Life Changing

(3)

Cowboy

Mackenzie's POV

I WALKED OUT TO THE PATIO THE NEXT MORNING. I was greeted by my stepdad Greg. He was ready looking like a countryside farmer: straw hat, tucked in checkered button up shirt, and leather boots.

"Well, good morning daughter." He smiled at me. Oh my god, why the fuck am I so soft sometimes. I'm supposed to be mad at Greg right now. Why does he have to call me daughter? I'm not even his real one. He's still a great person though.

"Hi Greg." I hesitantly say his name. He doesn't seem to notice.

"I went to say hi to the neighbors just an hour ago. Dale and Meredith. They have 3 daughters and a son. The son's real good lookin'." Greg raised his eyebrows.

I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Hey, daughter. Might wanna change. You can go to Maddie's room for some work appropriate clothes." Greg said. He pointed at my leather jacket, tube top, ripped jeans, and heels. I nodded and walked into the house. But I knew there was no way I was gonna become a cowgirl. At least, not yet.

I went upstairs and changed into something more casual: black jean shorts and a white crop top that said "IDGAF." I even threw in some boots. But they were black leather with chunky heels. At least, fake leather. Ya know, save the fucking animals or you get hated on at school by the Hydro Flask Scrunchie VSCO girlz.

I strutted down the stairs and went back to the patio. But my stepdad Greg wasn't there. Instead, there was a good-looking, ripped guy squinting at the sun. His shirt was open, revealing WOAH abs and he didn't have a hat on so you could see his green flashy eyes and fluffy dirty blond hair.

Finally, the dude looked at me. His eyes widened, and not because I was hot. "Oh, what a-an-an interesting choice of outfit." He frowned but then looked up back at me.

"No accent?" I raised an eyebrow. "No hardey har herr and the cowboy campfire singin'?" I imitated a cowboy dance and swung my arms.

He blinked a few times but then chuckled. Chuckling turned to laughter. And laughter turned to snorts. And snorts turned to howls. Howls turned to tears. I kept my arms crossed while he went through his weird laughing stages.

He wiped a tear. "Phew. Umm, no. Not everybody here actually has an accent. I came from LA too, 2 and 1/2 years ago. I mean, I can do the "ain't" and all that, but I usually don't." He explained.

Realization hit me like- like. I dunno. Like Thor's hammer.

"Ohhhhh! You're the emo guy who used to sing songs I've never heard of, but were good! You brought that guitar to class and when you skipped it, you'd sing in the hallways." He nodded and smiled.

"Oh my god! But you're like- like a new person! I mean, in middle school you had those ridiculous glasses. Finally the first year of high, you got rid of those. But now- now you're like- abs!" I pointed.

"Okay, don't go crazy on me. I was at that school since 1st grade. Was in Kinder? I knew you in 4th and 5th grade. You had glasses too!" The ab boy pointed out.

"Ugh, don't remind me." I slapped my forehead. It's true. I had glasses. Then I got contacts. Oh god, those things saved my life in middle and high school. Though, I'm still high school. This year will be my senior year.

"What do you do here. Like, for example, pigs? Oh wait, lemme guess." I say.

"Nope,"

"Cows?"

He shakes his head.

"Chickens?"

"As a pet, yeah, we have one. But we don't live off with chickens." He says. "So wrong."

"Ugh, then what?"

"Sheep." He says. I burst out laughing.

"You're a shepard!" I say in between gasps of laughter.

When I finally stop laughing, I realize I don't know his name.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Johnny," he replies.

"Kenzie." I say back. "I seriously can't believe you're that guy from middle school." There was a little silemce between us, until Johnny says something.

"Hey, did you know Annie and Hayden? Or Lauren?"