Attention Runner-Up

Chapter 24

Turns out Lexi's cousin doesn't rough up girls. Some code or something that he follows. That just made me paranoid as hell. I already knew Jean was somewhere in the state of California. Lucky for me she was probably around the LA area and not anywhere near where we are in Palo Alto.

Still to know that she is this close already makes me uneasy.

How come the world is unfair? How come good people like Mackenzie end up in horrible situations like this? Like, it is seriously unfair. I wish I could rewind time and make it so Mackenzie never met horrible Jean. The world's shittiest person alive.

"If you keep thinking so hard your face will get stuck like that," Lexi says.

She is cuddled up with me in my bed. She came over after classes to get the whole story. Of course, I had to tell her everything so she could understand the gravity of the situation and why I needed her cousin.

Mackenzie is back to normal. Well, she is not visibly falling apart but I can tell, inside, the turmoil continues to boil. She is watching tv and snacking on food. Just trying to forget all that had happened earlier.

"It just pisses me off. You didn't see what I saw Lexi. Mackenzie is really afraid of this bitch. I just want to help her but I don't know what to do." I sigh.

"There you go again, trying to be the hero no one asked for. You can't keep trying to fix other people's problems."

"This is different!" I turn to face her in bed.

"Maybe, but still. Fixing this problem for her won't help her heal, it will just make her dependent on you. What is she going to do when you aren't there? Don't you see Darleen, this is what I've been trying to tell you. You can't save everyone; you can't fix everyone. Because if you do, sometimes you just make things worse."

I sigh and turn on my back to stare at the ceiling.

"You know I'm right." Lexi snuggles up closer to me.

"It's not fair," I say softly.

"There is one thing we can do and that is help her move on. Why don't we take her out, have a girl's night or something? Go to the beach, hang out at my new place. Just help her get her mind off of things and remind her there is still a world outside of that bitch."

I turn my head to look at Lexi.

"What?" she smiles.

"Sometimes I forget how smart you are." I smile at her.

"Fuck you and your backhanded compliments." She pinches me in the gut.

I laugh roll on top of her to tickle her.

"Ah! Darleen!" She giggles.

I stop and just stare down at her.

"What?" she asks.

"Why are you so amazing?"

"Because when god was making me a dash of amazing accidentally turned into a whole fucking bag of amazing."

I giggle and lean down to kiss her.

She smiles into the kiss before wrapping her arms around my neck and deepening it.

"Fuck... I fucking love you so much." I pull back slowly.

"I love you too," She says softly.

"Then let's just be together. Fuck being on a break. I need you." I whine.

"We're slowing it down, remember?"

"Lexi please, this is torture." I pout.

"Can I tell you a secret?"