Ken Ch. 03

The party

Heeeeey yaaaaaaa. Heeeeey yaaaaaaa! Heeeeey yaaaaaaa. Heeeeey yaaaaaaa!

Outkast's hit song was blasting through the speakers, the bass line of the upbeat melody reverberated through Jessica's and Kendra's bodies as they entered Clyde's house. The thrumming of the loud sound started at the floor, which acted as a conductor of some sort, because it ensued to move its way up and linger at the pit of their stomach. Kendra still, was very anxious, and the deep rhythmic vibrations went past her abdomen, traveled up some more and nestled in her chest where it matched the agitated pounding of her hart, fueled by adrenaline.

She did not know why she was so nervous. She liked going out, dancing her worries away. However, such lucky nights - nights out where she would enjoy herself instead of becoming troubled and jaded at an early point - were very rare. She looked at Jessica. Her face expressed pure euphoria, which surprisingly did not encourage Kendra to delight in the exciting moment and compose herself. Jessica was a nice friend to Kendra though. She found a true confidant in her. She was charming and funny. Still, she had a very unpredictable delirious side in her that would detonate whenever the circumstance was right. This party was an excellent occasion for all hell to break lose.

Kendra only hoped that Jessica would not abandon her for other company, for male company in particular. She took the initiative in penetrating into the moving, dancing and talking crowd, and motioned Jessica to follow her steps, while mimicking a drinking action. When they arrived at the beverage stand in the large rustic kitchen, both women helped themselves to a cup of punch before heading back to the partying crowd. They both gracefully managed to avoid elbow bumps that would potentially spill their drinks - God forbid - on their outfits, and looked for a spot to remain standing and observe the young people enjoying themselves before them. Jessica looked over some heads and seemed to identify someone.

"Hey that's Clyde!"

Kendra looked at her with a puzzled glare.

"Well, I should thank him, don't you think?" She screamed in Kendra's ear.

"I don't think that's really necessary. But go if you want to. If you wanna talk to him that's alr..."

Kendra did not have time to finish her sentence because Jessica fiercely pulled her arm to follow her along. Jessica shyly waved to Clyde with her fingers above the swaying swarm for the trouble of getting the host's attention. When they finally stood in front of him, Clyde sheepishly smiled down at them.

"Hi, nice party!" Jessica lamely exclaimed. She was probably keeping her sentences short given that the loud music made any decent or exhaustive conversation anything but viable.

"Hi, yea! Thanks! So who are you?" He responded. Despite the modest lighting, he was clearly appreciating the appearance of the young woman standing in front of him.

Jessica read his body language. She proceeded to flirt by alluringly smiling back.

"I'm Jessica, Jess or Jessie for close acquaintances. This is Kendra."

"Well I'm Clyde. Nice to meet you. There's booze and other drinks in the kitchen, and hey Jessica if you wanna hang out with me, I'll be over there, with my friends. I hope I'll see ya later."

"Okay, I'll definitely take you up on that. See you around, " she retorted, and moved past him only to lightly turn her head back and send a devilishly seductive smile to him. Clyde grinned and subtly send her a wink in return before disappearing into the mass.

Kendra felt silly not to have played a role in any way in the conversation, but figured that Clyde and Jessica were too occupied toying around, albeit the encounter was short, but effective nonetheless.

"Oh, it is on!" Jessica ecstatically cried out.

"Yea, you two hit it off, like instantly. What is that?" Kendra laughed.

"Oh I know, he's so hot. Man, I'm so glad I went, and that you came with me!" Jessica said, and give her a thankful peck on her friend's left cheek, after which she glanced up and fixedly pear into the direction her love interest went in. Her eyes rested on the sitting corner underneath the stairs leading up to the first floor.

"Oh look, seems like he's friends with your brother!"

"Oh Mike is here?" Kendra shouted somewhat startled and annoyed at the same time. It was awfully coherent that her twin brother would not have mentioned anything about the party to her.

"You wanna say hi?" Kendra heard herself say, as she in turn peered into that particular corner at the other side of the living room. She regretted her proposition as soon as she enunciated it.

