friends with benefits - jenzie

the track meet

"you got this, baby." john smiled at me, hands on my shoulders.

i wrapped my arms around his torso and embraced him. "i'm nervous."

"nerves are normal. you always push your way through your nerves, and do so well. i believe that you'll wow the scouts, just believe in yourself." he wrapped his arms around my neck and sat his lips against my temple. "i love you, kenz."

"i love you too, johnny." a whistle blew to tell us to get ready. "you better go to your seat. you're sitting with my parents, right?"

"actually, i'm sitting with mine, and my sisters. i invited them because they had never met you...i hope that's alright..." we moved apart, but our hands still lingered on each other.

i panicky looked around, trying to find them. i spotted them in a matter of seconds...after all, they all looked alike and all had blonde hair. they were an attractive family, no wonder johnny looks like he does. "they're here? oh my gosh, what if they don't like me?"

he chuckled. "c'mon, sweetheart, they'll love you, it's hard not to. i've told them all about you, they can't wait to meet you." he let go and quickly pecked me on the lips. "i gotta go to my seat...good luck, kenz!"

i smiled and walked over to the rest of the track team. this was the last race in the meet.

"alright, everyone! this is the track meet that your future career depends on... and i know y'all are ready. just try your hardest, have fun, and make me proud!" mr. coddin ran to the starting line and got ready to blow the whistle. i moved to my spot at the line and looked up at johnny. he smiled, and so did the rest of his family. i returned the smile.

"ready..." i prepared for the run; we were doing the 1600 m right now.

"set..."

"GO!" the whistle blew and we were all off; racing through the track...i slowed down for the first 1000 m, and then sprinted so i could pass the three that were in front of me; i knew they were all running out of breath due to the fact that they had sprinted the whole time.

we were coming up to the finish line, yet i had still had two people beating me.

i widened my stride and passed alia, the girl in second, and i worked on passing isabel, the girl in first. we had 100 m left, so i sprinted like i never had before.

50 m.

25.

10.

and just as we crossed the finish line, i passed her by my foot.

did i win?

after i slowed down, i looked at isabel and smiled. "good job."

she nodded and smiled.

that's when i heard the cheering. i turned to see coach running towards me and yelling my name happily. i looked up at my family and they were standing up, jumping up and down.

"YOU DID IT, MACKENZIE! YOU BEAT THE RECORD AND YOU WON THE RACE!" coddin yelled.

i smiled widely and started jumping up and down. the rest of the team joined our group and picked me up, putting me on one of their shoulders and chanting my name.

"MACKENZIE, MACKENZIE, MACKENZIE!"

i looked up to where johnny's family was and didn't see him; did he leave?

but then i saw him walking towards me as everyone put me down and moved apart.

he stood, waiting for me to finish with my team.

i said goodbye to everyone, congratulated the winners of all the other races.

i turned to see my boyfriend waiting for me shyly, and i walked towards him.

"didn't know my girl could run like that." the butterflies in my stomach fluttered.

we wrapped our arms around eachother, and i dug my face in his neck.

"congrats, mackenzie." i turned to see one of the scouts smiling. "i'm rayna stewart, the scout from stanford university. i think you'd make a great addition to our team. here's my card, call me and we can discuss this more." she walked away after handing me the small rectangle.

"oh my fucking god...i just had a college scout from STANFORD U just say she wanted me!"

john smiled. "i told you, you're amazing. they'd be lucky to have you."

i smirked.

"john, are you going to introduce your girlfriend to us?" we turned and saw the orlandos: mr. and mrs. orlando, maddie, darian, and lauren.

"of course, ma. mackenzie, this is mom, dad, maddie, and darian. you already know lauren. guys, this is kenz."

"hey, mackenzie. it's really nice to meet you." darian smiled.

lauren piped up next. "you did amazing, kenz!
i'm so happy you and johnny are dating, too."

"we'll be able to get torment him together." i chuckled.

mrs. orlando didn't say anything, but pulled me in for a hug. i hugged back, feeling a sense of love and home.

after talking to all the orlandos, i felt happy.

"well, mackenzie, you did amazing out here! and i'm sure you'd like to talk to your parents, so we'll leave you alone. i hope to see you soon." johnny's mom spoke. "also, john. you keep her. she's a good one."

i smiled shyly. "goodbye."

johnny stayed with me for a couple of minutes, then he said he wanted me to spend time with my family, and that he'd talk to me later.

i went to my family and we went out for celebratory dinner.

when we got home, my parents asked me to go to the back yard to take the garbage out...i was already in my pajamas.

i walked out there and suddenly lights turned on...fairy lights were sprung all around my backyard. i looked, surprised, at the trampoline in the middle of my lawn.

"johnny?" i smiled. "what's this?"

"well, there's a meteor shower tonight...and i asked your parents if i could set the backyard up and we could watch it tonight. it's alright if you don't want to."

"i'd love to."