『meant to be』ON HOLD.

2.

kenzie's pov

"um, yeah, this is kenzie." nadia says awkwardly. "kenz, this is jay and lauren."

"how did you know my name?" i avoid eye contact with the two siblings.

"lucky guess." johnny says in a monotone. i guess we're both shocked. but we both know nadia can't find out about us, not when she's so happy with their relationship and our friendship.

"nice to meet you?" lauren seems confused that me and johnny are pretending not to know each other, but thankfully she goes along with it.

nadia bites her lower lip, clearly confused. "um, so, let's go to the mall?"

"sounds good." johnny's still staring at me. nadia turns around and starts walking, so i quickly walk next to johnny.

"dont do that!" i whisper.

"do what?" he says quietly.

"stare! you're nadia's boyfriend!"

"i haven't seen you or heard from you in a year and a half, you can't blame me!"

"shhh." i mumble, looking over at nadia quickly to make sure she hasn't heard. "nadia's in a good place right now. we're in a good place right now, you've moved on, you're in love with her. and i've moved on, too. so just pretend we don't know each other, okay?"

"moved on?" johnny's voice is barely a whisper.

"yes! you're dating nadia!"

"whatever." johnny mutters, shoving past me and walking up to nadia. lauren was already chatting with nadia, distracting her, and now she approaches me.

"are you okay?" lauren whispers. i smile. lauren used to be one of my best friends, but after the breakup we stopped talking.

"yes. fine. thank you lo." lauren smiles in return.

"i missed you kenz."

"i missed you too!"

we walk up to john and nadia and all walk to the car together. i can still feel john's eyes on me, so i walk on the other side of nadia, in between lauren and nadia.

"babe, remember when we went to disneyland?" nadia giggles and intertwines their fingers. my heart pangs. to go to disneyland has always been my dream, and johnny knows it. he's never been either, and has no specific desire to, but he always promised to take me, and he'd sit through as many disney movies as i wanted him to without a protest. and now he's gone there, not only without me, but with his girlfriend.

"yeah." johnny mumbles.

"i threw up. like 6 times." nadia laughs as she tells me and lauren. i force a smile and lauren giggles warily.

"what's up with everyone today? you guys are all depressed or some shit." nadia frowns.

"no, just tired!" i say quickly.

"same, from the flight." lauren nods.

"me too. sorry baby." johnny smiles cockily and kisses her cheek. my face burns, and i can feel the backs of my eyes stinging with possible tears. i blink, willing the feeling away.

we reach the car, after what feels like the longest and most awkward walk in the history of walks. johnny calls shotgun, sitting up front with nadia, and lauren and i take backseat.

as nadia drives, she and johnny hold hands the full way, which seems a bit much to me, but i don't know. long distance makes you more clingy, i suppose. but if they keep doing shit like this, it's gonna be so hard for me to not act like a jealous bitch.

"so, kenzie. nadia says you're a dancer." lauren smiles at me, and i immediately understand. we're pretending to get to know each other again.

"yeah, i do mainly hip hop, what about you?"

"oh, well, i'm a model."

"like for clothing brands?" i ask. obviously, i know this, so i try to act surprised.

"yep!"

"that's so cool." i giggle and lay my head on her shoulder. maybe a bit forward if i didn't know her, but i do know her. possibly better than i know nadia. lauren only smiles and leans her head on top of mine. johnny turns around and smiles. my face flushes as i realize his smile has only gotten more gorgeous in the past year. he's gotten cuter and handsomer in our time away as well.

but he's moved on. and i should, too. but i just have so many questions- like why does he go by jay orlando instead of johnny dawson? when did he meet nadia? why is he pretending like everything is okay between us, when he knows it's not?

and how did he move on so fast, while my heart is still shattered and stuck on him?

an, idk where i'm going with this story, but it will be moving at a slower pace than my other story.
-ria