LABYRINTH | Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

16 | get the hint.

Kenzie

It took a ton of effort to convince Scarlett to let me go to school this morning due to the fact that I still haven't completely recovered from whatever illness it was that I caught, but I spent all weekend and yesterday in bed so I was desperate for some sense of normality.

Trying to convince her to let my go to work was too much of a stretch, but my boss, Charlie is was understanding and gave me the rest of the week off.

Living with Scarlett over the past few days has definitely been strange. Maybe it's normal to others to have a meal cooked for them every night and to be taken care of whilst they're sick or crying over a commercial because they're in the middle of their menstrual cycle, but it's not for me.

I don't find it easy being that vulnerable around somebody I'm still getting to know.

It's been a bit to process. So many new emotions have been brought up unintentionally. I think when you've been living with people that make you feel unimportant, unloved and unwanted, suddenly being in a environment where those things aren't felt is hard to adjust to.

__

I managed to make it through the first few classes dosed up on medicine. Although, I did feel myself starting to decline just prior to the bell ringing for lunch but hoped it was nothing some food and more medication couldn't fix.

"Hey." I join Marty for lunch like I have being doing since seventh grade, only Asha joins us now too.
They're in the 'not quite in a relationship, but past the talking stage' phase now and whilst I respect my best friend, I know he can do a lot better.

"Hi, you feeling better?" Marty questions, biting into his sandwich.

"Yeah, mostly. I still feel a bit weak," I admit honestly. "You should see what Scarlett packed me for lunch. I swear everything you could buy at a Whole Foods is in here."

My enthusiasm about good food is something I don't think I'll get under control for a long time. I typically get all my groceries at this off-brand supermarket down the street from the train station in Jersey City, so food from a place like Whole Foods is a huge luxury.

"Um, Kenzie?" Asha speaks.

"Yes?" I turn my head to the left as I break a piece off  of my chocolate chip cookie. Should I eat my butter chicken first? Probably. But the cookie looked so good I couldn't resist.

"We were kinda in the middle of a conversation and you just interrupted," she explains, a slightly offended expression on her face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. You can get back to it. I'll be quiet." With that, I hold the cookie between my teeth and reach for my sketchbook that's tucked in the back pocket of my school bag.

"A private conversation," she adds, her tone somewhat condescending.

"Fine, I won't listen," I chuckle dryly, pulling my headphones out and over my ears, only to have them ripped off by her a second later.

"Get the hint, you idiot. I know Marty said you're bad at reading people, but seriously. Go sit somewhere else," she tells me.

About a hundred come backs run through my mind, none of which are said. I haven't spent my entire life being belittled by my parents to have not learnt that talking back is only going to make me worse off. So I keep quiet and turn my attention to my best friend in the hope of some support.

I don't know why I do that.

Marty's too afraid of conflict to say anything.

Maybe I was wrong in thinking it would be different if it ever came to me, but now that it has, he can't even look me in the eye.

Obviously unwelcome, I very quickly pack my lunch back into my bag, keeping my headphones around my neck as I stand from the chair and walk off.

My school is the biggest public high-school in Jersey City and it holds two different cafeteria's which I always thought was stupid, but now that I feel not only betrayed but completely and utterly humiliated that my only friend in the entire world would not even let me sit with him at lunch, I feel a sense of relief because it means I won't have to put up with seeing him for the remainder of today.

Within a few minutes I'm upstairs and have settled at an empty table, my lunch set out in front of me, sketchbook to my right and bag on the left. There's a certain ache in my heart that is very unfamiliar, so I work on finishing one of my art pieces with the hopes of it distracting me.
Although, my name being called by someone that looks awfully familiar works too.

The curly-haired brunette boy makes himself comfortable on the chair across from me and awkwardly smiles.

"Hi?" I frown. I hate not being able to put a name to a face, or not even remembering where that face is from.

"Hi," he responds.

"Can I help you?"

"No. I...um, well, have you been avoiding me on purpose?"

"To do that, I'd have to know who you...oh wait. The Halloween party. We slept together," I remember, his face turning a shade of red.

"Yes. We did. I wanted to you about that actually," he admits, nervously clearing his throat as his face contorts into somewhat of an uncomfortable expression.

"Oh no. Don't tell me you have syphilis or something?" I purse my lips and draw my eyebrows together.

"Ha. Ha," he speaks teasingly.

"Well it very well could have been that," I defend, giggling lightly.

"Anyways," he moves on, reciprocating the laugh, "I...I just wanted to say thank you. You were first person I'd ever done that with and you made me feel as comfortable as I think anyone could feel during their first time."

"Oh,well...you're welcome, I suppose," I chuckle awkwardly, "same goes for you. Although I wish I'd maybe gotten to know you a little better before you saw me naked."

"Yeah," he sighs, cracking a smile, "maybe we could get to know each other?"

Much to my own surprise, I ponder on his question for a moment. Typically I wouldn't even give it two thoughts before saying no.

"Uh, sure. Why not," I agree, letting out a breath.

He barely gets the chance to respond before he's interrupted by the speakers. "Can Kenzie Lowen please make her way to the principal's office immediately."

Not once have I ever been called into the principal's office in my twelve years of being in school, so to say I'm confused would be an understatement.

"I'm sorry. We can continue this conversation tomorrow at lunch?" I suggest, an apologetic smile resting on my lips as I begin to pack up my barely eaten lunch.
"Sure. I'll see you then."

As quickly as possible I make my way to the office.
During the brisk couple of minutes it took to walk there, I tried to internally prepare myself for whatever it might be that I'm needed for, but no amount was going to prepare me for what I was about to hear.