Accepted Fate (25 page)

If the guy wasn't so damn nice, I'd punch him in the face. Why can't he just let her decide for herself? "Are you telling me you won't even tell her I'm here?"

He nods his head. "If I thought it would change the outcome I would, but she's already all messed up about moving. She doesn't need to become more confused. If she's upset, I won't further upset her. I'm sorry man, I think you should just go and enjoy the rest of your time here, then head back home and forget about her." He turns and opens the door, disappearing inside.

Well if I can't get anywhere with her family, it's pointless. I'm just not really feeling the California sun anymore. Knowing what I'd be missing at the expense of staying here without seeing her, I'd rather just go back home.

I pull up at Ryland's shortly after leaving her house and walk into the pool house. As I come into the back bedroom, I pull out my phone and begin dialing a number. A female answers after the first couple of rings. "Los Angeles International Airport, my name is Dana, how can I help you?"

"I need to know when the next flight out from LAX to New Orleans is please."

"I can help you with that sir, hold on and let me check the system." I hear clicking of the keyboard before she comes back on the line. "The next available flight is scheduled for nine tomorrow morning with United Airlines."

"I'll take it."

"Your name sir?"

"Breyson Abercrombie."

"Okay, I show you had a ticket for Friday morning, will you be exchanging?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay sir, I have you booked on flight UA 504. I'll email your flight confirmation."

"Thanks," I say ending the call.

I begin shoving all of my things back into my suitcase with the exception of a change of clothes and my shower bag. It's now completely dark outside. Since I have nothing else to do I might as well go to bed. Before charging my phone I text Ryland of the change in plans.

Me: Can you take me to the airport in the morning?

Ryland: What the hell for?

Me: I'm just not feeling it anymore. There hasn't been anything but drama since I've been here. I think I'm just going to head back home.

Ryland: Things go bad with Kinzleigh?

Me: I never got past her brother.

Ryland: Shit dude, that's what I was afraid of. I'm sure Preston didn't hesitate to fill him in on the details. He can be a little bitch when it comes to her. What time is your flight?

Me: 9 is take off. I need to leave early.

Ryland: I got you covered.

Me: Thanks, I'll see you then. I'm going to bed.

I plug my phone into the charger on the bedside table. I didn't even bother to read the last text from Ryland. I'm just not in the mood anymore. I know he will try to talk me out of it but I don't really feel like hanging around the easy girls while he hangs out with Presley. I grab my shower bag and head for the shower. I still can feel the chlorine from the pool like a film over my skin.

Ten minutes later, I emerge from the steam filled bathroom, showered and in a clean pair of boxers. Lying down in the bed, I drift off to sleep.

Kinzleigh

It's midnight and I just crawled into bed. Preston dropped me off around seven and insisted he needed to talk to Konnor.  After a day like today, I didn't want to argue. I ate some leftover subs mom made earlier and took a shower. After I showered, I walked into the den upstairs and found dad watching old home movies. He does it from time to time. He said it keeps the good memories alive. If I catch him watching them, I sit on the arm of his leather recliner and lay my head on his shoulder, watching them alongside him.

I get underneath my big fluffy comforter and turn out my bedside light. Just as I'm getting comfortable, my door bursts open shining the light from the hallway into my dark room. When I sit up, it's Presley waltzing in wearing pajama shorts and a tank. "Presley, what are you doing here?"

She jumps on my bed beside me, landing on her knees and palms. "You know I need bestie time after what happened earlier today. Plus, I need to talk some sense into you. I got the scoop and I'm going to have Lexi's ass on a platter when I see her. We will see what she thinks when I forget to catch her sorry butt next time she goes up in the air."

Now I'm really confused. "Mind telling me what you're rambling about?"

She sighs and places her keys and phone on the table before moving to the other side of me, furthest from the door. She slides under the covers and turns on her side facing me. "You know come hell or high water I'm always on your side, but I will always be honest and tell you when you're being a royal pain in my ass." She has such a potty mouth sometimes, but that is just one thing that makes Presley, Presley. She is so sassy.

