Mackenzie

Chapter 33

I struggled to keep my eyes open but it closed immediately. I couldn't believe it was morning already. Keeping a job which I closed from late at night and had to wake up early in the morning to go to school wasn't as easy as it was in the first week.

Yesterday, I'd come in back from work at some minutes past twelve. The diner had been so full and I didn't want to leave Kora working alone trying to serve impatient people, some being total douchebags. Kora worked two different shifts. On some weekdays, she tended not to close from work with me.

I felt a lot for her yesterday. She kept on sighing in frustration, pushing her long, natural hair away from her face. She was just a girl going through all that because she wanted to get into college.

I dragged myself up from my bed and crawled to the bathroom. It was that bad. I was tired. When I got into the bathroom, I stared into space for a while, sitting on the toilet seat, before remembering that I'd come in there to freshen up, then get ready for school.

Ugh. School. I was slowly pulling away from it. Nothing excited me anymore. Well, not like I was ever excited to go to school, but honestly, Bambi kept me going.

*****

"Hey!" I heard Bambi shout from ​the kitchen.

"Bambi?!" I called back, pulling my hair into a ponytail.

"Get your ass out, c'mon. I brought breakfast!"

"I'd be right out!" I said, giving myself a last look at the mirror and walking out of the room. I walked to the kitchen and saw Bambi humming to herself, putting a blueberry muffin in a plate.

"You made that?" I looked at her, grabbing a plate.

"Yup. And I thought to myself, hey, why don't I share it with my beloved best friend?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "That was thoughtful of you, Bambi. Thanks a lot."

"It's no problem" She waved a hand in the air.

"Who's the third one for?"

"Ryan." She smiled,"Hopefully, I can get to make him forget about the deal of yesterdaym"

I laughed,"That can't happen."

*****

Just as Bambi found a good spot to park in the school parking lot, Ryan also pulled up to the school's parking lot.

"Bambi, please don't tell me you're gonna spend the next ten minutes-" I started.

"No, there's no time today. The earlier I give Ryan this muffin, the better." She said and I sighed in relief as we got down from the car and Ryan walked to us.

"Hey Ry!" Bambi and​ I smiled at him.

"What's up, kids?" Ryan smiled back, pulling my cheek and pulling Bambi's hair as usual.

"Ryan!" Bambi punched his shoulder, fixing her hair. She smiled at him,"I got something for you."

"Really? What?" He looked at​ her.

"Here." Bambi got the blueberry muffin whish was wrapped with foil paper from her bag and handed it to Ryan who smiled widely,"You're so sweet, Bambi. Thanks so much."

Bambi smiled, nodding. "Of course. It's no problem."

Ryan unwrapped the blueberry muffin and took a bite of it, "It's good."

"Made by yours truly." She said proudly.

"f**k, I had no idea it was this hot outside." Ryan complained, taking off his jacket.

"What do you think? Your car's Air Condition is always on full blast." I chuckled.

"Here. Hold it" Ryan said, holding out his jacket to Bambi.

"Wait. Why are you asking me to hold it?" Bambi's eyes widened.

"Have you forgotten? Yesterday?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"But... The muffin..." Her voice trailed off.

"Really, Bambi? Really?" Ryan laughed hard.

Bambi started sulking and I had to join Ryan in laughter.

I'd told her. Ryan wouldn't buy it.

*****

Ryan and I walked to class as soon as the bell rang and Kenzi walked off to her class, still sulking because Ryan had made her dust his locker and still made her carry his jacket around.

"So, are you ready to talk about it?" Ryan asked out of the blue.

"Talk about what?" I asked him, confused.

"What was wrong with you yesterday."

"Oh." My eyes fell.

"What's up?"

I sighed,"I failed my test, okay? I got a D."

"That's a lie."

"I know you won't believe me."

"It's just unbelievable."

"I know." I nodded.

"Does this have anything to do with Tanner or anything?"

"It was just hard not thinking about it.. but I already told Mrs Martinez about not wanting to tutor him again, so I'd be fine now." I nodded boldly.

*****

Everyone listened to Mrs Martinez in silence as she taught. I looked at her as she spoke, making sure she had eye contact with everyone in the class.

Before long, I was thinking about going to visit mom after school. Maybe this time, I'd spend a long time with her. I couldn't wait to see her, I-

"Mackenzie!" I heard Mrs Martinez called.

