No, We Don't Come Easy

February 7th, 2009

Kennedy left the next morning without a word to Naomi. What had happened had led them to her apartment, and they went far enough. He knew what he had done was wrong, and that she'd probably cry herself to sleep. But he kept picturing her as Wendy, and that wouldn't be fair to her either. So he chose the path he thought would turn out best for her.

For her to forget him.

But he knew she wouldn't. The Maine was slowly beginning to play on the radio, and shown on the television. She was bound to see him there; in magazines; at stores. It was a given. He got into the van without a sound, causing the guys to give him strange looks.

"Dude," John turned to him. "What happened to you last night?"

"Nothing," Kennedy grumbled. "Just drive. Please. I want to get out of here."

"What's going on, man?" Jared pressured, putting a hand on Kennedy's shoulder.

"Fuck, I can't take this." Kennedy rolled his eyes, climbed out of the van and walked over to Versa's. He knocked on the door and Sierra answered, then cocked her head to the side. "I need some advice."

"Sure, sure," She pulled him in and shut the door, then followed him into the 'living room.' "What's up?"

"It's a long story," Kennedy looked at her, then pressed his lips together. She sat him down in the booth, then rested her chin in her hand. Kennedy looked down at his lap. He felt like crying. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to or not, though. "A few weeks ago, I went to visit my brother Trent in Minnesota. I was supposed to help him with the ice storm they were having, so I did at first. Then I met Wendy. She - well she showed me what I liked about Minnesota; because I wasn't really welcoming the idea when I had first gotten there.

"She's beautiful, funny, smart, charming. All in one package, and I told her how I felt about her, then left. She didn't want to talk to me; at least I thought she didn't. Then I got on the plane back to Arizona." He paused, "Sierra, is it possible to fall in love in two weeks?"

"You're asking me?" Sierra pointed to herself, "Kennedy, guys don't like me. I'm too 'tomboy-ish.' I'm serious; I've had maybe two boyfriends, and I know absolutely nothing about relationships." There was a moment of silence, "Can't you talk to the guys about this?" Kennedy shook his head. "I think John would be your best bet, Kenny."

Kennedy took a deep breath and let it out, then laid his head in his arms, "I think I'm in love with her, Sierra. And last night I had sex with another girl, and all I could see was Wendy."

"Oh shit," Sierra blurted out. "You've got it bad, Ken."

"And that's about it," Kennedy sighed, looking down at his hands as John and him sat in a McDonald's eating privately, away from the rest of the guys. John let the fry in his mouth drop onto the tray below him. "What?"

"There's a whole girl you're in love with and you didn't even tell me?!" John exclaimed. "I thought we were friends, man."

"We are," Kennedy rolled his eyes, "I just - I didn't know if it was going to work out." Kennedy thought for a minute, "You know, you've sort of met her. You talked to her on the phone that one day."

"That's her?" John cocked his head to the side. Kennedy nodded. "Oh. Well, then. I think you should call her."

"I don't think so," Kennedy shook his head, then ate a fry. "She probably hates me now."

"I doubt it," John stated. "If she loves you, too, she'd accept your apology and vise-versa." John thought for a minute, "When tour ends, you're going back to Minnesota. And you're getting her back. Or just getting her. Either way, you two are getting together. I demand it."

Kennedy actually smiled for the first time that day, "I guess that gives me some time."

"You know you won't be able to go back until after Warped Tour?" John chewed his fry and looked at Kennedy sadly.

"That's six months from now!" Kennedy exclaimed. "She could move by then, anything else! John she could get married in that amount of time."

Meanwhile, Wendy sat in her bedroom when she heard Annabelle call for her. Wendy got worried and walked to Annabelle's room to find her on the floor crying, holding her chest. "Wendy, what's wrong wit me?" She cried. Wendy panicked and picked Annabelle up, then carried her downstairs. "Wendy, what's going on?"

"Taylor!" Wendy screamed. "Come on, we're going to the hospital!" Taylor shot up from his bed and ran downstairs, then his eyes widened as he saw Annabelle in his sister's arms, crying hysterically. "Come on, Taylor."

