KENZIE
Two hours later I finally walk out to the living room. After I got off the phone with Macey, which turned into us just catching up after our initial conversation. I've finally showered and thrown on sweatpants and a giant hoodie that just feels like home.
"Oh, honey," Alana hums as I slump onto the couch next to her.
"It's been a night," I sigh. I won't lie, I cried in the shower and I know my face is still red and stained with tears.
"We got pizza," Sam smiles leaning forward to grab the box on the other side of me.
"Thank you," I weakly smile as she opens the box and I pick out a piece. It's just pepperoni and looks like it's been sitting out for a while but I don't care. I still feel a bit tipsy and I just wanna eat something and go to sleep.
"You wanna talk about it?" Sam asks, setting the pizza box back on our coffee table.
"I don't know," I say taking a bit of the slice of pizza.
"Want a hug?" Alana asks. I turn to look at her and just nod as I chew. Before I know it Alana and Sam throw their arms around me. They each rest their heads on my shoulders. And then only seconds later I'm crying while still eating my pizza.
"Oh honey!" Alana shoots up pulling the sleeve of her hoodie around her thumb as she catches my tears.
"Aw, Kenz, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Sam asks again as she slowly rubs my back.
"It's just all so messy and I just don't feel like retelling it all," I tell them as I stare at my half eaten piece of pizza. "I want to tell you guys," I look at them both, "It's just a lot right now."
"Maybe sleeping will help you process everything," Sam says.
I groan dramatically dropping my head back against the couch, "Can I just sleep for the rest of my life?"
-
KENZIE
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Okay girls!" Coach B claps instantly getting all of our attention. I'm standing between Sam and Sophie, one of the other juniors on the team.
It's our first practice of the season. School starts in two weeks but we have to be ready for welcome weekend next week. We're performing our winning routine from last years competition season so none of the freshman are here but they've had their own training and technique camps all week.
"I'm gonna have our new captains lead stretches while I take a quick phone call," Coach B explains and then with a smirk she adds, "The calls for new halftime shirts so get excited!"
"Can we see?" Ivy asks. She's one of the teams seniors and one of my new upstairs roommates. She took over Becky's big bedroom with the connected bathroom.
"If this phone call goes well, yes," Coach B smiles pulling out her phone. "Big Red! EJ! You're up!"
And then coach is gone as Summer and Ellie walk up in front of us. Ellie goes to play music at the speaker while Summer shouts, "Spread out and follow along!"
I know it's only my second season with this team but I couldn't imagine anyone else besides them being our captains after Danni and Becky. None of the other seniors show the same kind of leadership.
I ask Ivy if she wanted to be captain and she said, "Nah, I don't have the patience." Which made me laugh.
-
"Can we please go get food?" I ask Alana as I follow her to her car. The two of us drove together while our other two roommates both drove their own cars because they had to head to work right after practice.
"Yeah what do you want?" Alana asks as she unlocks her car.
"Ooo let's go home and grab swimsuits, then get Sweet Green and go lay out at the beach!" I suggest. It's so nice out and it's technically still summer.
"Oh hell yes!" Alana nods.
"Kenzie!" It's Ellie's voice somewhere behind me.
I turn to look over at her and Summer.
Oh fuck. I was hoping to avoid them. I know they're going to ask me about the night at the bar.
"Can we talk?" Summer asks with a very soft, pleading look on her face.
Alana looks over at me as we both come to a stop at the trunk of her car, "You have to talk to them."
Two days after that night at the bar I told Sam and Alana everything. They tried to get me to tell them the day after but I spent all day curled into a ball in bed.
"I know," I sigh, "I'll meet you in the car."
Alana turns and gets into her car while I walk across the parking lot to Summer and Ellie.
"Good first practice, Captain and Captain," I jokingly salute them both to try and lighten the mood. Summer and Ellie both laugh.
"Thank you! Your leaps have gotten so high!" Summer smiles.
"Thank you!" I blush, leaps and turns were a big focus of my summer training so it means a lot that someone noticed.
"We uhm," Ellie starts like she's not sure how to ask.
So Summer just straight out asks, "What the hell happened at the bar, girl?"
"I'm sorry," I sigh but I mean it. I respect and really like both of them, I didn't mean to do anything to make them think I don't. But I did so now it's time to do some clean up.
"Uhm so I wasn't totally honest with you guys," I cross my arms over my chest and glance at the scar on my leg but I lift my head again, "Logan and I kinda did date back in high school. It didn't end well, uhm you know how I said my scar is from a car accident?"
They both nod, listening intently.
"Uhm," I can't believe I'm telling them this, "The car accidentally happened my junior prom night, after I found out Logan had been cheating on me and that some girl thought she was pregnant with his kid."
"Excuse me?" Summer's eyes go wide.
"Woah," Ellie looks like she just saw a ghost.
"The kid wasn't his, I know that doesn't justify anything but basically he and I have a really really weird past," I take a breath, "And talking about a time when he made me so happy mixed with the alcohol, it just all became too much to handle at once, I panicked."
Neither of the girls seem to know what to say so I say one more thing.
"I'm sorry I just left and didn't reach out, it's been a crazy couple of weeks."
"It's okay," Ellie smiles before glancing at Summer who nods. "We just wanted to check in on you. Logan wouldn't tell us anything!"
"We wanted to make sure you were okay, I totally understand getting overwhelmed," Summer smiles softly, "If you ever need to talk or wanna go out to quiet the thoughts we're only a call away."
"We could even do a movie night!" Ellie adds.
"Thank you," I smile at them, "And again I'm sorry."
"Don't be!" They both say.
"Go enjoy the rest of your day!" Summer smiles waving me off. I chuckle and start backing up.
"Thank you," I smile at them both, blowing them kisses as I head to Alana's car.
"So?" Alana asks as soon as I open the car door, "How'd it go?"
"Good," I say as climb into the seat, "Like nothing even happened."
"Told you they'd understand!"