Damn.

"I want you to give me the answer to the diagram."

What diagram? I was so sure Mrs Martinez didn't think I was ready to graduate. I wasn't myself.

"Uh.. yeah, the diagram... Uh.." I licked my lip and turned to take a quick look at Ryan. He was fast enough to nod to the board. I turned to look at the board and my eyes widened. What kind of diagram was this though?

"Mackenzie.. what's the answer?" Mrs Martinez stared at me.

Hell, I didn't know, I was about to tell her that when I saw that Tanner slid a paper right in front of me.

Sin(45°)

"Mackenzie, what is the answer?"

"Sine into bracket 15 degrees" I answered.

Beside me, I felt Tanner look shocked, but I didn't give a hoot.

"Wrong." Mrs Martinez said and I nodded to myself, of course, Tanner got the answer, but saying the answer he wrote down for me wasn't what I felt like doing.

"McCann! Answer the question"

So this was it, huh? If I didn't get a question, Tanner was the next person to ask.

Of course, he passed his test. He got an higher grade than you did!

"What's the answer?" Mrs Martinez asked him.

"Sine into bracket 15 degrees" He answered.

What? Did he just... I didn't understand. I thought he knew the correct answer. As a matter of fact, he wrote it to me. Except if it was wrong and he wanted me to say the wrong answer. Well, he could do it, he was a stupid asshole.

Mrs Martinez called someone else and I didn't think he got the answer right.

"Wrong.The answer is sine into bracket 45 degrees!" Mrs Martinez looked around. "It's not so hard, c'mon!"

Wait. Tanner did get the answer! He got the answer, so why did he repeat what I said? He had the chance for Mrs Martinez to praise him so why didn't he grab it? If he did that because he wanted me to talk to him or realise he was nice, then he could as well keep on getting answers wrong.

After the bell rang and everyone got up, I grabbed my bag and started to leave the class when I felt Tanner's hand on my arm. I was surprised at two things. The tingly feeling that ran up my spine and the fact that he actually had the guts to touch me after calling me a b***h.

I turned to look at him, eyes blazing with anger and irritation as it dropped to look at his hand which rested on my arm. I was so angry I didn't know what to say, but I managed to shout, "Get your f*****g hands off me!"

Immediately, he withdrew his hands and I glared at him, before turning to leave.

"Hey, Ma-"

"That's right. I don't want to hear it." I walked away as I muttered loud enough so he could hear me, "I'm a f*****g b***h, huh? Alright, f*****g asshole."

*****

Bambi bit slowly into her Apple pie during lunch.

"Hey, I want your Apple pie." Ryan said, looking at Bambi.

"You've got yours" Bambi rolled her eyes.

"I know. That's why I said, I want yours."

Bambi sighed as she pushed an apple pie to him, adding under her breath,

"Never will I agree to something like this again."

Ryan and I let out a laugh.

"You two are so annoying." Bambi said, turning to look around. She faced us back sharply, "Guys, Jesse won't stop staring at me and the crazy thing is, I won't also stop staring at him."

Just then, the idea I had yesterday hit me again. As Bambi ate, I looked at Ryan who looked back. I stylishly pointed at Bambi, then pointed at Jesse, and linked my hands together.

Ryan's eyes lightened up as he nodded.

He looked at Bambi and said, "You know, let me make things easy for a brother."

Bambi eyed him just then, "What do you mean?"

"Heard of anything such as the bro code?"

"Of course, I have."

"Right, I'm gonna help Jesse out.. so, during English, you go talk to him."

"What? That's insane! Ryan, this deal is so f*****g over."

"That's for me to say. C'mon, we agreed it's gonna for a day, besides, what's so hard in talking to him? Y'know what I also think? You should sit with him during English too."

" Haha. What a joke." Bambi rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, Bambi." I urged

"You know what, too? Fine." She smiled an evil smile at me, "That means you'd sit with Tanner"

Fuck. I just remembered Tanner sat with Jesse in English.

"No way, Ryan do something." I looked at him.

"Of course. Trust me, the greatest Ryan to have thought about it. It's simple. I'd talk to Tanner to sit in my seat for today's class so I'd sit with Kenzi."

I sighed in relief, "Bless you, Ryan."

Bambi huffed, sulking again.

*****

I watched Ryan as he talked to Tanner, and Bambi was nowhere to be found.

I chuckled to myself. She couldn't run.

