Mackenzie

Chapter 25

"Yeah..." Ryan nodded, looking at me.

"I don't understand." My voice came out in a surprised whisper.

"Turns out, few years ago after mom gave birth to me, she slept with another man... At a club."

"Oh, Ry..."

"I found out almost a month ago.. I was so angry with mom, but.." He sighed,"She explained, she was married to dad then, and she couldn't keep the baby, she said she was only lucky that Brooke's dad wanted her."

"Wow... That's very rare." I swallowed," Why didn't you tell me or Bambi?"

"I was going to. I swear, Kenzi, I was... But at first I was so busy. I had to make sure Brooke was right about what she was saying. I mean, it all came as a shock. I was standing by my locker one day, and then she came to me. She told me the story and begged me to believe her.. but still, I didn't believe her. How could she just walk up to me and say she was my sister?-"

"W-was she the girl you were looking at in the cafeteria one day?"

"You... Saw me?"

I nodded,"Yeah. The bell had rung and I was calling you for us to go to class, but you were only staring at her..."

"I always looked at her in the cafeteria," he smiled a bit, "I couldn't believe it. When she saw that I wouldn't believe her, she asked me to come over to her house, to meet her dad. And I did. He was the most pleasant man, he told me everything that had happened.. he said what happened between he and mom was like a one night stand thing. He said, after that night, he didn't hear anything from mom, even if he did want to see her again.. the next time he heard from her, she told him she was pregnant, and he was glad", Ryan chuckled,"He said he was the happiest man on earth that day and that was why when mom begged that he kept Brooke, he was more than excited", Ryan sighed,"However, he said he later married for the wrong reasons, and now, he and his wife are divorced. He's a single dad now. He practically raised Brooke alone... It seems to me like, he loves mom, but..", he shrugged,"It was extremely hard in the beginning, and I didn't want to bring you into it, because you were also having a hard time and all. Couldn't tell Bambi, because I knew for sure, Bambi would tell you..", he looked at me,"But things are better now. I've been spending some time with Brooke's dad.. he's perfect, very different from mine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you..."

I sat still, looking at the guy beside me, mind flashing to the times when he'd come to my house in the night to sleep.. because his dad was drunk and his mom wasn't home, and tears spilled onto my cheek again. I realised, though, that I was crying for him because I was happy for him.

"I'm happy for you, Ryan.. you have no idea how much I am." I chuckled through my tears,"You've always wanted a sister to play superman to."

"Well, I have you and Bambi... But now, I have three girls to watch out for. I deserve a honorary award."

I laughed through my tears again and this time, Ryan was sure to wipe my tears away.

"I- I'm so, so sorry for calling Brooke a w***e too... I just jumped into conclusions​. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. In fact, I really want you and Bambi to meet her tomorrow.. I was always telling her about you two... See? I didn't forget you guys. How can I, even? Not when you change into different clothes twenty times in, like, five minutes and ask me to tell you how you look, and when Bambi chases after me so she could try make up on me." He said as we both laughed.

"True." I said as my laughter died down.

"So... What went wrong today? The attack and all, what happened?"

"I was only feeling down." I said as I waved a hand in the air as if it wasn't that much of a deal.

He sighed,"I'm sorry I wasn't there.. Mrs Martinez had no intention of letting me go after she called me after the class."

I let out a small chuckle,"I knew she was gonna call you back. What happened to you?"

"I was just beating myself up today about the day before." He waved his hand in the air too, repeating my action.

"I'm sorry." I said again, and this time he didn't say anything, he looked at me for a while, before finally wrapping his arms around me.

"How's mom?" He asked behind me.

I pulled away and looked at him,"Last time I went to the hospital, she wasn't doing too​ well.." I shook my head,"I need a job. I really do."

"Hey, I know a place you could work at."

My eyes lit up,"For real?"

"Yeah. I don't know how much the pay is, but, I know they need a waitress."

"It's a diner?" I asked, smiling with eyes bulging. I must look like an i***t.

