Mackenzie

Chapter 12

"What the...." My voice trailed off as I watched Jesse kiss a girl. They were practically swallowing each other! His body pressed hers against the locker. His hands squeezed on her ass and she had her hands wrapped around his kneck. I could see his tongue slide over her lower lip from time to time. It was so funny how I was the only one watching them do their stuff. I looked around me and everyone was going about their normal thing. People laughed as they talked to each other, some tapped on their phones, while others just walked in the hallway. A lot had sure changed. This couldn't be happening years ago. If it were, people would have gathered in a corner, make snide remarks about what was happening. But I guess we had grown, really.

"A dollar for your thoughts," Bambi spoke in my ear.

I jumped and sighed as I looked at her,"First off, it's a penny for your thoughts.. and second, there's no way I'd give you a penny or dollar for my own thoughts," I said and Bambi laughed.

"What's​ up?" She asked me as she offloaded her books in her locker.

"Just thinking about how we've all grown."

"Why would you just start thinking about stuff like that?" Bambi laughed.

"I realised I was the only one staring at Jesse and mystery girl over there," I said.

She chuckled, "How did you feel?"

"Weird," I chuckled too.

"Everyone's used to seeing that. I mean, sometimes, he kisses girls at the front door of a class."

"That's a lie."

"I swear. He's bad like that," Bambi wiggled her eyebrows which made me laugh.

"Really, how many mystery girls does he have?"

"There are so many of them. I don't think anyone can count."

I shook my head, laughing. "I wonder how he does it."

"Trust me, his smile alone does a lot. Not to talk more of when he winks."

"I'm so f*****g sure you blush when he winks."

"Oh, puh-leeze... All because of a wink? Never happening."

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

"Bambi, why do you look like jelly?" I asked her after quickly third period.

"Jesse just winked at me," her cheeks were red and she looked like she was shaking.

"Oh, puh-leeze... All because of a wink?" I mocked, using her own words against her and she playfully hit my shoulder.

"Where's Ryan?" She asked, looking around.

"I don't know..."

"Didn't you have Trig together before now?"

"Uh, not today," I shook my head. I just remembered I hadn't given him his money back. He didn't remind me too! He'd probably forgotten.

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

I squirmed uncomfortably ​in my seat during fourth period and I saw Tanner look at me funny. I couldn't blame him, I was practically acting like a possessed human being right now... But, honestly, I felt uncomfortable as hell.

Just as I made to squirmed again, Ryan strolled into the class and walked to his seat.

"Smith!" Mrs Martinez called and I saw Ryan stop in his tracks, roll his eyes, then look at Mrs Martinez.

"Yes, Mrs Martinez?"

"I said it the last time you casually strolled into my class that I wouldn't accept any more strolling in into my class, especially when a teaching is​ going on."

"I'm sorry, Mrs Martinez," Ryan sighed.

"That's not the point." She said, "Why are you just coming into my class?"

"Uh..."

"Better still, where did you go after first period? You had first period, didn't you?"

"Yes, Mrs Martinez, I did.."

"So where were you?"

"It's personal." I wondered what was personal, though. Probably, that girl he was looking at?

"Or maybe he was having a b***r and couldn't come in!" A guy at the back shouted and some girls in class let out chuckles. I looked back as I shot them an irritated look.

"Yeah, well, that'd be nice considering your d**k's so small you can't even get one," Ryan shot and I burst out laughing and so did the rest of the class.

"Quiet!" Mrs Martinez said but I couldn't control my laughter so when the class ran quiet, I was still laughing.

"Starr!" Mrs Martinez called and I looked at her, and the whole class and kept quiet, "Sorry.. but, did you hear that?" I asked, trying to stifle a laugh. Honestly, laughing at the moment made me feel less uncomfortable.

"I did," she replied sternly, "And that is why I'm gonna ask Ryan to leave my class." Mrs Martinez looked at Ryan

"What?" Ryan asked in disbelief,

"You heard what the freak said!"

"Ryan," she looked at him.

I watched Ryan open his mouth to say something, but he closed it as he ran a hand through his hair and walked out of the class. I shook my head as I watched him walk out of the class.

