Toxicity

Two

Mackenzie's P.O.V.

19 October, 2018

"So, how's school? Do you like it?" I asked Austin who was now sitting on the passengers' seat beside me. My eyes all the way glued to the road.

"Yes." He chirped, as if it's the best place ever. But I can bet that when he'd grow up and go to high school, he surely would hate it. "Now, I also have many other friends besides Blue."

I laughed a bit. "Hon, you know her name is not Blue. It's Charlotte."

"But she always wears blue colour clothes. And it's also her favourite colour. So I gave her a nickname." Austin quietly mumbled. "Also do you know what Ms. J said?"

I sigh underneath my breathe. Here starts his talking. "What?"

"She said she'd give us gifts if we behave. Also she would-"

"Austin, we're here." I stop the car in front of his school and look by his way.

"Okay, bye mommy." He opened the door and jumped out of the seat, quickly making his way to his other friends.

I give a glance at the clock, 9:44 am. Great. Now I at least won't be late for the appointment with Mr. Westphall which was fixed up by Ella last night.

While driving my way to the Westphalls' office, my phone starts buzzing. I take it out from my purse and find out that it is a call from Nora. I receive the call and then when I look in front, I quickly step on the break.

But I already had bumped into someone's else's car by then. f**k it.

"Hey, Mac. What's up?" I hear Nora's voice from the other side of the phone while a guy in a black shirt steps out from the car. s**t. He surely won't let me go without paying for the damage I caused him.

"Uh- Nora. I'll call you back. Okay?" I cut the call and get out of the car. "I am so sorry sir, I didn't mean to-"

"Oh my God, what the hell did you do?" He cuts me off and points at the back of his car, which didn't look so good after all. "Do you know I bought this car two days ago?!"

"I'm sorry. Just-"

"My brother's gonna kill me for this mess! How the hell am I supposed to fix it now? I'm also getting late for my work." He groaned.

"I'm really really sorry. You um-" I take out my visiting card from my pocket. "just call me alright? I'm gonna pay you off for the damage later."

"Why later?! Why can't you just fix it now?"

"Look um-" I take a look at my wrist watch, s**t it's already 9:56?! "you said you were late for you work, right? Well, I'm also really late for my appointment. It's in four minutes and I need to rush-"

"I maybe am late for my work but do you know what will my brother do to if he sees this?" He again points out the damage with his hand. "He would f*****g kill me!"

"I said I am gonna pay you and your brother. Don't worry your brother wouldn't do such thing like killing you." I try to make him understand and take a step backwards to my car. "I really need to go right now. Call me, okay?" With that, without delaying a second, I jump in my car.

"Come on! You can't just leave like that!" I could hear that man yelling while I drive off from the spot. And in some minutes, I finally reach the office. I probably crossed the speed limit while driving but who the hell cares? I'm just lucky that I didn't get caught off by the police.

"Excuse me?" I was panting when I stopped in front of the reception. "I have an appointment with Mr. Westphall at 10."

"It's on the 15th floor." The lady said with a soft smile and without passing a thanks, I rushed to the elevator. And after fixing myself to look appropriate, I stepped out on the certain floor.

"How can I help you?" When I was about to knock on his door, a lady's voice stops me. I turn back and see a girl near my age was the one to do it.

"Uh- I had an appointment with Mr. Westphall..." I silently stutter. But enough for her to hear.

"Yes, you had. But now it's 10:6. You are six minutes late." She crossed her arms. "And for your information, I'm Mr. Westphall's P.A."

"Look, I'm so sorry but I was stuck in traffic. And six minutes late isn't considered late after all." I try to show her my point.

"It is." She slightly shakes her head. "Mr. Westphall waits highest 30 seconds for a person. And you are way beyond late."

"Please, can you help me? I just needed to-"

"I'm sorry but it's none of my business now." She cuts me off in a s***h and pasts me to get into her so called boss's room.

I groan in anger and was two second away from kicking the trash can beside me. "It's all for that stupid Nora and that stupid douche bag who was crying for his car." I keep mumbling underneath my breath while making my way to the elevator. But then my phone again starts to buzz.

I see Johnny's name popping out on my phone screen and I didn't late a second to decline the call. He is obviously the last person I wanna talk right now. For him now I'm stuck in this Jessica's case and he wouldn't even help me a bit in this horrific situation I'm going. He's just ready to taunt me and blame me for the whole f*****g thing which is happening when I'm not at fault at a-

"It's bullshit! You can't just send me to the factory today!" A voice was reached to my ear, snapping me out of my thoughts. When I realize it's the guy who's car I damaged today was the one to step out from Mr. Westphall's room, I start getting confused.

He looked literally pissed off when he stood beside me to wait for the elevator. And without thinking a bit, I start talking. "What are you doing here?"

