At lunch time I walk straight to the table I hate the most in the school. The one full of football players and cheerleaders. I tap Brad on the shoulder making body tense up. He slowly turns around. "Oh thank god it's you." He says relaxing his shoulders once he see it's me.
"Can we talk?" I ask gesturing to the table where June is sitting eating a sandwich. "Sure." Brad answers immediately getting up. "What's up?" He asks once we sit down.
"Dad said Logan could have a party next Saturday for his birthday." I begin. "No shit?" June gasps. "But I apparently have to supervise." I continue. "Sucks for you." Brad laughs. "You're helping." I demand.
"What? Why?" Brad scoffs. "Because I saved your ass in history. And you." I say pointing at June. "You owe me for you know what." I tell her referring the time I covered for her to Brad when she hooked up with his football buddy, Todd, a few weeks back.
"Fine. But then we're even." June sighs putting her sandwich down. "What do we have to do?" Brad sighs snatching her sandwich and stuffing it in his mouth. "Sober drive. Make sure no one vomits anywhere they shouldn't." I shrug.
"So I'll be like a bouncer?" Brad smirks rubbing his hands together. "Sure." I shrug. "Oh this will be fun."
Clay doesn't show up to chemistry class. I find myself wondering where he is. Is he ditching to train? Is he ditching to get high? I'm snapped out of my thoughts by a grumpy Mr Karlson. "Kenzie! Detention after school." He snaps. "What'd I do?" I groan. "You're not paying attention and this important."
I just roll my eyes and try my hardest to focus. Which doesn't work out very well. He's so god-damn boring. When the bell finally rings I'm the first one out the door.
"Alright punks today is charcoal. Draw something you hate." Miss Wilson yells as she walks through the door. I groan and lay my head on the table. I hate charcoal. It's messy and takes forever to get off.
"What do you hate Kenz?" Miss Wilson asks once she realises I'm the only person not started. "Charcoal." I mutter sarcastically. "Ha Ha very funny." She rolls her eyes placing a box in front of me.
I end up drawing two people wrapped in each other's arms kissing. Just as I'm adding in the background Miss Wilson's taps me on the shoulder. "Shit! Don't do that!" I scold.
"You can stay if you want." She chuckles. I look around the room and notice everyone is gone. "Shit. I have detention." I exclaim jumping up. "Take it with you." Miss Wilson laughs shoving the charcoal into my hands.
I run across the school to get to detention. When I burst through the door Mr Karlson glares at me. "Sorry. Was stuck in art." I pant holding up my sketchbook and the charcoal. "Just sit down." He sighs shaking his head. The hatred Miss Wilsons has for him is mutual.
I head for the middle of the room but my eye catches Clay. He slightly nods to the empty seat next time. I scrunch my nose up at him but slide into the seat. Why does he show up to detention but not class? Surely it would be easier just to go to class.
"You have charcoal on your face." He whispers leaning slightly towards me. I internally groan. This is why I hate charcoal. "It's on your cheek." He whispers. "I'll get it later." I answer through clenched teeth.
"You look ridiculous." He continues. "So do you." I spit back before ignoring him to finish my drawing. "Clay. Kenzie. Both of you zip it now." Mr Karlson snaps and for once Clay actually listened to a teacher.
When we're dismissed I've just finished my drawing and jump out of my seat and rush to my locker where Logan is waiting. "Where the hell have you been?" He exclaims when I run up to him.
"Shit! Sorry! I forgot to text you. I had detention." I apologise. "What'd you do?" Logan asks leaning against Clays locker. "Mr Karlson said I wasn't paying attention." I scoff swapping my books over. "Come on. Let's go."
At home mom isn't there. But that's normal for her since she doesn't finish work until at least 5pm. She's a PA for some fancy rich lawyer and wants me to become a lawyer, solely so she can live off me. She doesn't care what I want to do.
"Okay so dad's buying beers, chips, plastic cups, sodas. Is there anything else I need?" Logan babbles flopping onto the sofa next to me. "Music. Wait. How have you planned all this?" I question. Logan holds his phone up and shakes it in my face. "I rang him dumbass."
"Fuck off." I grunt pushing his hand out of my face. "Hello kids!" Mom calls out as she opens the front door. "Hi!" Logan and I both yell out. "How was dads?" She asks sitting down elegantly in the chair.
"Fine." I answer. She always tries to get information about him. She didn't want the divorce. He did. "On Friday my new boyfriend is coming for dinner." Mom smiles enthusiastically.
"What?" I practically shout sitting up straight. "My boyfriend Patrick. I've been seeing him for two weeks and he wants to meet you both." Her smile not moving. "I'm staying at June's Friday night though." I lie.
"You can go after dinner."
"I'm staying at Hayden's." Logan pipes up. I give him a sideways look, he told me he had no plans this weekend. "Fine." Mom sighs leaving towards the kitchen.
On Thursday mom said she was working late and left money out for take-out. I heard her sneaking in just after midnight. When Logan and I get back from school mom is in the kitchen actually cooking a meal. She must've finished early.
Immediately she ordered us to shower and dress nicely. So of course we both end up in sweatpants and old t shirts. Once I'm dressed I go over to Logans room and lean against the doorframe. "You okay?" I ask softly.
