𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 | Eddie Munson

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғᴏᴜʀ

It's been three hours since Kenna has seen Eddie. This shouldn't bother her, but it does. You can't miss someone that you don't even know. Right? Is she missing him or is she missing the comfort and protection he's offered her? She's never had that before and now it feels like she's having withdrawals.

It's fucking crazy. It's mental. And she knows it. Eddie and Kenna have only been playing this game of pretend for a day —no. Not even a full day, and it has her fucked up. And it's not Eddie, at least she doesn't think so. It's the encouraging words, the gentle touches, and the caring looks.

She's lost all ability to focus on class. Her thoughts are like a game of ping pong. Bouncing between every single moment that's happened over the past few days and the anxiety-filled thoughts of what's to come. What's to come from Billy, this deal with Eddie, and just the future of it all. She's struggling with the thought of all this being more than she bargained for.

Relax. Chill. It's not that serious. You're making this a bigger deal than it is. You're being dramatic. You're being stupid. Look at you, it's embarrassing.

Her brain is at war with itself and anxiety has her in a chokehold.

Kenna jumps when the bell rings. The students around her are already out of their seats and making their way out of class.

"Kenna, are you doing okay?" The teacher asks.

Kenna smiles and grabs her books. "Yeah. Sorry, I have a lot going on and my mind is a little scattered."

The teacher frowns. It's the same look every teacher has when they look at her. At least the teachers that know her background. "Is everything okay at home?"

A question that's asked often. At least one teacher from every school she's been to has the urge to get involved in her life because they feel sympathy for her. They mean well. Kenna does believe they care about her and the situation she's in, but it never changes anything for her. Kenna still goes home to a place that's not really her home with parents that aren't really her parents.

Kenna used to believe her teachers would save her from her horrendous home life as a child. She used to think they would make it better. Maybe they would adopt her. Maybe they would want her. They acted like they did. She heard stories of teachers adopting students, and maybe that's what kept her hopes high. But that hope died at a young age when she realized she was never one of the lucky ones.

"Yeah, it's good," Kenna says.

It's not a lie. She's treated decently and she's taken care of. What more is there to ask for? I mean, her standards are low. But she is aware of what else is out there. She's been in homes where it was definitely not good.

So, Kenna is thankful for her current home life. She doesn't need constant attention and love at home. At this point, she is just grateful for a warm bed, food in her belly, and not getting abused behind closed doors.

"I'm here if you ever need to talk." The teacher says with a gentle voice.

Kenna smiles and says thank you. It's rehearsed, the smile and the thank you. It's been done a million times. It's overused at this point.

Only a few more months until she graduates, ages out of her foster home, and starts fresh. A new beginning. A new life where Kenna is not known for being a girl without parents —the foster kid. She will only be known as Kenna Hastings. She won't be defined by her past, but by her future.

The sound of students talking and slamming lockers fill the halls. It's finally lunch time and Kenna is eager to get to the cafeteria. Eddie will be there and it's the first time she will be sitting with him at lunch. It's time to put on her mask and play the game. It's thrilling and terrifying.