Meanwhile in Chicago...

Shopping with Lizzie was… what’s the word… an adventure. For every bag I had, she had three times as many.
But at least I had my best friend back.

While we were in Niketown, and Lizzie freaking over every pair of Nikes she saw, my phone buzzed.

Text from: Unknown

Hey.

Who the hell?

Text to: Unknown

Umm… I don’t mean to be rude. But who the fuck is this?

Text from: Unknown

lol. Its brent.

My eyes went wide. “OMG LIZZIE.”

She turned around and stared. “What’s wrong?”

I showed her my phone and she just smiled. “Better text him back.”

I rolled my eyes.

Text to: Brent

haha sorry. Hi *waves*.

Text from: Brent

you girls still shopping?

Text to: Brent

Yeah. Well. Lizzie is still shopping. I am just walking around.

Text from: Brent

Well how about ditching her?
I look at Lizzie talking to an associate and I bit my lip.

Text from: Brent

How bout I give her a reason to leave you alone?

Text to: Brent

Do I even wanna know?
Only a few seconds later, Lizzie came running up to me.

“Katey, you are gonna kill me.”

I rolled my eyes. “What is it this time?”

“Well Patrick…”
I held my hand up. “I really don’t wanna hear the end of that sentence. Just go.”

She looked at my questioningly. “Are you sure? I mean I don’t wanna ditch you.”

I waved her on. “Go. I need to go back to the hotel and finish my movie marathon anyways.”

She hugs me. “Oh thank you! Trust me I owe you one.”

“Lunch tomorrow?”

“Where?”

“95th Floor! At noon!” She yelled as she dashed out the door.

I rolled my eyes and looked back to my phone.

Text to: Brent

Fine. You win. Whats the plan?

Text from: Brent

Meet me at Daley Plaza.
I’m so glad people expect me to know where things are in this city, I thought as I went to hail a cab.
Ten minutes later, I was standing by this huge crazy looking Picaso statue, looking like an idiot, when I saw Brent running towards me.

“Hey.” He said trying to catch his breath.
I laughed. “You didn’t need to run.”

“Well I didn’t want to keep you waiting too long. Shall we walk?”

For the next couple hours, we just walked and talked about everything from the weather to our families. Then a thought hit me.

“Hold up a second. How the fuck did you get my number?”

He laughs. “I had to beat it out of Kaner.”

I kept walking. “But why?”

“Cause he wouldn’t give it to me willingly?”

“No. Why did you want my number?”

He sighed. “Do you not remember anything I said last night?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course I do. But I still don’t believe you meant it.”

He stopped me and turned me towards him so I was looking into his eyes.

“Why don’t you believe me?”

“Cause all you guys are the same. Say sweet nothings to get a girl into bed.”

He shakes his head and lets go of me.

We walked in silence for the next thirty minutes until he finally stopped me.

“Why can you not believe we aren’t all the same?”

“If you want me to believe it, prove it.”

I took his face in my hands and pressed my lips to his. It took him by surprise at first, but then I felt him wrap his arms around my waist.

We stood there like that for what felt like hours before we pulled away. I smiled, smoothed out my dress, and kept walking, leaving him speechless.

I was close to four blocks away before he caught up with me. I kept looking straight ahead with my head held high.
“So um… what the fuck was that?”

I laughed. “If you have to ask, then well my dear, you have problems.”

He sighed. “Will just stop for a second?”

“Look Brent, it’s almost ten, I am in heels so my feet hurt, and I would really like to get back to my hotel.”

“Why did you kiss me?”

“Cause you didn’t have the balls to last night.”

“I did! I mean, I would of if your damn alarm didn’t go off.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sorry I had to check on my best friend. Some things are more important.”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I.. I don’t even know.”

“Exactly. So when you can think straight again. Give me a call.” I said hailing a cab.

“Wait. I can drive-“

“No. I’m good. I think you have had enough of me tonight.” I kissed his cheek and got into the cab.

As the cab drove away, I looked back to see a very confused Brent staying there, running his hand over his face. I turned back around and smiled.

As I got back to my suite, the light on my hotel phone was blinking.

Who the hell would call the hotel for me? I thought.

