summertime sadness | ethan dolan

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chapter forty six
——mackenzie's pov
july 31st, 2019

"thank you so much, madeline. you completely saved me." i got out of her mom's car and leaned back through the open window. she killed the engine and unbuckled her seat belt.
"wait. you're coming in?" i said, glancing over my shoulder at chum and howie's place. the lights were dim, but i heard a splat from the backyard, followed by a round of cheers.

"it is my brother's house. i figured i'd come in and say hi," she said with a shrug.
"oh. right. i keep forgetting," i said, pushing my hair away from my face as we navigated the uneven front walk.
"maybe you have been drinking too much," maddy joked.

i chuckled, not knowing what else to say. if she got on my case about this, i had about a million comebacks, starting with the fact that she was the first person i ever knew to try wine coolers, and the only person i knew to ever black out. but she just smiled at me and reached for the door. i couldn't believe how cool she was being, first rescuing me from that awful scene with my parents, then agreeing to drive me here to meet cooper. it was like a whole new madeline taine. unless she had an ulterior motive. always had to keep out an extra eye for one of those suckers.

"hey lil sis!" charlie loped over from the kitchen with two bottles of beer and handed one of them to madeline. "what're you guys doing here?"

"looking for cooper," i said. "he's here, right?"
charlie took a long pull on his beer, then sucked his lips and nodded. "out back."
"cool. thanks again, mad."
"i'll come find you before i go," she said as i slipped out the back door.

as soon as i stepped outside, i froze. cooper was standing behind the catapult with his arm slung over the shoulders of a wispy blond girl wearing a cutoff top and skinny shorts. she had her hand in the back pocket of his cargos. my head instantly swam. i was seeing things, right? i had to be seeing things.

"crestie girl!" he shouted when he spotted me. he raised the arm that was unoccupied and beckoned me over. "you're here!"

everyone seemed to be watching me as i walked slowly toward cooper and his arm candy, picking my way over the debris of shattered lawn ornaments and rotting fruit.
the blonde girl eyed me with obvious disdain as he pulled me into his side.

"what's up?" he asked, planting a kiss on my lips. he still hadn't let go of the blonde.
"nothing. i just...i wanted to see you," i said.
wasn't he even going to introduce me to the girl who had her hand down his pants?

"cool. well, here i am." he let go of both of us simultaneously, lifting his arms up and over our heads. "dudes! let's try the barbells!"
"dude! no way!" dex shouted. "too heavy."
"that's the point, asshole," cooper shouted back. he went chest to chest with dex as if they really were fighting, and a bunch of guys got into the mix, yelling and cackling loudly. the blond girl sipped her red punch and eyed me up and down. who the hell was she? and what was she doing here?

"so you're the summer girl," she said finally. her voice was nasal and she didn't sound too impressed by me. plus, how she called me the summer girl made me feel about one inch tall.
"and you are?" i said.
she scoffed. "not interested."
she tilted her head back and drank from her cup as she sauntered away. clearly we were going to be bffs.

"macky! hey!"

i cringed at the new nickname as jenny came barreling up behind me, planted her hands on my shoulders, and jumped up like she was trying to dunk me underwater. i buckled and we both almost hit our knees.

"you're here!"
"yeah. i'm here," i said as she hugged me. "who was that?" i asked, nodding toward the blonde girl.
"that would be olivia," she said with a grimace. "she was supposed to be in louisiana for the summer, but she just got back."
"oh." i took a breath and steeled myself. "are she and cooper...?"