He looked by my way and scanned my face. When he recalled me, he answered. "What do you mean what am I doing here? It's my office."

"Wait," I try to fall things together. "means you're Mr. Westphall?"

"Yeah." He confusingly replied. "I'm Kenneth Westphall. But you can call me Ken if you want." He shrugs his shoulders a bit.

I furrowed my eyebrows. I thought he'd be a bit older. And why was he screaming when I damaged his car? He surely has much money to buy a whole island, or more. Whatsoever, it's none of my business. "I'm so so sorry Mr. Westphall for what I did to your car today. But I really need to talk to you."

"Me?" He asked as if I'm mentioning it to someone else.

"Yes, you. I know I am late for to meet you but it's really urgent for me to talk to you. You know? About the fact that your company wants to invest in mine. So on what percentage you-" I was cut off by the door of the office room again opens, as a man in a navy blue coat steps out, his eyes glued with his phone screen. Following by the girl who introduced herself as Mr. Westphall's P.A.

"Still here?" The man spoke to Ken as he unglued his eyes off the screen. "Go to work." And with that, he stepped into the elevator with the girl.

"Who was that?" I confusingly ask.

"Uh-you know," He sighs. "He's Mr. Westphall, I'm Mr. Westphall too. But probably he is the Mr. Westphall you were supposed to talk..." He replies when I feel a buzz in my pocket again, who the hell is calling again?!

"What?!" I yell out. "Means he is the CEO and you are-" I think for a bit. "you are his younger brother?!"

"Who joined office today." Ken shrugged his shoulders a bit as I groaned.

"Why the heck do you just keep wasting my time?!" I quickly get into the other elevator and push the ground floor.

"Come on I was-" the door shuts off while Ken was about to say something and I sigh. Today's literally a bad day.

I toss out my phone and again decline the call, which was again from Johnny. But then when he again starts to ring me, I put my phone in silent. He won't even let me stay in peace.

I quickly make my way to the receptionist and ask, "Do you know where Mr. Westphall went after he came to the lobby?"

"Well, ma'am, he left with his car." The lady answered me and I suddenly had the urge to punch that Ken guy.

I take out my phone to call Ella to tell her if she could fix an appointment again but then see Johnny was calling again. Groaning, I pick up. "What the heck do you want?! I had an appointment! I was busy!"

"f**k your appoinment! Do you even have any idea that your son is here at the hospital?" Johnny says from the other side.

"What?"

"Yes, he got injured while playing soccer. So, leave your freaking appoinment and come down to the hospital."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Wait." I cut the call and fast walk towards my car. It really is a bad day.

●●●

"How are you feeling baby?" I run my fingers through Austin's hair after I sit beside him.

"It's still hurting." He quietly says. His eyes glued with his bandaged arm. It's great that he didn't end up breaking his bone or anything serious happened.

"Isn't your Dad here too?" I ask him.

"Yeah, he is outside. Talking to Ms. J. She was the one who brought me here." He answers me and I furrow my eyebrows. What kind of parent he is even? His son is here sitting on the hospital bed and despite being here in this building, he left him alone? And he tells me that I am no good cause I was at the appointment while my son was injured, when I didn't even know that he was in this state.

"I'll be right back, okay? I need to talk to your Daddy." I kiss on his forehead and leave the hospital room. I look around to see where I could find him and in some moments, I do.

Johnny was standing there, talking to a girl who's back was facing me. When I was taking a step towards them, I stopped. And the reason behind that was her pulling him to a hug. I didn't know what I should do, turn around and leave. Or go and ask him if he's out if his mind.

Wait, he is always out if his mind. What can I say about that? I don't think I should be surprised that he is hugging another girl in the hospital's hallway when his son is injured and fiancée is missing for one month. Poor Jes. Obviously my first thing after she'd come back home would be to tell her what I just saw. I just can't see my friend suffer for this bastard, can I?

"Hey Johnny, I was-" I interrupt them by starting to talk but when they pull out and I see the girl is someone I never supposed it'd be, I almost choke on air.

"Skylar, what a surprise." I cross my arms and look at Johnny. So he was cheating on Jessica all this time. Asshole. "I'm so sorry but can I excuse Johnny for a second? You see, my son is waiting for his father so.."

"Hey Mackenzie, well you know I would've called you too but your phone was unreachable. So, I told Johnny to call you and let you know that Austin was in the hospital." Skylar shifts her glance towards him and smiles.

"Wait, what do you mean by calling me? Why would you even call me?" I confusingly ask.

"She's Austin's class teacher. Don't you know that?" Johnny speaks up and my jaw almost drops. No I seriously need to change his school.

