No, We Don't Come Easy

February 1st, 2009

Wendy opened her eyes, then almost shut them again because of the bright sun. But she hesitated - Kennedy's face was right in front of her's and she couldn't help but just gaze at him. His features were perfect - his nose, his eyes, even if they were closed. The dimples on the side of his lips and his hair - how it was messy yet still perfect as ever. As gently as she could, she rested her hand on his cheek and caressed it softly, smiling at every touch.

Secretly Kennedy was awake, but he was enjoying her touch. It calmed him in a way, almost like crashing waves would. He shifted a little, pulling her closer to him. He wanted to smile in the strongest way, but didn't want to give away his cover. He bit the inside of his cheek to resist, and let her comfort him a little.

Wendy moved her hand to the back of his neck and inhaled deeply, taking in his scent again. She ran her hands slowly through his hair and smiled again. Kennedy's phone started vibrating and his eyes popped open, causing him to smile a little as Wendy blushed. "Morning," he mumbled, turning over a little.

She chuckled and turned so she was laying on her stomach, her head still facing him. She let her hand linger on his abdomen as he answered his phone.

"Hello?" He asked tiredly, playing with her fingers a little. She giggled.

"I deserve a happy birthday, young man!" Pat screeched over the phone, causing Kennedy to laugh.

"Shit, I'm sorry," he chuckled. "Happy birthday, man."

"Damn right." Wendy laughed as he poked her. "Dude. Are you with a girl right now?"

"What?!" John shrieked from the background. "Is she hot?!"

"I wish you guys could give me two minutes of peace," Kennedy pouted. "Yes, I'm with a girl. And no - you don't deserve to know about her." Wendy smiled up at him.

"Let me talk to her!" John exclaimed. "Can I please?" He was more clear now and Kennedy had guessed he had stolen the phone from Pat. "I swear I'll behave."

"No," Kennedy said sternly.

"I'll give you twenty dollars if you let me talk to her, man," John smiled on the other end.

Kennendy silently mouthed an 'I'm sorry' to Wendy and handed the phone to her, "Hello?" She giggled, then laid on top of Kennedy. He didn't know what to think about her sudden move. But he wasn't complaining one bit.

"Hi!" John exclaimed. "I'm John. What's your name?"

"Wendy?" She laughed. "You're the singer, aren't you?" She guessed.

"Why yes, yes I am," he said cooly. "What do you do for a living?"

Wendy chuckled, "I'm a bartender."

"That's hot, that's hot," John nodded in approval. "Want to know something about Kennedy?"

"Sure?" She laughed.

"One time he ran around naked because Pat told him he'd give him thirty dollars to do it." Wendy burst out laughing, then covered her mouth. "I'm dead serious. But don't tell Kennedy I told you that, alright? I'll be your best friend."

"Alright," she agreed. "Oh, and John?"

"Yeah?" He smiled.

"You owe Kennedy twenty dollars. I expect him to get that money," she smirked.

"Yes ma'am," John smiled. "You two kids behave now."

"Whatever you say," she giggled and hung up. "If I may say so myself, your friend is quite strange, Kennedy."

He started laughing, "Ah - yes, I've noticed that."

She smiled and folded her arms across his chest, then rested her chin on them. Yet again, she took in his scent and smiled softly at him. "I say that today we just sleep. I'm fucking tired."

Kennedy chuckled, "I could go for that."

"I thought you would," Wendy chuckled. "I'm not crushing you, am I?"

He shook his head and rested his hands on her back, "Not one bit."

"Good," she nodded her head once. "Because I don't feel like moving."

A few minutes after that, they were both asleep. Kennedy's arms hung around Wendy's lower back, holding her closer to him. She rested her head on his chest and let her hands linger next to his collarbone. They were both extremely comfortable and didn't want to move again.

"Oh my God!"

But around a half hour later Taylor stolled in and shielded his eyes. The image of his sister on top of someone gave him only on impression, so he did the first thing that came to mind. He yelled out profusely.

"Taylor, go away," Wendy mumbled into Kennedy's chest, causing him to chuckle and pull her closer. "I mean it."

"No," Taylor laughed. "I'm bored."

