“Yes.”
Dominic reappeared a few minutes later freshly showered, fully dressed, and smelling amazing.
“I assume I’m driving.” Dominic said.
“Unless you want to ride back seat of her car." Ryan motioned toward me with his shoulder.
“Nope,” Dominic reached for his keys that were hanging by the door and immediately began to fidget. “Probably not a good idea to leave your car parked here,” he said with his eyes on his keys. “We can swing by your place if that works?”
“Yeah. But, your truck doesn’t have a center shoulder belt and that kind of freaks me out, so, maybe I’ll just follow you in my car to wherever we’re going.”
Dominic looked nervous, still fidgeting with his keys. “I installed one earlier this week,” he said. “Auto-shop extra credit,” he added.
“Oh. Okay. Cool,” I said.
“Cool,” Ryan agreed. There was an odd moment of silence between us and then Ryan clapped and said, “Okay, let’s go.”
Ryan didn’t ask to drive this time, he just hopped in the passenger seat and put on his belt. “You don’t want to drive all of a sudden?” I asked.
“I don’t know where you live,” he shrugged. “But I’m about to find out,” he grinned, making his dimples show.
There was a car I didn’t recognize parked in front of the house when I pulled into the driveway. “I should probably go tell somebody where I’m going,” I informed as I grabbed my things out of the car.
“Okay,” Ryan said, and they both nodded and followed me into the house.
“I’ll be right back,” I told them, leaving them both at the bottom of the stairs as I hurried up to my room.
I’d almost made it to the top of the stairs when I heard a deafening screech from below — I jumped, it was that alarming — and then Kaley blurted, “What the duck!?” and then started giggling uncontrollably.
I backtracked a couple steps to make sure everybody was okay — honestly more worried about Ryan and Dominic. “Everybody okay?” I called down the stairs. “No bleeding eardrums?”
“Kats!” Kayley blurted. “Dominic Weedon and Ryan Mathers are standing in our Foy-yay.” None of us ever called it that, mostly we said bottom of the stairs, or front door, and foyer once in a blue moon, and it was super weird that she’d used their full names. “Yay,” she grinned up at me.
“Okay,” I gave her a thumbs up and continued on my way. I pushed open the door to my room to find Kimber and Zach sitting on the floor at the end of her bed.
“Oh hey!” Zack waved.
“Oh! Is this a thing now?” I pointed a finger between them.
“Omigawd,” Kimber covered her face with her hands. “Maybe. Kinda,” she said through her hands.
“Trying to be?” Zack offered.
I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring nod and dumped my things on my bed. “I’m going out with some friends, not sure if I’ll be back tonight or not, if I end up closer to Julian’s you know…” I shrugged, gave a wave and started for the door to put on a different, less school more going out, shirt. Kimber followed.
“Who are you going out with?” Kimber asked, wide-eyed, her expression one of pure shock that I actually had friends I went out with, socially.
“Dominic and Ryan; it’s Dominic’s birthday.”
“Dominic Weedon and Ryan Mathers?” she asked.
“Why do you guys keep using their full names like that?”
Kimber shrugged.
“Duh,” Kayley said appearing in the doorway to our get ready space. “It’s because they’re basically like celebrities.”
“Ah, so that’s why you guys always call me Katarina Franks, and Julian is never just Julian or Jules, it’s Julian Romero, full stop.”
Kayley scowled. “No. That’d be weird. You guys are different.”
“Uh-huh. Well, it’s weird, Kays. And you don’t call them by their full names at school.”
Kayley considered for a minute. “Sometimes I do, but I’m not like a freak or anything.”
I chuckled, remembering her freak out from a few minutes earlier.
“She has a point, Kays” Kimber chimed in. “Pretty sure she and Julian have signed more autographs than well, probably any of the popular kids from school.”
“What? Really?” Kayley eyed me dubiously. “You’ve signed autographs?”
“Yeah,” I laughed.
