What If

What If I've Been Missing The Writing On The Wall

Johnny POV

It's been three days since Kenzie and I got together, and so far, we've managed to keep this a secret. By this, I mean us dating. Everyone thinks we're being flirty, which we definitely are, as a way to avoid talking about our feelings.

Right now, all of us are hanging out in my room, watching Brooklyn Nine Nine for the thousandth time. We need to get caught up before the new season starts tonight.

I'm leaving back to Canada in two weeks, so we don't even know if we're going to stay together and do long distance. It never works, but I'd like to think of us as outliers in such data as this.

"Lauren, Johnny, come down here for a minute!" Mom shouts up the stairs and I look at my sister with raised eyebrows for a moment before going down the stairs and into the kitchen, where all family meetings happen. She's sitting there with Melissa and Greg, along with Dad, Darian, and Maddie, all of whom have a huge smile on their faces.

"Dari? Mads? When did you get here?!" I exclaim, giving them a hug. Our family is incredibly close, so the fact I didn't know they were coming is a surprise.

"A couple hours ago. Mom and Dad said that they needed to talk about something in person, so I dragged her ass out of bed and we yeeted ourselves into a plane which took us to LAX and then we got here." Darian explains, and I laugh. Only she would describe it like that.

"So, what is it that we have to discuss, family?" Lauren asks, arms folded. She's the sweetest person ever... If she's in a good mood. Other times, she's demon spawn from hell. Right now, it looks like she's pissed for some reason. I swear, if Hayden hurt her...

"Well, you know how most of your friends live out here and you pretty regularly work in LA?" Dad asks and we nod eagerly, hoping he'll hurry up the story.

"Well, we've been looking for a house down here for a few months now and found the perfect one. It's right next door, and we're buying it! We are now officially living in LA. We still have to go back in a couple weeks to talk about things and put the house on the market, but then we're here full time!" Mom shrieks excitedly. Shrieks of joy fill the Ziegler kitchen.

Shock is the only word I have in my small vocabulary that would even describe this feeling I'm having. We've always talked about moving from Toronto to LA, I just never actually thought we would.

Lauren looks even madder at this, like a creature about to go satanic mode. Why was she looking forward to going back to Toronto? Nothing interesting there, no Kenzie there, no second family there, nothing.

"Laur, what's wrong? I would've thought you'd be the most enthusiastic about this out of anyone," Maddie observes, deflating slightly at this.

"Nothing, I don't want to talk about it," my twin says, sighing deeply. She's pissed. One wrong move and she could go nuclear.

I send a frantic look around the room, but everyone looks just as shocked as I am that this is happening. No one knows why... Except Kenzie. I bet she has a clue.

"I'll be right back," I say before running up the stairs into my room. "Do any of you know what's wrong with Lauren?" Our friends look at me confused, except for Hayden and Kenz.

"I do," Hay frowns. I motion for him to continue, and he sighs. "She told me earlier that today, she was mad, because she thought you and Kenzie were keeping something secret from her. And you know how much she hates secrets."

I direct my attention at Kenzie, who agrees with what he just said. "She confronted me, called me a backstabber and liar and fake friend and then marched out of my room." Tears appear in her gorgeous brown eyes, and my heart breaks a little bit. I pull her in for a hug, promising that everything will be okay, even though I know it won't be.

"Okay, this is just weird. Are you two dating now?" Asher asks, getting a light slap on the arm from Annie. "What? I'm asking a question!" He protests, rubbing his arm.

I raise an eyebrow at Kenz, who nods her head. "Yes, we-"

"Johnny! You lied to your sister about this, of course she's mad! Lauren has a sixth sense when it comes to these things, idiot!" Annie shouts, followed by Emily.

"Kenzie, why didn't you tell us? Are we all even friends?"

"What? Of course we are, I just didn't want to have to deal with this if we didn't have to. When John goes back to Canada, I'm going to be here. Long distance never works, and I don't want another broken heart. So, what's the point in telling all of you if we were only going to be dating for a few weeks?" Kenzie explains, and I don't have the words to describe what I'm feeling.

"So, you're saying you're not even willing to try long distance? Not even for a week?" I ask, pissed.

"No, John, I don't think I would. The last time I did that, I got cheated on." I get reminded, and roll my eyes.

"You know that I'd never cheat on someone, especially not you. I'm not your exes, Kenzie, and you know that!"

"What's that supposed to mean? That I have terrible taste?"

"No, it's supposed to mean that I'm not an asshole."

"So you're saying I only date assholes?" Her voice breaks for a split second and I widen my eyes in total panic.

"No, I'm not saying that, I'm saying that some of your exes were assholes, but I'm not one."

"No, John, if I only date assholes, that means you're one too. And right now, I have to agree with that." With that, Kenzie storms away, tears watering in her eyes.

🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️🏵️

Oof

Later loves,

~Ry