Sugar Honey Iced Tea

7

Friday afternoon I have a shift at the McAvoy Theatre. I've only been working here a few weeks, just to pay for theatre group. I think I've got the hang of it, though. My manager, Janet, is watching over me like I'm prey, just itching for me to mess up. I'm sure it won't be long until her itch is scratched. The theatre's fairly empty as of now - the last person walked in two hours ago and it feels like it was years ago. I'm behind the counter refilling the popcorn machine (we go through about three packets of kernels a night), when in walks a familiar face. It's a girl I'm positive I know, and the closer she gets to the counter, the more I'm sure it's none other than Mackenzie White. And when I'm sure it's her I sink into my stomach. She's trudging over like she's making a point of it; her leather army boots click-clocking on the theatre floor. Before I know it, she's facing me at the counter, wincing, trying to make my face out.
"Oh. My. God. Julia?" Her eyes are widened and now so are mine. "Julia Cohen?"
"Mackenzie. It's been so long."
She pulls in for an over-the-counter hug and we do so. Her hair smells like coconuts and vanilla. "Tell me about it! Wow. I haven't seen you since I moved. How weird is this!" It was weird. Very weird. So weird I think I'm dreaming. So weird I pinch myself.
"You look so different." Mackenzie does look different. Her honey-kissed pigtails are now tawny bangs, her ginger freckles are now drowned in foundation and she looks like of those girls on the cover of Vogue.
Mackenzie squeezes in her chest and smirks. "So do you! This is where you work, then?"
"Yup. Fresh out the works." I laugh awkwardly.
"What a coincidence. I'm actually here for a job interview."
"Um, what?"
"Yeah! I just moved back, and I saw the 'help wanted' sign on the door so I guess I just, pounced at the offer."
"Oh, wow, that's great." Please try to sound more enthusiastic. "Really, this is amazing."
"Aw, thank you. This place really hasn't changed, huh?"
"Sure hasn't. What brought you back, anyway? I thought your dad got reinstated to a new precinct?"
She shrugs. "Uh, yeah, he did. But actually, me and my mum just moved back." She scratches the back of her head. "They got divorced six months ago." Her expression changes so drastically; from 'I'm on top of the world' to 'I want the world to swallow me whole.' I can relate.
"I'm so sorry, Mackenzie. If it makes you feel any better, you get used to it after a while." I'm trying to sound empathetic, I really am - but so much has happened since Mackenzie - since this very theatre.
She looks deep into my eyes. "Thanks, Julia."
"Uh, actually, it's Jules now." I twitch. Julia always sounded so formal. It never suited me.
"Jules, huh? I like it," she checks her watch. "I better get going if I'm not goona be late for that interview. We should exchange digits. What's your number?"
I hand her my phone and the first thing she points out is my lock screen. "Barbra Streisand? I take it your still into theatre, then?" She grins.
I blush. "Guilty as charged."
She enters her phone number into my phone and gives me hers. Her lock screen is of her and a girl, making pouty faces and laying on grass.
"Who's that?"
Mackenzie rocks on her heels and her lips stretch across her cheeks. "Oh. That's my girlfriend, Tess."
I stand back in amazement. Girlfriend? "Wow, uh-cool." Why do I feel shaky? I exit out of the screen and type my number into her contacts, hand it back to her.
"So, anyway..." she trails off. "Maybe we could catch up sometime? That crummy diner's still open by the harbour. Been a while since I ate there."
"Yeah, Mackenzie. That sounds fun."
"Before I go, can you tell me where the manager's office is?"
I point to the staff door behind me. "Through that door, it's right on the left." I smile and she smiles back.
She gets behind the counter and puts her hand on the door. "Wish me luck!" I don't wish her good luck. Not because I want her to do bad but because I can't imagine working with her after everything we've been through. Why, oh why, did Mackenzie White have to walk through those doors?

Mackenzie White and I were best friends throughout Year 9. Despite knowing her only for a year since she moved here, we only got talking one lunchtime in the library. Leah was behind the bike sheds smoking with her other friends, presumably, and Oliver was in the computer room writing an article for the school newspaper about how 'Liza Minnelli will never be as good as her mother' or whatever he did in there. I was sat on the far end table, chewing on a cheese stick, watching Glee on my phone. Glaring at me was Mackenzie White, reading a Punk Planet magazine. She had her hair in two messy pigtails, like she always did, and was sporting a five-inch length tie and shirt cuffs tucked into the cuffs of her blazer (not school approved). Her skinny body scooted over to me, leaving her magazine and bag behind.
"Watcha' watching?" She queried, her hands out on the table.
I took out my earphones, confused. She was one of those girls you always saw around school but never spoke to out of fear they'd hit you. "What?"
She giggled childishly, eyeing the screen. She was nosy like that. "Ah, Glee. Ain't that the show about the gay kids that sing?"
I laughed. "They aren't all gay."
"Right." She rolled her eyes playfully, putting her arm on my chair.
"You're new here, right?"
She blew her hair in her face. "Yup. Mackenzie White." She held out her hand for me to shake.
When I shook it my hands were all clammy. "I know who you are. You're the talk of the town." I joked.
"Really? I am honoured!"
"Julia Cohen."
"That's so pretty. Who are you named after?"
That was a good question. I was actually named after my great-gran, who also starred in productions at St. Helena's.
"Not sure."
We sat there for a little while, until Mackenzie spoke. "Hey, you wanna share an Angel Delight?"
"Sure."