𝙍𝙐𝙈𝙊𝙍 ➝ jenzie

11. the date

or you can lay one on me right now
we can really give them something to talk about

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd

A WEEK AFTER THE PARTY, MACKENZIE
is preparing for her first fake-real-date with john. he told her to "dress pretty" and not to bring any money. she resisted, obviously, at first. but he quickly explained it would be weird if they were dating and never went on any dates - people would be a little suspicious.

mackenzie curled her hair and then "zhushed" it out, so it looked more effortless. she wore a black gingham dress that hugged her curves perfectly. she applied a thin layer of foundation, but made sure her light pink eye shadow and mascara made her eyes pop.

her mom stood in the doorway, wanting to get away from her phone, and she was scrambling for shoes. she saw her daughters nervousness and chuckled to herself.

mackenzie hadn't told melissa about her and johnny 'dating', she always just stuck to the narrative that they were only friends. melissa wasn't dumb though, she could easily detect the tension, the dreamy looks, and noticed the way mackenzie talked about him when he wasn't there.

"what time will your date be here?" melissa teased her daughter.

"you mean johnny? he will be here at 6:30," mackenzie answered.

"wear the black booties," she said. mackenzie looked up from the pile of shoes on her floor and at her mom and gave her a gracious smile.

she grabbed the black shoes and slid them onto her feet, then did a twirl in her full length mirror.

"you look beautiful, mackie. mr. orlando is one lucky guy," she continued to poke at her daughter.

mackenzie smiled to herself, before wiping it off and telling her mom to leave.

melissa held her hands up to surrender and walked back down the stairs and into the well furnished living room.

after the girls dad left, she completely redid every room and threw away every piece of furniture he so much as laid his eyes on.

she tighter her long robe and kicked off her slippers, she found a magazine on the coffee table and snuggled into the la-z-boy reclining chair.

just them mackenzie came prancing down the stairs.

"DO NOT LEAVE YET!" melissa yelled to her daughter who was busying herself in the kitchen.

"mahhhhhhm," she whined.

"come over here and let me take a picture of my baby," she demanded.

"why would you need a picture?"

"it's your first date," she said impatiently, "now come here!"

mackenzie dragged her feet into the living room and stood in front of the fire place with a half smile.

"you will stand there all night until you give me an actual smile, young lady."

mackenzie whipped out her award winning smile and her mother struggled to press the capture button, but eventually got it.