Promise Me This

Their concert in Madison Square Garden was one of the best they’d ever preformed. Kate was honored to even know them. When the entire fanfare was done, though, she grudgingly boarded the plane to return to the San Fernando Valley. As she was on the platform, she turned around, waving sadly at the four frowning men. By the time she reached her small coach seat, she was wiping away tears.

She managed to immerse herself in work and helping Jay and Jesse set up the nursery. They didn’t know the gender yet, so the room was painted an olive green color. It was a beautiful space, with the wooden crib and changing table, and the old oak rocker that sat in one corner. Kate’s favorite part by far, though, was the picture of their parents, which hung above it.

She rolled out of bed a day weeks later, smiling to herself. She threw her legs over the edge, wrapping her robe around her. As her bare feet padded against the old carpet, she made her way to the calendar that hung on the eggshell walls. She bit down on her grin, crossing a big, black ‘x’ through the day.

“Only one more month,” she whispered to herself, then made her way to start the coffee. As it was brewing, she rummaged through her closet, pulling out a pink and blue floral sundress. She arranged her hair into a side braid, and by the time she strolled back to the kitchen, the coffee was done. She pulled out her favorite maroon mug, and sat in the window as she drank it, looking down at the city.

Her laptop dinged from it’s spot on the desk, and she walked over curiously. She waited for the screen to load, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her video chat pulled up. She must have forgotten to turn it off the night before. A smile graced her lips as she saw who was requesting a chat. Her finger hovered on the mouse, tapping down on ‘accept.’

“Hey cutie,” she said with a grin, sliding onto the gray cushions of the rolling desk chair.

“Good morning. You aren’t so bad yourself,” the melodic voice of Kendall rang back at her. She wrinkled her nose as she laughed, pushing her bangs behind her ear.

“So, what’s the occasion? What brings your lovely face to my computer screen?”

“There needs to be an occasion to talk to my girlfriend?” Kendall raised an eyebrow, and Kate grinned, giving her scrawny shoulders a shrug. Kendall bit down on his thumbnail, shaking his head, attempting, and failing, to hide his growing smirk.

“So what’s up, superstar?” Kate asked, raising the ceramic mug to her pink lips once more.

“We’re just on the bus, headed to Detroit. I just wanted to see your beautiful eyes.” Kate felt the rosy color flooding her cheeks, and looked away from the screen. Kendall’s face twisted into a soft smile, his eyes flickering lovingly on her face.

“Well, I’m glad. I love you, babe.” Kendall opened his mouth to say something, but a familiar blond bounced on to the screen. Kate chewed on the inside of her cheek, taking a deep breath, then forced a smile on her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Katelyn said, placing one hand over her protruding collarbone, the other grazed Kendall’s shoulder. Kendall’s jade eyes turned toward her, and Kate looked into the wide brown eyes, distorted by the pixels.

“It’s fine. Nice to see you, Katelyn,” Kate said, cheerfulness somehow finding it’s way into her voice. Katelyn’s porcelain face lit up in a brilliant smile, and once again, Kate found it hard to hate her.

“Nice to see you, too,” she sang, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Did you need something, Katelyn?” Kendall asked kindly. Kate felt her nails drumming against the worn wood of the old desk nervously.

“I just wanted an opinion on this new song. But it can wait,” she added quickly, her eyes floating to the laptop.

“Go ahead, Kendall. Put the guys on or something,” Kate encouraged, and a voice inside her head was screaming. Yet the polite voice escaped her lips, no taking it back.

“You sure?” Kendall’s eyes searched hers, even through the screen. Kate chuckled a bit, nodding her head.

“Yeah. I wanna talk to those goofball friends of yours,” she assured him, and he followed the golden haired girl to the other room. Soon, three faces crowded her view.

“Hey Kate, how goes it?” James asked, plopping down on the couch.

“I’m good, James, thanks for asking,” she replied, her eyes truly glittering. They were all waiting for James to inflict his revenge, but she knew she was safe for now, being 2,000 miles away. However, there was a smug look in his eyes, and she knew it was coming.

