Cutting And Kidnapped

Chapter 5

Chapter 5:
Kenzie's POV

While Cole and Lex went to the hospital, I decided to go to the places that remind me of many memories.

The first place I went to was the park right by the elementary school we went to together. Looking at how small this place was, I remember the exact way I felt towards everyone in our little group. Jack, I loved him the first minute I saw him. I know, that sounds really cliche, but it's true. I didn't realize that until now. I first learned what love was like in kindergarten. Lexy, I didn't love her, but I didn't have a reason to hate her so I hung out with her a lot. That relationship was one that got better throughout the years. Cole, well, I hated him at first. I feel really bad about feeling like that when I didn't even know him.

The second place I went to was the local park that we always hung out at after school. I remember the first day we met here. Lexy and I were on the swings talking while watching Cole and Jack fight about basketball. This became a tradition ever since 3rd grade. I remember this like it was yesterday.

Tears pricked at my eyes. Lexy looked so... so carefree. She was happy. On the outside at least. What changed or what happened that made it change? Ever since I've seen her with the bottle, I've noticed the emptiness in her eyes. I can't ignore that anymore, but this memory, I don't see the emptiness.

The third place I go to is Lexys' old house. Where her, her mom, and her dad lived before things happened between her and her father. She doesn't think I know. Her mom mentioned what happened. They were out of that house faster than I'd expected. The only way I knew was because I heard her mom and mine talking about why they stayed with us for a while.

Suddenly, I get a text.

Jack: Baby, where are you?

He'll be upset if I tell him that I went out by myself for unknown reasons so I just type a quick response.

My Babe (A/N: Kenzies' contact for Jack): With Cole and Lexy... I'll be home in 5? I don't know when they'll be home though.

Jack: Kenz, I already called them. Where are you?

My Babe: Baby, I'll be home in 5. Can we talk about this then?

Jack: Ugh, fine but I want the truth.

I decide to leave now because it's a 10 minute drive. Whoops, probably shouldn't have told him 5 minutes.

On the way home, I try to think about some usable excuses. I sigh. I can't think of anything right now. Deciding to just tell the truth, I hop out of the car.

Right before I get my keys out, Jack opens the door looking exasperated and angry. Crap... they aren't good together.

"Kenz tell me where you went. Now," Jack stares at me with no expression in his voice.

Thinking about how he'll take it, I blank my mind so I don't need the scenarios running on replay. I say as calmly as possible, "I went to a few places to reminisce to get things out of my mind for a while... I'm sorry, I should've just told you beforehand."

His gaze goes from angry to soft straight to evil. After a quick moment, it goes back to soft just as it was a second ago. "Okay Kenz."

A few minutes after we sit down to find out what to watch, Lexy and Cole come into the house. "Coles ordering Chinese... your usual?" Lexy looks pointedly at me.

I nod and her gaze goes to Jack. "Mhm," he absentmindedly replies.

Cole goes into his room to put some things down and order while Lexy sits down with us. I snuggle with her as I do on a regular basis. This is completely normal, even Jack and Cole find us snuggling on a regular basis and they don't question it anymore.

I hug her while we're on the couch and she hugs back like she's going to lose me. She closes her eyes with some force. A few words pass through my mind of stereotypes of depressed people. Broken, lonely, sad all the time, mentally ill. I push these labels out of my head knowing that these aren't true.

"What's wrong Lexy?" I whisper so no one realizes.

She just shakes her head and holds onto me even tighter.

"Lexy, let's go up to my room for a little bit," I say, no longer in a whisper.

She nods and gets up with me. Jack just nods- he probably knows why I'm taking her in there.

We pass Cole on the steps and he gives me a worried look, wondering what's going on. I nod my head to Lexy and I'm sure he understands. We head into my room and once we're on the bed, Lexy grasps back onto me and starts to cry. This has been happening more and more often. She cries quietly so only I know she's crying as usual. Usually, we're still in the same room as the boys but I wanted to get out of that room for now. "Lexy, only me and you are here. You can cry all you want." I encourage but she just shakes her head. "Why not?" I question, trying to not push to get answers.

She shakes her head and I rub her back, not pressuring her. I expect that to be the end of the conversation but she answers, "No one should see me vulnerable."

"Lexy, you know that isn't true. You can come to me and cry to me and I'll comfort you. I wouldn't laugh or tell anyone else about it and you know that. Promise me you won't ever say that being upset makes you vulnerable ever again," I say in what I hope was a reassuring tone.

"Okay, I won't," She says, but I don't think that she's gonna keep that but I don't push.

When she's ready to go downstairs, we go to have some Chinese food. I don't say anything but make a promise to myself that I'm going to encourage Lexy to eat more often. Before this meal, the last time I saw her eat- not really eat, just pick at her food- was yesterday at dinnertime.