"so? how'd i do?".
mackenzie waits patiently as mr smith reads over the final draft of her essay. he's made a few different facial expressions and a different variety of sounds have escaped his mouth throughout the whole 5 minutes mackenzie has been standing in front of his cluttered desk. she rocks back and forth on her feet, playing with her hands as she sweats nervously. this essay is her one way ticket to a great college and english is the only class left that she needs to pass in order to get in.
"congratulations mackenzie, you've passed my class" mr smith chuckled in delight, clapping his hands as the excited girl in front of him freaks out.
mackenzie squeals and jumps up and down, her hair flailing all over the place as she smiles brightly, feeling very proud of herself.
"thank you so much! thank you!" she exclaims, hugging her english teacher. he laughs, hugging her back before releasing her.
"no miss ziegler, thank you" he replies. "this has been one of the most interesting essays i've ever had the pleasure to read" he grins, meaning every word.
thanking him one more time before bidding him goodbye, mackenzie can't wait to tell johnny that they did it! they really freaking did it. she feels a swarm of butterflies fluttering around in her stomach as she makes her way to the football field. it's lunchtime practice right now but she promised annie and lauren that she'd meet them at the bleachers.
walking out of the school building, mackenzie's brown eyes land on annie and lauren immediately, smiling as she makes her way over.
"there's our baby!" annie beams, pulling mackenzie into a tight hug.
the two pull away after s few seconds, lauren taking annie's place as she leans in for a hug also.
"well...?" lauren asks, a smirk on her face. she's been dying to know if mackenzie has passed english all day.
"your girls going to college!" she yells happily, annie and lauren gasping in excitement for her. they couldn't be prouder of their new best friend.
"that's amazing kenz! i'm so happy for you!" lauren smiles, giving the brunette a high five.
"yeah, ditto, i'm proud of you" annie inputs, side hugging the ecstatic girl.
the coach blows his whistle, letting everyone know that practice is over. mackenzie's brown orbs scan the field for johnny. she needs to thank him for everything he's done to help make this news possible. she finally spots him, laughing at joey birlem as he trips over a water bottle. mackenzie laughs under her breath at the scene. that boy really is a dipshit.
"i'll be back okay?" she tells the two girls beside her. they nod in response before diving back into their conversation.
mackenzie barley makes it down the second step before annie calls on her. she turns around, giving her a questionable look.
"i gotta tell you something" annie says in almost a dreaded tone.
mackenzie nods, climbing back up the step and following annie as she leads them away from lauren.
"so? what's up?" mackenzie asks, dying to get to johnny before he goes to change.
"it might be nothing okay but i still think you need to know just incase" annie speaks, a serious expression on her slightly pale face.
mackenzie nods, a horrible feeling twisting at her stomach. what's going on?
"okay then tell me, you're starting to freak me out" she laughs nervously.
"i saw johnny this morning. he was with nadia and they went into the janitors closet" annie tells her unwillingly. she wishes that she didn't have to tell mackenzie but she couldn't risk it. "alone".
mackenzie's heart drops, an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. it's like the ground opened up and swallowed her whole. she and johnny must've really done it and their plan has worked. mackenzie passed english and....johnny got the girl he loves back.
"kenz?" a voice calls.
mackenzie blinks away the few tears in her eyes as she turns to look at johnny who's standing with the boys. how much time has passed?
"uh i'm not feeling too well so i'm going to head home" she mutters quickly, not even saying a goodbye to annie nor lauren as she runs down the steps.
she hears johnny call out her name, his voice strained. but mackenzie doesn't turn back. she keeps running until she's in the parking lot, sitting on the hood of her car. she cries into her hands like there's no tomorrow. how could she have really been that dumb? of course everything was pretend. of course johnny didn't and doesn't have feeling for her. he doesn't love her, heck he probably doesn't even like her. mackenzie can't stop these thoughts from gathering in her head. she feels used and empty. broken and dull.
he might not think about the night they shared as a special one considering he's done it plenty times before but to her? it was all she could think about. the way she felt, the way he touched her, the connection. none of that was fake. she wasn't pretending. and she never was.
mackenzie hates that she let herself fall for him. she hates that she proved johnny wrong. he told her he could trust her not to fall in love with him but he was wrong. boy, he was so wrong.
"mackenzie?" someone asks from behind.
her eyes teary and cheeks red, mackenzie lifts her head up, her crying intensifying when she sees sage standing only a few feet away. he has a sympathetic look on his face as he walks over to her, wrapping her in a warm hug. mackenzie lets him embrace her but his arms aren't the ones she wants around her right now.
"what happened?" he asks, knowing fine well that annie had obviously told her about what she saw earlier. he knew she'd tell her. he had seen her eyes go wide as johnny and nadia went inside the closet. there's no way she wouldn't have told mackenzie.
"he got back together with nadia" she cries into his chest.
sage smirks.
"at least, i think they did....i'm pretty sure they did....but maybe i'm wrong. god i hope i'm wrong" she rambles, getting his shirt wet with her tears.
sage wipes the smirk off of his face. he was hoping she believed it so he and nadia wouldn't have to go ahead with their plan. but clearly, the show must go on.
"yeah, maybe" he says with no emotion.
"hey so i know we have a lot to talk about in regards as to why i've been a shitty bestie recently but there's a party tonight and i'm taking you, okay" sage smiles, his plan folding out perfectly so far.
mackenzie shakes her head. the last thing she wants is to go to a party. especially one johnny's going to be at.
"no, i'm staying home" she sighs.
sage can feel himself grow impatient with her but he keeps his cool because he wants everyone to go smoothly.
"please? for me? i need a wingwoman" he laughs, nudging her side. "plus, it'll take your mind off of him" he adds on.
mackenzie sighs in defeat, sage always gets his way so there's no point in arguing with the boy. she nods her head, forcing out a smile.
"okay, i'll go"
sage hugs her tighter, taking out his phone and typing a quick message to nadia before hitting send.
sage|
plan is a go.
party tonight.
u know wot to do
________________________________________________________________________
so tired
