Mackenzie

Chapter 26

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was pitch black. A thick, black forest. It wasn't until I pushed my hair from my face. I sighed and pushed myself up, when I did, I fell back on my bed, eyes closed.

It was official. Today was my ditch day! But I couldn't. Because I was to meet Brooke. Because Ryan was taking me to the place I might get a job after school. Because today might be the test day, and because....

"I'm here!" Bambi announced, grinning from ear to ear as she walked into my room.

Yeah. That was why I couldn't ditch school too.

"Planning on ditching school today?" Bambi asked, looking at me,"Because I'd let you."

My eyes flew open,"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, if you don't feel up to it after what happened yesterday, then you really don't have to go."

I groaned,"Bambi why are you so... Aaaargh!"

"What?" She asked innocently.

"I can't ditch school today!"

"Why? You've always wanted to, now you get the chance and you don't want to?" She looked at me for sometime,"Hallelujah!" She threw her hands up in the air.

"Because", I started,"There are reasons why I should be in school today."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, the other days, I've had no reason whatsoever to go to school." I rolled my eyes.

"Not my fault." She shrugged and let out an annoying laugh.

I'd never get to ditch school.

********"So.." Bambi smirked as she poured herself a bowl of milk and cereal."How was the ride with Tanner yesterday?"

I grabbed a bowl from the counter and looked at Bambi, "First off, I hate you for making me ride alone with him, on the other hand... It wasn't bad." I smiled

"What happened? You sat in front?-"

I looked at her in disbelief, "I sat in the trunk"

She gasped,"Why would Tanner do that?!"

"No, Bambi... Yes! I sat in front."

"Did you kiss?"

"No!"

"Then what happened?"

"He saved me lunch. " I smiled widely.

"You look like an i***t, but.. he saved you lunch? Like, lunch?"

"Yep." I nodded

"That was so sweet! I wish you would see that McCann likes you!"

"Why don't you and Ryan understand?" I sighed,"He said the same thing yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"Yeah... He came to the rock yesterday."

"Ryan is really sweet. He actually looked for you?"

I nodded,"Yeah.... Dude denied it, though." I said as we laughed.

"So did he tell you who Brooke is to him?"

"Yeah, he did.. you wouldn't believe it, Bambi... Brooke's his sister."

"What the...." Bambi held her spoon halfway to her mouth.

"Yes." I nodded,"I felt terrible and happy at the same time. Terrible because I thought he was actually seeing her-"

"We thought." Bambi reminded me

"Yeah, we thought... And then, I was happy because it's what Ryan has always wanted, y'know."

She nodded,"It must have been really hard for Ryan. I mean, just finding out he had a sister in the same school as him all along."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"So what was the story? His mom slept with another man?"

"That's it. That was Brooke's dad. Ryan said he's been meeting with Brooke's dad. He said he's quite a pleasant man, who just might be in love with be in love with his mom."

"That's amazing!" Bambi clapped her hands, smiling. "Ryan needs a father figure in his life, and since Brooke's dad is a pleasant man, that'd be perfect for him! I mean, Ryan deserves the best."

"Yeah, he does.. but, would his mom be willing to, y'know.."

*****I leaned in the seat beside Bambi as I watch d her touch her makeup and hair up.

"Bambi, c'mon." I groaned

"One minute."

"You said that one minute ago." I rolled my eyes.

"C'mon, Kenzi.. you know how I do."

"Of course I do." I sighed, looking out the window. My eyes widened and I sat up immediately to move closer to the window, getting a better view. It was Lenore and that guy. He was leaning on his car, arms wrapped around her waist as she planted occasional kisses on his neck and his lip, smiling.

"Bambi." I called, throwing a quick glance at her.

"One minute, Kenzi. "

"No, Bambi, I want you to see something." I looked back at Lenore and the guy. Now, she was out of his arms and she smiled at him, kissing his cheek, making to walk away from him.

"Bambi!" I called again, "C'mon!"

