summer of '17 • jenzie

5 ↝ anger & explosions

Mackenzie Ziegler
13 June 2017

•••

"Let's go Kenz, hurry up!" Maddie yells at me from upstairs. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
"Coming!" I yell back, grabbing my purse off my bunk and running out of our room. Maddie can be feisty when she wants to be, and I don't want to get on the wrong side of that. Today we're going grocery shopping– fun I know. No one wanted to, so of course Maddie, being the responsible one, offered us for the job. Yay.

When I get to the to the top of the stairs, Maddie looks surprised. "Huh. I thought you'd take ages." She says surprisedly, raising her eyebrows.

Sick of her good girl act, I huff. "Well Maddie, if you literally had an ounce patience you wouldn't be surprised!"

She's about to say something even ruder back I'm sure, but we hear someone yell at us to be quiet from the kitchen.

It's Johnny. Obviously he's just gotten up because he's shirtless, and his hair looks absolutely crazy. He also looks snappy and annoyed– oops, someones on his man period. Seriously, the last few days he's been snapping at everyone rudely, ever since the pool gathering in fact. Lauren said he's probably jealous that I met a guy, but I don't think it's that. He's been acting different since last summer, and Lauren may not have noticed it but Maddie and I have. It's strange, because he should have already have gone through all this puberty stuff like Darian did last summer, but he hasn't! And while Maddie and I believe that it's got something to do with the fact that our family is here, and we've all changed a lot, I can't help believing that something else is wrong.

Then Johnny he looks up. Straight into my eyes; almost like he knows what I was thinking about. Seconds pass, and I find myself tearing my eyes away from his. I watch Maddie now, biting my lip. He finally looks away from me and stomps off into the living room. I try not to look at the muscles working in his back as I lean against the doorframe, now watching him again, and Maddie then tells me she'll wait in the car. Something about his behaviour isn't adding up, and I'd like to find out what it is.

The couch creaks with his weight, and he ignores me studiously. Casually, I sigh; letting him know of my presence. He keeps eating, and still doesn't look at me. Tired of the mind games, I walk over and sit directly opposite him.

"What do you want?" He asks coldly, acting unreachable and distant. ⠀

"Are you alright?" I question. "You've been all... mopey. It's sort of ruining the whole summer mood.

"Why do you even care?" He growls.

"Johnny. We're pretty much family. Of course I care." I reply, begging him internally to look up from his stupid bowl of cereal.

"Just family, right? Friends?" He questions, and I make a face of confusion.

"What? Of course we're friends!" I scoff. He finally looks up.

"You don't understand." He replies, getting up off the couch and walking away. Ugh.

"What the hell John?" I half yell at him, grabbing his shoulder. He spins around angrily. "How can I help you if you don't even tell me what's wrong?"

"Well what if it's something you can't control Kenz? Something even I cant control!"

"What could possibly be–"

"My parents are getting a divorce!" He yells loudly. I flinch back, viewing the dejected look on his face from afar.

"Mer and Dale? Oh my god." I murmur, instantly feeling like a horrible person for pressing him so badly.

"Oh yes, this year. Great fun. Splitting the house, selling the company, everything." He starts– but I can't let him finish.

Stepping forward, I envelop him a massive hug; my arms circling around his shoulders and rubbing out the tension. With his warm and shirtless body pressed up against mine, I can feel our heartbeats soaring.

His angry facade fades away almost instantly, and I still can't quite imagine what he's feeling. My parents split when I was tiny– but Johnnys? Meredith and Dale are perfect for each other like I can't even believe. Slowly, I look up at him again.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you. This was supposed to be our last normal summer." He says bitterly, avoiding my gaze.

"That's not fair to you and Lauren at all."

"I just don't understand what happened. They used to love each other and I– when did they stop?" He sobs, definitely avoiding my gaze now.

"Dale and Mer. They're a perfect couple, but hey– maybe the feelings aren't there anymore." I say, trying to give him a little comfort.

"Great advice Kenz." He scoffs, always the jokester, and I almost manage a smile.

"Thanks. You sure you're okay?"

"I will be." He says, which hurts.

"All I have to say is just give time time you know? It will hurt less." I notice I'm still holding his hand, and we're quite close, so I slip backwards. He doesn't usually accept or like affection. Plus, I'm sure my skyrocketing heartbeat might be giving him a few ideas.

"Thanks Mackenzie." He says, and after kissing my forehead, he walks away. I don't miss how he called me Mackenzie; which is strange as everyone here calls me Kenz.

Grabbing my purse silently, I head out the door to meet Maddie. As I walk, I think. Mer and Dale, getting a divorce? Thats just weird to even think about, let alone that it's actually happening.

•••

[975 words]

Wow, whatta deep chapter. I have to say I can't really understand what Johnny's going through but my parents do fight a lot so don't tell me that it's unrealistic that he's crying/angry <3

Also, please vote lovelys xox

*edited