“That weirds me out, Kat. I just can’t really see you as being famous, you know? You’re just my cousin,” she shrugged.
“Good. I prefer it that way,” I said. Finally finding the top I’d been looking for, I took off the one I’d been wearing, tossed it in the hamper basket and slipped on the new one.
“Omigawd — you look so cute!” Kayley exclaimed.
I flashed her a smile and went to apply a few fresh coats of mascara.
“You should wear these,” Kimber batted at my extensions.
“What are you crazy?” I rolled my eyes at her. “Maybe I should just put on my cape and draw a big S on my chest,” I mumbled.
Kayley snickered.
Kimber shrugged. “It’s your love triangle.”
“There’s no triangle,” I sighed. “It’s more like an ampersand, it’s got all sorts of twist and turns and crossovers, but the ends don’t meet.” I put the cap back on the mascara and wondered if I should tell them that Ryan and I were starting something.
“What’s an ampersand?” Kayley asked.
“It’s the ‘and’ symbol.” Kimber informed. “The one that looks kind of like an eight.”
“Oh yeah, little dude scooting his butt across the floor. Yep, still confused.” Kayley clutched her chest and gasped. “Holy farkwad — are you having a—” Kayley waved her hands back and forth in front of her crossing them over and under each other. “Like a thing with Dominic, and Ryan Mathers?”
Had to give her props for getting half way to referring to them by just their first names, even if I had no idea what she was trying to say otherwise.
“Omigawd Kayley, No!” Kimber said on my behalf.
“I don’t even know what you’re trying to say, Kays, but I’m gonna go with what Kims said. There’s no thing happening. We’re all just friends.”
Kayley scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Boring.”
Chapter 26
Ryan took us to this amazing, kind of weird, back alley burger joint in the city. The place is literally called Back Alley Burgers. It’s entrance is in an alleyway, but it’s also right behind a bowling alley, so there was plenty of debate about why it was named as such.
Ryan ordered for me again, which I was fine with since we’re basically food compatible, but it irked Dominic. “She can’t order for herself?” he grumbled at Ryan.
“Yeah,” Ryan waved his hand toward me and amended his double order to just one.
“Uhm…” I consider the menu some more. “I’ll have the same,” I said. “Sorry Dominic, Ryan just gets me when it comes to food.”
Dominic rolled his eyes. “Independent women be damned.”
“Anybody want to dance?” Ryan asked. “They have a pretty sweet music selection,” he pointed to the corner closest to us where there was an empty patch of floor that had been painted red and white checkerboard, and a jukebox.
“I don’t dance,” Dominic said.
“Yes you do,” Ryan jabbed him with his elbow and left us, headed for the jukebox.
“So how’d you find out it was my birthday?” Dominic asked.
“Ryan told me.”
“Bullshit.”
“You’re so distrustful. He overheard the coach wishing you a Happy Birthday.”
“Why didn’t he say anything earlier?”
“Why do you think I know the answer to that?”
Dominic raised a brow at me.
“He said he wanted me to be here.”
“Why?” Dominic pushed.
I leaned close, like it was a secret and whispered, “Can you just g
o have some fun on your birthday, for fuck’s sake?” Ryan had started some power ballad from the 80’s he was playing air guitar along with. “Go dance with your best friend, on your birthday.” I motioned toward Ryan.
Dominic scowled at me and I scowled back.
“Come on,” I griped. “I need — need — to see what a terrible dancer you are. I need it, Dominic. And so do you.”
Dominic rolled his eyes and caved. “Fine. I will if you will.”
I smiled, I couldn’t help it. “Ah, the call of future regrets.”
Dominic laughed and headed for the jukebox. I pulled out my phone and snapped a couple of pictures of them dancing together, which was mostly a lot of awkward lurching about and playing of air-based instruments.
We danced together until our food arrived and then we collapsed into our seats, energized and happy laughing. “I can see why you like to dance,” Dominic was repeatedly pulling at the front of his shirt to fan himself, “You’re good at it.”
