Hi,

Chapter 2

"Hi, my name is Mackenzie. I'm 13, and... uh, yeah, that's pretty much it."

That's how I introduced myself in one of the most humiliating moments of 8th grade. What was I supposed to say about myself? I mean, I like a lot of things, but none of them seemed relevant to share with the whole world. I could've said I love music, but I don't play any instruments—I just listen. Or that I like art, but I'm no good at it. I binge Netflix, but who cares about that? I understood the point of the exercise, but the people I actually wanted to know me, like my best friend June, already knew everything about me.

June and I have been inseparable since kindergarten. She knows all there is to know, which isn't much, to be honest. Some people might even call me boring. I don't have any dramatic past to analyze, no trauma to explain my behavior. I consider myself pretty simple, though William, my boyfriend, and even June would argue I'm more complicated than I think. Maybe they're right, but I'm still figuring myself out—what love means, what hate feels like, whether I lean more toward capitalism or socialism. You know, typical 17-year-old stuff. For now, I'm just trying to enjoy high school and soak it all in.

The most interesting thing about me? Probably William. We've been dating for six months now. We met at a small get-together at June's place, and one of our friends brought William, his cousin. He goes to our school, but we never crossed paths since he's got a different friend group. That night, after a few drinks, we ended up talking—and kissing. I don't remember all the details, but it's been six months, and he's been wanting to take things to the next level. I'm... not ready yet.

We're all sitting at our usual table in the cafeteria: me, William, June, and our friends. William's hand is resting on my thigh, inching upward as he talks with Jeremy, his cousin, about the soccer team. June and the others are gossiping, as usual. I don't have much to add, but I prefer their conversation to soccer talk.

"They caught them smoking weed in the parking lot," Fred, one of the guys, says.

"Who saw who?" June asks.

"Does it even matter?" Fred replies. "It's obviously them. Who else would be smoking weed at school?"

"They're way too hot to face any consequences anyway," June giggles.

I catch William's attention shifting from his soccer conversation to the gossip. He leans closer, furrowing his brow.

"Who's too hot to face consequences?" he asks.

I shrug, even though I know exactly who they're talking about. I don't want to risk saying something that might upset him.

"Seriously, Will, you go to this school too," June says, smirking. "You can't be that clueless."

William just rolls his eyes, clearly uninterested. But a familiar smell wafts through the cafeteria—a strong hint of weed—and I can't help but glance around.

Right on cue, the boys everyone's gossiping about stroll in. They capture everyone's attention. Girls are practically drooling, and the guys shrink in their seats. There's Connor, with his tan skin and piercing blue eyes. Duncan, his long blond hair tucked under a cap. Marco, always clean-cut and looking snobby as ever. And finally, Haze, with his curly brown hair and sweet face, the most approachable of them all. But someone's missing: Nathan Collins, their leader. He's notorious for skipping school, so it's not exactly surprising he's a no-show.

William notices my wandering gaze and scoffs. "Enjoying the view?"

I turn to him, startled. "What? I wasn't even looking. I zoned out."

He raises an eyebrow, his expression tense. I laugh nervously and lean in to kiss his cheek, trying to lighten the mood. "You know you're the only one I've got eyes for, Will."

He wraps an arm around me, muttering something under his breath. I don't push it. I'm not in the mood for another argument.

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. William, June, and I head to biology together. William holds my hand as we walk, and June trails behind, still talking about the boys' brief appearance. As we reach the classroom, William pulls me aside, pressing me against the wall.

"You look really good today, Mack," he says softly, his eyes scanning my outfit.

I smile and rest my hands on his sides. He leans in for a kiss, but when I try to break away—shy about PDA—he doesn't stop. His hands wander lower, squeezing my butt. I pull back, smiling awkwardly.

"Come on," he groans, frustrated. "You always do that."

With a dramatic eye roll, he lets go of my wrists and walks into the classroom. I sigh, feeling a pang of guilt, but I'm not up for a fight. We've been arguing a lot lately.

I fix my skirt and follow him in. June raises an eyebrow at me, but I just roll my eyes in response and slouch into my seat. I pull out my agenda, doodling absentmindedly. Suddenly, a wave of whispers ripples through the classroom. I look up, expecting the usual boring PowerPoint, but my eyes land on Nathan Collins.

Everything about him is dark—his hair, his eyes, maybe even his soul. As he walks past my desk, I find myself holding my breath. The room feels heavier, the atmosphere charged.

"Hi, class," Miss Lahey greets us as she sets up the lesson.

But my mind is elsewhere. I think about William, about how things have been off between us lately. Absentmindedly, I press my pen to my lips, a nervous habit. I barely notice when the bell rings to end class.

William storms out, not even glancing my way. He looks furious, and I can't muster the energy to deal with his mood. I roll my eyes and grab June's hand, pulling her out of the classroom.

"We should get ice cream," I suggest, hoping to salvage the afternoon.

"Can't," June replies. "I promised my online date some... cam stuff."

I groan. "Cam stuff, June? Seriously? I'm worried about you."

"Don't worry, babe! I'll see you tomorrow!" she calls, waving as she walks off in the opposite direction.

________________________________________________________________________________Author's notes

Hi, this is Mackenzie.

A little bit of a plane Jane. 

Mackenzie is for the girls who dont know who they are or what they want.

Mackenzie is for the girls who don't believe they are special.

Hope you can relate to her.

Let's be real she can be annoying, but aren't we all sometimes. 

-With love