thē ງirl ຖēxt ໓໐໐r ✰ jenzie

-chapter nineteen-

kenzie's pov

"Nice to meet you guys. Johnny was always raving about you, Lauren."

"Good or bad? Lauren laughs.

I look up at Bryce to hear the answer, grinning.

He's not looking at her anymore. He's looking very intensely at something. Following his gaze, I see Mark.

"Mark! Come here, I want you to meet-" I cut off as I see Bryce push past Johnny roughly.

I forgot Mark used to be in the military. It's a reunion, I think.

As Mark sees Bryce coming, he smiles. It doesn't exactly look genuine, though.

"Hey, Bryce, long time no see."

Bryce strides up to him and launches a punch right into Mark's face.

"Woah, woah, woah," I say, jumping up, and running over. Lauren and Nia follow me.

"Is that how they greet old friends?" I ask Nia, confused and scared.

"No." Bryce growls, struggling with Mark, now on the ground. "That's how you greet deserters."

"W-wha-t?" I stammer, my brain trying to process all this information.

Bryce barrels another punch into his jaw, and tears start to come from my eyes.

"Stop! Please."

"This is how you greet a soldier who gets drunk on duty," another slug to the chest, "And a soldier who injured citizens on duty."

My chest tightens, and I feel weak. "N-n-no, it can't be true."

Bryce hauls Mark up from the ground, holding him up by the collar.

I turn to Johnny. "P-please, help him."

He looks back at me with the saddest expression. "I-I'm sorry-" he stops, and tears pour out of my eyes.

"Help him!"

Johnny swallows. "Bryce, put him down. Let the court-martial take care of it."

Lauren hugs me, in just as much shock as me.

Bryce finally releases him, and Mark struggles fo stand up.

"Go on, tell her it's true." Bryce says, glaring.

Mark shakes his head weakly, avoiding my gaze.

My voice trembles. "Is it? Mark, is it...is it true?"

"It is." The answer comes from behind me.

I turn around to see Johnny, looking down. "It is," he repeats quietly.

"You knew?" I can't believe it. My voice rises. "Why would you keep it from me?"

"Because of you, Kenz, I didn't want to-"

"How could you?" My voice breaks, and Lauren hugs me.

"Let's go. We'll talk about it later." Lauren tugs my arm, and I follow her slowly.

We pass by Mark, and he looks up, begging for pity.

I slap him. Loudly, and satisfyingly.

"Don't talk to me ever again."

"Don't worry," Bryce says, grabbing Mark by the wrists and holding him securely as if with handcuffs, "I'm taking him in tonight."

He looks over at me. "I'm really sorry about this, Mackenzie."

Nia gives me a goodbye hug, and Lauren takes me to her car. After talking with Bryce for a couple seconds about our restaurant check, Johnny gets in the car too.

No one talks the car ride home.

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A/N: the real question is, what happened to the chocolate chip cookie pie? 🤔🤔