I sighed as I adjusted my pink chiffon top. Permit me to give you a little bit of unasked information about this top I'm wearing. It was given to me as a birthday gift on my fourteenth birthday. Yeah. You could say it's an old top, but sometimes, I cling to old stuff.. never wanting them to go. Dad gave it to me, anyway. And today, I wore it on my cute, white skirt.. again, you could say I do wear cute clothes.

I waited impatiently for the class to be over and I practically jumped when the bell rang. First, I'd have to go find Ryan and ask what's up, and from there, we'd go grab lunch. I was starved! I couldn't have breakfast this morning because I woke up late and Bambi was yelling from outside. Why she wouldn't come in to waste time with me, I didn't know.

"Starr!" I heard Mrs Martinez call.

"Kill me," I mumbled to myself as I rolled my eyes and walked to her. As I walked to her, I heard a few chuckles behind me.

"Yes, Mrs Martinez?" I said as I got to her

She sighed, "I wanted to talk to you yesterday, but you looked like you were in a hurry to leave and I let you go."

"Okay?"

I was expecting her to tell me to change my friends, honestly. I'd totally forgotten about what happened yesterday when she asked,

" What's happening?"

"What is happening?" I asked back

"Yesterday... And well, some other days, you were so angry... What is the matter?"

I heard a few chuckles as people passed behind me. "It's nothing... I.. I haven't just been in the mood and all.."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Mrs Martinez, that's it.."

"Oh well, I see you were in a good mood today, though," she said, raising an eyebrow

I flushed, "Well...."

She chuckled, "Anyway, I just wanted to ask how you were doing."

"Fine, Mrs Martinez, thank you."

"Alright," she said and I nodded.

"And Mackenzie?"

"Yes, Mrs Martinez?"

"Amazing... I mean, yesterday, Tanner. He actually got the question! You're doing good, Mackenzie."

I smiled, "Thank you," I watched her leave the class, look around the empty class, then walked​ out.

I walked into the cafeteria alone, I hadn't found Ryan and I really wondered where he had gone to. Bambi was also nowhere to be found but I understood she was probably acting She Stoops To Conquer somewhere. Don't ask me how I know​about the book, Bambi does a great job telling me about all the books she had to read in Literature.

As I went to get my food, I heard laughter around me. Was it only me or everyone seemed so happy today? I grabbed my lunch, my mouth watering over the food in my plate. The laughter got louder and I wished I got the joke so I could laugh too, because it didn't look nice that I was practically the only one not laughing.

"Would you guys just shut the f**k up and stop acting like you don't have mothers or sisters at home!" Tanner growled and the cafeteria ran quiet. Why was Tanner such a jerk? Everyone was having a good laugh and Tanner stands up and tells everyone to shut up. I rolled my eyes, then widened it when I saw Tanner walk towards me. Why was he coming here? The laughter had stopped and all I could hear were mumurings. My heart beat faster than it usually did when Tanner got to me. I took a deep breath as I looked at him.

"When are you gonna stop being a jerk? Everyone's having a good time laughing and you just stand up and order them to be quiet?" I rolled my eyes, "Oh, please."

"Maybe it'd excite you to know that you are the joke."

I gasped, "What the f**k? Why would you even say that, I've done nothing wrong to you!"

"Of course. The only thing you did wrong was not count the days well."

"What?" I shot him a confused look

He leaned in closer to me and I thought his cologne would kill me. I tried to hold back a sneeze, but I failed and when I did, Tanner appeared conscious and took a step back. He then looked down at me and said more quietly, "You are stained with blood at the back of your skirt."

It didn't seem to register at first, but when it did, I gasped. "I... I," I looked around and everyone seemed to be staring at us, hoping to hear what Tanner just told me.

"Hey, I could give you my-" I had the strong feeling that he was about to say jacket, but I didn't want to hear it. I was too embarrassed and I dropped my tray of food on the nearest table as I walked out of the cafeteria.

As I walked and got out, I bumped into Ryan and he held me.

"What is it?" He asked me, his eyes boring into mine

"I.. I.. where's Bambi?" I asked breathlessly

"Bambi? I don't know where she is... Tell me, what is it?"

