friends with benefits - jenzie

meeting the parents

"kenz, it'll be fine. i'm just coming over for dinner and meeting your family. maddie loves me already!" johnny laughed.

"still...i mean they're planning on meeting my boyfriend, when i don't even have one. why'd you even say that anyways?" i laid on my bed as john phoned me.

"did you really want your sister to find a random guy, who isn't your boyfriend, laying on your bed with no shirt on?"

i hesitated. "well...no...but still is that so bad? like i hate that if people find out a girl is sleeping with someone who isn't their boyfriend or girlfriend, they are a whore. i don't want to be deemed a whore just because you and i are doing stuff even though we don't have any feelings for each other."

johnny didn't say anything for a moment. "uh...yeah. but you aren't a whore for doing that. there is nothing wrong with wanting to have sex without feelings."

"i know. but on a brighter note, how are things going at home?"

"really good, actually. my mom apologized and we talked. we're gonna try to be more open and honest about how we feel to each other." i could hear the smile in his voice. "it sounds lame, i know."

"it's not lame at all." i chuckled. "plus i love your soft side."

"i know you do. but i better get ready for dinner. see you in an hour or so," i could hear the smirk on his face. "babe."

"i'll slap you."

"i love you, kenz." and then he hung up.

i sat there for a good half an hour, not moving. he said i love you. I FUCKING LOVE YOU.

friendly, of course. johnny would never even like me that way. and i couldn't like him either.

but if i didn't, then why did my heart speed up every time i see or even hear him? why did i get butterflies whenever he said his nickname for me, 'kenz'? why is his arms my favorite place in the world?

the past few weeks, there had been this feeling that i have been pushing to the back of my head, because i didn't want to face it. is it possible that that feeling is me liking johnny?

"mackenzie, come down here and help set the table before johnny gets here!" my mom yelled up to me.

i jumped off my bed and ran downstairs with loads on my mind.

my sister passed me the silverware when i walked into the kitchen. "here, kenz. put those on the table."

i did what she said then sat at the island while my mom prepared the salad. "need any help?"

she shook her head. "no, there isn't much left to do and we both know how bad you are when it comes to using the oven."

i laughed. "oh shut up."

she smiled and looked over to me. "maddie says johnny is polite...that's good."

i nodded. "he's a real gentleman."

"now i'm not sure how to feel about her catching him in your bed..."

the blood rushed to my cheeks. "uh...we didn't do anything, mom. he just had a rough night and needed somewhere to stay."

"i believe you. but you should've told me. i want you to tell me if you are gonna stay at his house, or he comes here. i don't have a problem with you guys sleeping over with each other, although it worries me a bit."

"you do realize normal parents aren't usually this chill, right?"

"i trust you. and i'm not going to shelter you and stop you from doing things teenagers do. i was a teenager once, you know."