ride (jenzie )

chapter two

Kenzie's stomach felt empty. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her cheeks were stained red with rivers of black mascara running down them. Her heart felt like it had been transplanted into an unfamiliar body with an unfamiliar soul.

The girl hadn't gotten an ounce of sleep that night. She spent it bawling her eyes out, crying over her, now ex, boyfriend, Johnny Orlando. The ex-boyfriend who cheated on her with her now ex-best friend, Nadia Turner. The boyfriend who she fell in love with and gave her all to.

Mackenzie walked back from the mirror and laid down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. The white, bumpy material that formed the ceiling shifted into last night's memories. She slapped her hands over her eyes. Stop, stop.

She turned to her bedside table, and grabbed her phone. She felt like smashing it to pieces to make her feel better. But that would only make things worst.

9:14. 9:14. 9:14.

School had started already, but Kenzie was still in bed, still in her dress from last night, and still in her ruined makeup. She didn't want to get up, or see the faces of Johnny or Nadia. Nobody would leave her alone, because Nadia had probably boasted about her intercourse with the boy to the whole school already.

Kenzie shut her eyes, letting the memories flood back. The aroma of alcohol, the boy in the bathroom, and then Johnny and Nadia.

How could he? She trusted him!

The girl opened her brown eyes, and saw all the texts and all the calls from Johnny, and at the same time, Lauren.

65 calls. 126 texts from Johnny. 43 from Lauren. And one from Nadia.

Mackenzie slammed her phone down onto her carpet, and then her face into the lilac-colored pillow. Tears flooded out, and her muffled sobs swept the room.

Why? Why did he cheat on me?

Was she too ugly? Too dumb? Too clingy? Too distant? Did she not give him what she wanted? Was she, maybe, just not his type?

Why did it happen to me?

Her spine chilled, and her cheeks grew cold. What if he's done it before?

Mackenzie heard the stomp of footsteps thundering up the steps of their quiet Pittsburg home. Usually, she would throw her covers over her head and act like she was asleep, but she no longer carries the desire to move, or the care. She just shut her eyes and took in a deep, choppy breath.

Her white wooden door swung open to show Maddie. Relief flooded over Kenzie, glad it wasn't her mom. Mackenzie blinked her brown eyes sadly, but didn't say a word.

Madison stood in front of Mackenzie's bed with her arms crossed. "You're lucky I told Mom you caught the flu. She would have killed you if she's have known you went out to a party last night."

The younger sister squeezed her eyes shut as tears threatened to spill out again. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched her comforter.

Go away!

"Shit, your hangover must be bad," she spoke again after a few seconds of silence.

Mackenzie let out a soft weep and flipped her body over to smash her face into her pillow. She let out a wail, and Maddie rushed to her side and plopped down next to her.

"Shit, Mackenzie! What happened?" She exclaimed, stroking her hair to calm and comfort her little sister.

Mackenzie's words choked up on her. "H-h-h-he h-had s-sex with s-s-somebody else."