Forever Is Now

That's It.

Wayne | pov

I knew these people love Mackenzie but not to the point where everyone is arguing about how to make it up to her. Its 7 in the morning, class doesn't start until 07:50 and here we are trying not kill each other, at the same spot we were at yesterday. None of this is my fault and yet I'm caught up in it.

"Let's get her sugar, y'all know how she is when it comes to junk," Noel suggests.

Noah thinks otherwise, "Nahh, she'll only think you're buying her forgiveness, that's what she said to me yesterday.  We have to think about something that is meaningful."

"She is going to be here any minute now," Alliyah reminds us.

"Why didn't we think of this yesterday? Y'all don't think it's a little too late now?" I ask. "Even if we came up with an idea now, how would we execute it?"

"We could avoid her again today?" Tiffany suggests and I almost want to laugh. This girl never fails to shock people. Shawn pulls his girl's head into his shoulder and I suspect it's to shut her up. 

Ivan clears his throat, "I think we should walk her to class today and tomorrow, she hates walking to class alone."

"Nahh that's already my thing," Noah says it loud enough for everyone to hear. I would do that but I'm still trying to keep our thing as low as possible.

"She's here," Micheal quickly arranged himself as if a teacher just caught him doing something wrong.

"Good morning everyone," Mackenzie says and she looks beautiful today. Her curls coming down her face, an oversized short sleeve white t shirt dress - short enough for you to really enjoy her legs but long enough to make sure she doesn't get detention and a pair of New Balance sneakers.

Everyone does their own awkward kind of greeting back and she smiles at them. "I want to deal with this now. So that for the next few months that we are together, I am not dealing with any of this and should you bring chaos again, it is going to be ignored. You and your drama. I deserve to enjoy my senior year, the same way you all are, hopefully."

Not a single person says anything. Some people have their heads down, others are shaking their heads and I'm just staring at her. She's very pretty.

She puts her hand bag on the table and stands next to Noah, "Yes Daphne, I've kept quiet about Monica because I care about you and our friendship and no, this is not a conversation I am ready to have yet. I love you and I've known you longer than anyone else here, that's not going to change. Monica has become a none factor to me.  What Wayne does with her, has nothing to do with me. He made it clear, there is no one in his life," she makes eye contact with me for a few seconds and I am at a loss. She is not happy, that's one thing I know for sure.

Mackenzie continues, "I know how you guys are. You are so protective of me and I appreciate that. But right now, there is someone walking around with a rumour that apparently is not true."

Daphne interrupts, "She won't tell anyone."

"We can only hope," Alliyah says and everyone nods.

I should probably say something, "I'll speak to her," I don't know how helpful that will be but I have to try.

Shawn speaks up "What do we do about Steven?"

Mackenzie shakes her head, "We do nothing. He feels this powerful because we are constantly worried about him. What I need is some one who isn't concerned about him," my guilty conscious is telling me that she's giving me a hint.

Steven is a big reason why I want to keep things between us. She keeps saying she doesn't drama, so isn't keeping this quiet avoiding that?

"So no one is doing anything about anything. Leave it alone. That's it," She says and takes a seat. "So... how are y'all making it up to me?"

The mood is lighter now but I can't shake the idea that things between us are not okay. I need to do something, I'm just not sure what. I look at her wrist and see that she is still wearing my bracelet. I relax a little. She hasn't given up. I have an idea.

After practice, let's go get ice cream - Me

Can't. Noah is taking me ice skating - Mackenzie

What? Why?

Tomorrow? - Me

Pick the spot - Mackenzie

Bet - Me

I look across the table and she looks up from her phone to give me a small smile. Alliyah nudges her for attention and she looks away. I need to make her understand why things need to be the way they are and hope that she'll be patient.

But is Noah going to be a problem?

I ask the one person I think knows enough about things. "Man, what's going on there?" I whisper to Ivan who has been sitting next me the entire time.

"What? You mean you basically telling everyone that she is available? Some one was going to take advantage of that. What did you think was going to happen?" He looks like he is laughing me. "Walk with me," Ivan gets up and walks towards the hallways. It's almost time for class to start anyway. I get up and follow.

"What's up?" I ask him.

"Man, what were you thinking? She subbed you the entire time. What did you say to her?" He is shaking his head and I don't know if is he disappointed or mad.

I try to keep my voice as low as possible, "all I said was we gotta keep it quiet because you know Steven gone lose it,"

"That can't be the only reason why. Are you not feeling her? Because don't make her feel like you like her, when you don't," his defences are up and I know he is on protective mode.

I need to be honest with him, "I do, I really like this girl. I'm just not ready to be serious. I ain't looking at anyone else but I'm holding back a little," that's all he needs to know for now.

He puts his hand on my shoulder and I can see the concern. "You might wanna sort that out soon. Other guys are watching,"

"He is taking her ice skating tomorrow," I tell Ivan what Mackenzie told me.

He starts laughing, "your loss, my brother."

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