Chapter 18
2344 Words
"You won't believe it!" Bambi raised her hands in the air as we both got to our lockers the next morning.
"What?" I looked at her, opening my locker.
"I acted like an i***t yesterday! Like.. a total i***t. He must think I'm some-"
"Wait. Who?"
"Jesse!" She realized she just shouted his name, but she rolled her eyes and whispered to me, "Jesse."
"I heard you the first time." I chuckled, "Everyone did."
"Whatever. I kept on blushing and stuttering.. I couldn't get the damn words out!"
"And did he complain?" I raised an eyebrow.
"No. In fact, he was smiling, having no idea at all that his smile was the one driving me crazy." She sighed.
"You two would be adorable together," I clapped, smiling.
"Yeah. For a day," Bambi said dryly.
"How can you be sure he just wants to hang out with you for a day? I don't think so..." I shook my head. "Look, all you've gotta do is.. observe, that's it." I closed my locker to face her,
"You're lovable."
"You think so?" She smiled widely.
"No, actually.. I don't even know where that came from."
"You love me," she pulled my cheek.
"Whatever you think." I sighed,
"Bambi, I've been thinking.. I need to get a job. I need to work."
"To be honest, Kenzi, if I were you, I'd just ask my father for the money.. why don't you just call him. Mom wouldn't have to know."
"Yeah, I thought about calling him, but."
"Look, girl, you'd never know if you never try." She put a hand on my shoulder.
"Thanks." I nodded.
"So do you love me or what?" She smirked.
"You know I do." I hugged her and she hugged me back. When we pulled away, I asked, "Have you seen Ryan at all?"
"Nope." Bambi shook her head, and then, her eyes widened.
"What?" I asked her
"I can't just seem to act natural, Jesse's walking towards our way." She was almost hyperventilating. Really, even a blind man would see she did like him!
"Just act normal, nothing hard in that," I said.
"Alright," she said as she put a hand on her head as she struck an odd pose, making her legs stop midway in the air.
"f**k, that's nothing natural!" I scolded and she sighed, returning to her normal posture as I said, "You're perfect like this."
She threw a quick glance at him and nodded, and she didn't say anything. The next two seconds between us was filled with silence.
"Wait. Why are we not talking?" I asked.
"Shh," she gritted her teeth and just a few seconds later, Jesse walked past us, he was smiling, gaze fixed on Bambi. She looked back at him, smiling and turning a shade of red.
When he finally passed,
"Now we can talk," Bambi said dreamily, sniffing in the scent of his cologne as he passed.
I faced another direction, just so the smell didn't disturb me. And then, the bell rang.
"Gotta head to class now, I'd see you during lunch," I said to her.
"Right. Bye, girl!" She waved and walked to her class.
....................
By the time I got to class, Tanner was already seated on his seat and I didn't say anything to him as I sat beside him. I took out my note to look through and keep myself busy when Cole stopped at my table.
"Hey Mackenzie," he greeted and I looked up at him, already disturbed by his cologne. "I really need you to help out with my-"
I sneezed.
"Bless you," he smiled, "Yeah. I need you to please help with my homework from-"
I sneezed again and then, I tried to tell him I couldn't attend to him, "Look.. I.. I-" I sneezed.
"Bless you," he smiled again.
"Are you doing this on purpose?" I heard Tanner ask. For a second, I thought he was referring to me, but when I looked at him, he was looking straight at Cole.
"What?" Cole asked.
"You see she's sneezing and you're smiling.. I'd be blunt with you, Cole, your cologne's killing her, so leave her side."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mackenzie.. I'd just come back another time," Cole said, stepping away from my side.
"Yeah, and with less cologne," Tanner told him.
I couldn't believe Tanner just did that for me. I wasn't hyperventilating yet, I was still trying to catch my breath. When it looked like I was fine, I let out a small sigh.
"Uh... Are.. you okay?" Tanner asked, and I looked at him briefly, "Yeah... Thanks."