I roll my eyes and turn towards her. "How exactly am I being a pain in your butt? I can't wait to hear this."

"For starters, I get that you jump to conclusions because of what happened to Konnor, but would it have killed you to hear the boy out before you stomped off in a rage?" Weird, I kind of thought she'd be pulling for her brother on this one. Back when we were kids we used to plot ways to become sisters. Ninety percent of the time, the solution was she would marry Konnor; imagine that. 

"He kissed me with a girlfriend after hitting on Lexi the same night. What do you want me to do? Maybe it was doing me a favor. I will not do to someone else what was done to Konnor."

"You always were the stubborn one. Kinzleigh I talked to Ryland. He didn't hit on Lexi. As a matter of fact, it was the opposite. I knew she was lying when she said it to begin with, that's why I called her out on it. I can always smell a lie from a mile away. The little jealous tramp just wanted him for herself." She is right; she's always been good about calling bull crap.

"It still doesn't change the fact that he kissed me with a girlfriend," I say. She is now rolling her eyes. I can barely see it because of the dark room, but it was enough to see the act.

"Kinzleigh, when are you going to take off those rose colored glasses you wear? When are you going to see the world for the bull shit that it is? Things happen and people make mistakes, but you know what? We shouldn't be defined for those mistakes. You go to church every Sunday, but when it comes time to practice what you preach, you fall short every time. We can't all be as perfect as you are."

"So what are you saying, I should just forget that he omitted having a girlfriend or had a girlfriend and just go along like that's okay? I can't do that Presley. It goes against everything I believe. You know how strongly I feel about that. If you don't want to be faithful to someone, you shouldn't date them."

She exhales impatiently. "This is the part I was referring to about being a pain in my ass. Did you ever ask him if he had or has a girlfriend when you were thinking about losing your virginity to him? Hmm, or what about when you were kissing him back?"

"Well Presley, excuse me, but I would think it's an unspoken rule that you should mention that before you try and kiss someone. When he kissed me, I assumed that meant he was single. I may not know much about dating, but why would you kiss someone if you have a girlfriend?"

"Kinzleigh, I'm not saying that it wasn't wrong of him to kiss you on Friday with a girlfriend. What I'm saying is you should have given him the chance to explain his actions. If you had, you would have learned that he was only dating her because they were friends with benefits and he dated her so she wouldn't appear to be a slut." Her brows come together. "I don't know, maybe that's a southern thing. Personally I don't know why it matters. Anyways, it turns out he broke it off with her that night on the phone because he wanted to spend more time with you, but didn't feel right about doing that to her. He even explained to her that he met someone he was interested in getting to know. I'm not excusing his initial screw up, but at least he tried to make it right. Would you cut the boy some slack? You may try to deny it, but I know the attraction is there. I know you want to see more of him too."

I roll back onto my back and look up at the ceiling. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I know she is right, but at the same time this is becoming very complicated already and he is supposed to leave in like four days. "I don't know. It just seems like too much of a headache already. Could you have not told me all of this tomorrow? I've had enough for one day."

"I could have waited until tomorrow, but then he wouldn't be here. He scheduled a flight out tomorrow morning because he came over to talk to you and Konnor wouldn't let him through the door. He decided he would rather go back home than to stay here with you not speaking to him. Ryland is freaking out about it because he only sees him twice a year, but he knows if he tries to talk him out of it nothing will change. The result will be the same." All I can do is blink. He came here to talk to me? Konnor didn't even tell me? That's not like him at all.

"What exactly are you proposing I do?"

"I could take you to the airport in the morning. I know which gate he's at." That sly grin comes over her face, but then it disappears and reappears as sadness. "Mom told me about you moving."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"I don't know; I guess I was waiting around for you to tell me yourself, hoping it wasn't real. I want you to do something for me and I'm completely serious. This isn't a joke to me. You have to promise and you know me and you never break promises."