“It’s not about being good at it, it’s about having fun,” I said.
“If you say so,” Dominic picked up a fry and stabbed it into his ketchup.
“Leave being good at it to the professionals,” I added.
Ryan found this statement hilarious.
“If you say so,” Dominic lifted a shoulder then turned his attention to Ryan, his expression asking if Ryan had completely lost reason.
Ryan managed to pull his laughter in enough to cheerily wish Dominic a Happy Birthday.
“Guys,” I held up my burger. “I don’t get mushy and feely very often, but I think this moment calls for documenting with some kind of speech. And since it’s bad luck to toast with water—”
“Health nerds,” Dominic took a long drink of his soda.
“I’m going to say it with a burger,” I cleared my throat and lifted my burger into he air. “Dominic, you’re one of my favorite people. Ever. You have this way about you that makes those around you better just for knowing you, and that’s even more true for those you count as friends.” I was watching him pretty close for any signs of fidgeting, the last thing I wanted was to make him feel anxious. He’d abandoned the fry he was holding and his lips were tight but other than that he seemed okay. Ryan was nodding in agreement and had pulled out his phone to take a picture.
“I sincerely hope this isn’t the last time we celebrate your birthday together,” I continued. “But if it is, I just want you to know that I love you guys and I’ll never forget you, or this night. Ever. Happy birthday, Dominic.”
“Here here,” Ryan tapped his burger against mine then looked expectantly toward Dominic.
Dominic chuckled, his cheeks red with embarrassment. “Okay,” he sighed and picked up his burger. “You guys are both weird as fuck, and I love that.” He tapped his burger against ours and then we all took huge bites. And Ryan snapped a picture to commemorate the moment.
Nobody looks good cramming food into their face — but we all looked pretty funny. Definitely one of my most favorite pictures ever.
Dominic leaned toward Ryan with his mouth still full of burger and said, “Dude, I told you she loved me.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “This guy,” he jabbed a thumb toward Dominic.
I felt like I was missing something. But a statement like that was like a neon sign flashing ‘Drama! Drama! Drama!’ in three different colors. So I pretended I hadn’t been able to make out what they were saying over the restaurant din and let it slide its way right on past me and out the door, where hopefully it would freeze to death in the cold winter air.
Conversation stayed light-hearted and fun for the most part with a fair amount of Dominic teasing Ryan over his first encounter with a cow. Ryan related the moment to being chased by rabid teen girls at school and how I’d saved him on more than one occasion. Ryan talked about his plan to buy two cars, but probably not a sedan, and then tried to get Dominic on his side about how my car looked exactly like every other car. Dominic pointed out that my car had a unicorn head bobble on the antenna. And then Ryan spent a good ten minutes trying to understand exactly how Dominic could tell the difference between my car and every other sedan in the world when “they literally look exactly the same.” He said this about ten times, pointing at me every time, until I accidentally on purpose kicked him under the table. And then the conversation evolved into Dominic relaying the story of me threatening to pepper spray him with my unicorn keychain.
I was completely full from the burger and fries, but Ryan and Dominic both have bottomless pits for stomachs and Ryan insisted we order desserts. Because it was Ryan he ordered one of everything on the dessert menu.
We decided to dance some more until they arrived. A slower song came on and Ryan shoved me and Dominic together. “You guys dance. I gotta go piss on my ancestors accomplishments.”
“What?” I was thoroughly confused but Ryan was already halfway across the room so my confusion landed on Dominic.
“He’s related to the guy who invented flush toilets.” Dominic shrugged. “He thinks it’s funny.”
Dominic and I were somewhat awkwardly step touch, step touch dancing next to each other and then he grumbled and slipped his hands around my waist and pulled me close to him. I was hit with so many tummy tingles I forgot how to make coordinated body movements. I let out a sound that was half laugh half squeak and instinctively grabbed hold of his arms. “You okay?” he looked legit concerned, like I’d somehow gotten hurt in the maneuver.
