FORCE | topper thornton

TWENTY TWO

It's exactly thirty days since Topper and I saw that house, he put an offer in on it that day, and they accepted. Since then it's been inspected, everything came back with flying colors, so today he was closing on it, but first he was signing the papers for his moms former house, he sold it, after a bidding war, so he got much more than he thought he would. He didn't have too much from the house he was keeping, really it was only sentimental stuff, so he had a small U-haul attached to the back of his car, filled with boxes, and an air mattress until furniture get's delivered tomorrow. I was so insanely proud of him, so I was treating him to lunch, I knew it was small in the grand scheme of things, but he never lets me pay, so I consider it a win. My dad finally admitted to me that he told Topper I could move in with him, my dad and I had a whole moment over it, both of us getting teary eyed at the thought of me moving out, but he supported it nonetheless. I hadn't seen Zoe around since that day at the beach, surely by now she had to clearly look pregnant, she was probably close to five or six months, but I tried not to think about it, it hurt to think about the baby I'll never know.

"Hey, Pope!" I smiled as I answered the call from him, "Kenzie, you need to get over here." His voice was high and squeaky, signalling a real emergency, I was already in my car, I was heading to The Wreck for lunch with Topper. "What happened? Where are you?" I questioned, feeling a sense of panic as my mind raced with what could be happening. "The chateau, it's John B, his dad took off with the boat this morning, he got in an accident but he'll be fine. JB is spiraling though." Pope explained, and I heard a grunt followed by a thud in the background. I sighed as I turned my car to go in the opposite direction, John B's dad had a tendency to do slightly irrational things, such as take the boat out on a day that he shouldn't, the water was rough, to say the least. "I'm on my way." I spoke and hung up, dialing Topper's number, "hey, Kenz." I could hear the happiness in his voice, he has really bounced back lately, which is good. "Hey, sweetheart." I sighed, "oh no, what's wrong?" He replied, and I felt horrible to do this, "Pope just called, John B's having a family emergency, do you think we could do dinner instead? I'll make it up to you." I assured him, he understood what I was referring to and let out a breathy laugh, it was genuine so I was relieved that he wasn't angry. "I'm holding you to that, baby girl." His voice was teasing, "I figured you would." I joked, "I'm sorry, really, I love you." I spoke as I started down the winding dirt road, the chateau slowly coming into view. "It's alright, you gotta help him out, I understand." He assured me, "I love you too, Kenz, I gotta go though, I'm going to be late to the closing." I could hear him getting out of his car, I smiled at his words, it sunk in that he was buying a home. "Good luck, baby, I'll see you tonight." I smiled as he said another quick love you and hung up the phone, I threw my car in park, shooting myself out of it when I saw Kie slam the front door of the chateau, frustration evident in her facial expression.

"Why is he reacting like this?" I called to her as I approached the run down home, "I have no fucking idea! He's being totally irrational, Sarah won't answer her phone either, so we called you." She explained, hearing the words her mouth formed an 'o' as it fell into place. "Do you think they had a fight?" I asked, jumping at the sound of JJ shouting at John B. "Or broke up." Kie pinched the bridge of her nose, the last thing she wanted to happen to John B. I entered the house hesitantly, shocked to see John B pacing shirtless with a beer in his hand, it wasn't even twelve o'clock. "John B?" I spoke softly, everyone's head swung in my direction, Pope and JJ rushed to me, sighing in relief at my presence, I'm known as the group mother, always looking out for them, no matter the cost. John B's eyes softened, and I frowned as I saw the glossiness in them. "Oh, Booker." I sighed, opening my arms as I walked towards him, he hesitated but hugged me back. I was the only one he allowed to call him by his middle name, it began when we were just little kids. "We broke up." He muttered, I grimaced at the smell of beer coming from his breath, not his normal behavior, but I'll let it slide this once given the circumstances. "And my dad, he's not going to be able to work, and I don't make enough to pay the bills and-and-" "B, look at me." I pushed him back, giving him a soft smile, "it's going to be alright, clearly Sarah doesn't know what a prize she's lost." I winked, making him crack a smile through the tears, "I'll loan you some money, yeah? You can pay me back slowly." I assured him, I knew he didn't want to accept it, but he had no choice, between his school and the job he already had, he couldn't work a second job. "Kenzie, I don't know." He shook his head, backing away from me. I turned to the guys, shooing them out, "yes mom." JJ called walking out, Pope following.

"You're taking the money." I deadpanned, arms crossed as he turned from the fridge, I sighed as he popped open another can. "No, you're done." I snapped, taking the can from his grip, he was losing it, and John B with a temper is not something people like to see, he can get a bit crazy. "Who are you, my mom?" He snapped, taking the can back, my eyebrows shot up, I started shaking my head, shocked that he uttered those words. "No, but I care enough to make sure you don't get freaking shit faced at eleven thirty in the morning!" I spoke loudly, knowing that our friends could clearly hear me. "Why does it matter to you? You're always around Topper, like fuck, what does he have that we don't! You didn't even want to date him!" John B's words hit me like a slap to the face, yes I hadn't spent as much time with them lately, but I went from dealing with my moms death to Topper's moms death, I've been busy, not just laying around with Topper all day, it was an emotional roller coaster, a mental drain. "Jesus, John B, his mom died, I was making sure he didn't go down a dark hole he couldn't get out of!" I yelled, my anger bubbling over, "I could say the same to you, Sarah was all you did, it hurt Kie, do you not remember that? But you were to busy fucking around with her." I added, not flinching as John B swung his hand up, I knew he wasn't aiming for me, his fist collided with the wall beside me. "Keep her name out of your mouth!" He shouted, I scoffed, "then don't you say shit about me boyfriend, Booker. He was keeping me from ending up like Logan." I whispered, the anger being so intense that I couldn't yell as the tears fell from my eyes. "This summer has been totally catastrophic for me, do you see that? And don't even say I'm feeling sorry for myself, because I don't, it's just the truth, if I didn't have Topper, there's a high chance you'd be yelling at my grave instead of in my face." I seethed, I stomped over to my purse, tears still flowing from my eyes, I yanked my wallet out.

John B was beginning to calm down from my lecture, realizing he had been wrong to call me out on spending time with Topper, I hadn't told them I was moving in with him in November, part of me wanted to throw it in his face out of anger, but I decided against it. "How much are your bills for the month?" I asked, calmly, despite the anger still running through me. "Kenzie, I'm sorry." John B mumbled, I could tell he was embarrassed, I nodded, not turning to face him, "okay, how much?" Is all I said, "six hundred." His voice was low, shameful for taking money from me, his friend. I scribbled down the amount, making it out to him, "here." I tore the check from my wallet, handing it to him. I finally looked to him as he took it, "Kenzie, I didn't know you felt that way, I'm sorry, I wasn't there." He looked away as he spoke, hating that he had to say those words. When we were young, before he even knew JJ, my mom brought me to play dates to see him, she was close with his father when they were our ages. We were the best of friends, for years, welcoming JJ with open arms, but slowly those two boys became closer, and I felt excluded from the group, Pope came into my life right about then, and I hesitated in introducing him to the two boys, but I did. I'm glad I did, but I don't think John B and I will ever be that close again, it's childish, stupid, I know, but we're both stubborn and we both hold some distant after the heartache that caused us at such a young age. "It's alright, Booker, it's not your fault." I sighed, grabbing my things and walking out.

"Him and Sarah broke up, take care of him for me, please." I spoke to the three friends standing on the porch, frowning at my puffy eyes, "I've gotta go, I'm meeting Topper at o-his new place." I added, almost slipping up and saying our, despite the fact that I'm no where near moving in yet.