Attention Runner-Up

Chapter 22

A Little Over Two Years Later

"Well, that's the last of it," I set the box down.

"Thank you so much. Are you sure this is okay? I mean I don't want to be a burden or anything."

"Mackenzie, I already helped you unload all your crap. Do you really think I want to move all these boxes back downstairs?"

"I just, I don't want to inconvenience you," she sighs.

"It's not an inconvenience, promise. You're my friend, besides, thanks to my breakup I just have this empty room sitting there collecting dust. Might as well put it to good use," I shrug. 

She sighs.

"Thanks, I just... the thought of moving back in with my parents gives me literal nightmares and the last thing I want to do is move in with Jade and Skylar while they're in their honeymoon phase," She shudders.

"I still can't believe those two actually got engaged," I say.

"Weird right? Feels like just yesterday all of us were in high school fighting with each other."

"Tell me about it," I plop down on the couch.

"This is just temporary, promise. Soon I'll be back on my feet and I'll get my own place. I'll be out of your hair in no time, you'll see."

"Will you stop, I literally have money to wipe my ass with. I don't care if you freeload here for a while. It's fine, really."

She sighs and sits next to me.

"You still haven't told me what happened," I point out.

Her expression darkens and she stays looking at the ground.

"I haven't told anyone," She says softly.

"Why not?" I move closer to her.

"I just... I thought what we had was special, but she was just using me. She was so emotionally abusive towards me. It got really bad. I didn't tell anyone or ask anyone for help. I didn't know how. I didn't want people to see me like that."

"You okay?" I rub her shoulder.

"No," She says softly.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," I assure her.

"Seeing Jade and Skylar so happy convinced me to finally leave her. I want what they have. I want someone to love me like that. She didn't love me, not really. So... I just left. No one knows yet. I just dropped out of college and left, I needed to get as far away from her as possible. If you hadn't had said yes, I would have to face my parents and... I don't know if I can do that yet. We're still not on good terms. Seeing them at Jade's proposal just opened up a lot of wounds for me. I mean I was happy for Jade but I always just felt like I never fit into their world, you know?" she finally looks at me.

"Trust me, I know more than you think. I'm glad you called. It's been a while since I heard from you. I never figured out why you just stopped coming around. Jade said it was because you were going through a phase, but I really missed you Kenzie. We used to be so close."

"Honestly?" she locks eyes with me.

"Try me."

"I just felt like a constant third wheel. Like I was the odd one out. I didn't fit in with you guys and... you... nothing, never mind."

"I what? Tell me."

"No. It sounds so stupid now. To lose a friend over something so dumb. I was so alone and isolated and well you know how the story goes. The girl falls for the wrong person and wastes two years of her life. That's my life I guess," She sighs.