KENZIE
"Okay I know you don't want to see people from high school," Macey says walking into my room the next night.
"I'm not going," I cut her off.
She's already dressed for the party, jean shorts that show of her long legs, a white tank top that's got lace lining the straps and neckline. She's got on her own little diamond necklace that matches the one hanging around my neck.
"Let me finish," she sasses, "We only have a week together. And I fucking miss you! I want to hang out with my sister."
She walks over to my bed and sits on the edge and her tone changes when she says, "I'm not used to you being so far away. I feel like you're forgetting about me."
Fuck, I didn't even think about how she's been handling this. We've been attached at the hip since birth. We're basically the same person. Like we had our first kiss on the same night in eighth grade, our first date was a double date together!
"Mace, I'm sorry," I sit up, "I didn't know you felt that way."
"I didn't want to tell you because you're having so much fun in California, I didn't want you to worry about me." She sighs. "Please come tonight, we can leave as soon as you want to. I just wanna have a fun night with my sister."
I nod, "I'll go, do you have another preroll?"
She smirks and pulls a black tube from her bra, "Of course I do!"
I laugh then say, "Let me change and throw on some makeup."
"Brandon's picking us up at ten," she says getting up and leaving my room.
-
"Fuck," I mumbled as I follow Macey and Brandon into the party.
Why did I agree to this? Oh yeah, because I love my sister.
I pull on the bottom of my shorts, and adjust my t-shirt. I've got it tucked in the front but hanging loose in the back. It's a Dallas Cowboys shirt from when Dad first joined the team in the 90's. It's one of my favorite t-shirts because it's big and baggy, it's like a comfort shirt.
I don't even notice Macey stop in front of me. I almost run into her but she puts her hands on my shoulders so we don't collide.
"If you get uncomfortable just tell me."
"Just find me some alcohol."
"On it!" She takes one of my hand, and leads us towards the laughter echoing from the backyard.
"The twins!" Jason cheers from where he's standing at the pong table. Jason and Brandon were on the soccer team together.
"Hello!" Macey basically bounces away, waving to the group. I slowly follow behind her. I'm not high or drunk enough for this. We shared the joint in the car on the way here and took a few shots before leaving the house. But nothings hitting yet.
I do a scan of the party. There's not a ton of people but there's a group playing pong, a few people sitting in a circle sharing a joint and a group right outside the open barn doors sitting around a fire. I recognize all of them and I wish I didn't.
The best part of being in California is that no one knows my past. No one knows about the crash, about Logan, no one whispers about me being stupid because of everything he did, no one pities me. But here they know, they know it all. They all whispered about me behind my back, they called me stupid and I can still see a few of them looking at me, talking about me like I'm not here.
"Hey, city girl," Jason says as we share a quick hug.
"Hi, country boy," I tease him. His family owns a farm, aka the land we're currently on and he truly couldn't be more country. But he's the sweetest guy.
"Kenzie!"
"Oh my god," I groan. I turn on my heels and there his stupidly tall ass stands, Logan.
"I thought you were busy," he smirks.
"Plans got canceled." I answer pointedly. I need to get away from him.
This is all too much.
"Hey, Logan!" Macey comes to my side, handing me a beer as she slings an arm
around my shoulders. My hero.
"Hey, Macey," he smiles at her. That stupid charming smile.
"Harassing my sister?"
I crack open the can and take a sip. Ew gross, I look at the can. It's some cheap beer.
"Just saying hi." His tone is sickly sweet.
"Well I'm gonna steal her away," Macey smiles at him pulling me away from him.
Once we're out of the barn and out in the dirt Macey takes her arm off me and stops to face me.
"Thank you," I turn to her, pushing my fingers through my hair.
"I didn't know he was gonna be here, I'm sorry," Macey says.
"No it's fine, it's just all too much," I feel like my heart is gonna beat out of my chest.
"I just need to walk away for a second," I sigh.
"Mace! Pong?" Brandon shouts at us from the edge of the barn.
Macey acknowledges him with a nod, but then looks at me, "I can tell him no. We can so sit out front."
I shake my head, "Go play, I'll come find you in a couple minutes."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive," I softly smile at her, trying to reassure her, "Go play."
"Love you," she pats my shoulder.
"Love you," I say to her before heading away from the barn while Macey heads towards it.
I make my way out to the front of the house, I find Brandon's truck and pop open the door to the bed. I hop up, letting my legs hang over the edge as I lay back looking up at the stars.
I want to be one of those stars, just hanging out in the sky with all my star friends. No problems or people. People suck.
"Hey," the truck bounces as someone hops into the bed.
I groan when I see who it is.
"Can you not take a hint?" I glare up at him.
Logan's standing next to me. "Oh c'mon! I'm a joy to be around."
"More like a pain in the ass," I sit up, oh shit, too fast. The weed and alcohol are definitely starting to hit.
"What do you want Evans?" Maybe if I just ask him straight out maybe he'll go away faster.
"Can't we just hang out?" He sits down next to me.
"No. What do you want?" I turn to look at him.
"Wanted to make sure you're okay," he shrugs.
"Logan Evens cares?" I tease him.
"Oh shut up," he shakes his head, "Just proving to you I'm not as bad as you think."
"And I'm not as dumb as I look, what do you want?"
"God, Kenzie," he groans, "Why'd you come out here?"
"Why do you care?" I raise a brow at him suspiciously.
"Just trying to be nice."
I stare at him for a second, trying to read him but I can't, he just always seems so aloof. I hate it.
I hop off the truck, looking up at him as I say, "You're up to something and I don't know what."
Logan sits on the edge of the truck, "Tell me."
"You're not gonna leave me alone until I do, huh?" I cross my arms over my chest.
He pats the spot on the truck next to him.
I roll my eyes but join him anyway because this beats trying to socialize with anyone back in the barn.
"Those people don't know me. They have an idea of who I am, because of you," I glare at him.
"Sorry," he says quietly.
"It's hard to be back here when I know I'm more then this little town. I didn't expect coming back to be easy but I also didn't expect it to be so hard but it is." I shrug.
"Why? Don't you like seeing your family? And friends?" He leans back resting on his hands.
"I like getting to hang with Mace, my parents are tolerable," I chuckle, "And I have no friends here. But in LA I have so many people around me who make me feel seen. I didn't expect to love it out there so much," I look back him, "But I do."
"I get that," he nods.
"I only came tonight because Macey wanted to hang out but Brandon's here so she's distracted," I lay down on the bed of the truck again, tucking my arms behind my head.
"How long have they been together now?"
"Uhm five years? I think." I look over at Logan, "Let's talk about something else, tell me about the draft. How does it work?"
"How does it work?" He repeats laughing.
"Oh never mind," I roll my eyes at him, "How about just no talking at all?"
But he ignores me he goes on to explain how the draft works to me anyway.