she glares at me.
“What is my business is your monstrous truck is parked out front blocking my view and I want you to move it.”
I chuckle because this lady can’t be fucking serious, can she? “Blocking your view of what?”
“Everything,” she announces like it’s two stories high and I parked it in her front yard.
“Lady I don’t have time for this shit.”
“You better make time.”
I chuckle. “So you own the road now?”
“It’s parked in front of my house.”
“Yes, on a public road, owned by the city of Montgomery and not you,” I state the obvious. “So, if you have a problem with where my truck is parked, maybe you should call the city, file a complaint. Until then, have a great night.”
I walk away leaving her huffing and stomping back to her house like a two year old throwing a fit.