"No. I don't want to meet this guy. I swear to god if he calls me son I will flip my shit." Logan sighs. "I'm right there with ya." I nod. "Kids! He's here!" Mom yells the second the doorbell rings. "What time's Hagrid picking you up?" I ask blocking the doorway so he can't get out. "8. When are you leaving?" Logan asks not even trying to make me move. "Same." I sigh when mom puts on her fake nice voice and calls us.
Logan and I drag our feet to the living room where mom is standing with a guy a few years older than me. In fact he was a senior when I was a freshmen.
"Kids, this is Patrick. Patrick this is Kenzie and Logan." Mom fake smiles. "How's it going?" Patrick smiles lazily. I roll my eyes in response. "Come on dinner is ready." Mom smiles nudging Patrick towards the dining room. "I told you to dress up." Mom says to us through clenched teeth. "Be nice." She hisses as we follow her through.
"So, Kenzie your mom said you'll be going to law school next year." Patrick smiles shoving some chicken in his mouth. "No." I grunt. "She's just being shy." Mom tries to cover her lie which I believe she actually thinks is true. "You play football?" Patrick asks Logan. "Yeah." He mumbles pushing the food around on his plate. "I used to be a running back in high school."
"Oh yeah. I remember you. You were the one that fucked up the last play of the season your senior year. I remember because it was my freshmen year." I say in a sickly sweet voice, purposely trying to be a bitch. Mom shotos me daggers but Patrick just laughs.
"Oh man that sucked. Coach was super pissed at me. Anyway what do you play?"
"Wide receiver." Logan mumbles stuffing a giant piece of chicken in his mouth. "You get any field time?" It's obvious Patrick is trying to keep the conversation going. "Sometimes." Logan shrugs. "Cool, cool. Would love to see you play. Maybe next weekend." Mom freezes at Patricks words. When we're with dad she doesn't contact us at all and refuses to come to anything if he is there. Whereas dad will send us texts making sure we're okay and to simply catch up.
"It's dads weekend. Mom won't come." Logan glares at mom. "I've been busy the past few weekends." Mom explains giving her boyfriend a love struck smile. "Alright, well I better go change. Brad will be here soon." I say grabbing my half-finished plate and dumping it in the sink. "I thought you were staying with June?" Mom asks a small line appearing between her eyebrows.
"I am. Brads taking us to a movie first." The lie rolls of my tongue easily. I don't wait for her to answer and quickly go to my room. I change into a pair of jeans and sweater before pulling on my vans. I let my hair out from the messy bun before running my fingers through it before going back to the living room.
"Haydens here!" Logan calls out before rushing out the front door. I glance at the time and see it's 7:15pm the little bastard is getting picked up early. I decide to ring Brad and beg him to pick me up now too. No way I'm staying in this house by myself.
"Yo! Kenzie baby!" He answers the phone chuckling to himself. "Hey sexy man. Can you come over now?" I ask smirking at mom choking on her wine. "Sure thing buttercup." Brad replies. "Just honk when you're here darl face." I say before hanging up. "What movie are you seeing?" Mom asks as she cuddles up to Patrick on the sofa. Gag.
"Not sure. Brads choosing." I shrug moving to the window to watch for Brads car. "Bye!" I yell running out the door the second he pulls into our drive way.
"Whoa. What's the rush?" June laughs as I scramble into the back seat. "Mom's boyfriend." I sigh before launching into what happened tonight. "What the actual fuck?" June screeches once I'm finished. "I know right?" I huff.
"I remember him. He was a dick at practices." Brad adds looking pissed off. We drive for 20 minutes before Brad pulls his car up to a field on the outskirts of town.
There is a circle of cars with the headlights on lighting up where I'm assuming the fight will be. "Wyatt said he's over there." Brad says pointing to where some speakers are as he slides his phone back into his pocket. "Do we have to see that asshole?" June whines but still follows. "He's not that bad." Brad counters. "He punched you in the fucking face!" I start to tune out their argument and just follow.
As we get closer, I see Wyatt. He's talking to the short fat man that did the announcing last week. Before we reach them someone grabs my hand and yanks me back. I spin around with my fist raised ready to punch who ever thought it was okay to touch me right in the face. "Whoa there." Clay chuckles. "Jesus. I thought you were a creep." I laugh punching his shoulder instead. "Is he really your uncle?" I ask gesturing to Wyatt with the man. "Yeah. My uncle Tony." Clay replies leading me towards my friends, not letting go of my hand.
As soon as we reach them he lets my hand go. I'm surprised by the disappointment I feel when he does. "There you are! I thought we lost you." June exclaims pulling me to her side. "Oh, hey Clay." She adds as an afterthought. "Hey." He mumbles before saying something to his uncle that I can't hear. "This is Tony. He's the boss." Wyatt explains swallowing hard.
"Hello. You must be June and Kenzie." Tony directs his smile to us. "No. That's Kenzie. That's June." Clay interrupts jabbing his finger at us. "My apologies. How's your nose Brad?" Tony asks turning his attention to him.
"It's good. Just needed some ice." He laughs like he hadn't just had two black eyes for most of the week. "You kids betting tonight?" Tony asks looking between us. "Brad said it's stupid to bet on someone you don't know." June states sending daggers at him. "Smart man." Tony laughs patting Brad on the shoulder. "Anyway. I better go. Nice meeting you." Tony says before picking up a microphone and walking into the middle of the circle ready to announce the fighter.