New Hope High School || Blake Richardson

Chapter Three

*McKenzie's P.O.V.*
I wake up the next morning and see I have a text from my brother. It was from late last night, I was already asleep. Why didn't he just come talk to me? "So I see you met Blake!" It read. Wait what? How does he know Blake? Before getting in the shower, I pop into my brothers room, "I just saw your text. How do you know Blake?" He just looks at me, you can tell he's too tired to be having any conversations right now.

"Kenz, he's been one of my best friends for years, the question is how do YOU know him?" I just laugh "funny story, actually."
I get in the shower and then it sinks in. Blake's my brothers best friend?? You can't. Wait. No. Kenz, you don't care. Remember what Jackson did to you? You can't trust anyone. Jackson was just like Blake a few years ago, Blake could turn out just like Jackson did.

I finish up my shower, after thinking about how I'd never met Blake before, and see that Reece is still in bed. I thought it was weird that he didn't come banging on the bathroom door this morning.

I didn't feel like looking cute today, so I just threw on some Nike sweats, my Nike socks and slides, a plain black crop top, and on top of that, one of my brothers black hoodies that I previously stole because it was warm and comfortable. (He never noticed) I quickly ran my brush through my hair and threw it into two braids. I didn't feel like doing makeup as well, so I just put some mascara on.

After getting ready, I thought I better go check on Reece. I walk in his room and I could tell he was feeling the same vibe as me. Just too tired to do anything. He was up and about to get in the shower as I headed towards the front door to meet my friends. "Don't be late bro" I yell as I slam the door behind me.

I meet up with my friends and we start walking. We hear a engine roar from behind us, it was Blake in his fancy little car. I hadn't thought of him since I showered this morning. I wasn't planning on it either, until he pulled up next to me and my friends asking if he could treat us with a ride. Of course we took it.

We were sitting in the car and I almost forgot my friends had been in the back because Blake and I had just been talking nonstop since I got In the car. We had been talking about Reece and how we had never met before. We pulled into the parking lot and I was about to get out when Blake said, "Tina, Hannah. I'm going to speak to Kenzie for a minute if that's okay. I'll walk her to the office, so don't wait up. It's okay"

I was kind of scared because I had only known this guy for a few days. Am I really trusting him? But I had a good feeling about it. So I just went along with it.

After my friends exit the car and start walking towards the hallway where the office is (their class is on the second floor), Blake turns in his seat to wear he can look at me much easier. He puts his hand on top of mine, which is on the middle console in between our seats. Why am I letting him do this??

His big, brown eyes just keeping contact with mine. He is just smirking at me. "What?" I say trying not to blush, breaking the silence. "I was wondering. One of my new mates from here invited me to a party on Friday, just so I can hang out and get to know everyone. I would really like it if you came with me."

I heard everything he said but I stopped really listening after he said "party". I told myself I would never go to another party after that whole thing with Jackson. But Blake doesn't know that. So don't let it get to you. Just kindly reject.

"I'm sorry Blake, I'm sure it'd be fun but I'm not really a party person... I'd rather not go." he broke the contact between our eyes and moved his hand. He shifted back into his original position and began to open his car door, "I'm sorry for asking" he said softly before getting out of his car.

Should I feel bad? No right? I just want to be friends with him anyways. I really hope he can understand. I get out of the car and start heading towards the office. I don't even know how to feel. I've known him for a few days, and I don't even know if we are friends. But being a gentleman, he still walks me to the office like he said he would, and just giving me a slight wave before walking off.

A little over a week passes, and I hadn't really talked to Blake... He just drove past my friends and I in the mornings and afternoons.   I was kind of missing his rides, especially because there's overcast and If it rains, i really don't like my hair getting frizzy. But I guess he was taking this to heart. I didn't mean to upset him. I just can't trust guys... or parties...

Today I got home from school, and it was the first day in months that Hannah and Tina haven't come home with me. It's Friday, and my parents are going on a cruise for two weeks, so Reece, Lexi, and I will have the house to ourselves. Before they left, they wanted to spend as much time with us as possible, and that meant no company.

We spent the weekend doing fun things with our parents and Lexi. We went bowling, then the arcade, then on Sunday we went to church and spent the rest of the day playing board games and watching all of the home alone movies even if it was the middle of spring.

Monday morning I got up to do my morning routine, and before our parents leave we all say our goodbyes. I'm ready very early so I go sit on my porch swing in my front yard, when I hear a family voice yelling next door.

Blake walks out of his house irritated and stands there for a minute before he turns to see me sitting there. I thought he would carry on with whatever he would be doing but instead he jumped over the 3 ft. brick fence that separated our yards and joined me on the swing.

He sat himself right next to me staring at his feet. After a few seconds he looked up at me causing butterflies in my stomach to come alive. "We should talk." He sounded serious. I just gave him a slight nod, "then talk. I'm listening." I say breaking the eye contact to watch the rain pour on all of the sidewalks and street.

"I didn't want to avoid you Kenzie. I just didn't know what it meant when you rejected me. I was nervous that you really didn't want to be around me anymore so I just left you alone." I laughed a little as our eyes met once again, trying to become in a better mood, "Blake it wasn't you. I would love to hang out with you. I just have a really bad experience with parties..."

I look down towards my feet as I feel a tear running down my cheek. Every time I say it all the memories flood my brain. He softly uses his fingers to pull me face to face with him, trying to regain eye contact but I refuse to look at him. I don't even know this kid, but i just can't control myself around him. I just go along with everything he does. And I can't help it.

He obviously knows there's something wrong, but he doesn't want to push it, so all he does is brush the little strands of hair out of my face and places them behind my ear, "Kenz," he's never called me that before so it caught my attention, "it will be okay, I promise,"

He pulls me into a hug and I could feel his warmth through his clothes, even if it was freezing outside. When he noticed I was shivering, he took his coat off and placed it around my shoulders before pulling me into another hug. I just felt so safe, but the tears just kept coming. I could sit here forever.