Mackenzie

Chapter 10

I appeared at Tanner's doorstep at 4:10pm. I had to make sure mom ate a little and slept too. I hoped to meet her still asleep by the time I got back. I tucked some strands of hair behind my ear as I waited for Tanner to get the door. I sighed and almost immediately, the door opened. Tanner stood in a black T-shirt and black jeans. Why did he wear black in his house anyway? And why did he also look so hot? I shoved the thoughts to the back of my head.

"You're early enough," Tanner said.

I rolled my eyes as I entered the house. I really wasn't ready for any exchange of words and that's why I brought my textbook. I walked to the room we were in the day before. The first thing I saw was that massive dictionary that freaked me out.

I sat down and looked at Tanner who was still standing. "Are you gonna keep standing or are you gonna sit so we start this lesson?" I snapped.

His eyes widened a little, but didn't say anything. Instead, he sat down, and I was surprised. He was meant to say something back, something to make me regret I came here.

"Why the f**k are you looking at me like you don't know you're to get out a note or something," I rolled my eyes.

If I wasn't careful, I'd leave here eating my words back, but, I couldn't help it. I was buried in my own sadness.

Again, I was surprised when he looked up at me, then looked back at the pen he held in his hand.

...................

"So, I said that there are relationships to the sides of the triangle. What are they?" I asked Tanner.

"Uh," he squinted a little.

"Tell me, what the hell is hard in learning SOHCAHTOA?!" I sighed in frustration,"Are you this dumb?-"

"Hey, I've been nothing but nice to you since you got here," he glared at me.

"You think I-"

"I'm not done talking," he snapped, "Maybe if you aren't so snappy, acting like you've got problems up in your head, then I would actually get what you're trying to teach me.. you could as well talk!" He shouted.

"Talk?!" I shouted back, "What have I been doing since I got here?" I paused, "Wait... Talk about what?"

"What is wrong with you," he said calmly.

I was confused. Was he suffering from a bipolar disorder or what? He was shouting at me seconds ago and now he's asking what's wrong with me. Why did he sound so concerned? Why was a part of me excited that he asked? I wouldn't tell him, definitely not!

"Why do you care?" I shot.

"You're right. I don't," he shot back.

Nooooo! Tanner was nice to me for, like, the first time ever- well, apart from when he was drunk- and that was probably the only time he'd ever be nice to me.

Well done, Mackenzie.

I sighed, closing my eyes. "I wanna go home," I said.

"I didn't say I wanted you to stay, did I?"

It was my fault Tanner was back to be his jerky self. He'd been too nice for a long time. Leave Mackenzie to blow it.

I shook my head lightly, biting my lip.

"Or maybe Edward is outside to take you home."

I looked sharply at Tanner. Where did that come from? He looked back at me.

"What?" I wanted to sound tough, but it came out as more of a whisper.

"You heard me," he clicked his pen as he got up from his chair and left the room.

I shook my head fiercely, grabbed my bag and walked out of the room.

"Why did you let her go?"

I was about turning the doorknob when I heard the girls voice. I stopped.

"She wanted to go home, and I let her," Tanner answered

"I know, but, why did you let her go?"

"You know what, that doesn't matter. Are you okay?"

I was confused. What did she mean by let me go?

.....................

Who was she anyway? Who is she? Why did she keep asking Tanner about things that had to do with me? It was starting to get creepy, because she always asked when I was almost at the door. If she was Tanner's girl then why was she worried about me? She was meant to be insecure. I didn't get any of these and I definitely couldn't ask Tanner because I blew it this evening and he'd probably get more bitter. And something else popped into this fine head of mine. When he talked about Edward, why did he sound like that? If Tanner was a normal guy, I'd have said he sounded jealous. But considering, he wasn't quite normal to me, I didn't know how exactly he sounded. Why was I even bothered?

I doubled my steps as I practically ran home. I opened the door as soon as I reached the doorstep.

"Mom!" I called, my heart already beating, praying hard for what happened yesterday not to repeat itself.

"MZ?" I heard mom call back and I sighed in relief.

I walked into the kitchen and mom was wiping the counter with a napkin.

"Mom.. what are you doing?" I asked.

She chuckled a little, "Isn't that obvious?"

I sighed, "I know ,but I thought we agreed that I'd make dinner."

"Yeah, we did, but I wasn't sure you'd be back this early."

I shook my head.

"Speaking of early, why are you back this early?" Mom looked at me.

"Tanner McCann is an ass," I replied,

"But this time I was an ass too."

"Glad to hear that."

I gasped, "Mom!"

She chuckled again,"Sometimes, it looks like you're always trying to put the blame on him, so it's good that you decided to share the blame today" She sighed,"What did you do, MZ Starr?"

"I was only rude to him, and he wasn't being a jerk all the time."

"That's why you left?"

"Well, he got tired and was his normal self again.. I had to come home."

Mom stared at me for sometime and she was about to say something, when I called, "Mom?"

"Yes, MZ?"

"Is it possible that a guy doesn't want girls close but he has a girlfriend?"

"Very possible. He has a girlfriend?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

...................

