𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 ~ 𝒿𝑒𝓃𝓏𝒾𝑒.

chapter thirteen • "dead"

Mackenzie.

It was Monday, and I was dreading this day all weekend. Jack had been texting and calling me, but I didn't respond to any of it. I still didn't know what to say, but now I had to face him in person.

But, school had to be better than the past weekend. Dad grounded us for lying to him, so we couldn't go anywhere or use our phones all weekend. It was tragic.

I unwillingly got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. I was glad to see Maddie there. She avoided me all weekend, but now was my chance to finally scold her.

"Maddie, you can't avoid me forever!" I yelled, startling her. "I can't believe you were so stupid. Everyone is going to know! Mom is going to kill you, your fans are going to hate you..."

Maddie put her hand over my mouth. "Kenz, I know!" She said, but a scared look is on her face. "It's all over the news. But, you're on the news, too."

I gasped when I saw her phone. It was a video of Jack and I holding hands, and then Maddie and I running away. I tapped my fingers against the marble counter nervously.

"Maddie Ziegler drinking with friends? Kenzie Ziegler's new guy? All the deets happening in Phoenix!" Maddie read the headline.

I started panicking. "Maddie, we're dead!" I grabbed her shoulders. "Mom is going to bury us alive! I can't believe this..."

"Kenz, calm down!" Maddie interrupted my spiraling. "Let's just go to school, and we'll worry about this later. Hopefully Mom hasn't seen anything yet, as long as she isn't watching E! News tonight."

I just nodded. We brushed our teeth and did our makeup in silence. I went back to my room and picked out a black hoodie with jeans. I was about to get breakfast when I heard the Skype call theme from my computer.

I ran over to my desk to see who it was. It was Mark! "Maddie, come over here now!" I yelled.

Once she came, I pressed the Accept button. There was an angry Mark, and an angry Mom. I said my prayers.

Before Mark could speak, Mom said, "A party? Really? Drinking, Maddie? I can't believe you! I'm going to kill you both when you get home. Actually, how about you come home now? You honestly don't know how to behave yourselves. And clearly your dad isn't a good parent."

Maddie and I eyed each other nervously.

"It wasn't Dad's fault," I muttered. "We...We lied to him about the party. He grounded us all weekend."

Mom rubbed her head like she had a headache. Mark finally got a chance to speak. "And news articles are saying you have a new boyfriend, Mackenzie?"

Mom got even angrier. "Excuse me?" She practically hissed.

I tried to calm them down. "I'm not dating anyone!" I assured them. "He's just my friend."

Mom tapped away at her phone before turning the screen to me. It was the same video Maddie showed me. "Then what is this?" She asked. Her face was red.

I covered my face in embarrassment. This can't be real!

"You guys are all over the news outlets," Mark informed us. "Snapchat stories surfaced showing everything. This is bad press. What were you thinking?"

We should've never went to that party. I should've looked for Maddie the second I saw her disappear. This all could've been prevented.

Mom looked so mad, it was hard to look at her. "I can't believe my 16 year old daughter was drinking..." she muttered mostly to yourself. "I always think highly of you, Maddie. I thought you were responsible." Maddie looked down. I grabbed her hand, hoping to make her feel better.

"You guys get to stay in Phoenix for the month," Mom decided. "But once you come back, there will be consequences, no doubt. Cut the video, Mark. I don't even want to talk right now."

The video chat ended abruptly. Maddie pulled me into a hug, and I think she was sniffling. This was already the worst day ever, and it just started.

We pulled away. "Let's get breakfast," she said before rushing down the stairs. I already lost my appetite, but I followed after her. Thankfully, Dad went to work early again. I did not want to face his wrath, too.

Maddie and I ate our cereal in silence. A part of me wished we could just stay in Phoenix. After what Mom said in the video chat, I was a little scared to go home.

We gathered our stuff and headed for the bus stop.

. . .

On the bus ride to school, Lauren kept saying how bad she felt for me and Maddie.

"I saw all the articles and the Snapchat stories," Lauren was telling me. "Hopefully your mom isn't too mad."

I laughed out loud, but it wasn't a happy laugh. "Um, is killing us when we get home not too mad?" I said. "I do not want to feel her wrath. But I can't stay here forever."

Lauren sighed in defeat. "I wish you could," she said. "We could best friends forever!" I laughed, and this time it was genuine.

I had texted Lauren that Jack asked me out when I left the party, and she was surprised. She couldn't help me though; she said she wouldn't know what to say, either. I asked Brynn for advice, and she said to let him down gently. It made sense, since I was leaving in a few weeks. Just thinking about leaving what hurting me. I already got too attached to Phoenix.

We finally made it to school. I tried to keep my mind off of everything that happened on Friday, but it was hard. Mostly because I had to face Jack, and I didn't give him an answer yet.

My friends and I walked to the student lounge since first bell didn't ring yet. Jack, Johnny, Cody, and all their friends were already here. Jack noticed me arrive; I wish I could become invisible.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, thinking it was Jack. But, it was just Johnny.

"Hey," he said softly. "How are you doing? I saw all the stuff on the news this morning."

I groaned. Great. Now everyone is going to be talking about it today. The last thing I wanted!

"Not good," I said honestly. "My dad is mad at me, my mom is going to kill me, my manager Mark is not happy, and on top of that, Jack asked me out!" I couldn't stop talking; I just told Johnny everything.

Johnny looked a little off when I said Jack asked me out, but I was probably just hallucinating. "Wow, you've only been here around a week, and you have so many things going on," Johnny said in astonishment. "Are you going to say yes to him?"

I lowered my voice since Jack was only a few feet away. "I don't know," I admitted. "Can do you me a favor and keep Jack away from me? I need to think."

Johnny winked at me before going back to his friends. What was that supposed to mean?

The bell rang, interrupting my thoughts. I was not in the mood to go to English. I had enough on my plate already, and I didn't need homework. I just wanted to stay under the covers of my bed forever.