After two weeks of being ignored by Kade, Lennon had given up. Given up trying to figure out the reason behind his sudden distance and accepted it as reality for the time being. She had exhausted herself trying to make sense of it, but it never got her any closer to an answer or changing the way things were.

Now, even more then before, Kade was willing to be loving in public. Lennon was now immune to the kisses. They no longer took her by surprise. He went through the motions of being a caring boyfriend and even though it had always been an act, it felt more so now.

As much as it all confused Lennon, once she accepted it, it wasn't a hard reality to live with. On a good day, she could convince herself this situation was for the best.

The fact that Thanksgiving was fast approaching made her nervous. She was going with Kade to visit his family. She didn't think the relationship they had would be able to stand up under a family's scrutiny but she told herself she still had time to figure that out. But that idea of time was ruined when Jordan reminded her Thanksgiving was a week and a half away.

******************************

Lennon entered the party, already feeling weary. Tired of putting on an act one more time. It felt like most of the parties she had been going to with Kade over the last two weeks. She realized it didn't really matter if she knew what the party was for. It just mattered that she was there and got photographed with Kade.

Music blared through the house, the sound seeming to shake the whole building. Groups of people huddled together, drunken laughter filling the air around them. Bodies swayed to the pounding beat, cups clenched in talon like hands. Lennon pushed her way through the dense crowd looking for Kade. She found him talking with a group of friends.

"Hey babe," he said, giving her a kiss.

She barely said hi before he had started up the conversation again.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked, after a little bit.

"Sure. Soda is fine," she said.

"Ok," he said, and walked away.

Lennon struck up a conversation with Josh Stone. They laughed about the time Lennon had been bombarded by fans at one of his concerts at the mall.

After a little while, she left Kade's group and was walking through the party when the girl from the Halloween party stopped her. Lennon racked her brain for the girl's name as the girl, again,  excitedly greeted her and asked about Kade. Lennon played it off like she had before.   

As the conversation was ending, Lennon remembered the girl's name was Brianna. But Brianna was pulled away by a drunk friend before Lennon could make use of that info. As she set out to find someone new, Devon grabbed her arm and gave her a wildly curious look.

"Were you just talking to Brianna?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?" Lennon asked.

"Did she throw a punch?"

"No."

"That's surprising. She is known to be territorial about the guys she has slept with."

"What?"

"I don't even know why she still gets like that," Devon said. "She only hooked up with Kade a few times and it was more then a year and a half ago."

"Oh," was all Lennon could say as she tried to keep her face neutral.

"She tried to come after me but I said no. Girls cause enough problems without being crazy."

Devon laughed and Lennon forced a smile until she could get away.

That was why Kade had seemed weird after he had seen her talking with Brianna at the Halloween party. Why hadn't he said anything? Lennon made a note to research all of Kade's previous flings before the next party.

***********************************

When it came time to leave, Lennon thought about just leaving without saying anything to Kade.  But she knew how it would look to everyone  who always seemed to have their eyes on them. Kade usually made an excuse to avoid a car ride alone with her. Lennon felt like she had heard every excuse in the last two weeks. 

As she walked out, it surprised her when he held onto her. He usually tried to distance himself at the end of the night. She didn't understand why he was sticking close.

"You guys ready?" Devon asked, after they had said their goodbyes.

"Are you driving home with Devon?" Lennon asked. "I can call an Uber."

"Devon is dropping both of us off," Kade said, pulling her towards the exit.

"My car's the party car!" Devon said.

A small group of people behind him agreed.

Kade held the door open for Lennon and climbed in after her to a crowded middle bench of Devon's SUV. Lennon was smashed between a girl she hadn't met and Kade on the ride to her apartment.

The music was loud and even though almost everyone was squished in, they still tried to dance. Lennon quickly realized most of them were either tipsy or drunk. Kade was being as loud and boisterous as everyone else but she couldn't tell if he was drunk. He had been drinking. She had tasted it on his lips from the kisses during the later part of the party but he didn't seem drunk.

Lennon was glad when Devon finally pulled up to her apartment. Kade let her out and she called goodnight to everyone. As Devon drove away, she found she wasn't alone.

"I think your ride just left without you," she told Kade, heading towards her apartment.

He gave a small laugh.

"My car is here," he said, following her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Remember, I came here before Devon picked us up."

"Right," Lennon said.

Kade followed Lennon as she walked to her door. As she got out her keys, she became aware that she was alone with Kade. He wasn't trying to get away or pretending to be distracted. She was trying to figure out what to say next, she didn't want to scare him away, when she became aware of how close he was standing behind her. His breath felt warm on her shoulder and he nuzzled his head against the crook of her neck.

"Kade," she said.

She tried to shrug him off as she pushed her door open. He followed her inside. She flipped on the lights and tried to act natural as she dropped her bag on the couch and took off her jacket.

She turned around to find Kade right behind her and before she knew what was happening he was kissing her, his hands cupping the back of her head. It took Lennon a second to push him away.

"What are you doing?" she spat.