"Be patient a little, Kenzi. I'd be done now."

I looked back at Lenore and saw her walking away.

"I'm done!" Bambi sang, smiling.

"Great." I leaned back into the seat,"Never mind."

"C'mon, tell me."

"It's just that.." I sighed,"Never mind, you wouldn't believe me, anyway."

"I will. Just tell me..."

"Right. I saw Lenore and that guy. Not Edward. Again." I threw my hands up in the air.

"You're right." She nodded

"You saw them too, maybe?", I asked, half-smiling.

"No. I don't believe you." Bambi said and my smile disappeared instantly.

"Why?" I cried.

"Look. Edward and Lenore are one strong couple. They've been together for like, two years and they're madly in love with each other. Everyone knows it."

I sighed,"I knew you wouldn't believe me."

"No, it's not that," she paused,"Actually, it is like that, but.. maybe it's because you're mad at Lenore, maybe?"

"No! Why would you even say that? After Edward came to apologize to me, I've practically forgotten I was ever mad at her."

"I'm sorry, okay?" She let out a breath,"But I really doubt it's Lenore you're seeing. She definitely has a look alike."

"Okay, then..." I rolled my eyes, still very sure I saw Lenore, "Anyway, you wasted my time, so can we kindly get in now?"

"Oh sure!" Bambi smiled.

******"Hey girls!" Ryan greeted, smiling as he wakes up to us.

"Hey Ryan!" Bambi and I replied, smiling as he got to us.

"Where's Brooke?" I asked him

"Girl ran off with her friends." He chuckled," I promise you'd meet her during lunch."

"Right." I nodded.

"Hey, Ryan.. I'm so sorry." Bambi took his hand, " Kenzi told me everything.. I'm sorry I also jumped into conclusions.. I never would have thought she was your sister."

"C'mon.. it's okay." He ruffled her hair as he pulled her into a hug.

"Usually, I wouldn't let you touch my hair like that because I spend about thirty minutes on it, but for now, I'd let you.. I repeat, thirty minutes, Ry." Bambi said, voice muffled as her head was dug in Ryan's chest.

"And an additional ten minutes." I nodded.

*****Apparently, it wasn't the test day today, and again, everyone stared at Mrs Martinez as she laughed to her own joke. Tanner wasn't in class and I couldn't help but wonder if he was okay.

Shortly after, Tanner strolled into the class.

"McCann, you're extremely late." Mrs Martinez called, but just like Ryan did the other day, he didn't look at her, he just kept on walking to the seat.

"Tanner McCann!" She shouted this time, and when he didn't respond to her, she let out a frustrated sigh. I couldn't help but feel bad for her. She must think we were taking her softness for granted. I watched as her expression changed into a sad one.

Tanner sat and I threw a quick glance at him, then looked back at Mrs Martinez who had gone back to teaching, no jokes again. I swallowed as I took out a piece of paper and wrote to Tanner.

Hey. You okay?

I watched him with the side of my eye as he looked at the paper and looked away, not replying. I wondered what was up with him. I probably should ask him, and so I turned to him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, but he didn't answer me. He didn't even look at me. I sighed inwardly and turned to look back at Mrs Martinez.

"Alright, class, I'd see you all in the next class!" She said about ten minutes later, packing up her books and walking out if the class. It was no surprise that she didn't call Tanner. She knew better than to call him. As everyone struggled to get out of the classroom door, I turned to look at Tanner who was still seated, taking his books slowly.

"Are you-"

"Damn, Mackenzie, are you always this f*****g nosy?" He snapped and I flinched a little.

I sighed. I was supposed to be angry, but surprisingly, I wasn't. Instead, something caught my attention. His knuckles.

They were very white.

I looked back up at him, his eyes void of emotion as he grabbed his books firmly and walked out of the class.

*****"Hey girl, you okay?" Bambi asked me during lunch.

"I don't just get Tanner!"

"What's up?"

