Familiar | Kajemac

Chapter 1

Part 1

Mac's POV

These three girls might not be too bad, even New Girl. I'm kinda glad she suggested we ride together a little longer. But I'd never admit that.

    We ride in a line down the street, going nowhere in particular but rather just following whoever is the quickest to decide when to turn. The streetlights cast several faint shadows of our bikes like spokes of a wheel, all stretching in different directions on the road.

    "And Mr. Wells in that house has two dogs, so make sure you don't have any meat on you when collecting payment from him."

    Erin looks confused by Tiffany's advice. "Why would I have meat on me?"

    "I had beef jerky as a snack once," Tiffany explains. "Never again."

    "You're seriously quitting?" I ask.

    "Yeah. My paper girl days are behind me."

    "What are you going to do instead?" KJ wonders.

    "I don't know. Work at a gas station or something?"

    "Spend all day dealing with shitty customers and kissing your boss's ass? Who wouldn't want that," I comment.

    KJ counters my sarcasm, saying, "At least you won't have to wake up so early."

    I laugh at that. "No, you're going to have to wake up even earlier. Those dickheads love to make the youngest employees do the worst shifts, because they're easy to replace. Don't get replaced when you're a paper girl. And you can work without someone telling you what to do."

"I just don't think I'm cut out for it," TIffany responds.

"Whatever."

The girls go quiet. Usually, I wouldn't care. I don't need other people to want to talk to me. But I have this weird feeling like I should care this time.

"Hey, follow me," I say.

I take a right turn, and the other girls pedal hard to catch up.

"Where are we going?" Erin asks.

"Somewhere. Now, come on."

At a gap in the fence that wraps the neighbourhood, I turn through, riding downhill on the ridge that opens into a park with the river down below. I stop before we can drop over the steep edge, sitting down in a circle of bushes right on the cliff's edge. The navy sky burns into red in the horizon as the sun singes dawn. KJ, Tiff, and Erin drop their bikes and sit down around me.

"This must be the best place to watch the sun rise," KJ comments. "Do you come here a lot?"

"Just when I want to stay out of the house. Like when my dad is drinking or my brother has a new girl over."

"Doesn't your mom help?" Erin asks.

"Don't have one."

I stick a cigarette between my lips and light it up, the smoke trailing up to join the clouds.

"Why is it so bad when your brother brings a girl over?" Tiffany questions.

"He always wants me out of the house so they can make out."

    "Gross," Tiff mutters.

    "Have you ever kissed anyone, Tiff?" Erin wonders.

    "No. Not yet. But it doesn't seem nice. Just exchanging spit."

    "I don't know," Erin says, "Lots of people think it's romantic."

    "Have you kissed a boy before?" Tiffany reflects abc.

    Erin shakes her head.

    "Me neither," KJ joins in.

    "Wow," I say with a laugh. "Am I the only one who's had my first kiss?"

    Erin's eyes go wide. "You've kissed a boy?"

    "Yup." I lean back on my hands, letting the growing sun soak into me. "James Thomas last year. Little twerp dared me and thought I wouldn't actually do it. But I'm no pussy."

    KJ lets out a laugh. "I bet kissing you tasted like cigarettes and Ultra Brite toothpaste."

    "How would you know?"

    She shrugs and waits a moment before answering, "I don't know. Just seems like it would."

    "Yeah, well, you'd be lucky to kiss me."

    "Ew!" She shoves my shoulder as she laughs.

    The four of us laugh, and I get that weird feeling like this isn't the first time we've been together. But we just met New Girl tonight, and we've never ridden together before. Still, we talk like sisters, sharing our favorite things—music, food, all that junk. When it gets close to school time, we all head home, but Erin convinces us to ride together to each house to drop each girl off.

    "Guess this is it," TIffany says as she turns to look at us from her driveway. "This was fun."

    "Maybe we could meet at the diner on 24th tomorrow after school?"

    We glance at each other, determining our response.

    "Sure," Tiff answers first.

    "Yeah, I've got nothing to do," I say.

    "I don't know," KJ says. "I'll have homework..."

    "Oh, come on," I push. "I'm sure you'll still have your perfect grades after doing out for one afternoon."

    KJ looks at me for a minute before finally saying, "I'll be there."

    After Tiffany's house, we bike another ten minutes to reach KJ's place. I knew her family had money, but I didn't realize just how much before now. Her house is huge, with two floors and probably basement and fancy lace curtains covering all the sleek glass windows. Not to mention a garage and two brand fucking new cars sitting out front.

    "See you guys tomorrow," KJ says.

    Erin gives her a wave, but I don't even think about that until KJ's already inside. I'm too distracted by the fact that I'm sort of friends with a rich girl like this, the kind of spoiled kids I always talk shit about. And the weirdest part is how much I liked hanging with her.