“So what was the problem you needed help with?” Kelly asks Lauren as she takes a bite of pancakes with no syrup.
“Just boy issues,” Lauren shrugs like it’s not big deal. I wonder if she lies this easily or if she had already come up with something when she sent the text.
“You know,” Kelly says, “you can always talk to me, Lauren. I would be willing to help too.”
“I’m not sure I can trust your judgment, Kelly,” Lauren says, “You picked my brother.” Kelly starts to stammer out an answer while the rest of us burst into laughter.
“Just kidding, Kelly,” Lauren says, touching her arm. “Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”
We continue with insignificant small talk through the rest of breakfast but it unsettles me that Kelly didn’t get that Lauren was kidding. When I look around the table it seems that Kelly is probably the least fun person here. The sex is amazing. Kelly is practically a contortionist but our life outside of the bedroom consists mostly of hanging around with her boring friends or fighting with each other.
“We’re going shopping so you two can talk,” Lauren says as she gets up and starts to clear the table. Alex, Kristina and Kylie join her in the kitchen. Once they’ve filled the dishwasher, they come back in to say goodbye.
“See you later,” Lauren says, kissing me on the cheek. “Bye Kelly,” she waves. The other girls follow suit, saying goodbye and kissing me on the cheek.
“An affectionate bunch,” Kelly says once they’ve left. If she only knew.
“Apparently,” I answer.
“I hate it when we fight, Brandon,” Kelly says reaching for my hand.
“Me too,” I answer honestly, “but we seem to do it a lot.” She nods. “Funny, I don’t even remember what we were fighting about. It always seems to be something trivial.”
“It was about Bethany,” Kelly says. “You don’t like her and she’s one of my best friends. But never mind about that right now, I wished you had come home last night,” she says in her best purr-like voice. “I was horny for some make-up sex,” she laughs. Fuck! She’s even given it a name. I wonder if she names the others ‘wake-up sex’ and ‘welcome home from work-sex’.
“Kelly,” I take her hand, “there is nothing in this world as wonderful as sex with you.”
“Thank you,” she blushes, “I try.” She gives me one of her most seductive looks. “Shall we take this to your bedroom?” she asks.
“No, not this time,” I respond, not really aware of what I’m saying until it comes out of my mouth. “I can never think straight when I’m in bed with you,” I tell her and see a look of confusion on her face. “But honestly, outside of the bedroom we don’t have a lot in common. We spend sixty percent of our time fighting and forty percent making up.” I guess it is make-up sex.
“What do you mean we don’t have anything in common?” she pulls back, ready for a fight. “We have our friends.”
“Your friends,” I counter.
“They’re your friends now, too.” She stops and just looks at me, her anger putting a light flush on her face. “Are you breaking up with me? Is there someone else?”
“NO!” I say emphatically. “No one else. I just think you deserve someone who you don’t spend two-thirds of your time fighting with, don’t you?” I ask her.