................
Everyone watched Mrs Martinez as she wrote an equation on the board.
"Right, class! We're gonna do something now," Mrs Martinez clapped her hand once, "I give you and your seatmate ten minutes to solve the equation on the board together. Take note, that the keyword here is together."
Tanner and I looked at the board at the same time.
I started working it, Tanner watching as I wrote and then, I was lost. I sighed in frustration as I dropped my pencil on the desk. I looked at the equation one more time, but then, nothing could change. I had no idea what the next step was, but by the time I looked back at the paper I started solving on, Tanner had already carried on from where I stopped, so it was my turn to watch him.
"That's meant to be cos, not sine," I corrected him and watched him read what he'd written. I looked at his lips form a quick 'o' as soon as he saw his mistake. He cleaned it off and continued, looking very unsure of what he was doing. At the end, though, he got an answer, and while he looked totally uncertain of his answer, I assumed the answer he got was right, considering I didn't know it and he got an answer.
"Time's up!" Mrs Martinez announced.
I heard sighs, people dropping their pencils in frustration, and people, of course, bragging that they'd gotten the answer. I could only hope Tanner got it.
"How many seats were able to finish?" Mrs Martinez asked, looking around and only six hands went up.
"Right. Keith, what did you and your seatmate come to?"
"Uh.. 479,461sqrt," he answered.
"Who came up with the answer?" Mrs Martinez asked.
"I did," Keith answered.
"You were close. It's wrong." She looked around again. "Tiffany, what did you and Dan come to?"
"1,365sqrt," she said.
"Wrong," she said bluntly,
"Mackenzie, what did you and Tanner get?"
I looked at the paper, swallowing,
"471,625sqrt," I said.
"Awesome!" She looked so impressed, "Very correct! Who got the answer?"
"Tanner," I said at the same time Tanner said,"Mackenzie."
Tanner looked at me and I sighed as I said, "Tanner got the answer."
....................
Ryan, Bambi and I laughed over lunch.
"But damn, it was the literal meaning of two planets," I laughed.
"Speaking of planets, Ryan, don't forget we're meant to go to the movies today to pick up tickets for Valerian and The City Of A Thousand Planets." Bambi said, looking at him.
"What the f**k," Ryan closed his eyes, "I totally forgot and now, I can't."
"Why?" Bambi looked disappointed.
"I've got stuff to do.. I have other plans."
"Really?" Bambi pouted.
He leaned in to ruffle her hair, "I'm so damn sorry, Bambi swear I'd make it up to you." He looked at her, "I'd be right back, girls." He got up, leaving Bambi scowling.
"What's up?" I asked, unaware of the whole movie thing.
Bambi sighed, "I'm sorry Kenzi, I can't believe Ryan just said he was sorry like we hadn't had this stuff being planned for weeks."
"What exactly?"
"Well... We just thought you were going through a tough time, so we decided to surprise you by taking you to the movies. Y'know, hang out like how it has always been.." Bambi looked down.
"Aw, you guys are awfully sweet, I can't believe you were planning that for me.. thank you, but we could just go some other time," I said
"Yeah, but Ryan's being totally unfair. He knows how much we both want to see that movie, and then,all of a sudden, he's got other plans.. I wonder what those plans may be."
I shrugged, "It's okay, Bambi."
................
After school, I walked to the side of the art room to make a phone call. I didn't like making or receiving phone calls in the restroom because whether you liked it or not, girls would always come in, and one way or another, they'd definitely overhear your conversation.
I waited patiently for dad to pick the call, but it rang out. I tried again and it rang out too. Finally, he picked up the phone at the sixth ring.
"Mackenzie?" Dad called.
"Hey dad," I greeted.
"Could you call me back later, I'm busy right now." His Spanish accent boomed through the speaker.
"That's exactly what you'd say when I call you later."
"Honey-"
"Dad, please. Just listen to me.."
"I don't have much time."
