Kendall
KaiandIwalkback into the air conditioned hall hand in hand, my face warm from all the memories of where his lips just were. I get a drink from a waiter while Kai excuses himself to the bathroom. When I sit back down at the table, Emma locks eyes with me and gives me a devious grin. Somehow, she already knows about our extracurricular activities in the limo.
“Shame shame, I know your name,” she whispers loud enough only I can hear. “You guys are the worst,” she comments jokingly.
“Look, I can’t help it that he is ridiculously attractive at baseline. In a suit it’s just unfair really. No match for my traitorous vagina,” I respond, taking a much needed gulp of water.
“You’re probably right. There was a better chance of Jonah going home with his date than you two keeping it in your pants all night.” I shove her arm playfully and we both start cackling. The night isn’t even over and Jonah is already flirting with one of the male bartenders. At that moment, the band starts playingGirls Just Wanna Have funand we whoop and holler all the wayto the dance floor. We sing the words loudly and somewhat off key into pretend microphones made from our hands and dance unabashedly for the next four songs. We get a few popular Drake songs, followed by classic wedding hits that morph into smooth oldies.
When Whitney Houston’sI Wanna Dance with Somebodystarts booming bright and upbeat, I look around for Kai. We used to love to dance to this song together. As if he could read my mind, two strong arms appear around my waist, his chin on my shoulder. I worry about people who don’t immediately get up and dance to this song, that don’t feel the need to yellI want to feel the heat with somebodyat the top of their lungs with their whole chest. Gen z couldnever. At this moment, I’m eternally grateful to be my authentic, nostalgic, unashamed millennial self. I pity those who can’t feel its yearning in their heart or its ballad in their veins.
Thank god it would never be us.
“Want to dance?” he whispers in my ear. He twirls me, dips me, and gathers me in his arms as we shout the lyrics to each other. And I realize this song was made for people like us, two people who love each other so deeply, so unapologetically that it’s impossible to deny we are soulmates. It’s been crafted for moments that feel infinite and nights like this one that we wish would last forever.
Love is finding the one person you could spend the rest of your life dancing to this song with. And that person for me is Kai.
Chapter 73
Kai
WhenIreturnhome,the door to my apartment is slightly ajar and there’s noise coming from inside.What the fuck?
I quickly dial 911 while backing away from the doorway.
“Hello 911, what is your emergency?” a calm steady voice asks.
“I think there is someone trying to break into my apartment,” I respond in a hushed tone.
“What’s your address?”
“15 Grove Place, Charleston. I’m in the penthouse.”
“Okay sir, are you in a safe location?”
“I think so. I don’t know. I’m in the hallway.”
“Okay, we’re sending two officers to respond to the scene. I would suggest waiting outside the building or with a neighbor if you can. Do you want me to stay on the phone with you until they arrive?”
“No, that's okay. Thank you.”
I should have taken her advice. I should have knocked on a neighbor's door. Then maybe I could have avoided dealing witha shitstorm I didn’t want and wasn’t prepared for. But curiosity, surging adrenaline, and an overwhelming need to protect what’s mine forces me to creep into the kitchen and grab a knife from the butcher block.
I hear rummaging and loud thuds coming from my bedroom and stealthily move towards it. When I carefully and quietly set foot in my room, shock takes hold.This is a bad idea. My dressers have been ransacked, there are clothes everywhere. Deodorant, picture frames, a lamp and other loose items strewn across my bed. I’m even more confused when I realize I recognize the man currently digging through my walk-in closet.
“Aiden?” My voice is harsh and strained. I drop the knife and it clatters to the ground. “What the fuck is going on man?” He backs away from the closet, his hands up. He looks awful. Way worse than he did weeks ago. And giving him a once over I realize relinquishing my only weapon might have been a mistake.
“You weren’t home,” he stammers, hands on his head. “And you said I could crash here whenever I needed to. I was looking for something,” he mumbles, running his fingers through his hair furiously. He starts pacing the room while he drags his palms down his face.
“I need money, Kai. I owe someone a lot of money. I don’t have it and it’s too much to ask anyone for. I thought if I could sell your Stanley Cup Jersey maybe I could repay part of the debt,” he confesses.
“So, you broke into my apartment to steal from me? Are you fucking kidding me, Aiden? What is going on with you?” I yell. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to regulate my breathing before I do something I’ll regret. “Do you understand how insane that is?” I press, my voice measured and calculated this time.
“I just need a second,” he mutters while rushing to the bathroom. Before I can ask him anything else, the door is slammed in my face and I hear the click of the lock. I start banging on the door with my fist impatiently.
He needs a second? The asshole who just broke into my apartment?I want to kill him but I know those kinds of impulses aren’t helpful right now and aren’t going to get us anywhere.
“You need to come out here, Aiden. The police are on their way. I thought someone was trying to break in.” I guess someonehadbroken in, it just wasn’t the violent intruder that I assumed it was. He opens the door a fraction and it’s up close I truly understand the shape he’s in.