"What? No, are you crazy, I've just said to Clyde I'd see him later. How eager would I look if I went on talking to him right away! Let's dance or see other people before going there!" Jessica explained in an irritated voice.

"Okay, okay. I hear ya!" Kendra said, and started to swing to the music. The deejay was playing some old house music, which stirred Kendra on to get a move and let the tuneful beat take her in. It appeared that the deejay's playlist was akin to Kendra's musical taste for everything he had played so far were easy on the ears and very danceable. On top of that, Kendra started to feel a comforting delightful drunkenness that disengaged the tension in her body and the small inhibitions that her mind imposed. Usually she did not become fuddled so soon, but she had not eaten anything after lunch which caused her body to absorb the alcohol more effectively and let the inebriation do its work on her senses.

Even so, she was aware enough of the fact that the merry sensation would soon fade away if she would not belt down some other drink. She marched off in the direction of the alcohol stand, without Jessica, who was more engaged in scrutinizing her environs instead of paying attention to her friend or dancing as far as that is concerned. Kendra poured herself a glass of low-priced chardonnay despite the fact that she favored red wine, yet took that wise decision so to avoid any messy accident later on involving some horrible burgundy stain on some lovely egg shell blouse.

She tried to find Jessica at the location where she assumed they were both standing only a few minutes ago. Not bothered by her disappearance, thanks to the sips she had been taking from her wine, she continued to sway to the music she was feverishly entertained by. Feeling more audacious, she choreographed her way closer to the deejay, but at moderate distance from the boxes at both sides of the room in an effort to circumvent the painfully deafening resonances that the speaker boxes emanate, and that one has to endure if one stands right next to them.

Feeling very warm, she wanted to get rid of her blazer. She took the piece of clothing off and started to glance through her surroundings to find a safe locality to stash it away. It would be foolish to drop it somewhere on the floor as it would undoubtedly get filth on it, or be the target of stealing. Not knowing where the coat rack was located, and aware that it would probably be overcharged, she suddenly looked right up at the deejay, surprised that she had stepped up to such proximity to him. She folded her blazer and laid it on top of the small speaker installed in front of the deejay set.

The deejay glanced at her with an unfazed look, but gave her a small smile so as to not too seem too frosty.

Kendra returned the smile and gestured towards her blazer while silently mouthing a 'Is that okay?'.

The deejay nodded and answered with 'Yea', after which Kendra thankfully imitated the deejay's motion and nodded as well. Time went by and Kendra started to observe the entertainer.

The guy looked all right, more than all right even. His ethnicity appeared to be eastern Asian. He sported a tall, slant figure. The headphones were partly blocking the view to his facial contours but his features seemed to be sharp and masculine, presenting a strong jaw line, displaying a straight and delicate nose. His raven black hair was cut mid-short, which flattered his countenance. His slant eyes looked very strenuous, as he was focused on his set.

The track which was then playing almost reached its end, and he let it unperturbedly flow over into another catchy song. Kendra loved the transition to the new sound and started to lusciously move her body in sync to the rhythm. She was having a great time and felt very much collected, humming simultaneously to the repeating riff that made the song so entrancing and melodious. She looked around her and made eye-contact with some people dancing beside her, who grinned back at her, as if they were acknowledging the idea that they all share a kinship in dancing, shimming or shuffling around, while their bodies, their feet, their hips, their arms, their heads were taken hostage by the music.

The alcohol must indisputably be one of the main causes for this spontaneous camaraderie to happen. As she was dancing next to her peers, the deejay took notice in her, in her joyful, cadenced performance. He loved that he had more than one fan who enjoyed his act. He loved how the black girl who skillfully moved her feet and got enthused over the dance records he was playing.

A little while later, he stepped off his modest makeshift platform, to get a drink, which turned out to be water when he returned to his set. Kendra, not really aware that he had been gone, just had been continuing to dance but inadvertently collided with him as she was passionately swirling around her own frame and consequently blocked his way to the small podium. He managed to save his cup of water and keep Kendra from crashing into the girl behind her as well, which caused Kendra to cling onto his shoulders in an equal effort to avoid any additional jostling against some other unfortunate.

