⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I sit on my bed with my favorite book open in between my hands. I love reading, it's so relaxing, yet it feels like your on an epic journey at the same time.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I'm re-reading 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone' for the billionth time, it's my favorite. I think one of the main reasons I love it so much is because, it's extremely well written, and it's basically a classic at this point, but there's also the fact that it helped me move along in pursuing my writing a ton. It kind of inspired me I guess. In case you didn't realize by now, I write it's my passion, and I'm even applying to colleges for it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Just as I'm about to get to the part where Ron and Harry meet Hermione for the first time, my phone rings obnoxiously. I grab my book mark and stick in between the two pages, as I close the paper back book and set it down beside me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I reach over and grab my phone off my nightstand next to my bed. As soon as I have it in my hands I read the contact, and slide the answer button.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey John." I say as I press my phone to my ear. As I talk I twiddle my necklace charm in my other hand.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey." Johnny answers sounding a mix between pissed off, and upset.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What's wrong?" I ask pulling on my necklace.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I literally hate everyone besides you right now...can I come over?" He requests and I look out my window. It's only about seven o'clock so my mom shouldn't mind if he does.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah of course." I answer curious as to what has him upset, but in a way I know. It's always the same, and I always feel so bad, I hate seeing John sad or angry.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay, thanks, I'll be over in a minute."
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀------------------------------------------
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"So what happened?" I question Johnny sitting on my bed, as he sits on my desk chair right beside me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"A lot." He sighs, and runs his hand through his light brown hair. I frown lightly at him as he looks up at me once again.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Nadia?" I suggest, and Johnny kind of just shrugs with another sigh. It's been about a week since her birthday party, luckily there's been nothing with Brandon yet, but Nadia has been particularly bitchy this week.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, but there's more than that." Johnny says looking at me gloomily. I bite the inside of my lip, as I stare at his saddened face.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You have to tell me what happened so I can help you." I whisper to him and Johnny let's out a huff of breath. He's always like this when something's wrong, he doesn't like to talk about it, and it happens more than you'd expect from someone as happy and goofy as him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"My dad and I got in another stupid fight." Johnny answers angrily, and my jaw drops slightly. He doesn't mean an argument, for awhile now, since Johnny was about fourteen Dale has been hitting him, badly. It's started to get pretty bad and he has fought back because, he was starting to get really hurt each time. I'm the only person who knows about it, except Lauren.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You need to tell your mom John." I say my eyes darting around his face, as I suddenly realize there's a slight bruise next to his eye, and it looks like his lip was previously bleeding.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I can't Kenz, you know that." Johnny tells me the same thing he tells me every time. He says that if he tells his mom, he's afraid Dale will hit her too, and he's not sure if he can help her or not. Of course I tell him he can call the cops if that ever happened, but he also says that he's afraid they'll end up being broke, and possibly even homeless if his dad has to leave because he makes most of the money in their house.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I know but you can't keep doing this." I tell Johnny. It scares me that this happens to him because, what if one day he gets really hurt, and I knew about it all along and could have done something, but didn't because he asked me not to.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I'll be okay Mackenzie." Johnny answers but I don't believe him, not at all. I can see right through him, when he's scared, happy, sad, and I know he doesn't believe the words he said.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What if it isn't though? John I couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to you, and I could have helped." I state, and Johnny's look of anger falters as he looks at me more with gratitude.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Thank you for always being there for me, but I'll be okay Kenzie. He's still my dad somewhere deep down, he wouldn't hurt me that bad..." Johnny reassures me, and instead of protesting anymore I just nod my head. I know there isn't much I can do if he isn't willing to help himself, but I still feel beyond helpless in this situation. "Can we talk about something else?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Sure, how's Nadia?" I ask with a slight smirk trying to lighten the mood a bit, because I know he probably has a million things to vent to me about her.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"She's being a total bitch. She told me yesterday that she needs to re-think our relationship, because her zodiac sign said that someone close to her would betray her. She's crazy, and now we're in the huge fight because I told her that was ridiculous!" Johnny rants as my eyes widen. Each time he tells me about something insane Nadia has done, it just gets more weird each time.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You two are such an odd pair." I laugh resting my head on my head board.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Why?" He question scrunching up his eyebrows in a confused way.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You're all nice, and level headed, and she's just so out there and very much insane. Like truly how did you two end up together?" I giggle pulling my legs up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't know." Johnny says in an odd tone, but I don't think much of it. He kind of frowns while he speaks but again, I don't think twice about it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh, I heard Nadia wants to set you up with Brandon Rowland." Johnny suddenly mentions catching my full attention.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, I didn't ask her to, she kind of just...decided to do it." I explain to Johnny slowly trying to think of the right way to put it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't approve of Brandon." He says with a slight shrug causing me to look at him funny. Not that I want to go out with Brandon, but why does he always do this?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Why not?" I question bringing my hand up to my necklace charm, and twist it around between my fingers.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Because he's a player, and he'll break your heart and then I'll have to kill him and I don't fell like going to jail Mackenziss." Johnny jokes causing me to shake me head with a slight chuckle. That's another one of his weird nicknames for me, 'Mackenziss'. I don't even know where he got it from.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stop being dramatic, I'm serious, I don't really want to go out with him I don't even know him, but why not?" I ask again curiously, and Johnny sighs lightly to the point where I can barely hear him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Because I don't want you getting hurt, I can't tell you what to do, but I just don't approve of him." He tells me and I nod along.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"When will you ever approve of anyone?" I question jokingly because it seems as though any guy who has ever taken an interest in me, or there was even a possibility I might go out with someone, he says he doesn't think I should.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"The day I do, you'll find out." Johnny chuckles and I smile. I'm glad that even after him having a horrible day, we can laugh together, and that being together always makes us happy.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
YOU ARE READING
Friend Zoned
Fanfiction⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Mackenzie Ziegler and Johnny Orlando have been best friends since they were four years old. It's a pretty cliché story, they're next door neighbors. Considering thier close proximity, and the fact that they were the sa...
