𝙍𝙐𝙈𝙊𝙍 ➝ jenzie

18. the boy of her dreams

oh, be honest, girl, now
do you want to do this or not?

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1st

JOHNNY AND MACKENZIE WERE SITTING in the parking lot of a taco bell, completely silent. no words had been exchanged since mackenzie said hi.

they were too deep in thought. thinking about what to say, what to do, how to do it, and most importantly what they wanted. mackenzie composes her thoughts and took a deep breath.

"i am 16 years old. i am almost 17 years old. i have kissed one person, and it was you. i have never had a boyfriend, much less even known if a boy has liked me or not. my father walked out on my mom, sister, and i when i was 13. i have very, very little knowledge when it comes to men and boys. when you asked me to fake date, i was scared. i didn't know how these relationships worked. but i was also excited. i was excited to learn about boys and the way they talked and how they acted and got what they wanted. i had to stay guarded though. i've been hurt too many times."

"kenz-" john interrupted her.

"no. let me finish." she said and he nodded. "i kept myself guarded. i made sure that i would not actually fall for you. in theory, this is a great idea. two friends fake date and the school goes crazy. but in real life - in my life - that wouldn't have worked. not for a second. i started falling for you as soon as you remembered my order at dunkin' donuts. something as silly and premature as that and i was wrapped around your finger. i'm sorry i made it seem like you would break my heart. you're a good guy, the best i know. but all i know is people leaving. i don't want to see you go too."

it was silent for a moment, john didn't know how exactly to respond.

"this was not a good idea. this 'fake dating', yanno? how could this possibly work, and what were we trying to accomplish? date in every way, except only us knew it was fake? how does that make any sense?"

mackenzie and him both laughed for a second.

"mackenzie - god that is way too formal for me- kenz, the truth is, i have liked you this whole time. i liked you before the coffee order. i liked you before the rumor. i liked you since you walked into math on the first day of school and pointed at me and smiled and then sat in the open seat i was secretly saving for you the whole time."

it took mackenzie everything she had to make sure her mouth didnt drop open, but that didn't stop her heart from beating out of her chest.

johnny orlando liked her. the captain of the hockey, baseball, and football team. the hottest guy - in her standards - in the whole school, liked her.

"you know, you called me kenz the day you kissed me. and from that moment on i knew that no one else saying my name would ever top that." she blushed.

the car felt safe. she felt secure. any secrets she had were able to come out, there was nothing stopping them.

"i saw my dad today."

"you what?" he asked, shocked.

"he texted me, after you left. and asked me to go to dinner with him tonight at-" she paused and looked at the clock. 9:02. she couldn't believe it had already been 2 hours. "-at seven."

"what did you say to him?" john asked eagerly.

"nothing. i saw him at the table and i ran. i thought i could face him, but i couldn't."

john placed his hand on her thigh, for comfort. "he doesn't deserve you, kenz," he made sure to put emphasis on her name, since she liked it so much.

kenzie looked down at his hand on her thigh and nodded. "ya, you're right. but i wish i would have poured a glass of water on him or something." she let out a soft laugh.

so did john. he loved that she could still find something funny in such a sad situation. he loved that she still looked for the good in people and how she was so willing to forgive people.

"that wouldnt have made you feel better," he sighed, not wanting her to genuinely regret anything.

"i know i know, but i just, i just, i- i don't know. i want him to feel the pain i felt when he left. i walked into the restaurant and he had the biggest grin on his face. he was laughing. he was with his new family."

"the bastard invited you to dinner with his new bitch?" johnny gasped.

"yep," mackenzie instantly answered. the answer came from deep in her belly, due to trying to hold back her tears.

"maybe you should have done the whole water thing then," he mumbled.

she smirked and looked up at him. his green eyes were carefully scanning each inch of her face. from her pimpled forehead, to her puffy under eyes, to her smudged lip gloss.

he knew in that moment she was the most beautiful girl in the whole world.

john squeezed her thigh, and she placed her hand overtop of it.

the tension in the car was unbearable. any other teenager boy would be laughing at john for not making a move, or the teenage girls would be groaning at mackenzie for not batting her eyes at him. but they were perfectly content sitting in his car in silence, listening to the low hum of the AC.

"hey, johnny?" mackenzie said after a few minutes.

"yes, kenz?" he responded in a low voice.

"do you think you could run to dunkin?"

he chuckled, "anything for you."

wise words of abby
y'all really thot i was gonna make me kiss ????
sorry bs maybe next time

also i'm in love with them lolz

HEY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 10K READS!!!!! ALSO IVE NOTICED A TON OF NEW READERS SO PLEASE COMMENT AND LET ME GET TO KNOW YOU🤩
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