9 ↝ overhearing & crying

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Mackenzie Ziegler
20 June 2017

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"Bye!" I yell from on top of the balcony, waving at Hayden as he goes. Grinning, he waves back before swinging himself  in his car and driving away.

Feeling extremely happy, I run barefoot across the deck and onto the outdoor furniture. Plonking myself down, I lay down on my back and face the sky. Today was amazing. We swam, we talked, we laughed... I can't even explain how fun it was. On the beach, we would lie on our towels and simply talk. When the heat got unbearable we would race to the ocean, and swim until we were cold or refreshed. I could do that everyday; sand, water, sand, water.

I really wasn't sure whether I liked him at all this morning, but after spending a day with him that was full to the brim of laughter and smiles I know that I do. Maybe not more than a friend just yet, but I'll work on it.

Relaxing my heartbeat, I walk on into the kitchen and pour myself a juice. Sipping on it, I grin. And then I realise what I'm doing. I need to stop before I become an emotional mess. Forcing the smile deep down, I open the dishwasher and put my cup in before walking downstairs.

I stop at the hallway to our bedrooms, where I hear yelling; loud yelling. I stand quietly, listening, and my heartbeat picks up again when I realise who it is.

Johnny and Nadia.

Shit.

Where do I go? They think I'm still out. Thinking quickly, I half sprint and half tiptoe down the hall to lock myself in the spare bedroom. That was close; too close.

As I've said before, the boys room connects to a bathroom, and that bathroom connects to the spare room– so now I can hear their voices clear as day. Why didn't I just head for my room?

Noticing Nadia has left some stuff in here, I dive in the wardrobe because thats the only place I can think of. And then I hear footsteps coming in.

Oh no.

"Why the fuck did you even bring me here Johnny? So you could use me? I don't know why I came to be completely honest– Oh thats right, maybe because I thought you'd changed!" Nadia yells, sounding on the edge of hysteria. "I thought you were a decent guy!" She then screams, and I flinch back into the wardrobe. Peeking through the gap in between the doors,  I watch her run around collecting her stuff in a bag.

"No, Nadia–" Johnny tries to say, but she interrupts him again; loudly at that.

"You just wanted to screw me, so you could check another girl off your list. I'm not okay with that!" She yells again.

"I would never ever ever do that, please listen Nadia." Johnny pleads.

"Don't you dare Nadia me." She shoots back in such a menacing tone even I shrink away; and I'm hiding in a freaking closet for gods sake. "I know why you brought me here." She then sobs.

"What? Why?" Johnny questions, sounding defeated.

"The same reason as last summer." She says bitterly, but in a normal sounding voice; having calmed down a bit. "You still like her."

Who?" Johnny now asks with a broken voice.

"Mackenzie." She rasps. "I've always been second to her."

I clap my hand over my mouth. Thoughts run through my head at a million miles per minute. He couldn't possibly like... me?

"Nadia–" Johnny whispers with closed eyes. She cuts him off for the third time.

"Don't deny it. You've been using me to make her jealous. At this point, just tell her. She deserves you." She spits bitterly.

"Fuck Nadia." Johnny starts. "How am I supposed to tell her that I love her when she's already moved on?"

"Don't ask me." She sniffs haughtily, and I watch her pick up her bag before walking out the door, crying. When she leaves and Johnny's watched her walk upstairs, he bangs his fist on the wall– hard. The frame of the wardrobe shakes, dust falling from the top, and my heart beats fast.

Uh oh.

He sinks on the bed, and I watch, heartbroken, as he lies on the bed and cries loudly. As I watch him, tears pool in my eyes. So much just happened in the last two minutes that I feel drained, and I fight with myself to try stay standing.

Johnny must sit there for at least half an hour, doing nothing but crying, and when he walks into the bathroom I take a few deep breaths. Tears have spilled through my eyes and I'm sure that my makeup is absolutely ruined. I hear the shower start to run and both the doors to the bathroom get shut and locked. Peeping out of the wardrobe to make sure the coast is clear, I wipe my eyes and run to my room; doing the same thing as Johnny. I lock the door to the girls bathroom and pause when I look in the mirror.

What I thought was gorgeous and wavy hair now seems straggly and boring. What I thought was clear skin now seems red and blotchy. What I thought were big beautiful eyes now seem tired and sore; not to mention the back stains rimmed around them.

Funny, why can mascara survive salt water but not tears?

Not wanting to look at my reflection any longer, I strip bare and yank the shower tap onto hot, getting in straight away. To be honest, I don't care in the slightest that the water is absolutely bone chilling; all I care about is washing away the appallingly ugly and terrible scenes that I just witnessed. Thats all I care about, I try convince myself, as I feel the now hot water hit my naked body.

But I'm kidding, and I know it. A single sentence keeps floating through my mind.

How am I supposed to tell her that I love her when she's already moved on?

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[1039 words]

Wow! A big chapter! Tell me your thoughts on the argument, and your thoughts about Mackenzie finding out that Johnny loves her ;) Please vote too <3

*edited

summer of '17 • jenzieWhere stories live. Discover now