“Where’d Kendall and Katelyn go?” Logan asked curiously, his warm brown eyes fluttering around the small room. Kate bit down on her lip, and she allowed her shoulders to slump down.

“She needed his opinion on a new song,” she mumbled quietly, and she felt them all watching.

“It’s gonna be fine Kate,” Carlos assured her, and Kate looked up, raising her eyebrows.

“I know. I trust him. Which is why I told him to go.” As she glanced away from her lap, and at the screen, she saw three pairs of varying brown eyes staring awestruck at her.

“Dude, you’re the coolest girlfriend ever,” James said with a flip of his chestnut strands. Kate rolled her eyes a bit, tilting her head to one side.

“What did I say about calling me dude?”

“Kate, do you really think that was a good idea?” Logan asked slowly, cutting off any smart response James might have had.

“I’m not going to go all psycho girlfriend on him. He can have friends that are girls.”

“It still might be beneficial to subtly hint at how you feel,” Carlos suggested, and Kate let out a laugh. The guys all looked at her as if she were crazy.

“You wanna let us in on the joke?” James asked, and the others nodded in agreement.

“I’m sorry, it’s just, guys don’t understand subtle hints.” She saw the look on their faces, and looked up at the ceiling, then back down. “You don’t!”

“Sure we do,” Logan said, pretending to look wounded.

“Whatever you say. But you’re kinda right, I should just be a big girl and tell him how I feel. Tell him it makes me uncomfortable when she’s all hands-y around him,” Kate reasoned, trying to convince herself more than the others. By the looks they were exchanging, she was well aware they knew her charade.

“On the bright side, it’s only another month until we’re back,” Carlos said quickly, and Kate was grateful.

“I know, I have a countdown going,” Kate admitted, twisting the end of her braid between her thumb and index finger.

“Wow, you need to make more friends,” James joked, and Carlos slapped him on the side of the head.

“I got your back, Kate,” he said with a wink, and giggles bubbled up inside of Kate.

“I really miss you guys,” she said, pursing her lips. The guys all gave sad smiles, nodding their heads. “You know, when you guys do that, it makes you look like a bunch of bobble heads.”

They stopped, looking at each other curiously. Kate grinned, watching as they tried to recreate the moment. Mostly, they just looked like idiots. Kate’s eyes lit up as she saw Kendall’s figure in the background, staring curiously at his band mates.

“Kate, what did you do to them?” He asked exasperated. James, Logan, and Carlos all jumped a foot, noticing their sandy haired friend for the first time.

“I did absolutely nothing. How could I? I’m sitting in our apartment,” Kate pointed out, a devious grin on her face. Kendall shook his head at his friends, then sat on the arm of the couch.

“What did I miss?” he asked curiously, and Kate and the others all looked at each other. Kendall took notice, and one of his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“This is our cue,” Logan said, tapping the other guys to join him. Kate waved, watching until they disappeared.

“What was that about?” Kendall asked, pointing to where they had stumbled off. He readjusted himself so he was sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his thighs.

“I just wanna talk to you about something.” Kendall’s eyes widened in fear, and Kate gave a nervous laugh, waving her hand. “Don’t worry, nothing like that. It’s just, I feel a bit uncomfortable when Katelyn’s all touchy-feel-y with you. I mean, I like her, she seems so nice, but…” Kate trailed off, gnawing on her bottom lip apprehensively. Relief filled Kendall’s features, and he gave a lopsided grin.

“I get it. I’ll ask her to lay off a bit, I’m sure she didn’t realize she was doing it.”

“Thanks. I don’t mean to go all weird and possessive, it’s just—“

“Kate, you aren’t,” Kendall said, cutting her off right away. “You’re being honest with me about what you’re feeling, instead of resenting me in your head. I’m glad you can be honest with me.”

“Really?” Kate asked in a small voice. Kendall nodded, reaching his hand to touch the screen. Kate raised hers as well, her fingertips lining up with his.

“I love you Katherine.”

“I love you too, Kendall Schmidt.”