"I'm coming," he cried, getting his shoes on. He carried Annabelle to the car and put her in, then tried to find out what was going on. "I don't know what's wrong with her, Wendy!"

"I think she can't breathe," Wendy sniffed, wiping her nose. Then she cursed to herself and pulled out her phone.

She dialed the familiar seven numbers and waited.

"Hello?" Trent answered, chewing on a piece of bread.

"Trent?" Wendy sniffed. "C-can you d-do something f-for me?"

"What's wrong?" Trent asked, concerned.

"Something's wrong with Annabelle," Wendy shook her head as she came to a stoplight. "I'm on my way to the hospital and I forgot to turn off the oven. I was making grilled cheese. Can you go over and turn it off please? The door should be unlocked. If not, you know where the key is."

"Alright," Trent nodded while getting his jacket and shoes on. "Wendy?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope everything's okay," he said honestly.

Wendy let a few tears fall, "Me, too."

"I can call Kennedy if you want," he said quietly, then cursed himself for bringing his brother up. "I mean, I know you didn't really - "

"Actually," Wendy said. "Can you? He loves Annabelle."

"Yeah," Trent nodded, then hung up. He sighed and nervously called his brother, "Kennedy."

"Yeah?" Kennedy answered as he sat in the van with John. "Man, what's wrong? You sound worried."

"It's Wendy," he said. "Her sister; I - something's wrong. She's not breathing and Wendy took her to the hospital. She wanted you to know. I think she wants you here, man. She didn't care that you guys ended on bad terms; she knows you love Annabelle. She told me to tell you that."

Kennedy's eyes went wide and he looked over at John. "Alright," he said, hanging up. "Turn the van around."

"What?" Jared asked.

"Turn the fucking van around! Go to Minnesota!"

"What the fuck, man? That's three hours from here!"

"I don't fucking care, just go!" Kennedy let a tear fall from his eye. "I'll explain everything soon, I swear."

Three hours later, The Maine arrived at Fairview Hospital in Bloomington, Minnesota. Kennedy and John left the guys in the van and ran to the elevator. John pushed the 'up' button and they waited patiently. Well, as patiently as they could.

"I feel bad," Kennedy confessed. "We're canceling a show because of a girl I barely know, John."

"It's fine," he shook his head, resting his hand on Kennedy's shoulder. "Just get her back. That's all I need."

"Kennedy?" Wendy's breath caught in her throat and she stopped where she was. The elevator door opened and all three walked in.

"Wendy," he breathed, then looked at John. "I'm sorry about Annabelle."

She let a tear fall from her eye, "Kennedy, why are you here?"

"Trent told me he thought you wanted me to be here," Kennedy said, furrowing his eyebrows together.

She laughed bitterly, "God, he knows me even better than I know myself." She wiped her eyes. "Belle's going to be fine. She had a panic attack. I don't know why, but she'll be fine. Shouldn't happen again."

There was a moment of silence and Kennedy and Wendy forgot John was even there, causing him to hear their whole conversation as it progressed. "I missed you."

"Don't," She shook her head, "Kennedy, you didn't call. You left without a word to me. How the fuck was I supposed to feel after that? Was I supposed to fall head over heels for you? Because that's not how it fucking works!"

"I thought you didn't know how all this works, Wendy! Hm? Isn't that what you told me?" He took in a deep breath, "And you made it pretty clear you didn't want to talk to me, Wendy."

John listened to the whole fight unfold and cleverly pushed all of the buttons without them noticing. People opted not to go on when they saw the fight unfolding and said they'd wait for the next one. Kennedy and Wendy didn't notice at all what was happening outside of their little word.

"I was scared, Kennedy!" She confessed. "Not of you, but the simple idea of you! You scared me to death when you told me how you felt about me. I didn't know what to think or do or say. I was so confused and I didn't mean to shut you out. I really didn't."

John smiled softly and proudly at the two as they both put smiles on their faces.

His plan was working.