“What the hell do you get a person like Kassy for their birthday?” AJ whined, flinging open the door to his home. Howie shrugged and followed. This was the first time the two had them had been shopping and had come home empty handed.
“You mean, besides Brian?” AJ stared at his best friend for a moment, then sighed. He knew what Howie meant, but he also knew how hard it was for him to say it. He had feelings for Kassy, which were hard to ignore. They were strong and they ran deep. He loved her; loved her enough to know when to let her go. She was in love with Brian and somehow, someday, they would be together. He wanted to see her happy and if being with him made her happy, then he would make it so . . . no matter how much it hurt.
The phone rang, knocking both latinos out of their thoughts. Shaking his had in a daze, AJ picked up the phone.
“Yo, Jay here,” he said. Howie rolled his eyes a laughed.
“Jay!!” Kassy screeched. “I’m gonna say this slowly so you understand me: YOU. SHOULD. HAVE. BEEN. HERE. AT. 4. O’CLOCK. Is that do hard to understand?” AJ looked at his watch. He smiled sheepishly.
“Whoops,” he said, meekly. Howie looked at the clock on the wall and groaned. He had heard Kassy’s voice from where he was standing.
“What time was the movie supposed to start?” Howie asked.
“FIVE!” Kassy yelled. Then, she collapsed into giggles.
“How much sugar have you had?” AJ asked, laughing.
“Too much,” Kevin replied from another phone in Howie’s home.
“Where is she?”
“Bouncing up and down on Howie’s bed,” Kristin replied, stealing the phone from Kassy’s hands. “This girl needs a depressant.”
“We’ll be home in about a half hour,” AJ said, reading Howie’s hand signs.
“You’d better be because I dunno how long I can handle the two of them,” Kristin said as she was jolted off the bed as Nick fell next to her, his face bright red from laughing.
*Half Hour Later . . .
Howie and Kevin rushed up the stairs at the sound of Kristin’s screams. AJ ambled slowly after them.
“Kris!” Kevin shouted, frantically, running into the room. He stopped short, Howie running into him. There she was, caught in the middle of two tornadoes. Two tornadoes named Kassy and Nick.
"Well, gee, Kev, thanks!" Kassy said, trying hard not to laughing. "I'm glad you came to my rescue, too!" Kevin rolled his eyes.
Laughing, Howie went over to the bed and swiped his arm across the comforter, catching the girls’ feet as he did so. They fell flat on their backs, laughing hysterically as Nick still jumped up and down. Rolling his eyes, Kevin went over to the bed and took hold of Kristin’s hand, pulling her up and into his arms.
“You okay?” he asked. She nodded, breathless, and laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes. He smiled to himself and kissed the top of her head.
“It’s not like we were doing anything to hurt her, Kev,” Nick said, taking one final pounce and landing Indian style on the soft brown comforter. Kevin didn’t respond.
Kassy felt a pang in her heart. She longed to be held like Kevin held Kristin. She wanted to be cradled with affection just as she was. In other words, she was jealous. Not of who Kristin was being held by, but that she was being held. Howie was the only one to notice the distress that flickered momentarily across Kassy’s face. He knew why it was there, too. He could empathize.
I have to give Bri a call, he vowed. They have to straighten things out before she leaves or they’ll both regret it.
“I’ll be right back.” Standing up, Howie stepped out of the room andd walked down the hall.
“Hey, D?” He turned to see Kassy peeking out of his room, her brows furrowed in concern.
“Yeah?” he said.
“You okay?” He nodded. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he lied. “I just need to make a phone call, k?” Nodding, Kassy smiled quickly before disappearing back into the room. He felt a pang of guilt in his heart for lying to her, but pushed it aside. It was for her. She could think of it as a birthday gift.