Attention Runner-Up

Chapter 25

I do not have a problem! I don't! I don't care what Lexi says. I don't have a problem with trying to control the situation. I was just trying to help! Is that really such a horrible thing considering? Like hello! The girl is abusive towards her! I can't just let her go back.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Why do you always do this!?" Lexi shouted.

"She abuses her!"

"It wasn't your problem to fix!" she pushes me.

"What was I supposed to do? Ask nicely? Hey sorry, Jean, but could you please not abuse my friend anymore, thanks."

"You only made everything worse! You always have to insert yourself where you aren't needed. She was handling it just fine on her own."

"She was crying!"

"Crying is a natural part of healing!"

"Will both of you just shut up!" Kenzie shouted.

I took a calming breath and examined our current predicament.

I suppose I should go back a few paces for all of you guys tuning in to this train wreck. After Lexi and I got out of classes and after Lexi's shift at the homeless shelter. The three of us got dolled up to go out.

The night started out normal enough. Lexi's brother's friend owns one of the clubs over here so we went there first. It's 21 and over but Lexi is 21 plus we know the owner so we got in. Well, things weren't exactly going swell being as this girl was flirting with Lexi and I got jealous.

Long story short, I made us all leave. Lexi got mad at me, but we quickly made up. We were walking down the club district when Kenzie saw these street performers. So we stopped to watch. One of them had a violin which prompted me to bring up the fact that Kenzie plays the violin.

"Not anymore, I mean I did in college but had to stop." She said.

"Why?" Lexi asked.

"Uh... I lost my violin." I could tell it was a lie by how she wouldn't meet our eyes.

Still, I didn't want to push the subject because I had a feeling I knew who it led back to. So, I quickly changed gears. I was sort of hungry and I knew of this pub that had great burgers and even better beer. So we went there.

Things were going better. This girl started hitting on Kenzie and Lexi and I were sort of feeling proud of ourselves. That is until...

"Mac?"

Kenzie stopped talking midsentence to the girl and her eyes got so wide in fear.

"Shit," I said.

Somehow Jean had found us. Or as it would come out later, she had a tracker on Kenzie's phone. That is how she always kept tabs on Kenzie and knew when she was lying about her whereabouts. God that just makes me so sick.

"Mac, god I've been looking all over. I've been worried sick." Jean ran over to us and wrapped her arms around Mackenzie, pulling her right out of our booth.

Kenzie just stayed stiff in her arms.

"Who's this?" The girl flirting asked.

"I'm her girlfriend, who the hell are you?" Jean snapped at her.

"You have a girlfriend?" The girl asked.

"No, I—"

"She does. Got a problem with it?" Jean spoke over Mackenzie.

The girl scoffed and walked off with an eye roll.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I got up.

"Darleen, don't," Lexi warned.