[𝟗] 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 ( descendants ) [DISCONTINUED]

─ chapter sixteen

Mackenzie should have gotten up, she probably should have dragged herself to her room. But, she felt frozen to the floor as she just sobbed, curled up in a ball with tears rolling down her cheeks. A boy was walking down the corridor and noticed the redhead. A small frown spread across his face and he walked over to her.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked looking down at her. Kenzie jumped slightly and slowly looked up, wiping the tears from her cheeks and eyes.

"Yeah... fine." She brushed it off, not wanting to move. She had honestly expected that anyone who found her would laugh and bully her further.

"You don't look it." He said, but quickly realised how that could be taken the wrong way, "I mean, you were crying so..." He trailed off, giving up on trying to explain himself, "What's happened?" He asked as he knelt down to her level.

"Oh, it doesn't matter." She shook her head. She didn't know how to deal with people being nice to her and also didn't feel like venting to a stranger. "I'm okay." She added.

"Are you sure? It's just, If someone's bothering you. I can talk to them or just beat them up for you." He suggested, sitting down instead. He wasn't entirely sure why he was being so nice to her but he hated seeing someone crying.

"I don't exactly think you can beat up Audrey." Kenzie muttered. "I've been here a few days and she's had a problem with me since the first one. And I wish I knew why." She sighed, wiping her eyes. He frowned and rested his arms in his lap.

"I may not be able to beat her up but I could definitely shout at her. She tends to listen to me because I scare her when I'm angry." He informed the girl with a small shrug, "I mean, I could do it if you want. I wouldn't mind." He offered.

"No no no." Kenzie said quickly, shaking her head. "That would only give her more of a reason to target me." She said in a mutter. "Who are you?" She asked, looking at the boy.

"Ari Khan. Son of Ares." He introduced, "You are Mackenzie, right?" He asked, looking around the corridor. He couldn't see anyone around which made him glad. His eyes turned back to Mackenzie and he smiled.

"So you haven't been living under a teacup," She added with a slight laugh. "I was beginning to think you didn't actually know who I am. But yes, Mackenzie Hatter." She smiled slightly, but it quickly disappeared. "Or crazy bitch as many like to call me." She muttered, her gaze moving down to her hands.

"Just because you're from Wonderland doesn't make you crazy and certainly not a bitch." He said as a small frown spread across his lips, "Also, so what if you're crazy? The best people are." He added after a moment of thinking. Kenzie tilted her head and rose an eyebrow. A small smile appeared on her lips and she didn't even notice.

"Only people from Wonderland believe that." She said, with slight confusion in her tone.

"Well, clearly not. I've met people from Wonderland and they have been the nicest people I've met." He said with a small shrug, the smile forming on his lips again.

"You're one of the very few people I've met in this school who are like that." Kenzie said, her eyebrow still raised. "Well, we aren't directly from Wonderland. I've never been there myself, I just know a lot about it." She shrugged.

"Yeah. Well, I'd love to go there myself one day. It honestly sounds wonderful." He said with a small smile. He realised what he said and chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"Well, it's in the name." She said, laughing slightly. "Wonder really is the most wonderful thing. It's a shame many can't see that." She added. She didn't understand why she'd been cheered up by this boy but she appreciated it.

"I guess, people are just close-minded. They can't see the beauty in the strange. They only like what they know and anything different scares them. It's sad really." He said, moving to sit next to her, leaning against the wall. She turned her head so she was looking at him and nodded.

"You're right." She agreed. "If they bothered to open up to a little crazy then they'd understand. But no one wants to because it's not the usual way." She frowned. "I've dealt with it all my life, I don't think it's going to change anytime soon." She muttered.

"Well, you have people like me and your other Wonderland friends. If you surround yourself with like-minded people, you'll be better off than trying to fit in and lying to everyone and yourself." He said simply, meeting her gaze. She smiled at him but was still reluctant to believe him.

"It's hard to find those people here, there aren't many of them," She pointed out. "Why are you being nice to me? Surely you've heard what everyone has been saying about me." She said with a small sigh.

"Yeah, I have heard what they say and it's bullshit. Why should what they say affect what I think? You are a nice person and maybe a little crazy, but again, the best people are crazy so why should that matter?" He responded as he looked down at his hands in his lap.

"It matters to most people." She shrugged, getting to her feet. "I should go... I... before she comes back." Kenzie muttered, referring to Audrey. He nodded and got to his feet as well.

"Yeah, okay. That's fine. I'll talk to you later, Kenzie." He said with a small smile. Kenzie nodded and began to walk away. However, she turned around, looking at Ari.

"Thank you, Ari." She smiled at him.

"No problem. You can talk to me anytime." He said, putting his hands in his pockets. Kenzie nodded, the smile on her lips growing a bit.

"See you around, Ari." She said, meeting his gaze.

"See ya." He said before turning around and strolling off, a smile on his lips. Kenzie watched him walk away, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Well that was... definitely bonkers." She muttered to herself before walking off.

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