stoic

Chapter 31

Mackenzie's POV

I woke up to the sunlight shining on my face. I must've been too tired to even close my curtains. I had school but I knew that it was noon and I didn't feel like getting out of bed.

After getting lost in my thoughts I heard voices from downstairs followed by my door swinging open to reveal Ella and Jeremiah.

They both leaped onto my bed and hugged me.

"Axel only just told us what happened." Ella said. "We skipped the rest of school and came here immediately. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm so shook." Jeremiah said which made me chuckle slightly. "But, we bought you a donut and some iced coffee but we left that downstairs after bumping into Molly."

"Yeah she arrived yesterday." I sat up and crossed my legs. Ella was laying down on her front, facing me whilst Jeremiah had his legs crossed opposite me.

"I'm so drained out." I tell them, resting my head against the headboard.

"I'm not surprised. You literally got kidnapped."

I let out a small laugh.

"Right I'm tidying your bedroom. This is a mess." Ella got up from my bed and started to pick up a few things from my floor.

Ryder's POV

When I got to school Brendan, Axel and Blake were all waiting for me. Blake was with his girlfriend yesterday so probably had no idea what had happened.

"What the fuck?" I hear him say as I approach them. I guess Brendan and Axel told him what happened because he was very surprised.

"So you're telling me that she ran home?"

"Yeah, she ran like 10 miles." Axel said as we walked into the school building.

"Lars told me that he took care of Piz and not to worry about him for a while." I tell the boys and they nod.

"What did he do with him?"

"Not a clue." I shrug, "but it must've been something big enough to drive him out of town."

The rest of the school day went slowly because I wanted to get back to Mackenzie to see how she was. I knew Axel had sent Ella and Jerry to stay with her for the day but I needed to know how we were and to tell her that Piz wasn't going to be a problem anymore.

I wanted Kenzie to feel safe.

As soon as calculus finished I practically ran out the classroom but I was stopped by Lindsay.

"Hey Ryder." She bit her lip in a non sexy way. "Where are you headed?" She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her index finger.

"Hey babe." Emmitt said and I thanked the gods before running past them, my books under one arm and my car keys in another.

When I arrived at her house, I didn't bother knocking, I just let myself in.

"Hey Ryder." Molly said as she walked past the front door. She went to sit by Tim on the couch who gave me a small smile and I was taken aback slightly.

I headed straight up to her bedroom where the door was closed and I could hear laughter. I knocked gently and was told to come in.

When I opened the door, Jeremiah and Ella looked at me and Kenzie looked gorgeous. Her hair was now curled and her makeup was done which made her slightly older.

"Hi Ryder." Jerry said, turning the hair thing off and placing it on Kenzie's bedside table.

"Hey." I make my way over to her desk and grab the chair, turning it around so I can rest my arms on the top back rest. I watch as Ella puts makeup on Kenzie and I can't help but watch in awe.

They were talking quietly between themselves, giggling every now and then. I couldn't help but smile at Kenzie's smile. It was contagious.

"Ella, can we go order pizza now?" Jeremiah whined and Ella sighed before nodding. Kenzie and Ella gave each other a look before Ella walked out of the room with Jeremiah. I joined Kenzie on the bed and she gave me a small smile.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her.

"I'm alright." She shrugged, biting the inside of her cheek.

"I literally ran out of calculus to come and see you."

She lets out a small laugh before looking up at me, her eyes shining like gems in the sunlight.

"I bet Miss Bryant was happy about that." She joked and I smiled at her happy mood.

"She loves me so I'll get away with it." I wink and she smirks, looking down at her lap before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She looked back up at me and I couldn't help but kiss her gently.

At first she kissed back, enjoying the moment as it is but she pulled away and turned her face away from me.

"I can't." She choked out. Confused, I stayed quiet, straightening up. "It's just hard seeing you right now." She whispered not maintaining eye contact with me.

"I understand." I tell her softly, getting up from where I was sat and walked out. Ella and Jerry were on their way in just as I walked out and they gave me weird look which I brushed off.

I sat on the other couch adjacent to the couch Tim and Molly were on.

"Are you okay?" Molly asked me and I sighed.

"I don't know what to do."

"Just be patient Ryder." Tim said, "wait for her to come to you, you've done all you can do."

I nodded, standing up "I should go home then."

"Hey," Molly started, "stop beating yourself up."