"He walked into Trig really late today, and when I was going to ask him what was wrong at the end of the day, he snapped at me.. he confuses me! How the hell am I supposed to thank him for yesterday?"

"Maybe after school, he'd have calmed down?"

I shrugged,"Whatever," I looked around, "Ryan hasn't come yet?"

"Not at all." Bambi shook her head.

"Alright, girls. Don't panic, I'm here, I'm here." Ryan said, smiling, a pretty brown- haired girl at his back. Of course, it was Brooke. She even looked prettier than when she stood far off. Her eyes were a deep brown and she was shorter than Ryan in a way.

"Only you would do that, Ryan." I said as Bambi chuckled and Brooke smiled.

"Hey." Bambi and I smiled, waving at Brooke.

"Hi." She replied shyly.

"Alright. Let's get to the introduction." Ryan clapped his hand once and looked at Brooke. "So girls, this is Brooke, my sister. Younger sister," his eyes sparkled in excitement as he said 'sister'. He ruffled her hair.

"Thank goodness!" Bambi threw her hands in the air, "I'm not the only one he does that to. Don't you just get tired?" Bambi said and we all laughed.

"Brooke, these are Mackenzie and Bambi. I've known them for, like, forever... they're my best friends." He pulled my cheek and ruffled Bambi's hair.

"Ugh, there he goes again!" Bambi glared at Ryan and a chuckle escaped Brooke's lips.

"It's so great meeting you, it really is." I smiled warmly at Brooke.

"Thank you.. it's a pleasure meeting you too." She said shyly again.

"Hey, I tell you that you'd be seeing these girls a lot, so just take them as big sisters." Ryan said as she nodded. She was so shy she looked so cute.

"C'mon, have lunch with us today." I told her and she smiled, nodding as she took a seat beside Ryan.

Throughout lunch, Ryan's eyes were lit up in excitement and I couldn't help but feel a little emotional at some point, extremely happy for him.

*****"Hey." I turned to look at Darren, smiling.

"Hi Mackenzie," he smiled back, his emerald eyes lighting up too. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. How about you?"

"I'm quite okay"

"Right. So what's up?"

"I just came to.. y'know, uh.. I'm sorry about yesterday, I mean.. the attack and all. I really hope you're okay now"

I smiled,"I'm okay.. I really am. I'm fine now."

"Great." He nodded, smiling.

"Thanks a lot, Darren.. I really appreciate it."

He nodded,"I'd see you tomorrow?"

"Sure." I nodded.

"Right. Bye."

"Bye." I grinned as I turned back to my locker after he left.

I soon remembered Tanner. School was over already, he should have calmed down. I looked to his locker which was beside mine, but he was hardly ever there, so I looked at Jesse's locker, and there he was, leaning on the locker and staring at... Me.

I guess I already had a good headstart. Without thinking, I walked up to him.

"Hey." I smiled as I got to him,"I really wanted to thank you for yesterday... Uh, the ride and lunch"

"Cool, now you should walk away." He looked at me

My smile was gone. What?"I d-don't think I u- understand-"

"Are you dumb or what? I said you should walk away." His voice could have frozen peas, and I swallowed hard, lips quivering, and I walked away.

∆•∆ Tanner's POV∆•∆She frustrated me. Every f*****g time. She disturbed me. She made me feel like I wasn't sure of myself. I watched her walk away, and instantly, I regretted what I said to her.

That was the point. I wasn't ever meant to feel bad after speaking like that to any girl. I wasn't meant to feel like pulling her back to apologize. In fact, I was meant to feel satisfied, but instead, I felt something drop in my tummy and I felt down.

Right. I was jealous. So f*****g jealous. Why was she all smiles with that guy? Why did seeing them together make me feel like punching through a wall in anger?

I wasn't ever meant to feel this way, and I had to be extremely careful, but how? Hearing her tummy growl in class didn't make me happy, not to talk more of other times when she wasn't happy.

And that wasn't me.

I had to be careful.

Mackenzie was going to break down the strong walls I'd built around myself for years.