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“You're a cold hearted snake, we already know that.” I declared, but without cruelty, just with humor. Kendra opened her mouth in a big “O” but laughed.

The attendant returned a few moments later and took us to a table. Kendra and I sat across from each other, letting Derek sit next to me and Colleen sit next to her. For a moment, I almost criticized her for not sitting next to me, but when I saw the dynamic and realized that my brother would spend the entire dinner staring at Colleen, I stopped myself.

We were left with the menus to choose what we wanted to eat, but Derek was quick to order a round of sake for all of us before the food.

“I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to get drunk...” He commented, making us all laugh.

“Ok, let's all crawl out of here today.” Kendra decreed.

And when the drinks arrived, she even proposed a toast.

“Here's to what, Kendra?” I asked her, curious, holding my cup with the sake shaking a little inside.

“A toast to our team and may we become even more united so we can win the trophy in April.” The blonde declared softly and with a hint of hope in the back of her voice.

A smile escaped me and, even though I couldn't take my eyes off her, I let my glass touch the others before drinking.

We ended up ordering a dish each, as we couldn't agree on absolutely anything. While we waited for the food to arrive, we ended up talking about our team and the things we had donethat week. According to Colleen, due to the schedule, next week Karlee should already choose the starting team for Daytona so that we can train effectively.

Before the food arrived, we had already gone through three rounds of sake and then, when it was time for dessert, I was sure that the four of us were shouting more than was acceptable in a restaurant while my brother started speaking Spanish.

I was happier than I should have been, even after eating the delicious treat for dessert. I laughed at anything and I could already feel the muscles in my cheek hurting.

“This is too stupid!” Colleen said as soon as we stepped out of the restaurant. Derek also laughed at Kendra complaining about Chamberlain, the small town where the four of us came from.

“That city is stupid!” Kendra insisted.

“People are idiots, the city has nothing to do with it, Ken.” Her blue eyes met me and she left me with a typical grimace of hers. Her nose puckered, her eyes became narrower, squinted; her mouth twisted into a small pout, with her upper lip nearly touching the tip of her nose. I smiled at that, because it stopped being annoying and became cute.

We continued walking down the street, noticing everything practically turned off and closed off to our surroundings. Kendra came forward with me, while Colleen and my brother remained further back, exchanging caresses and walking hand in hand.

Every now and then, I would look at them and smile at the level of cuteness there. That is, of course, until Kendra clung to my arm and showed me her cell phone.

“I'll ask for a car so we can get back to campus.” She warned. I was a little sluggish from the alcohol, so I only managed to blink at her a few times before nodding. “I think those two are going to spend the night in your brother's room…” she mocked.

“Well, someone has to have sex, right...” I declared, good-naturedly, but at the same time I felt a big shiver come over me when I faced the blonde again. There was no explanation, I just felt something different.

That blonde devil was on my mind a lot and it was something concrete that I had already accepted, but there was also a part of me that was looking for a logical explanation for what I was feeling when she was around.

She was beautiful, and I knew it. But more than that, Kendra could be vulnerable and a good friend. Maybe she wasn't a good friend to me, but to Sidney, Jazmine, and especially Colleen she was. She was only slightly neurotic in distrusting everything because she didn't allow herself to trust anyone. I had no idea where that came from, but it was a little sad that she couldn't let herself go a little.

“Why are you staring at me, Torres?” Kendra questioned, pulling me back to reality. “Would you like a photo or a kiss?”

I knew she was being ironic. I knew I wasn't supposed to actually respond, but my tired and drunk brain responded:

“Maybe a kiss...” It took me about five seconds to realize that I had answered that out loud. “Oh, no...” I forced a laugh and walked away from her. “I'm kidding...”

I knew I had instantly ruined the mood, because the early autumn night felt colder with my body away from hers. Her light smile disappeared, giving way to a suspicious and uncomfortable expression.

“I'll let Colleen know we're leaving.” Declared the blonde, moving further away, going to her cousin for a brief conversation. She probably also made sure my brother took her home properly. Derek even saluted Kendra, which made me smile at the scene. I waved to him as soon as the app car stopped next to me.

I got into the car and sank into the seat, waiting for Kendra to enter on the other side.

The way back to campus was filled with a very strange atmosphere, which was my fault. Kendra didn't seem angry, she seemed more upset and that kind of expression coming from her was different to me.

And the fact that I caused that feeling in her by simply not keeping my damn mouth shut hurt more than expected.

When the car stopped in front of the dorms, she just got out. She didn't make a sound, she just jumped out of the car as if it had suffocated her. And for a moment I just watched her walk towards the building. I considered, for milliseconds, staying there until she came in, but the truth was that I was fed up with bad energy and unresolved situation between us.