"You never do!" I said angrily, "I'm just asking you to listen to your daughter, nothing more, dad.. please."
He sighed, "Alright. I'm all ears."
"It's mom.. she.. she has can-"
"I really have to go now, Mackenzie. I'd call you this night, okay? I have to go."
"Dad, pl-"
"Mackenzie!"
"When did you become like this, huh?" I shouted as hot tears rolled down my cheeks, "When did you become so busy you don't even have time for me..You're busy everytime!" I cried, pulling the phone away from my ear, crying. There was no way I was going to get any money from dad, it was better I went ahead with getting a job.
When I decided I was done crying, I wiped furiously at my tears. Just as I got out of the corner I was in, I was face to face with Tanner. His eyes were widened. How much of the conversation had he heard? Oh, great! He was going to have something to hurt me with, but I didn't care. His eyes were filled with realisation and slowly he said, "Hey.. what's-"
Without letting him complete his question, I walked past him.
What's wrong? He heard the conversation so he should know.
I walked, a little tears still blinding my vision and again, I wiped at my eyes to clear the blurred vision I was starting to have.
"Hey, what's the matter?" I didn't realize that Darren had stopped me, and there he was, standing and looking into my eyes.
"Uh.. I ..It's nothing," I said.
"I'm not sure about that." He put an hand on my shoulder, "What's wrong?"
My voice betrayed me because I burst into tears.
"Hey, we could go to somewhere, uh, private if you want. Maybe the school park or something?"
I nodded as he took my hand in his, leading me to the school park. Through the side my eyes, I could see Tanner standing alone, watching us, a downcast expression on his face...
....................
"So that day at the supermarket, you were also trying to grab some stuff for your mom?" Darren mirrored.
"Yeah," I nodded.
"Damn, I'm really sorry about all these, I didn't know.... You just seem really happy."
I smiled a bit, "Well, I can't go announcing to the world that my mom's got cancer."
He took my hand and gave it a light squeeze, "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," I shook my head.
"About your dad, maybe he'd call this night."
"I know him well enough to know he wouldn't."
He looked at me for a while, "Well, what if I call you?"
I chuckled, "Really?"
He smiled, "Yeah. Really.. Just to see how you're doing."
I looked at him for a while, then shrugged, "Alright. Where's your phone?" I asked and he brought it out of his pocket, handing it over to me. I also got out my phone and gave it to him.
"Thanks," he said when I gave his phone to him. "So how do you go home?"
"My best friends give me rides. Bambi or Ryan..."
He nodded, "Do you wanna go home now?"
"Yep. I better go home," I got up from the seat, looking at him, "Thanks for listening."
"It's no problem," he shook his head.
"Bye," I said, walking back into the school and getting into the hallway. I went to my locker and grabbed my bag. I didn't see Bambi at all, so I was sure she was having some extra lessons. I wondered where Ryan was and I soon saw him by his locker.
"Hey Ryan," I greeted.
"Hi, girl... Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah... Uh, please could you take me home today? I don't feel up to walking."
"Shit.. I would have, it's just that I kinda have something to do at the moment, but I could ask one of these juniors to take you in my car."
To ride with someone I didn't know?
"No, it's okay Ryan.. I'd just, y'know..."
"Wait. If you really don't feel up to walking home, then I don't want you walking home," he said
"Now I feel really up to it. Don't worry, c'mon," I said and walked away.
I actually didn't feel up to walking home, but that was what I'd have to do. I made my way out of the hallway, and to outside the door. I had to walk through the parking lot to get out of the school vicinity and then, I heard a voice call, "Hey, Mackenzie!"
I tuned to look at Darren who was waving and soon started to walk to me.
"I thought you were meant to get a ride," he said
"Yeah well, apparently, Bambi has an extra lessons and Ryan's busy, so.."
"Oh, c'mon then, I'd take you."
"No, you don't have to-"
"I want to. C'mon..." He said and I nodded, following him to his car.
- Writer