"Hey Mackenzie." I looked up to see a smiling Darren.

" Hi!" I smiled back.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah.. sure." I nodded.

"It's been quite long I saw you so.. just came to check up on you, y'know..."

"Aw that's ​really sweet of you, Darren. I know, it's crazy we're in the same school, but we rarely see." I nodded.

"Yeah." He chuckled, "So have you heard anything from your mom?"

"No, in fact, I'd like to visit her today." I smiled.

"Hey Mackenzie." Chanel walked up to us and grabbed Darren's hand, linking their fingers together as she smiled at me.

The gesture confused me. Were they together or something? If I didn't know better, I'd also say the smile she gave me was fake.

"Uh.. Hi Chanel." I smiled back

"Well, uh.. Darren has to get to his seat." She smiled up at Darren who looked as confused as me, "We'll, uh.. see you later." She pulled Darren along with her and I heard him ask her,"What the f**k was that for?"

I was too busy wondering what the hell just happened and why Chanel had to behave that way, I didn't notice when Ryan sat beside me.

"You okay?" I heard him ask

"Yeah. Sure.. " I nodded, knowing he wouldn't believe. It was so hard having friends that could read exactly through you, "How did it go, did he agree?" I asked instead.

"Yeah, he did. It's a done." Ryan smiled to himself.

I was kinda surprised Tanner agreed, but I remembered that he was a good friend of Tanner's.

Anyway, at the end of the day, things worked according to plan. Ryan and I kept throwing occasional glances at Bambi and Jesse. They wouldn't stop talking, and instead of them to listen to Mr Finn, they wouldn't stop smiling like idiots at themselves. Lucky for them, they had a double period for that.

*****

"So, how was it?" I asked Bambi after school.

"It wasn't bad.. it started really awkward at first but then, he just found a way to make me feel at ease. I have no idea how he did it", Bambi sighed, "Where's Ryan?"

"I have no idea, but I have to go now. I want to visit mom today."

"Hey, I have a class, I'd have loved to come."

"It's okay. I understand." I smiled at her.

"I think you should wait for Ryan."

"Nah, it's fine. I don't even know where the dude is, and I want to go on time, so I can spend as much time as I can with her before I go to work."

"Right. I'd tell him you left."

"You're awesome." I said as I have her a quick hug and pulled on the strap of my bag.

"Bye.. and be careful."

Why did I have parents for best friends?

I walked out of the school building through the parking lot.

"Hey Mackenzie!" I heard Darren call as he jogged up to me.

"Hi. What's up?" I smiled at him.

"I'm really sorry about what happened in class with Chanel. Trust me, I was surprised as hell."

I chuckled a bit, "It's okay."

It almost seemed like what I did to him too.

Tanner would act like a jerk in front of him with me, and then I'd go back to him apologizing.

"So, you're headed to the hospital already?" He asked me.

"Yeah, I want to make it there early." I nodded.

"Oh.. great, uh..I mean, I can take you there, c'mon."

"No, don't worry about it, I-"

"C'mon." He smiled.

"I-"

"Hey, Darren!" Chanel walked up to him then looked at me,"Hey Mackenzie... Again."

I smiled back at her, not saying anything.

"Darren, you promised to take me out after school."

Darren looked at me, mouth open and I chuckled, "I'd see you guys tomorrow."

"No, don't go.. I mean, I'd still-" Darren started.

"It's okay.. I'd take or bus or something."

"But-"

"C'mon, you heard her, Darren.. she's okay walking. In fact, she could actually take a bus."

I nodded at him, "Bye."

" Yeah, bye!" Chanel said sweetly.

And I knew. That was fake too.

*****

"Here to see Callie Starr, please." I looked at the receptionist in the hospital.

"Uh.. okay, please take a seat, the doctor would be here to see you"

Doctor? For what?

I nodded in confusion and sat a while, wondering why I couldn't go to see mom now.

"Mackenzie Starr?" Dr. Colt walked to the table of the receptionist and looked at me,

"Oh, great. How are you today?"

"Fine, thank you."

"Uh.. can we go to my office, please?"

My heart beat fast. Why did she want me in her office? I nodded fiercely, swallowing.

I followed her as she led me to her office. I closed the door silently behind me, the room was silent I could swear she could hear my heart beating.

"W- What's happening?" I asked.

"I have news, but it's not really a good one."