I picked it up to listen to the voicemail, surprisingly, from Brent.

“So I figured you would have expected me to call your cell by now and be like what the fuck. But I don’t play games. Just remember that. Good night Katey.”

I laugh and roll my eyes.

That boy.

The next day, I was running around my room after my shower trying to pick out an outfit to meet Lizzie for lunch, when there was a knock on my room.

“Who is it?”

“Special delivery for a Miss McDonnell.”

What the fuck.

I threw on a robe and opened the door to see a dozen lilies outside of my door.

I looked down both ends of the hallway before picking them up and quickly shutting the door.

I looked at the card and I rolled my eyes.

“So you told me last night your favorite flower. So I figured you would like some to brighten your day. –Brent”

I threw the card down and decided I wasn’t going to think about him today. Today was about lunch with my best friend and relaxing.

I was running late to meet up with Lizzie at 95th floor, so late that she already had a table and a drink in front of her.

“Oh my god Lizzie. I am so sorry I’m late. I couldn’t find an outfit.”

She waved it off. “Perfectly fine. So I got some exciting news.”

“You and Kane finally fucked?”

“Ugh. Is that all you think about seriously? No. We have decided we are gonna try this relationship thing.”

I smiled up at her. “Oh wow. That’s amazing! I am so happy for you.”

She beamed. “Thanks. But enough about me. What did you do last night?”

I blushed. “Nothing big.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah I know that excuse. What did you do.”

“Met up with Brent, walked around the city for about three hours, talked about almost everything, then I kissed him.” I said in all one breath.

She choked on her drink. “YOU DID WHAT?”

“Lizzie calm down. I took control, kissed him, and left him speechless.”

She starts laughing. “Yeah you would.”

I shrugged. “Then he sent me lilies today.”

“Aww. That’s so cute.”

“Lizzie. Don’t even think about it. It would never work.”

She rolled her eyes as our food showed up. During lunch, we talked about this and that, when all of the sudden her eyes went wide.

“Lizzie are you okay?”

“Katey, whatever you do don’t turn around.”

“Why?” I said as I turned around to see Brent sitting with some girl.

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. Wait. I shouldn’t care, so why do I have this pit in my stomach?

“Katey, oh my god. I didn’t even know.”

I shrug, hold back the emotions I want to just let out. “It’s fine. I mean, we aren’t anything but friends right?”

She offered me a weak smile. “You should go say something to him.”

“With that girl there? No I don’t think so.”

“Just do it. I wanna see his face when he realizes you are here.”

I look at my food and back at Lizzie. Yeah, she looked pissed. Ready to go jump him herself if I didn’t.

“Fine.”
I started to walk over, and decided I would try the ‘passing the table and ‘seeing’ him’ trick.

“Brent is that you?”

He looks up at me with his eyes wide, you could tell he was shocked and scared at the same time.

“Katey what a…. pleasant surprise.”

I put a hand on my chest. “Goodness, it has been, what, a couple weeks since I saw you? And who is this pretty woman?”

“I am so sorry, Katey, this is my girlfriend Hanna. Hanna, this is my old friend Katey.”

I stuck my hand out to shake hers “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Hanna.”

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Babe, you never told me about her.”

“Oh, well I must have slipped his mind. You know how that happens with time. Well I will get back to your lunch, it was a pleasure meeting you Hanna and nice seeing you again Brent.”

I walked back to my table and sat down before I even realized I was shaking.

“Katey are you okay?”

I looked up at my best friend, her eyes full of worry.

“No. Can we just get out of here? I need fresh air or something.”

She nodded and waved for our checks. As soon as we got outside I started taking deep breaths.

“Katey are you sure you will be okay? I mean I can tell Patrick-“

I held my hand up. “No. Don’t tell anyone. I will be fine. I just need to get back to my room and relax to forget about it.”

She hugged me. “You know if you need anything you can call me, I will be on your doorstep as soon as I can.”
I laughed. “Unless you are stuck up Kane’s ass.”

She playfully hit me. “Hoes before bros dear friend. Hoes before bros.”

We said our last goodbyes and headed our respective ways.

How could I have been so stupid?