"Yeah." He nodded

"Where's it?" I asked like a little child.

Ryan chuckled,"Damn, girl... Calm your ass down. I'd take you there after school tomorrow."

"You're awesome, Ryan!" I said as I flung my arms around him, hugging him tight.

"Of course... I don't need to be told that." He said, smirking, as I pulled away.

I playfully rolled my eyes at him, and he shook his head, smiling,

"So... What's up with you and McCann?"

At the mention of his name, I blushed. Not anything like Bambi, though.

"Is she blushing?" Ryan teased, pulling my cheek.

I rolled my eyes again- My eyes were always busy around Bambi and Ryan- I sighed,"I don't think I'm used to his behaviour yet. Yesterday, we were cool in school.. hey that rhymed!" I said and laughed.

It took me a whole minute to see that Ryan wasn't laughing. He just​ sat there, looking at me.. and I felt like Mrs Martinez.

"Right." I said seriously this time,

"Well, when I went to his house in the evening, he seemed really angry, he snapped at me, told me to mind my damn business when I was trying to ask if he was okay.. and then in school today, he carries me to the sick bay, takes me home, well, Bambi out him up to that.. and he saves me lunch!"

Ryan smiled widely,"He saved you lunch?"

"Yeah, well, my tummy growled in class."

Ryan burst out laughing,"It did?"

"Yep.", I laughed too,"I clutched it immediately, but he heard it, I guess."

"I think he likes you."

"Oh please, Shut up, Ryan."

"One, I'm a guy. Two, your tummy growled in class, and well, he freaking heard and he saved you lunch. Tanner McCann saved you lunch! That's something, Kenzi."

I shook my head, sighing, "There's no way in hell that can happen."

"I'm glad you get my point. There's no way in hell, but there's a way in Heaven. It's a match made in Heaven!"

"What?" I looked at him in disbelief and he raised his hands up in defense as he said,"Hey. Just saying."

I chuckled a little.

"Well, I bet Tanner must have thought there was a bear or lion in your tummy." Ryan said and I looked at him blankly. It took a while before I understood what he mean and I playfully punched his arm,"I freaking hate you, Ryan Smith."

Ryan laughed as he pulled my cheek,

"I freaking love you, Mackenzie Starr."

******

"Hey, do you mind telling me what's up with Bambi and Jesse?" Ryan asked as he pulled up to my house.

"I think you should ask Bambi, hear it directly from the horse's mouth." I smirked

"Well, what if that horse," he emphasised on the 'horse', using air quotes,"blushes like there's no tomorrow, to the extent that you think it's cheek might fall off."

I chuckled,"It's what I deal with, Ryan. You ​should ask her, really."

He playfully huffed,"Why can't you just tell me? Meanie."

I laughed this time,"Thanks, Ry. I'm so glad we talked this evening.. like, you even looked for me!"

"No, I didn't. I was coming to the rock to have some alone time." He rolled his eyes.

"You're a terrible liar. You obviously came to my house to look for me first. You love me, haha."

"No, I don't."

"Shut up, you told me that just a few minutes ago." I laughed.

"Whatever, kiddo... Go into your house."

"I'd be fine, father." I said as I got down from the car and we both laughed.

"Bye, Ryan."

"Bye, girl."

I watched him pull away and finally drive off. I turned around and walked into the house.

******

I sighed as I got into bed that night, extremely happy that I'd talked to Ryan that evening. It wasn't a surprise he came looking for me. That was how he'd always been. He would take all the s**t in. He would be the one to come make things right. I thought though, if all guys were like Ryan, I didn't think girls would have to end up in their rooms crying over a broken heart and wasting good money on a tub of ice cream.

Ryan was simply the best.

I felt really terrible he had to go through all that alone. Finding out he had a sister in the same school as him all along must have been hard, but now he was happy and that was all that mattered.

And that was why when I pulled my covers over my body, I smiled. Excited for Ryan. Excited for the next day. Excited to get a job, possibly. Most of all, excited to meet Brooke...