FORCE | topper thornton

FIVE

"Kenzie, what's wrong?" Topper muttered when I turned the opposite direction of where we were going. "My ex is over there, I don't want him to see us." I sighed pulling Topper along with me, "what?" He turned back to look, what happened between Matthew and I was no secret, practically the whole school knew because he spread rumors about me, he started telling people I was a prude because I wasn't having sex with him, but then he told some people I was a slut because I hung out with a group of boys, people believed both sides which makes absolutely no sense. "Topper stop looking!" I whisper shouted yanking him to face me, "I can't believe I'm going to say this but let's go hang out with your friends." I laughed giving him a reassuring smile, I'd rather be around them and know that they'd look out for me if Matthew were to spot me.

"Well, hello love birds." Kelce teased when Topper and I walked up, hand in hand, out of instinct Topper dropped my hand, ouch. I shrugged it off, pointing to the volleyball lying on the ground, "is that yours?" I questioned before picking it up, "yeah." Rafe muttered, watching me bend over to pick it up, "what the fuck man!" Topper gently whacked his friends arm, "stop." He added with a glare, much to my surprise. "Wanna play?" I held the ball up in my hand, there was a net not to far away, the boys all shared a look, "it's on!" Kelce shouted stealing the ball from me and hauling ass to the net. "If you don't hurry up, I'll be on his team!" I teased Topper as I ran after Kelce. "Not cool!" He shouted running after me, his hands landing on my waist once he caught up to me, "gotcha." His voice was low in my ear, he gave me a light squeeze before letting go. "You're going down boys!" I called, getting ready for Kelce to hit the ball.

We were all getting really into the game, maybe a little too much when Rafe hit the ball, sending it past both Topper and I, a gasp fell from my lips when it landed right next to an old woman and her husband. The boys looked panicked, ushering me to go get it, afraid that she would be angry at us. I ran over there, plastering a smile on my face, "I'm so sorry!" I rushed my words, picking up the ball, "oh honey it's fine, you're just having fun." She waved it off, her husband was asleep in his beach chair, I gave her a quick smile, getting ready to walk away when she began speaking again. "I have a grandson about your age, here he comes now!" She waved behind me and I glanced back freezing when I locked eyes with Matthew. "Matthew is your grandson?" I asked looking towards her, I never met anyone in his family aside from his parents, everyone else lived on the mainland, where he moved but apparently is back for the summer. "Oh you know him?" She gasped with a smile, I bit my lip before mumbling a yeah. "I'm McKenzie." I told her, and her face fell, "oh." She looked me up and down before shaking her head, "you're the one who broke my Matthew's heart." I held back a snotty remark, she only knows what he's told her, obviously. "I'm sorry." I muttered and began walking off, hoping that Matthew would just let me walk by unscathed but no. I caught Toppers eyes as Matthew grabbed my arm, stopping me. "What are you harassing my grandma now?!" He snapped, but shot his grandma a fake smile. I pulled my arm from his grip, "no actually I was apologizing to her for what a scumbag you are." I snapped, he rolled his eyes. "Wow, not such a prude now I see, might as well be walking around naked." He looked at me as if his words were supposed to hurt, I was in a bikini like almost every other girl here. "Thanks for your input, I'll be leaving now." I hissed beginning to walk away from him, Topper, Rafe and Kelce were all glaring at the boy. "He's such a prick." I muttered, wrapping my arms around Toppers torso, he continued to glare at Matthew who was not budging from his spot. "Just ignore him, Top." I whispered, forcing him to look at me, he sighed, annoyed but nodded, "let's just get back to our game." I agreed with him, but I knew this wouldn't be the last we saw of Matthew, because that would simply be too easy.

***

Topper was pulling into my driveway when I noticed a familiar car parked in it, Logan. Topper knew my brothers car as well and looked to me with a smile, "did you know he was coming home?" I asked when he gave me a devious smile, "maybe." He hummed, laughing as I practically flew out of the car. I ran up to the door swinging it open and a grin made its way to my face, my brother was easily my best friend, "Logan!" I laughed when he picked me up in a hug. "Oh my god I missed you, ya little shit." He mumbled in my hair, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, "I missed you too." I squeezed him once more before he let me back down on my feet, Topper walked in behind me. "Hey, man, how are you?" They did that guy hug thing, you know when they grab hands and pat each other's backs. "Good, I've got some news actually." Logan answered, I gave him a weird look, "I was waiting for you to get home, dad and Leslie have been anxiously waiting in the living room." Logan laughed, pulling me along, I grabbed Topper's hand, forcing him to come along as well. The only thing I can think is it has something to do with his girlfriend, I can't stand her, she's really bitchy towards him. I walked in the room and saw her right hand over her left, I looked towards my brother, I knew what was coming. I sat beside my mother, Topper on the other side, he greeted my parents before Logan started to talk. "Zoe and I are engaged." Logan grinned, expecting a round of applause, none of us liked her, well Topper didn't know, so he started clapping, "congrats!" He looked towards me and I followed his actions, we can't be rude, my parents soon followed. She uncovered her hand revealing a ring that was extremely to extravagant for a college student. I went slightly wide eyed as she stood up, coming over to hug my mother who came to her senses and congratulated them. Logan was practically her son, she's known him since he was five, his mother hasn't been super involved in his life, she has issues. "This is just wonderful, son." My dad spoke and you had to be an idiot to not tell he was lying, but I guess Zoe must be since she didn't seem to notice at all. "Aren't you happy?" Logan muttered giving me another hug, "yeah, of course." I sighed, putting on my fake happiness as I pulled back. "Wow, Zoe, that is quite the ring." I laughed lightly as I looked at the rock she was flaunting around, she let out a ditzy giggle, "oh it's just beautiful, I'm going to have smaller diamonds added around it before the wedding." She squealed and I turned to Topper with a 'is she on drugs' face. He stifled back a laugh as he grabbed my hand reassuringly, "well we should go out to dinner to celebrate, don't you think, Pete?" My mom spoke, looking towards my dad who looked like a deer in the headlights. "Oh yeah." He answered, looking at me as I rolled my eyes at the back of Zoe's head, he cracked a smile, "Topper," he paused waiting for him to look away from me, "yes sir?" Topper cleared his throat, nervously. "You should join us." My dad smiled at the boy, "I'd love to, thanks." Topper answered, sighing in relief that it was nothing serious. I laughed at his panic, "I'll need someone to keep me from losing it." I whispered to him, as everyone discussed where we were going to eat, it's going to be a long night.