"I'm not," Wendy stated matter-of-factly. "Please, Taylor. Just give me like another hour."

"No!" He laughed, then jumped on the bed.

"You've got to be kidding me," Wendy muttered, then looked up at Kennedy with a weak smile. "I'm sorry."

Kennedy shook his head then got a pillow and whacked Taylor with it, causing him to fall on the bed with a 'thump.' Then Taylor sat up, his hair a mess - and he smiled. "I like you."

"That was payback," Kennedy smirked. "I'll give you ten dollars to leave us alone."

He thought for a minute, then eventually shrugged, "Alright."

Kennedy grabbed his wallet from the nightstand and pulled out a ten dollar bill, then handed it to the boy. Taylor repeated his actions of holding it up to the light, then smiled. "Thank you." Kennedy sang, then smiled at Wendy as the light was shut back off by Taylor. "My work is done."

"The money that boy makes off of me is endless," Wendy rolled her eyes.

"Alright. Sleep time," Kennedy pulled her closer again, but this time put his hands through her hair.

"I like this," Wendy announced softly, then looked up at Kennedy. "I could stay like this all day if I had to."

Kennedy smiled down at her, "Right back at you."

As Wendy fell back asleep, Kennedy kept his eyes open. He was curious about her - the first night he had stayed with her, she had started crying, but Kennedy had never gotten the courage to ask her about it. He was itching to just question her about it - but didn't want to bring up more tears and cause her even more hurt than she had.

Wendy slowly peeled her eyes open and furrowed her eyebrows at Kennedy. He looked almost - hurt, in a way. "What are you thinking about?" She questioned, resting her hand on his cheek. Kennedy sighed and shook his head, then placed his hand over hers. "You can tell me."

"The other night - when I first came over - were you...crying?" He asked, then bit his lip. "I'm just curious. I thought I had done something wrong."

"No!" She exclaimed. "It wasn't you. It was another guy from a long time ago, I swear." The fact that the subject was even brought up made her want to cry. Then she figured that she was close enough to Kennedy that she could cry, even if she had only known him for a few days. She pressed her lips together and squeezed her eyes shut, then let a tear fall. Kennedy's eyebrows furrowed together and he held her closer, then wiped the tear away.

"I'm sorry, Wendy. I didn't mean to bring it up like that," He comforted her, but she shook his head. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"No, I do. I should get it out, you know? It'd make me feel a lot better," she confessed. "I met Troy about two years ago. I had just turned nineteen and had just graduated. He was everything I had wanted in a guy, and I thought I was in love. Our relationship was pretty close to perfect, but my mom had kept warning me about him. Saying stuff like she didn't trust him and that he was 'no good.' I didn't listen to her and kept dating him. Then he wanted me to have sex with him, but I didn't want to. I mean, I was only nineteen. I had wanted to wait. So I said no the first time and he let it go. Then he asked a few more times, and each time I'd reject him." She sighed. "Then he started getting a little forceful after I started getting more persistant about it. He started forcing himself on me and treating me like crap. He always accused me of cheating on him. And every time I'd deny it, he'd hit me. I wanted to end it, I really did. But I figured he'd get even more pissed off about it. Then - "

"Wait - " Kennedy thought back to a few days before. "Is this the guy that 'took advantage of you?' " He asked, furrowing his eyebrows at her.

"Yes," she sighed. "One night he got me a drink and told me it was non-alcoholic, so I drank it. I was stupid - I didn't know what alcohol tasted like. Though it was a little strong, but still. I didn't know. I thought it tasted good, though. So I told him to get me another. And another, and another. By around eleven I didn't know what was going on in my head - I couldn't think straight and Troy had to basically carry me everywhere. We got back to his apartment and he forced himself on me again. So I told him to stop and he hit me again. He kept hitting me until I finally agreed to let him have sex with me." She started crying again. "All I know is that when I woke up, everything hurt. So I went to the doctors with my friend Cheyenne and they told me that my...insides...had been damaged from sexual intercourse. So I ended it with him because he had basically raped me after I had apparently kept yelling no the whole night. They had to perform surgery on me because he had been too forceful." She sniffed a little and Kennedy had to process her story in his head.

