Anything but Ordinary

(Kay’s POV)

“Happy Birthday!” Kelly called out as I left my bedroom a few days later. We’d come back from West Chester with a sudden need to not leave the apartment. Especially since Heather had arrived home from Pennsylvania the day before.

Groaning at the words, I shuffled my way into the kitchen for the coffee pot. “Why?”

Kelly choked back a laugh at the sight of me in my burgundy velour pants and white Henley top with a black tank underneath while my caramel colored hair was tossed in a messy bun on the top of my head. Grimacing at the sound, I filled my mug with fresh coffee before collapsing into the chair across the table from my roomie.

“Get any sleep?” Kelly asked before taking a bite of her cereal. “You look like Hell.”

“Ugh. I’m another year older and I have nothing to show for it, but a dead end job at a bank while living in an apartment with one of my friends.” I saw the slant of Kelly’s eyes and I gave her a wry smile. “No offense.”

“Don’t worry. None taken.” Kelly pushed her empty bowl away so she could set her coffee cup in front of her. “What about that guy that likes you in Pennsylvania? He seemed seriously interested and I have to admit- the two of you looked cute.”

“Really?” I asked as I stared at her in disbelief. “He’s a little dorky.”

Was I really using that as an excuse?

Kelly seemed to have the same thought I did. She raised her eyebrows at the word. “Dorky?”

“He isn’t my type.” I offered instead before drowning my stupid mouth in my mug of hot coffee. Sometimes I talked like I was a complete idiot. This was one of those times.

“Look- I don’t mean to pry, but it’s been almost six months since you’ve dated anyone. I’m starting to get a little worried about you.” Kelly admitted shyly. Neither of us were really into relationship talking so this was new territory for us.

“Worried about me?” I asked with a frown. I didn’t like others worrying about me. Kelly had enough to worry about with her long distance relationship with Dan. She didn’t need the added weight of my shit. “Kelly- I’m fine.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.” Kelly snapped at me, clearly past being pleasant. “Tell me one thing though- how is that guy not your type? I didn’t know you really had one.”

I sighed and leaned forward putting my head into my hands. My elbows rested on the table as I gazed down into my steaming cup of caffeinated goodness. “He reminds me too much of Ethan.”

Kelly’s voice sounded confused when she spoke. “Ethan? The guy is nothing like him. I mean, he seems like an ass at times, but he is different when you’re around…”

My head snapped up at the comparison to my ex. “What are you talking about? Josh doesn’t act like an ass. I’ve seen him around Bam and the others and he acts exactly the same as he does with me.”

Kelly’s brow furrowed. “Josh?”

“The guy that was hanging out with me the entire night at the Note? The one who looks a little like Ethan? The spiky brown hair? The brown eyes?” Kelly didn’t appear to remember the guy and I sighed. “The one with the fitness freak body.”

Kelly’s eyes widened as she realized who we were discussing. “Oh… him.”

“Who the hell were you talking about?” I asked now a bit concerned. There was someone else there who had eyes on me?

“Chad.”

Kelly’s answer should have been so obvious that it hit me hard. I felt like I couldn’t breath as I thought about it. “He’s an ass.”

“I know, but when he was around you, he acted differently. He was almost nice.”

I shook my head in denial. “No. No. No… That’s not true.” I grabbed my full coffee cup and stood up. Dumping it down the drain, I ran the faucet to clean out the cup before setting it into the sink. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Kay…”

I turned to face Kelly with a desperate expression. “Please…”

Kelly sighed and gave me a sad look. “Kay, there is something I need to tell you and I don’t know how to start. I don’t mean to be pushing you out of here, but you really need to move on from Ethan and denying that there is something between you and-”

“Stop! I can’t do this.” I made for the door when Kelly finished her thought.

“Dan is moving in.”

The statement made me freeze in the doorway. I hadn’t been expecting that. Glancing over my shoulder at my roommate and longtime friend, I saw she looked guilty. Feeling like a jerk, I returned to my seat. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I got the courage to speak.

“When is he moving in?”

Kelly met my gaze with wide blue eyes. “You’re ok with this?”

I smiled lightly as if the question were silly. “Of course. The two of you’ve been apart for far too long. I guess I knew it was coming, but it’s still a shock.”

Kelly looked relieved for a moment before something else appeared on her face. It was apprehension. “It’s why I’m worried for you. With Dan coming, I know it’s going to be weird for you. I think you need to figure out where you’re going and what you want out of life. You know you can’t live with us forever, Kay.”

I didn’t know how much I’d enjoyed living with Kelly for the past two years until I heard those words. They wounded me and I felt like my heart was breaking. It was like I was losing one of my closest friends, but I really wasn’t. I was going to respond when my cell phone blasted it’s ringtone at me. Seeing the caller, I glanced up at my roommate.

“I have to take this. Can we talk later?”

She nodded and I left the kitchen as fast I could. Lifting the cell phone to my ear, I answered it with a breathless, “Hello?”

“Hey Kay-Kay! Happy birthday from your favoritest little sister in the whole wide world!” The sound of my sister’s voice greeted my ear with excitement in her voice.

“Car- you’re my only sister.” I reminded her with a smile. I knew she couldn’t see it, but she’d sure hear it. “Thanks for the birthday wishes.”

“No problemo.” Carina said with a giggle. “What are your plans today you old bat?”

I scoffed at the mean name. “Thanks a lot, jerk.” She laughed in response and I finished speaking. “Nothing really. I still have time off, but I’ll probably lock myself in the apartment.”

“Clubby?” Carina guessed. She was too good.

“Yup.”

“That’s fine. Save your money and your energy because guess what?”

“What?” I asked knowing full well what was coming next.

“I’m coming to visit in a week!” She screeched in my ear. I grinned widely knowing my sister was the perfect distraction from my current problems.

“I can’t wait.”