𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 ✾ (𝐣𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐢𝐞)

TWELVE !

DIFFERENT !

"WOW, MACKENZIE. You sure do have one hell of a backstory," nadia took a swig of her beer bottle.

my whole 'i'm going to change' plan? didn't work out so well.

in all fairness, it was nadia's idea to get drunk.

"yeah, yeah, i know. shit happens, though. i'm okay now," i paused, shrugging my shoulders, "somewhat."

i don't remember when, nor how, but somehow through tonight i built more trust and courage with nadia than i ever had before. that is, except for with greta. frankly, i thought it was the alcohol talking.

at least i didn't have anymore cigarettes. baby steps.

"i relate. i mean, are any of us really okay?" she laid down, raising her arm above her head and tracing shapes in the hair with her index finger. "we're all just hurting souls inside of bodies."

"that was deep. let's not be deep anymore," my head raced through the different topics to talk about, like i'd rolled a die and it was randomizing which category to speak of. "johnny's cute," i whispered, unintentionally.

"johnny? you can have him," she giggled, "but he is cute." i stayed quiet for a moment, my mind still unsure of what to think of.

"is noah single?" she blurted.

suddenly, my heart was at my feet. noah, as in, my noah? noah who only worried about me, him, and his sister? it was selfish of me to feel sad when i thought of him with nadia, hugging another girl when she cries, having movie marathons with another girl.

"noah? noah schnapp?" i stuttered. desperately, i tried to remove the thought of losing our friday night sleepovers, our friendly 'i love you's, and our goodnight hugs- all because he's in a relationship. with my sister.

but, my wants can't prevent his happiness.

"the only noah we know," she giggled, still tracing shapes in the air. "he has a girlfriend?"

"um, no. nope, he's single," i blinked, turning over so i laid on my left side, away from nadia.

"good to know."

curiosity got the best of me. "why? you like him or something?" my phone blinked with texts from noah.

"eh, he's cute," nadia gasped, "i should set you up with johnny! how come i didn't think of this before?"

i sat up rather quickly, "no! i mean, don't you think that'll be wrong? or awkward? it's just bad on so many levels, nadia."

"how so? explain."

"for one," i sighed, "the moms think you two are dating-"

she cut me off, "and they could also think that we broke up. mine and johnny's plan will live on, because you're mom's daughter and you'll be dating johnny. it's just like how it worked for johnny and i, but a different ziegler kid."

"okay, and," i continued, "i start school with you guys on monday. he could reject me, and i have to see him every day! you know how awkward that would be?"

"i thought mackenzie ziegler didn't get embarrassed?" she smirked.

i huffed, "i'm changing, damnit. leave me alone," i covered my red face with a pillow.

"he won't reject you. just be you, you're super cool. i'm sure he will like you," she smiled, ripping the pillow out of my hands and throwing it on the ground.

"okay, let's say i agree to this. how are you even going to set us up?" i questioned, giving her a doubtful look.

"i make a group chat, i'll add you two and some other friends from school, you add noah, and bam, we've got ourselves a love story."

"there's a fat bet that'll work, but okay," i laughed. "make it now, even though they're all probably asleep."

"my friends? asleep at two in the morning? funny," she raised an eyebrow, typing things into her phone. "imessage? snapchat? instagram?"

"instagram, then we can unsend stuff if we have to," i pointed out.

"okay and... it's made. go look at it."

KARLEIGH SPEAKS !
who do you think will be in the group chat? 😏😏