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“One of the few cities I’ve never been to.”
When Kendall very casually responded, “I’ll have to take you there some time,” I honestly didn’t know what to say. But the giddiness I felt in my stomach from just the possibility of us spending time together -out of town time, at that- told me everything I needed to know, making it hard for me not to grin until he asked, “What about you, though? You got any siblings?”
“None that I know about,” I answered with a shrug. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I did, though.”
“Damn. It’s like that?”
“Ijust… I kinda feel like I don’t really know my dad’s life all the way,” I explained. “Like, when we’re together, it’s all love;alwayslove. But ever since he moved to Vegas for “work”, it’s almost like there’s two different versions of him or somethin’.I don’t know. This is already gettingwaytoo personal.”
Awkwardly, I giggled at my own oversharing as Kendall said, “My bad. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“Oh no. I’m not uncomfortable,” I told him. “Actually, I think I’mtoocomfortable. And that’s kinda terrifying.”
For whatever reason, Kendall grinned at that. “No need to be scared, Shakira. I’m just tryna get to know you.”
“Well let’s talk about something else then,” I urged. But instead of actually changing the subject, Kendall just stared at the screen,stared at me, with that same grin on his face, his gaze making me blush a little as I asked, “What?”
“Whatever you put on your lips got ‘em lookin’ good as hell right now.”
When he bit into his bottom one just slightly as if to emphasize his point, I had to remind myself to breathe, trying my best to play off just how affected I was by the simple gesture when I responded, “It’s just beauty supply store lip gloss.”
“Classic,” he chuckled.
“What you know about that?” I asked, secretly hoping that he’d answer with something that made him a little less attractive to me. But unsurprisingly, the exact opposite happened.
“I got two sisters, remember?” he asked, proudly sharing, “Ana is actually the reason we were out tonight. I promised her dinner at Franklin’s for finishing the first year of her master’s program at U of H.”
“Well isn’t that sweet of you,” I cooed. “What is she studying?”
“Athletic training.”
“So y’all are just a sporty ass family, huh?”
“You could say that,” Kendall replied with his dimples showing. “My mom and dad met as student-athletes at Tennessee. My older sister, Kimberly, hooped there. I obviously played football there. And then Anastasia played volleyball at the University of Texas.”
While the depth of his family’s athletic ties was actually really dope to learn about, it was the last part of what he’d said that stood out to me the most, making me squint a little when I asked, “Was that…controversial? Ana not attending the family alma mater?”
Simultaneously, Kendall yawned and shook his head. “Nah, it was expected. She’s always marched to the beat of her own drum.”
“My kinda girl,” I said, smiling.
“Did you go to college?”
“We’re already back on me, huh?” I thought, releasing a heavy sigh before I answered, “I did.Didn’t finish. But if I ever had to fill out a job application, I could check the box that says,“Some College”thanks to the two and a half years I spent at Texas Southern.”
“What’d you study?”
“Mostly partying,” I giggled. “But also mathematics.”
“So you’re good with numbers?”
“I’mgreatwith numbers,” I emphasized. “Which is part of the reason why I dropped out. I knew I could make way more money with this influencing shit than I ever would’ve made with that math degree.”
“Yeah, you right about that,” Kendall agreed with a nod. But the silence that came after had me giving more thought to the topic than I had since the decision was first made, leading me to follow up, “I suppose if I ever wanted or needed to go back, I could.But right now?I’m fine where I’m at.”
“You most definitely are,” Kendall smirked.
Once again, his ass had me blushing which meant it was time for me to turn the spotlight back his way when I asked, “So… did you get your degree at UT, or did you only study football?”