"Hey, watch out there, " the deejay uttered in a suave voice.

"Oh I'm so, so, so sorry! Did I hurt you?" she said with an evident discomfited tenor, which matched her mortified expression.

"No no it's okay, don't worry I'm fine," he replied into her ear, since the music still made it problematic to speak in an normal voice.

"Oh good, I wasn't paying any attention." Kendra seemingly tried to recompose herself, which was not the easiest thing to do with a beautiful man standing so close. 'Second time around today', she thought, as she was vaguely reminiscing her short conversation with Nick in the morning.

"Yea I saw that. I see you're having a great time," he said while gently smiling.

"I do, I really do, you have mad deejaying skills. And great musical taste too, obviously," she complimented him.

"Oh, thanks! Actually, do you have any requests? I usually don't give out favors like that because it can get quite messy with all the different styles and my playlist or anything. But you are a great crowd, so I can grant you that," he offered with a charming smile.

"Oh, that's so nice! You are so nice!" She said with a faint smile of her own. "But I think you're great! I've liked everything you've been playing so just ... just keep doing your thing!"

"Okay, okay, sure, the offer is still valid, so if you change your mind or something comes up..."

"Yea, I'll definitely tell you."

"Okay, so I really have to go back, the song is literally ending so..."

"Yea sure, of course, I see you around I guess?"

"Uhu. Hey wait..." he pensively muttered while attentively looking at her.

"Here's my card. With my number. Since you like my stuff, you could give me a call... I mean if you need my services... Or just spread the word..."

"Oh, okay thanks... Shen," Kendra said as she read his name aloud. "You have my word that I'm going to spread it."

And just as she verbalized that silly word play - which, incidentally, she would have regretted right away if only she had not been drunk enough to really be concerned - the song came to an end. The sudden silence that violently contrasted with the clamor of the party instigated the whole party to boo and reprove Shen.

"Hey Shen! How 'bout you stop hitting on that chick and play some records man!" Clyde Redding cried out very amused, which was followed by a loud generic snicker.

Shen did not seem too intimidated by the booing or even the banter and put almost without any more ado a Dr Dre record that made the crowd practically go wild with ecstasy.

Kendra, on the other hand, was a little bit more fazed by Clyde's exclamation, but also by the fact that she made out her brother among the little group that surrounded Clyde. Mike was looking straight into her eyes and his expression looked stern, or even maddened. All at once, Nick came to stand beside him, and looked right at her as well. The heavy stares that were difficult to interpret were piercing right through her and destabilized her a bit. Even so, owing to the alcohol again, she had the evil courage to march up to them and greet them, as if nothing ever happened, or as if she had just not been at the center of the attention.

"Hi, didn't know you guys were here," she partially lied - 'where the hell did Nick come from?' - trying to force a nonchalant voice and demeanor.

"Okay, well now you know. What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mike asked, clearly goaded.

"I'm sorry?" She slightly faked indignation, but was more curious to inquire the reaction of Mike than really outraged.

"You're making a fool out of yourself! I mean Shen Liang? Come on! You must be desperate!"

"Okay first of all, what the hell are you talking about? Second of all, I'm not desperate and I don't even know why you're saying that. And thirdly, I'm making a fool out of myself because I'm just talking to some guy?" She tried to put up a strong and undiluted stance without any tremor in her voice. Tipsy, she still had trouble with remaining stoic in the presence of Nick.

"What he means is... " Nick started, joining the heated conversation, caring to back his friend.

"... He's not some guy, he's a guy who sleeps and messes around, and everybody knows that. Every girl knows that, and hooks up with him knowing that. It's just weird that you're talking to him when..."

"Wow, well that's just ... great! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black isn't it? Nick, Mike?" She made the remark in a biting and derisive tone after which she looked from Nick to Mike and vice versa, as if she was a teacher lecturing her ill-disciplined students in some sitcom. The two boys peered at her with slight disbelief.

"Where are you getting at? Nick retorted, surprised by Kendra's nerve, which he did not know she had in her.