I eyes his jacket for a while, "My​ period's just set in and.. and.." my voice trailed off.

Ryan's ​eyes lit up and he looked at me in understanding as he took off his jacket, "Use this."

I looked at him as he stood in a grey shirt. I collected the jacket and tied it across my waist. "Thank you, Ryan."

"Sure. Do you wanna go back in there? I'm guessing you had viewers."

I chuckled lightly, "Yes, I did.. I had no idea why everyone was laughing, and then, Tanner just stood up and told them to shut up.. he was the one who broke the news to me, and I really got the feeling he was about to give me his jacket."

"Tanner McCann... Broke the news to you?" Ryan looked shocked.

"Yes.. see? My life is officially over!"

Ryan laughed, "I wouldn't say that. That's a good thing, if you ask me."

"Don't even start, Ryan," I sighed, "I advice you to go in and grab lunch, I'd just go, uh.. fix myself."

"Right.. have you eaten, though? I could bring a sandwich for you"

"I'd like that. Thanks," I said and he walked into the cafeteria.

What would I do without Ryan, actually? I walked to my locker, seriously praying I had a sanitary pads or tampon in it.

It hit me then! That explained the chuckles I was hearing behind me. That explained the reason for feeling so uncomfortable in class. I got to my locker, opened it and eagerly peered into it. I found a sanitary pad and walked to the restroom.

Did Tanner really tell everyone to shut up because they were laughing at me? Was he really going to give me his jacket if I didn't run out of the cafeteria?

I doubted that.

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

After school, I wasn't gaining any stares like before and I realised that nobody had really been happy like I guessed before, because now, everyone walked with straight faces down the hallway. After using a sanitary pad, I still walked around with Ryan's jacket tied around my waist, though, I tried washing off the stain in my skirt, it left a map of blood. Ryan got me a sandwich which I ate in class before our English teacher came in. Thankfully, Tanner wasn't my seatmate in English, so I was saved from flushing badly in class. When the bell rang letting us know school was over, I sprang up from my seat and walked to my locker. Soon, Bambi stepped beside me, an amused look on her face.

"Tell me what's so fascinating, Bambi," I said, rolling my eyes.

"First off, girl, I'm so sorry about people laughing at you because you didn't know your period had set in. I mean, people are just assholes! Second, Tanner offered you his jacket?!"

"He didn't offer me his jacket. What has Ryan said?" I rolled my eyes, "I only said I got the strong feeling he was about to."

"That, my friend, is interesting."

"I'm sure," I said, rolling my eyes again. "Anyway, I really should get home, you know... clean up and all."

"Yeah, sure.. I can take you home."

"Aargh, thank you, Bambi!"

I grabbed my bag, waiting for her to lock up her locker, and then Ryan came along and that's when I remembered his money.

"Are you ready to go home, I could take you," he said

Trust me, it was nice when you didn't have to ask your friends for a ride.

"Yeah, I am.. but, Bambi's already taking me, thanks," I smiled.

"Oh okay," he looked at Bambi who childishly stuck out a tongue at him. He let out a chuckle.

"That reminds me, Ryan," I turned to my locker, quickly unlocked it and got out some money. "Here."

"Why are you giving me money?" He looked confused.

"Because I owe it to you," I said.

"When did-"

"Mom's dinner at the hospital, remember?"

"Oh! Really? I'd totally forgotten about it.. c'mon keep it. Forget about it."

"I can't do that.. you were the one that said I would give you in school. So take it." I pushed the money into his hands.

"C'mon Kenzi-"

"Ryan." I scowled.

"Fine.. fine," he rolled his eyes as he took the money from me.

"Alright, are you ready to go now?" Bambi asked me.

"Certainly," I smiled at her, then Ryan, "I'd bring your jacket washed tomorrow."

"You can keep it for as long as you want," Ryan smiled as he pulled me into a long hug.

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

"Thanks Bambi," I said as I gave her a quick hug as she pulled up to my house.

"No problem. Take care of yourself. I'd see you tomorrow," she smiled and I nodded, then got down from the car.

I got to the doorstep and took my bag off to take my keys. I opened the smallest section of my bag to retrieve them, but I looked up sharply immediately.

Ryan had put the money back into my bag.