Chapter 4

Jeff waited patiently in the hallway where he had
first seen her as the crowd filed out slowly after the
show. He played with the zipper on his leather coat
waiting on her. He was taking a big chance meeting up
with her. Hell he was taking a big chance on her in
general.

She separated herself from the crowd, her friend in
tow. Her angelic face staring right at him, "Hi."

"Hi." He looked to Riley and nodded.

"This is my partner in crime Riley Carpenter. Riley
this is Jeff Hardy." She continued to stare at him,
waiting for him to finish talking to her friend. He
was absolutely beautiful. "What did you want?"

"Huh?" Jeff's eyes widened, "Oh um I was wondering if
you wanted to get something to eat or hang out or
both?"

"I'd love to." She saw the tension leave his face;
"There that wasn't so hard."

"What?"

"Asking me out."

Riley shook her head, "Do you mind bringing her home
then? I have to meet my grandparents and we came in my
car."

"No I'll bring her home."

Kendall slipped her arm through Jeff's, gripping onto
his coat, winking at Riley, "I'll see you tomorrow in
class. Ready?" she looked up to him with another
smile.

"Absolutely, let's go. Do you have a preference as far
as food goes?" he opened the door for her, closing his
eyes as her shoulder brushed against his chest.

"No. Anything's fine. I skipped the food at the brunch
so I'm starving."

He unlocked the car door, also opening it for her as
well.

"You're a perfect gentleman Jeff Hardy." She
complimented him as he closed the door for her.

"My father raised me to be a gentleman in the presence
of a beautiful woman." He climbed into the drivers'
seat, chucking his bag in the back.

"When I meet him I'll be sure to tell him what an
excellent job he did."

Jeff laughed, "When you meet him? That sounds
optimistic on your end."

"I'm very optimistic. I see what I want, I get what I
want and I keep what I want. Enough said."

He nodded, grinning "Is that so? This should be an
interesting date." He started the car, pulling out of
the parking lot as she played with the radio.


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


They decided on a small burger joint in town. A place
Kendall had never been and Jeff was very familiar
with. Jeff told her it was quiet and that's what she
wanted right now. Quiet to focus on him and her. Not
to mention that she didn't want to be bothered with
the people she was forced to associate with. Hopefully
none of them would even step foot in there.

Jeff led her to a booth in the very back of the
restaurant, helping her with her coat before sitting
down himself. She stole glances at him over the top of
her menu, making him giggle.

"Why do you keep doing that?"  He tunked the top of
her menu with his.

"Do what?" she played innocent.

"Never mind."

"What can I get for you two?" the waitress smiled, "Hi
Jeff. How are you today?"

"Hi Stella. I'm doing all right. This is my. date
Kendall. Kendall this is a friend of my family's,
Stella."

Kendall extended her hand, "Hi nice to meet you."

"Aren't you Michael and Caroline Morgans daughter?"

Kendall stared down at the table, "Yes."

"I saw your picture in the paper. You look like your
mom. What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a cheeseburger with lettuce and mayonnaise,
a small order of fries and a medium Pepsi." She laid
the menu on the table in front of Stella, folding her
hands

Jeff nodded, "That sounds good but make it a large
order of fries. Thanks Stella." He waited for her to
leave, "What's wrong?" he reached across tapping her
hand.

"Nothing." She looked down at his hand then placed
hers on top of his, caressing it with her thumb, "I'm
fine. So how long have you been wrestling?"

"Since I was 16 so about three years pro. My brother
and I have been wrestling in our back yard since I was
11."

"Wow. So do you want to be a real professional? Like
on TV and everything?" she reached for his other hand,
holding them both on the table.

"Actually my brother and I are with the WWF right now.
We only do like dark matches; non-televised matches
and we hid our faces with masks if we have to be on
TV. Your hands are so tiny." He held them up a little
to examine them.

"Well I'm not that big myself. Who's your brother?"

"Matt. He was the wrestler Surge. Black and White
tights? Short curly black hair?"

"Ok I remember. He did that funny symbol with his
hands right?"

Jeff chuckled as she tried to imitate it, "Yeah
something like that. So in the car you said your
family was originally from New York but in the society
pages your father said something about Boston."

"You read the society pages?" she was a bit saddened.

"My dad does. I don't know why but he does. Does that
bother you?"

"No not really. You'd think after 18 years I'd be used
to being in the paper. My dads' family hails from
Boston. My dad moved to New York for college. That's
where he met my mom and where I was born."

"How did you get to North Carolina?" he was extremely
fascinated by her. She was nothing like he imagined.

"My choice of college. I wanted to go to a school far
from home but once my father found out how much
potential North Carolina had for the family business,
they relocated with me." She rolled her eyes.

"Here's your sodas kids. Your food will be out in a
few minutes."

"Thanks. So much for moving far away by yourself. You
live at home then?" he watched as she stirred her
straw in her drink.

"Yep. You?" she reached again for his hands, "You
don't mind do you?"

"Not at all. Yes I still live at home. I don't make
enough money right now to move out on my own. I will
though. I don't wanna live at home forever."

"No one does. So when do you leave for the road
again?" she picked her hands up as Stella placed their
food in front of them.

"Here you go kids. Enjoy."

Jeff placed his napkin in his lap, getting a funny
look from Kendall, "How about we eat first then talk
about my road trips. I hate to talk with my mouth
full."

She giggled, shaking her head.

Chapter 5
back to Chapter 3