"Well that's kind of hypocritical isn't it? You talk to me about a guy who sleeps around when you two sort of are the experts in that." She felt intrepid, righteous and was high on adrenaline. This was truly a great occasion to condemn Nick's behavior without raising any suspicion and confront him with it as it was relevant to talk about it right then. Alas, Mike interjected.

"Don't be stupid! What's the connection with you and Liang?" He lamely, but angrily commented.

"All of the girls you've hooked up with, did they get your warning too? And if they're allowed to get involved with guys who mess around, why shouldn't I?"

"So you call yourself a slut?" Mike blurted out.

Silence.

Kendra saw how Clyde, who had been sitting in a sofa, turned his attention from the girl he was smooth talking to, whom now she realized was Jessica, to the animosity between Kendra and Mike that clearly started to escalate. It was probably the insult that caught his attention. Tina, Liam, Christopher and Franklin - other people she went to high school with - who were formerly part of Clyde's little circle and lounging around on the coach as well, were equally sidetracked by the small conflict.

"My God Mike, is she your girlfriend or something?" Clyde inconsiderately muttered.

'What a dufus.'

"No, Crazy, Kendra is his sister!" Jessica now dizzily interfered. She was visibly drunk as well.

Kendra did not really had the change to process these last, rather foolish statements, as she was still taken aback by the vicious slur that her own brother had casted at her.

"Wow... I can't believe this." She finally managed to speak out after at least one minute went by, successfully holding her tears back, desperately keeping her voice from breaking.

"You know what? I was having a good time. And now I'm not anymore. And you are an asshole, so you can fuck off!"

She felt fierceness that evaporated the instant she became her fragile self. Her weakness, then, faded away thanks to her drunkenness. Her boldness that she certainly could use during sobriety reappeared then again. It looked as if her head was playing tennis with her feelings.

She diverted her gaze to Jessica .

"I wanna get out of here."

"Oh, but we just got here!" Jessica dully protested.

"Fine! I'll walk home!"

Kendra was livid and not thinking straight as well for she walked to the beverage table and mindlessly ingurgitated one shot of tequila, and another one of vodka. She wanted to leave the party, still walking home was not the most sensible thing to do. The distance was considerate and difficult to envisage in the dead of the night. Her feet burned because of the heels, even if the alcohol mildly sedated the ache, yet put her whole body on fire. The mixing of the alcohol was more mind-bending and numbing than ever.

She was more than determined to go even without her best friend. Incredibly, after a while, she recognized the door through which they entered the party, and proceeded to exit, before turning one last time and making eye-contact with Shen. Luckily, he looked into her direction at that moment. When Kendra was secure enough to know that she had his attention, she cheekily blew him a kiss. To her delight, Shen flashed a cheery smile in response.

Walking home proved indeed to be a challenging undertaking. Fortunately, the night was not chilling and she was not cold, but worry and consciousness crept in when she started to become disoriented after some time. Being drunk was not as amusing as being drunk with company. If Jessica had been with her, they would have giggled their way back home on unsteady legs and in heeled shoes (and retrieve Jessica's car the morning after), even if they were lost. Now she had to figure out alone which way led to her house, to her warm and safe bed. The intoxication no longer invigorated her, but drowsed her.

Suddenly, a loud car honk grasped her attention. She heard different times "Kendra! Hey Kendra" before indeed understanding that someone was calling her name in a car that drove up next to the sidewalk she was staggering on.

"Kendra, hey, get in the car."

"Wait, who are you?" She was disoriented but not completely imprudent.

"It's me, Nick. Come on, get in the car!"

"I don't want to go back!"

She assumed that Nick was trying to find her only to get her back to her brother and finish that ridiculous conversation they were having.

"No I'm driving you home. Mike is dropping Jessica off with her car. I'm supposed to get you home."

"Oh." She looked at hem absent-mindedly as she stepped closer to the passenger seat and bended down to lock eyes with Nick. It would be awkward to be alone with him in a car. Actually, she could not recollect any instance whatsoever where she really was alone with him. She was quite drunk and felt less reserved too, thus she believed that this was not the best time to be alone with him, but at the same time she desperately wanted to be with him. She was hooked, in desperate need of his attention.

'What would happen if I started to talk nonsense to him. Or to reveal my feelings?' She thought.