[chapter ten]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please. ;-) Warning: Contains "colourful" language.
**
Kendall shrieked and slammed
on the brakes as her headlights lit her darkened driveway. She was just coming
back from a midnight run to the laundromat to find Jimmie sitting smack in
the middle of her driveway, looking nonchalant.
"What the hell are you doing?!" She yelled, climbing from her car.
"Trying to get run over?"
"At least I got your attention." Jimmie replied, not moving from
his seated position on the cold concrete. "And you didn't actually run
me over, so I consider that progress." Kendall sighed and slammed the
door to her car, silencing the infernal beeping of her "door ajar"
warning. "Your hair..." Jimmie said softly, looking up at her as
though he had never seen her before.
Reflexively, Kendall ran a hand through her long locks. "You think I'd
cut it off? I'm crazy, not stupid."
"I'm both." Jimmie said, finally standing up and taking a few steps
before her before halting uncertainly and shoving his hands in his pockets.
"For thinking I would cut and dye my hair to pose as one of your hangers-on?"
Kendall said before she could stop herself.
"Well, yeah." Jimmie said. "But mostly because..." He
sighed heavily, as though searching for the right words. "I'm sorry for...well,
everything. I know I can't ask you to forgive me, but..."
"Do you understand why I was upset?" Kendall questioned, needing
to know.
"Do you understand that I was backed into a corner by my boss and about
fifty zillion other people?"
"Do you understand that I absolutely do not fit into this world of yours?"
"Do you understand that I don't want you to?"
"Do you understand that I'm not going to change?" Kendall said wearily
after a long moment of silence. "I said that I could change, Jimmie,
that I would become what you need me to be, but god...that one day...that
was just...exhausting." She said, unable to think of a more appropriate
word. "It was just exhausting playing that role. I want to be me, but
I'll understand if..."
Cutting off her words by closing the distance between them, Jimmie bent and
kissed her - tentatively and softly - on the mouth. "I know." He
whispered against her lips. "I know..."
"I don't think I can do it. Not on their terms." Kendall said, wistfully
pulling away from Jimmie's embrace.
"I know." Jimmie repeated again, a hint of a smile on his lips.
"Let's negotiate. Give me your terms."
Kendall tried to hide her smile by looking down at the ground. "You can't
dump me for having the wrong hair or clothes."
"Done."
"You can't expect me to simper and act stupid all the time."
"Done."
"You can't yell at me too much if I say the wrong thing to the wrong
person."
Jimmie's laugh startled her. "Done. You and Chad, both."
"You can't break my heart again." She whispered.
"Done." Jimmie whispered back. "My turn."
"Your turn? I have to agree to your terms?" Kendall deadpanned,
making Jimmie laugh again.
"You can't do what you did to me the other day ever again."
"Done."
"You can't turn tail and run when things get tough."
"Done."
"You can't change who you are."
"Done."
"You can't break my heart."
"Done." Kendall said, looking up at him. "So, we're good here?"
"Yeah." Jimmie laughed. "We're good."