"But Ms. J-"

"Yeah, I'm Ms. J. Miss Jones, get it?" Skylar cuts me off. "I know we officially haven't met yet. You know Mackenzie, your son is such a sweetheart. He's really good in studies and sports too, he surely has talent." She turns her eyes to Johnny. "You probably should go. Austin's looking for you."

"Yeah, bye." Johnny shots her a smile and pasts me to go to Austin's room until I stopped him the second he got a chance to get past the door.

"Wow Johnny, incredible. I'm really proud of you." I lean my shoulder against the door and cross my arms.

"What the heck do you want?" He keeps his hands on his waist.

"Come on, wouldn't I be proud of you? Considering the fact that you are flirting with you ex girlfriend while your present fiancée is missing?"

"I wasn't flirting with Skylar. Alright? And why do I need to give you an explanation? Who are you? My wife?" He snaps.

I quietly laugh. "I'm glad I am not. Or else my life would be a living hell by now and I would've ended up jumping from the roof. It's just, I'm a bit tensed about my son's life, you see? Cause his father is a total manwhore so I don't want my son to end up like him." I spat.

"And what about you? Are you a saint?"

"Oh no, but obviously better than you. You-" I stop and think for a moment. "Wait, three months ago, when it was Austin's parents day and I was out of the country, he stayed with you. You of course knew it back then that Skylar was his teacher. Probably you knew it from much earlier, who knows?"

"Look Mackenzie, just don't-"

"And you probably had a secret relationship with her while you were dating Jessica. So that's why you captured Jessica cause you want to go in an official relationship with Skylar. We both know Johnny what a big fan you are of Skylar's and how much experienced you are in capturing people, right?"

"Are you f*****g out of your mind Mackenzie? Skylar was just trying to calm me down cause my mind was so f****d for what's happening right now!" Johnny almost yells.

"Oh, so you are able to calm down by getting hugs? Then come here, let me hug you too. Or you can also ask strangers to give you hugs! Wait, no - you only need hugs from Skylar, why? Cause she is the love of your life." I air quote the words.

"What? Are you jealous of her?"

"Ew Johnny, grow up. I'm not a type of girl anymore who would feel jealous of some girl who hugs or kisses or do whatever to an asshole like you. I'm just worried about Jessica that what would happen when she would know what's even happening in the life of that person whom she loves so much." I was feeling so disgusted that I literally wanted to puke.

"I don't even know if she's alive or not! What am I supposed to do?!" He yells and I stop talking for a moment. Wait, did he really say that?

"How do you know if she's alive or dead?" I quietly stammer.

He groaned. "She's been missing for a month and there's nothing the police can find out! So how the hell am I supposed to be sure that she's safe an sound?" His voice was rough.

I slowly shake my head. "You're unbelievable." And without uttering a single sentence, I get into Austin's room. But before I can even go and sit beside him, my phone starts ringing. I toss it out and find a call from an unknowns number. While debating to myself whether I should pick it up or not, Johnny enters the room.

"Hey champ, feeling better now?" He sprints his way to Austin and sits down. As I see they both started to have their own conversation, I decide to pick up the call.

"Hello?" I get out of the room and receive.

"Hey, Mackenzie, right? Well, that's what it's written on the card so-"

"Wait, who are you?" I confusingly reply, cutting the voice off.

"Forgot me so soon darling? It's Mr. Westphall. I mean the Mr. Westphall you talked to." I sigh when I recognize the voice.

"What do you want Kenneth?"

"Come on, it's Ken. K-E-N. Alright? I just don't like that full one."

"Okay, so what do you want Ken?" I groan in frustration.

"Ding-dong! Remember what you did to my car?" He makes me recall and I get a bit confused. His brother owns a huge company and he's after me with the damage I caused to his car which would take only a few hundred dollars to repair. Weird.

"Yeah. So, how much do you-"

"Don't take tension love. I don't need money. Just come over dinner tomorrow night, that'd be enough." He interrupts me. Wow, what a unique way to flirt.

"We didn't have any conversation about dinner, did we?"

"No we didn't. But now we are. It'd be beneficial to you and also to me. Your benefit will be, Kaleb would be there too with some of his other business partners. So, after the dinner will be over and they'd be gone, I'll make him have a conversation with you and you'd get the investment in your company. Easy."

"Wait, who's Kaleb?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"The Mr. Westphall you're so eager to meet with." Ken replies.

"Oh, I get it...but why would you do it?"

"Because I just realized I'm the one who is at fault for you didn't get a chance to meet him. And you're desperate to have that deal, so..."

"But how are you benefited then?"

"Ah, you know. I'd get some company. Kaleb told me I could invite someone over if I want, so why not you? It's beneficial to both of us." He says and I sigh.

"Okay, thank you very much Ken. It's really nice of you to do it."

"Don't mention it love, I'll text you the address. Just don't be late, you know, I don't like to wait."