“Yeah,” I said on a breath. “You just startled me a bit. This is a different side of you — dancing with a girl.” I added extra contempt on the word girl, as a reminder to myself that that’s how he saw me — like a naïve little girl. It didn’t help as much as I’d hoped. “Are you feeling okay?”
He cracked a smile and shrugged. “I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone. Don’t get used to it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I said. Total lie. There was going to be all sorts of dreaming and reminiscing about this moment for at least the next decade.
“I just wanted to say thanks for today. I feel like I’m maybe not the best kind of friend I could be for you sometimes, and I’m just glad you keep choosing to be a better friend to me than I am to you.”
“I think you’re a better friend to me than you realize, Dominic. Even when you don’t mean to be.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m glad we’re friends.”
“Does us being friends mean you’ve stopped crushing on me?”
I couldn’t help but laugh and then I told him the straight up truth, “Dominic, I’ve never crushed on you.”
He looked shocked. “Bullshit.”
“It’s true!” I defended. I liked him, I cared about him, I fell in love with him, and maybe I was being delusional, but other than a few extravagant bouts of the tummy tingles, nothing about my feeling for Dominic qualified as an infatuation, or obsession, or short term. At least not for me.
He rolled his eyes. “First term, I overheard you and Kayley basically calling dibs on me. You told her you’d seen me first,” he said as if he was trying to refresh my memory.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, I should probably be embarrassed that you heard us, but I wasn’t calling dibs on you. I was pointing out her flawed logic after she’d just called dibs. And it made her decide not to chase after you so, you’re welcome. I’m sure you’ve noticed but Kayley’s kind of immature.”
“Little bit,” the corner of his mouth lifted, amused. “So you’ve seriously never…” his voice trailed.
I shook my head. “The last guy I had a crush on stole my lunch and then told everybody I was a loser and my lunch was pathetic. Even though he ate every single bite of that peanut butter sandwich. I became a lot more discriminating in my relationships after that. I even tried out having one last year. It lasted about three weeks. He felt like he wasn’t a big enough priority in my life,” I lifted a shoulder. “I have a lot of things in
my life and a lot of plans over the next few years. So, I’m never going to be interested in anything or anyone that’s going to want to hold me back or keep me from it.”
“Yeah, that’s smart. I’m trying to do the same. I guess I misjudged you.”
“Eh,” I brushed it off. “It’s kind of our thing.”
“Ouch?” Dominic chuckled.
I chuckled too and then I said, “You were right about something though, I am in love with you.”
Dominic’s expression dropped and he stopped moving, halting us in the middle of a turning step touch. “What?”
I closed one eye and framed his face between my fingers. “Can you hold that face while I take a picture?”
“You’re kidding!” he broke into a laugh, a nervous laugh.
I wasn’t kidding. And I knew he wasn’t going to react well, but I had this idea that if I could capture his rejection, his repulsion, I could use it to help me let go. I hadn’t considered how knife-to-the-heart breaking it would be. I almost started crying, I started laughing instead.
Dear Diary,
I’ve decided the best way to come to terms with my heartache is to stop wanting more. This would be a lot easier to do if Dominic had never kissed me, because I want that again. A lot. But that was a one time thing — a mistake, a “party foul,” from his perspective — and it’s never going to happen again.
For me, it was more like a shooting star. Brilliant and amazing, and now it’s gone and all I have is the memory.
It was a good memory, and that’s how I want to keep it — without all the angst that got added to it later.
What we have, just the way we have it, is enough. It has to be.
Grasping at straws,
-Kiss Me Again Kat
The next morning I woke to a text from Dominic. It was a picture of the three of us dancing. I didn’t remember him taking the picture, but that kind of made sense considering I wasn’t looking at the camera when the photo was taken, I was in my groove, enjoying the music. Ryan was playing air guitar and Dominic was in the foreground pointing toward us with his thumb over his shoulder.
Kit Kat & Katie Did Page 31