His breath had tasted strongly of alcohol. Much stronger then it had when they had last kissed at the party. He smiled.

"Come on," he said, "we are technically boyfriend and girlfriend."

He kissed her again but she was quicker in pushing him away, this time creating distance between them.

"You should go," Lennon said, calmer then she felt.

She knew it wouldn't do any good to lose it on him, even though that's what she felt like doing. He was drunk and the last thing she needed was the media splashing their drunken fight everywhere. She needed to handle this calmly and quickly. She tried to get to her phone on the couch to call him an Uber but he got in the way.

"Don't act like you don't want to," he said with a cocky smile.

"It's the last thing I want to do," she said.

His smile only got bigger.

"So you're telling me everyone in LA wants to sleep with me except you?"

She just stared at him blankly. He grabbed her for another kiss and she pushed him away.

"Kade, stop!" she said firmly.

"Cut the bulls***!" he said loudly. "It's not like anyone actually believes this whole innocent southern girl act you have going on. You don't have to pretend with me. I promise, I'm a good time."

"It's not an act," Lennon said sharply. "I'm not Brianna. If that's what you're looking for, I'm sure she would be happy to give it to you."

She wondered if Kade thought all girls were like that. To him, most girls were probably like Brianna, happy enough to sleep with him a few times.

"No, you're definitely not Brianna. But I don't think you played all innocent for what's his name?"

Lennon was trying to figure out what he was talking about when the name came to him.

"Hunter. I bet you had some fun with him."

Lennon's hand made a loud cracking noise as it collided with Kade's cheek. She was breathing fast and her blood felt like it was boiling. She couldn't remembering feeling so much anger.

"Get out," she said quietly.

She wasn't sure what she would do if he didn't leave right away. He slowly turned back to her, a clear red handprint on his cheek. Lennon stared him down, her hands shaking from anger.

He looked lost for words. Then he looked like they were going to come tumbling out fast. His hand went to his mouth as he moved quickly to Lennon's bathroom. She didn't moved as he slammed the door shut and she could hear him throwing up.

Lennon's whole body was tense as she tried to calm herself down. She had told him about Hunter because she had trusted him enough to share something sensitive and he had just used it against her. It felt so shockingly painful, she was sure she had been the one slapped rather then him.

Without thinking, Lennon stepped outside. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to give Kade the satisfaction of seeing her eyes red and she felt too angry to cry. She leaned against her door, breathing deeply, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat. It didn't take long for her to calm down. She knew she had to get Kade out.   

She went back inside, determined to make her conversation with Kade short and sweet. Her apartment was silent. She paused outside the bathroom door. When she didn't hear anything, she knocked. Without getting a response she opened the door and found Kade passed out on the floor, wrapped around the toilet. He looked pathetic and sad.

She shut the door and went to her room. She thought about leaving him there. He deserved at least that but she knew she couldn't.

She checked again but he hadn't moved. With a resigned sigh she grabbed an extra blanket and pillow and set the couch up. She inwardly cursed herself for being so kind when he didn't deserve it, but an image of Kade on the night of his birthday party came back. She knew that version of Kade deserved her kindness. Even though the cold, mean Kade that had been inhabiting his body for the last three weeks didn't.

Lennon stepped back into the bathroom and said his name. Pulling on his arm, he started to stir.

"Come on," she said, helping him stand up.

He woke up enough to stand and stumble to the couch. Once on the couch, he was out again. Lennon removed his shoes and put a cup of water on the coffee table for him before she went to bed.

**********************************

Lennon felt like she had barely slept when she found herself wide awake at six-thirty the next morning. She dressed quickly and threw a baseball cap over her dirty hair. She slowly opened her door and found Kade still asleep on the couch. She moved around the couch and grabbed her purse and shoes, shutting her apartment door behind her.

Sleep had given her some clarity. She didn't regret helping Kade to the couch but whatever had caused her to be kind last night was gone this morning. All she wanted was for him to be gone and she didn't want to deal with him for a while. Thanksgiving dauntingly laid a little more then a week and a half away but until then, she didn't want anything to do with him.

She pulled out her phone as she walked to her car and called Matt. It took a few tries before his sleepy voice answered.

"There is a hung over Kade asleep on my couch," she said.

"What?"

"Kade's passed out in my apartment and I want him gone. I going to the studio and I want him gone," she said.

Her voice was calm and direct. It seemed to get Matt's attention.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You can ask him."

"Lennon, whatever happened, I'm sure we can fix - "

"I'm not interested in what you are sure of Matt. What I want is for him to be gone when I get back."

"I'll take care of it."

"Good."

**********************************************************************

BAM!!! That just happened! Be honest did you see that coming?

Anyways, on to more serious and important topics, like ice cream. Yes, it is one of the most important topics there is, if you haven't realized this, well you're welcome for opening your mind to it. People, the summer days are dwindling. Of course my consumption of ice cream will hardly lessen because of this fact but still, it's sad to think it will be too cold to sit outside and eat ice cream on the grass. Now I have to do it inside. Such is life.

Vote, commment, follow, because you know you want to! ;)