Why a girl like her deserved something like that happening to her was beyond him. All he could do was hold her as she cried, and he didn't have a problem with it. "I'm so sorry," he confessed, kissing her hair.

"It's not your fault," she muttered. "Since then I've had trust issues with everyone. But what's weird is - " She paused and looked up at him.

"What?"

"I completely and utterly trust you, Kennedy, after only four days. And it's confusing me, because I never do that. Never."

Kennedy smiled a little, "You can trust me, Wendy. And if it helps - I trust you."

She smiled, then shook her head a little and sniffed. Then she wiped her eyes and looked up at Kennedy, "How do I look?" She questioned, smiling weakly.

Kennedy chuckled, "A mess, to be honest."

"Great," she muttered.

"But still beautiful," Kennedy confessed. "Come here." He stood up and picked her up, then carried her to the bathroom. Wendy latched her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest, sniffling every now and then. He gently set her on the counter next to the sink and smiled softly at her. She smiled weakly, then rested her hand against his cheek again, gazing at his features once more. Kennedy reached for the tissues and held it under the running water, then brought the tissue up to her cheek. He gently wiped the running mascara away, then rubbed his thumb against her cheek and repeated his actions on the other side. Wendy watched his every move as he threw away the tissue and did various things around the bathroom. She thought he was very interesting. "Are you okay?" He finally asked, resting his arms on the counter on either side of her. She looked down at him a little and nodded her head. "I'm sorry I brought it up, Wendy."

"Don't be sorry, Kennedy," she shook her head. "I needed to talk about it for once. And I have you to thank for that. So - thank you, Kennedy." She smiled geniunely and rested her hand on the back of his neck again. "You're a good guy."

"Good to know," he smiled, then hugged her. "What's the plan for today?"

Wendy thought for a minute, "I have to work, Kennedy."

Kennedy pouted, "Fine. What am I supposed to do while you're gone?" He exclaimed, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I think you'll live," she chuckled. "I won't be back until around eleven though. You can send Rosa home and babysit for me if you'd like. You won't be bored then, now will you?"

Kennedy smiled, "I'd love to."

"Annabelle should be asleep by eight, but Taylor can do whatever. They're not back in school unil next week, if that. So I'm sorry you got stuck with him. I think one of his friends are spending the night tonight. If not, then whatever. Annabelle's food is on the far right corner above the sink, and Taylor will make himself something. Help yourself to anything. And don't burn the house down." Wendy smiled a little at Kennedy and sighed. "What time is it, anyway?" Kennedy stepped out of the bathroom a little and came back in and shrugged.

"Five-thirty," he said. "Why?"

Wendy's eyes went wide and she hopped off the counter, "Shit!"

"What?" Kennedy laughed a little at her persistance. She grabbed an outfit from her closet and ran back towards the bathroom. "Are you late?"

"You could say that, yes," she rolled her eyes and started taking off her shirt, then realized Kennedy was still leaning against the doorway, smiling at her. "Get out!"

He shrugged and stepped out, then let her shut the door in his face. He sighed and trudged down the stairs only to be met with Taylor watching television. "Hey, Taylor." He said.

" 'Sup," He nodded his head, causing Kennedy to chuckle. Kennedy found Rosa and told her she could go home. She accepted eagerly and made her way out of the house, leaving Kennedy standing in the kitchen, hungry.

"Taylor what do you want for dinner?" He called out.

"Where's Rosa going?" Taylor questioned, coming into the kitchen.

"Home," Kennedy said. "I'm staying here with you and Annabelle tonight while Wendy's at work."

"Sweet," Taylor nodded in approval. "I guess pizza works for me."

"Yeah, me too," Kennedy chuckled. "I'm going to go and get Annabelle. I'll be right back." Kennedy went into the playroom and saw Annabelle playing quietly. "Hey, Annabelle. Are you hungry?" She turned around and smiled once she saw him.

"Kenny!" She yelled. "Yes, I am." She reached her arms up and Kennedy chuckled, then picked her up and rested her on his waist.

"Well then we better get you some food then, right?" He asked, smiling down at her.

"Go, go, go!" She squealed, pointing her finger in front of her. "Where's Wendy?"