"Here," Bambi stretched out an envelope to me when I got into her car the next day.

"What's this?" I whispered to myself as I opened the envelope. I looked at Bambi as I opened it, she just looked back at me. When I finally opened it, I saw it was a LOT of money. I then remembered she said to give me some money today.

"Uh," I swallowed, "It's okay, Bambi.. mom had some money... That's what I'd be using to get her into ​the hospital," I told her

She sighed, "Okay, but keep it."

"No... No, Bambi. We already have the money."

"I insist, Kenzi. Keep it, please. Use it to get some meds prescribed to her. Get stuff you need... Or just save it for when you need it most.. please."

Tears formed in my eyes,"Bambi... Where did you get the money from?"

"Some of my savings... Mom and dad too, they're sorry."

"Oh, Bambi!" I threw my arms around her,"Thank you so much."

"It's okay.. it really is," she patted my back.

..................

"Has Bambi given you the money yet?" Ryan asked me as we waited for Mrs Martinez to come in.

"Yes she has," I nodded.

"I hope you take mom early enough."

I nodded again,"After school today."

"Do you need me to take you and Mom?"

"Please," I said.

.................

"Guys, I think Tanner has the bipolar disorder," I told Ryan and Bambi during lunch.

Ryan laughed,"No way! What the f**k, Kenzi."

" I'm being serious." I took a spoon of my frozen yogurt.

Bambi chuckled,"What makes you think so?"

I told them about yesterday's lesson and by the time I was done, Bambi was laughing hard and Ryan was trying to stifle a laughter. I looked at them blankly.

"Can you guys bring me over to your side?" I asked, looking at both

of them.

"We're sorry, but I only imagined​ the look on your face when he told you to tell him what was wrong," Bambi laughed still.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Ryan then, he cleared his throat and said,

"Honestly Kenzi, I think Tanner did want to know what was wrong."

"Shut up, Ryan," I rolled my eyes again, "He said he didn't care!"

" Well, before he said that, you asked him why he cared.. c'mon, Kenzi."

"Why am I even bothered about it?" I threw my hands in the air.

"You aren't, we just asked you about it," Bambi said.

"If you ask me, I'd say you are." I shot Ryan a look as soon as he said that.

"Sorry," he put his hands up.

"And about his girl-" I started to say

The bell rang.

"Bye guys! I'd see you later," Bambi said.

I sighed, got up and looked over at Ryan. He was still seated and looking over at.... A group of girls. There were four of them and definitely, he wasn't looking at all of them, he was looking at one. But who?

Ryan would tell me about the girl he was looking at. I just didn't have to worry about it.

"Ryan," I called, tapping his shoulder lightly.

"Yeah.. yeah, what's up?" He looked at me.

"Lunch is over. It's time to get to class," I told him.

"Yeah, sure." He nodded and got up from the seat. I looked at him weirdly and he said,"Let's go."

..............

The bell rang. School was over. I turned to Tanner immediately, "I won't be coming today. I have something to attend to."

"Really? I'm gonna die," Tanner rolled his eyes.

I nodded slightly and was about to walk away.

"Mackenzie," Edward called.

"Hey!" I smiled.

He threw a quick glance at Tanner, then asked me, "You okay?"

"Yeah, sure." beside me I heard Tanner huff. What was with him, really? "I'd talk to you tomorrow, I gotta head home now."

"Oh? It'd be my pleasure to take you h-" Edward started.

"Uh, dude... You and Lenore were meant to do some stuff after school, if you remember," Tanner told Edward awkwardly.

Again. What was with him? Did he hate me this much? He didn't want Edward to give me a ride home? If Ryan wasn't taking me, I'd have given much thought to it.

"Right... I'm so damn sorry, Mackenzie," Edward apologized sincerely.

I smiled,"It's okay.. Ryan's​ already taking me home," I said and again, beside me, I saw Tanner look disappointed, but then he rolled his eyes and walked away from us.

"What's with him?" I asked Edward the same time he asked, "So, where's Ryan?"

I sighed, "He should be here any time from now." I looked at my watch.

"I could keep you company."

I looked at him,"No, I'd be fine.. go meet Lenore," I smiled.

He sighed,"Sometimes I like to think it's still like old times."

He had no idea what old times are. Old times was when I had a huge crush on him. Old times was when he wasn't best friends with Tanner McCann. Old times was when he would ask me if I had problems with Geometry. Old times was when mom wasn't battling cancer. Old times was when-

"You don't know what old times were like, Edward," it slipped before I could even keep quiet.

"I - I don't understand," he looked confused.

I was about to tell him to forget what I said when Ryan came to us,"What's up, Edward?" He smiled, then looked at me," Kenzi, we've gotta leave now."

"Yeah.. we have to," I nodded, then looked at Edward who still held the confused look on his face,"Bye Edward."

"Uh... Bye," he scratched the back of his head and I felt bad for him.

Ryan and I walked into his car and as I got in, I realized Ryan hadn't told me about the girl he was looking at, I also realized that I shouldn't be worrying about that now, I had to start thinking of how to fend for myself once we dropped mom at the hospital.