I chuckled softly at the awkwardness of the moment. Of all the people I could’ve ended up doing a favor for, I hadn’t expected it to be her. Not after everything.
Grinning, I decided to push my luck. "You can repay me by letting me give you a ride home." I knew it was a long shot, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to spend a little more time with her. More importantly, it felt like the right moment to properly apologize for... well, everything.
Kendra’s eyes narrowed, her guard going up again. "How does giving me a ride repay you? Actually, don’t answer that. Just give me your details, and I’ll repay you once I sort out the issue with my card."
I raised my hands slightly, as if to ward off her insistence. "That won’t be necessary."
"But it is… I don’t like being indebted to people," she replied, her face tightening with determination.
I shrugged, trying to keep my tone light. "Then consider it my apology for getting you in trouble with your boss the other day."
Her expression wavered. For a second, her eyes softened, the tension in her face loosening, before she caught herself and tightened up again.
“Okay,” she said at last, adjusting her grip on her bags and walking away.
I fell into step beside her, the grocery bags weighing down her hands. "So, how about that ride?" I offered again, casually.
She shook her head, her ponytail swishing. "No, I’m fine. I’ll just catch a cab."
I raised an eyebrow. "But we’re going the same way. It doesn’t make sense to take a cab when I’m headed in the same direction. Besides, you’re not exactly flush with cash at the moment, are you?"
She stopped walking, frowning. "I walked down here, didn’t I?"
"Before you had all those bags," I pointed out, nodding at the grocery bags straining her arms. I softened my expression, hoping to ease her resistance.
Kendra bit her lip, her eyes darting towards the bags.
I shifted my tone, making it softer, more persuasive. "Come on, just let me help you out. We can throw your bags in the car, and I’ll drive us home. If you insist, you can pay me what you would’ve used for cab fare once your card is sorted."
She hesitated, clearly weighing her options. The sun was beating down on us, heat radiating off the pavement. I could see the sweat beginning to prickle on her skin, the exhaustion in her posture.
Finally, she exhaled sharply, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Okay. Thanks. But just to get home. No talks, just a quiet drive. Okay?"
I nodded, relieved. "Deal."
As we walked toward my car, I could sense her lingering hesitation. I popped the trunk, and we loaded our bags inside. Then I hurried to open the passenger door for her. Her eyebrows rose, surprise flashing across her face. I could tell she wanted to argue, to say she didn’t need me to open her door, but she kept silent, sliding into the seat with stiff movements.
I closed the door gently behind her, feeling a small sense of satisfaction. I made my way to the driver’s side. When I got in, I noticed how her eyes scanned the car’s interior, like she was cataloging every detail. I started the engine and glanced at her. She immediately turned her gaze out the window.
“Mind if I play some music?” I asked, keeping my voice casual.
She nodded without looking at me, her expression unreadable as she stared out the window.
The drive was exactly as she’d requested—quiet. Kendra alternated between staring out the window and checking her phone like she was waiting for a call. I focused on the road, and we didn’t exchange a single word. The only sound was Adele’s velvety voice playing from the speakers.
As we neared our apartment building, I felt a slight pang of disappointment that our quiet drive had come to an end. I had hoped the drive would give me a chance to build on the fragile connection between us, but she kept her guard firmly in place.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that the tension between us had eased, even if only slightly. Getting her to accept a ride from me was a small victory, and I took it as a sign that maybe, we could put our past disagreement behind us.
When I pulled up to the curb, Kendra was out of the car almost before I could turn off the engine. "Thank you," she said curtly, her voice distant. She disappeared into her apartment without another word.
I watched her go, frustration gnawing at me. There was so much I wanted to say—an apology, maybe even a thank you for letting me help. But the words got stuck in my throat.
Sighing, I grabbed my bags and headed inside. “Baby steps, Antonio. Baby steps,” I muttered as I closed the door to my apartment.
I unpacked the groceries mechanically, my mind still on Kendra. But just as I was about to start cooking, my phone rang.
"Hey, bro," Damon’s voice came through, low and serious. "Have you seen the news?"