"She's getting ready for work," Kennedy sat her in her high chair. "What do you want to eat?" He asked, going for the cabinet Wendy had told him to. "There's lots of things. Ham and cheese with crackers."

"That!" She giggled. Kennedy got it out and put it in the microwave. Then he thought about how strangely comfortable he was with Annabelle and Taylor. They had seemed to take a liking to him as well. "Is it ready yet, Kenny?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side. At that moment the timer went off and Kennedy pointed his finger at her, then smiled. "It's ready!"

"Yeah!" He laughed and gave it to her, then sat down with her, the phonebook in front of him.

"You know you're going to have to sing to her tonight when she goes to bed," Taylor strolled into the kitchen. "She can't sleep until someone sings to her."

"Does it matter what song?" Kennedy asked. Taylor shook his head. "Alright. What kind of pizza do you eat?"

"Pepperoni," he shrugged.

"Me too," Kennedy smiled, then got his phone out and dialed the number. He quickly ordered the pizza, then hung up. He heard quick footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Shit!" Wendy yelled when she tripped over a stair.

"Wendy!" Annabelle scolded, causing Kennedy to laugh. "No!"

"Sorry, baby," Wendy smiled, kissing her on the forehead. "Wendy's just clumsy."

"You might want to hurry if you - " Taylor started.

"I know, Taylor." She rolled her eyes. "Alright, I'm leaving. Taylor, give Kennedy a break, alright? Just leave him alone tonight. And be good, please. You already torture Rosa and me enough."

"I know, I know," he said, waving his hand at her. "Love you. Now go."

"Love you, too," she smiled, ruffling his hair. "Bye, Kennedy. Bye Belle."

"Bye," Kennedy waved to her and smiled.

"You like my sister," Taylor announced, grinning at Kennedy.

Kennedy chuckled, "What makes you think that?"

"The way you look at her," he smiled. "Trust me, I know. Guys never look at her like that. It's always this look like they want to just get in her pants."

Kennedy was shocked at how Taylor was only ten and knew all this. "So the way I'm looking at her is good?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "But you hurt her and I'll kick your ass."

"I'd never think of it," Kennedy chuckled.

"Can we play hide and seek?" Annabelle giggled.

"Are you done with your food?" Kennedy raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," she smiled and pointed down at her rather empty container. "Please?"

For around two hours, Kennedy, Taylor and Annabelle played hide and seek. Then Kennedy carried Annabelle upstairs to her room as she giggled. "Ready for bed?"

"Yup," she smiled softly. "You have to sing to me, Kenny."

"I know," he smiled, then thought of a song.

I picked you up and lifted your wilted frame into the sun.
I was taken back, yeah I was taken back,
And by the time I caught my breath,
You had blossomed into something that I did not expect.

And if it takes all night,
I swear I'll wait,
For you,
Forever.

Sunlight, sunshine,
All for you my daisy.
We're getting this before you leave,
All for you my daisy.

You're a wreck and you know,
You've got me wrapped around your finger,
Like a boy tangled in vines,
But I've figured you out.

And now we're here,
We're so confused,
And I wish that there was some way that I could tell you.

All for, all for, all for you my daisy.

By the time Kennedy finished, Wendy was standing in the doorway smiling and Annabelle was long asleep. He smiled softly as she slept, then turned her lamp off and started walking out of her room. Then he jumped a little and blushed as he saw Wendy standing there, her arms folded across her chest. "Jesus," he chuckled.

"Sorry," she smiled, then walked towards her bedroom. Kennedy followed her, his hands on her shoulders. "How were they?"

"Fine," he smiled. "We played hide and seek. And I think I've had my exercise for the day."

"That song," she smiled. "It was good. Is it your band's song?"

"Yeah," he blushed again, then went to the bathroom.

They both brushed their teeth, then climbed into her bed. "Kennedy, if you want to go back to Trent's house then go. I don't care."

"I like being here," he smiled. "With you."

"Why?" She smiled, snuggling up to him.

Kennedy thought for a minute, then decided he might as well tell the truth, "Because I think I'm beginning to gain a crush on you, Wendy."