𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝

Bonus Chapter 1

In honour of it being 4 years since I released Just a Friend, here are some bonus scenes from Johnny and Kenzie's  story.

there are going to be 5 bonus chapters in total. Hope you enjoy them :)

a little rewind to a simpler time.

Johnny's p.o.v

It's a sunny day and we're out for a picnic at grandpa Vincent's farm.

Mommy and Daddy are here.
And Maddie, Darian and Lauren.

Mommy and Daddy's friend is here too.

She carries me, kisses the top of my head and tells me to call her Mommy Mel.

I like Mommy Mel. She's like mommy; cuddly and she smells like apples!

Mommy Mel has two daughters, Maddie (just like my big sister!) and Mackenzie.

"We're all going to be neighbors," Daddy tells me, when Mommy Mel puts me down, "they're moving in next door."

I look towards them wide-eyed.
"neigh-bors." I mouth the big word slowly.

"Yes darling boy, neigbors." Mommy Mel laughs, ruffling my hair and I smile up at her.

Daddy lays down the picnic mat and we all sit down.

I sit down, criss-cross apple sauce, just the way my mommy tells me to.

Mackenzie sits next to me.

Mackenzie is three.
I am four.

Maddie, the other one, talks a lot.

She tells Madison and Darian about her pre-school and her dance classes.

Mackenzie is quiet, pulling on the grass. She sees a big, red ladybug, sticks out a finger and then watches as it crawls up her small finger.

She turns to look at me, and I look away so she doesn't think I'm watching.

Hmm I am thirsty.

I tug on my big sister, Darian's sleeve to tell her.

"There is juice in that ice box." She points to the big red box.

I open it and pull out a juice box.

Yummy yummy orange juice.

I hold onto it tight, a big smile on my face.

"Don't squeeze your juice box like that Johnny!" Darian tries to snatch my orange juice from me.

"No Stop! Mine!" I say angrily, twisting away from her.

Mackenzie crawls across me to get a juice box for herself.

She pulls one out of the ice box and then pouts.
"Oh no! Grape. I wanted orange."

I looked down at my juice box.

It's my juice box but I'm a big boy.
Mommy says big boys share.

She also says ladies first always.

Mackenzie is three but that's still a lady...I think.

"You can have my juice box." I say.

Mackenzie has brown eyes that go all big and wide.

She looks at me and then the squished juice box in my hand.

Maybe she won't want it cause I've squeezed it too hard and ruined the shape..

Her eyebrows become scrunchy.

"But..thisis grape. Grape is not nice, you won't want it." She shows me the juice box she's holding.

I take the grape juice out of her hand and give her my orange one.

She looks happy, and I feel like a good boy.

Look mommy! I want to say to my mommy who is opening the picnic basket while talking to mommy Mel.

Sharing is caring.

I sip on my grape juice.
Not as yummy as orange but at least Mackenzie is happy with my  juice.

She pokes my shoulder.
"Do..do you want to be my friend?"
Mackenzie says, and her mouth becomes small, like she's scared to ask.

Friend.

Do I have a friend?
Grandpa Vincent says he's my friend but he's family so that doesn't count.

Hmm I don't have a friend.

I nod slowly, like it's a good idea
"Yeah..yeah okay I want to be your friend."

Mackenzie smiles at me.
I smile back.

"I want to be too!" Lauren says loudly, from behind us, "I want to be too."  She says, dribble falling from her mouth.

I roll my eyes but my new friend Mackenzie smiles.

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