"Okay, what is it?"

A tear rolls down her nose. "I want you to live this year. Get out there and do something you wouldn't normally do. I know I won't be there to push you, but I want you to venture out and have fun. You're such a likable person when you let yourself go; free the inner spirit that I know you keep buried deep inside." I've never seen Presley cry; not since we were little, anyway. It's a little overwhelming.

Before I know it, tears are falling down my face too. "Hey, you know you'll always be my best friend right. I know I can be difficult sometimes but I love you. You're the only sister I've ever had. It's only for a year and I'm coming back. Still same college right? Pinky promise me." I hold out my hand extending my pinky. When we were kids we saw on a movie where two people made a blood promise and thought it would be neat so we made a blood promise we would go to the same college. It's kind of silly, I know, but she's always been my sister, blood or not, and we always do everything big together.

A smile breaks free in the midst of her tears. "You're damn right," she says linking her pinky with mine. "I wish you didn't have to go. Now senior year is going to suck without my partner in crime. What about cheerleading captain? What about cheerleading in general?"

"Come on, you know I'm usually just holding you back. You're co-captain so that automatically makes you captain and Madison had the third highest score for tryouts; she will become co-captain. As for cheerleading, well I guess I'm just hoping this school has a decent squad and an extra spot." This is so much harder than I thought now that it's so real. "Will you promise me you'll visit on Christmas break?"

She wipes her eyes. "Of course I will. You can show me around and introduce me to some southern boys. I've always wanted to meet a real cowboy and if any are like Breyson, I can't wait. That boy is hot Kinzleigh." Leave it to Presley to turn this into something about guys.

I push her shoulder lightly, "Let's call it a night if I've got to be up at the butt crack of dawn to go to the airport."

Her face lights up like a kid on Christmas morning, "I knew you'd see it my way. Night sweet stuff," she says and kisses my cheek before turning over to go to sleep. For some reason I have a feeling I'm a glutton for punishment.

***

We pull in to LAX at eight A.M. sharp. "You owe me a white chocolate mocha after this," I say groggily. I am never a morning person. I like my sleep, unlike a certain perky brunette I know. I don't think the girl ever sleeps more than five hours a night. She was up, showered and dressed in a pair of my clothes when I was just stirring from my slumber. It's really a tragedy we weren't sisters. We do everything together and can wear all the same clothes except for jeans because I'm short and she's tall.

"You do this baby girl and I'll buy you as many mochas as your heart desires. I'm proud of you because I know this is hard for you. Ryland said they are sitting outside the gate."

We step out of her white Mercedes in the parking garage. "Let’s just get this over with." Heading for the main entrance of the airport, we catch a ride to the door. "What terminal is it Presley?"

She looks down at her phone, scrolling through a text message. "Terminal seven, flight UA 504 to New Orleans. Departure is 9 AM." I head in the direction of the terminal before I remember they won't let you through to the terminal without a security check and boarding pass. Crap!

I stop mid step and turn towards Presley. "I can't get back there without a ticket and we're pushing for time."

A smirk comes across her face as she holds up a printout. "I have the ticket confirmation. We just need to get the boarding pass so come on."

We get to the cashier window. Presley slaps the piece of paper down on the countertop. The attendant looks at the printout. "Good morning Miss Baker, I'm Lauren. Do you have some identification?"

"Sure," I say and begin digging through my purse for my wallet. Pulling out my wallet, I remove my license and hand it to the woman in front of me.

She begins clicking away on the keyboard in front of her and then hands my license back to me. "I have your seats confirmed. Here is your boarding pass. You will be in terminal seven. I hope you enjoy your flight." She smiles and hands me my pass.

We hurry to airport security and wait impatiently until I've been checked. It's almost time for boarding and I'm running full speed. I cannot believe I'm doing this over a guy. If I didn't feel so bad about jumping to conclusions, I wouldn't be. Luckily, both of our parents travel so often for work or I'd be upset about having to spend money on a ticket.