you and me

chapter twenty six

KENZIE'S POINT OF VIEW
•••

i woke up, surprisingly early, and stared at the two sleeping faces next to me. we'd stayed awake all night, due to the fact that they were jet lagged, and now they'd surely sleep in.

i quietly got out of bed, careful not to wake the sleeping girls, and went downstairs. my parents had already left for work, and maddie had gone for a drive to starbucks, at least according to the note she'd left on the table.

johnny was probably in bed as well. looks like it's the same ol boring life until they wake up.

after about an hour of me doing nothing, i make myself a cup of hot chocolate. it was delicious, if i do say so myself.

as i was sipping it, i was disrupted by the one and only, johnny vincent orlando. "hey. how'd you sleep?" i question, in an attempt to be polite. i felt my heart flutter over the fact that we were alone together.

"morning," johnny yawned is response. so much for being polite. "how come you're awake?" i asked him. "don't know. i cant really go back to sleep once i wake up," he confessed.

"me too," i nodded. i hated that for me. "how come you're awake?" he asked me. "oh, i don't know. maybe because here in australia it's okay to wake up before noon," i sarcastically responded.

he let out a chuckle, before an awkward silence settled between us. "oh, do you want some hot chocolate? cause there is some. and if you'd like, i can make more it's not that bad, i mean, sure i made it, but it isn't terrible. it's quite good.." i rambled, afraid that if i'd stop, another awkward silence would settle.

johnny let out a heart laugh, as he brushed his fingers through his already messy hair. okay, that was hot.

"yes kenzie, i'll have hot chocolate," he grinned cheekily. i handed him his own cup, and yet again, we sat in silence.

"okay, i'm done beating around the bush. this is gonna be awkward until we get it off our chests. is it true that you actually like me? as more than a friend?" i turned red at his question.

"who told you that?" i asked him, refusing to make eye contact. "you know who," johnny whispered. "lauren," i muttered, hurt that she'd gone behind my back after all.

"actually, in her defence i heard the two of you talking on facetime, and you sorta exposed yourself.." johnny added. well, it's my fault then.

"so do you?" johnny promoted. "johnny. i'm not in the mood to have this conversation right now," i replied, trying to sound stern.

"well, when then?" johnny smirked. i let out a frustrated sigh. "just answer. how hard is it?" he pressed.

"fine. you want an answer? i'll give you one. yes i like you. but i can't. i shouldn't. you just had a girlfriend. you're a stupid player. and you've broken my heart before already!" i exclaimed.

johnny stares at me, his mouth open at my mini outburst.

"i broke your heart? you're the one who cheated on me? but kenz, i'm over that. i'm over avery as well. sure, i dated her, but she wasn't you. i'm not over you. i've never gotten over you. i still like you.." i stared at johnny in shock, too confused to reply.

"if you would let me, i would-" johnny was cut off with maddie entering the room, a drink in her hand. "hey guys," she smiled, oblivious to what she had just interrupted. i know why johnny wanted. a second chance. and i wasn't sure if i was ready to give him one yet.

"what's happening here?" maddie finally noticed the tension hanging in the room. "nothing. we're just having hot chocolate," i replied. she nodded dubiously, and then left.

"john.. i know what you want to ask me. but why? tell me why you deserve another chance? you've broken my heart more than once. after we broke up, the rumours you spread. the teasing and rude comments you passed, it hurt. every time i saw you with someone else, it hurt, because i knew the reason you were acting out, but i couldn't do anything about it. then when we stopped dating, yet again, my heart broke, because me being the idiot i am, fell for your stupid games, but it isn't your fault you don't like me. and now, it breaks my heart having to name all of these reasons just to tell you why i cant give you another chance. believe me. if i could go back in time, i would never have done what i did at that party. i was under the influence of alcohol, but seeing as what's done can't be undone, i don't know how to give you another chance. i want to give you another one, so bad, but you literally just broke up with your girlfriend, and now here you are, halfway across the world, asking for another chance. imagine what she'll be going through?"

"i do want another chance. and i have broken your heart. you've got all that right. but its not like you haven't done the same to me. we're quits over here. how can you expect me not to break up with you after you cheated on me? if feel like a loser if i dated you, knowing you didn't think i was good enough for you. and about the teasing? it was my only way of communication. you wouldn't talk to me otherwise. and me going wild? that's plain obvious. i wanted you to realise. get you jealous, though it just ended up in you getting with brandon," johnny said, his last sentence full of bitter resentment.

"i was too stupid, and didn't man up and ask you out again. and the reasons for stopping the fake dating? it wasn't just cause of avery. sure, she was a plus, but at that time, i didn't feel anything for you. i'd given up on any chances of being with you. and...i've told avery everything. about how i don't think it was working out. i'm not cheating, nor playing anyone." johnny finally ended his speech.

i stared at johnny in silence, trying to comprehend everything he'd just told me. "but why else did you stop the fake dating?"

"this," johnny replied, pulling out his phone. he showed me a stream of texts from an unknown number, which was just a series of petty blackmail.

"wait...so you don't know who this is? and are they the ones who initiated the car accident?" i asked, suddenly worried.

"nope, no luck, and nah, i think that was a coincidence. just then, his phone went ping. it was a text from the same number.

UNKNOWN NUMBER
a romantic gesture; adorable.
flying across the country just to
confess your love. it's like in the
movies, except...it's not.
seeing as it's not gonna work.

JOHNNY
honestly your texts are
plain funny now.

i stared at johnny, stressed. "could this person have tabs on you? like, maybe they planted something to your phone?" i suggested, lamely.

"it's a possibility. johnny examined his phone, but stopped about reaching the bottom, near his speakers. there was a tiny camera attached, just the slightest bit visible from under his phone cover.

i stared at johnny, amazed at how much this seemed like something out of a book. johnny snatched it out, and threw it to the floor, before crushing it with his foot.

"now that you know the truth, will you?"
johnny asked me. "will you give me a second chance?"

•••
i had been so proud about leaving this chapter on a cliffhanger lmao-
oh lol this was when i wanted to write blog life but like that's discontinued :p

[ word count — 1318 words ]
( EDITED )