2+2=4~Jenzie (COMPLETED)

Secrets

(Song above is the way Johnny played Lucid Dreams. Kid Travis's cover is really good. Check it out!)

Johnny

I texted Mackenzie and surprisingly she responded. I smiled. Usually people just give me random numbers or Pizza Huts number. It was weird though. At first she thought I was a nerd. An outcast. A freak. Maybe she still does and is just doing what she has to to pass junior year. I'll admit. When she said all of those things it hurt me a lot more than I thought it would. I got called those things all the time but she's never said that to me. Well, she's never said anything to me. I don't think she's ever even looked at me or been aware of my existence until yesterday when Mrs. Hopper made me her tutor. I don't really mind helping her but I'm not overly excited either. Most of the guys in this school would cut off a finger to tutor her but I don't really care. I just hope she doesn't bring anyone to hurt me.

After waiting five minutes for a reply I gave up. My twin sister Lauren walked down the stairs and gasped before running over to me. “John! What happened to your face?” I just looked at her and shrugged. “The usual.” she sighed.

“John you need to tell someone.” I turned my head back towards her quickly. “No Lauren! I can't! It'll make it worse.” she just sighed once more and went over to the kitchen. “Did mom and dad go shopping yet?” she called. I shook my head and she sighed again for the third time in five minutes. “What do you want on the pizza?” she asked grinning.

A half hour later me and Lauren were both on our third slice of pizza laughing at the conversation we were having about the people in our school. “So I'm tutoring Mackenzie Ziegler.” Lauren choked on her pizza. I handed her her cup of Coke and she gratefully took a sip, clearing her throat. “I'm sorry? Did I hear that right? You're tutoring Mackenzie Ziegler?!”

I nodded. “John, I don't mean to burst you bubble but, that's bad news.” I nodded once more. “I know Lauren but I don't have a choice. Mrs. Hopper is making me.” Lauren rolled her eyes. “That woman needs friends,” she said and I laughed. We continued the conversation until we were both done eating. “John I'm going out with Dylan and Annie.” she called from downstairs. “Okay be back soon, and call me when you get there and when you're leaving!” I shouted. “Okay dad!” she yelled and closed the front door. I laughed and went back to playing my guitar. I was playing the tune of Lucid Dreams thinking about earlier.

I finished the last few chords of a song I wrote that didn't have a title yet when I decided to head back to school. Lunch would be over soon and I didn't wanna be late. I struggled to get up, my side was hurting so badly. I eventually made it and swung the guitar onto my back. I started towards the path to leave when I saw someone sprinting away. I stood there confused and a little bit scared before I took off after the person. I couldn't run too fast for two reasons. My side hurt really badly and I didn't wanna chance hitting the guitar on any of the trees as I weaved through the trees on the path. When I got to the end of the path I didn't see anyone except for kids over by the school just walking around. I sighed and made my way back to school.

I shook the thought from my head and just continued playing my guitar. I tried but couldn't stop thinking about Mackenzie. She was nice to me today and seemed like a normal person but I know she's not. She's just another one of the populars. Probably even worse. I mean, she is the most popular girl in the 11th grade. I heard the door to my house open and my parents call out, “John? Lauren?” I grinned and put my guitar on my bed. I was sitting on the floor against my bed so I had a little trouble getting up but I got there. I raced down the stairs as quickly as I could to be greeted by both of my parents open arms. We group hugged and eventually let go. “I missed you guys!” I exclaimed with a grin. “We missed you too bud” my dad said with a laugh. My mother was smiling at me but it faded quickly. “John, what happened to your face?” she asked. Shit. “Oh I got into a fight with someone today. No big deal, it was my fault. Only a few punches were thrown.” I tried to say it as nonchalantly as possible. They looked at each other and sighed. “Alright John. Did you eat yet? Where's Lauren?” “ Yeah we ate. Lauren went out with Dylan and Annie.”

“Speaking of them, how are the Conriques and Leblanc's?” dad asked taking a seat next to mom on the couch. “Oh, I'm they're good.” I couldn't tell anyone that Caden, Dylan's brother, was one of the kids hurting me in school. “Um I'm really tired. I'm gonna go to sleep.” I said. They wished me goodnight and I ran back upstairs. I took a shower and on some underwear and black basketball shorts. No shirt. I played down on my bed not bothering to put on the covers. I put my airpods in and my arm behind my head. I shut my eyes and listened to my Spotify playlist for awhile before I drifted off to sleep. The last thing I heard before bed was a lyric I could relate to all too well.

“Isn't it lovely? All alone. Heart made of glass, my mind of stone. Tear me to pieces, skin and bone. Hello, welcome home.”