Sophie
"No...no more. I can't possibly eat another bite." I protested as Logan and Nate teased me to eat another slice of pizza. We had spent all morning shopping and having fun in our town's shopping square. It has everything, but better than a Mall. Why? Because it's beautiful. It's a few strips of stores, but it's got so much. Everyone decorates beautifully, outside and inside. It's almost as if you had stepped into one of those hallmark movies.
We decided to head over to Dad's vineyard, and eat at his bistro for breakfast, they talked me into eating gourmet pizza. I had a salad before the pizza got here. Huge mistake, my stomach felt as if it was going to explode.
When we finished breakfast, we made our way to our town strip. The first thing we did was stop at one of the jewelry stores. It's a small store, but Tiffany-worthy. We saw this beautiful necklace of wolves that both Logan and Nate loved. Plus, it went perfectly since Logan is a former Wolf, from our high school.
They were just beautiful. Not too glamorous or extravagant, just...perfect. Nate took his old necklace, where he carried my promise ring Logan had given me, placed the ring inside of the new chain, smiled, and placed it around his neck. He then made Logan kneel and placed his necklace around his neck, kissing him on his forehead.
I could tell the gesture made Logan emotional. He sighed, closing his eyes and engulfing Nate in a tight bear hug. We had seen a three-piece set, which Logan wanted to get as well so I wasn't left out, but I declined the idea. This was about Logan and Nate, not me. I already had the beautiful memories, and the pictures to cherish, but Logan deserved to have a little something extra to bond him with Nate.
This necklace was perfect to start them off in the right direction.
After we finished shopping, we saw we still had a few hours before McKenzie got out of school, so we placed all our bags inside the car, and headed towards the end of the town strip. Since we were already starting in October, the town was beginning to set up for the annual fair. I was primarily excited about the fair this year.
I mean, I've taken Logan to the L.A. Fair, and the O.C. Fair in California, but the fair here was so much different. He'll be able to see the rodeo, and all the cowboy events they hold here. Plus, the music, the games, the rides...man... I truly missed this place.
I can't wait for next weekend to bring him here and experience his first fair with the southern flare.
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(third-person pov: Meanwhile, McKenzie has been having a terrible day. The teacher-Ms. Roxanne is in the worst of mood today. She still feels the sting of the slap she received from Sophie yesterday. Sadly, she has been taking it out on her students.
Particularly one with golden-brown hair, and blue eyes. "McKenzie, pay attention. Or do I have to call your mom and tell her you're not paying attention today?" Roxanne warns her as she sees Kenzie with her little head on her desk as she drifts off, hoping that her best friend was here. She longs for the day to end so she can go have fun with him in his house and not have to worry about what catastrophes the rest of the day may bring.
She nods her little head and blushes as she hears the giggles from the other little girls in the class. "N9 ma'am. Sorry," she whispers and slumps down on her seat. "And sit up straight. You're not at home, so I want no one sitting down like a lazy bum in my classroom. Now, who can read the sentences on the board again?" she continues, turning towards the rest of the students.
Lunch comes around, and McKenzie couldn't feel more relief from the sound of that bell. She makes her way to the end of the line and waits for Roxanne to guide them to the cafeteria. She patiently waits in line, grabs her lunch, and quickly tries to make her way out, hoping to stay undetected by the rest of the girls in her class.
"Hey, Kenzie, come sit with us." she looks over, surprised to see Nate's classmates, both boys and girls, calling her over to sit with them. She smiles and makes her way over, slowly, cautiously, trying to avoid the girls in her class who seem to look at her as if she was a plague.
The girls in Nate's class wave at her, and she smiles. 'This is a good feeling' she thinks to herself as she makes her way. It feels good to be part of the girls for once. But her heart thumps quickly as she nears the table where Kaitlyn and the girls from her class are all sitting together. She looks around, hoping for any other way around, but sighs as she sees no other way open for her to walk through.
She pouts, a sad-grieving look on her face as she slowly walks through, but somehow...they let her by. She sighs in relief as she picks up her pace and makes her way to their table. The rest of her lunch seems rather peaceful. The girls in Nate's class take a liking to her and even invite her to play with her. For once, she feels part of the group and doesn't feel nostalgic, nor threatened just to be in school.
"Come on, Kenzie... Swing with us." One of the little girls says as they save her a swing and call her over. She runs, happily, sitting on the swing and swinging with them. The girls giggle as they play together. "Faster...faster." one girl yells, making them giggle. "Whoever goes higher wins." the other girl says.
Kenzie stops, fixes her sweater, and gets ready to continue swinging, but just as she goes back, and goes on her tiptoes, ready to let go, she feels a harsh push. She feels the sting on her hands, an all too familiar sting from all the times Kaitlyn or her friends push her each time they see her. "Ouch," she says, as she eyes her hands and sees the scratches that the gravel has caused her palms from the fall.
Where's your brother now, loser? He's not here to defend you today, is he?" Kaitlyn mocks her, laughing as she sees the scrapes on her palms. "Why do you always have to be so mean to her? She didn't do anything to you!" The little girl that was swinging next to her yells at Kaitlyn, making her give her a menacing stare.
"You stay out of it Zoe," she yells back at the little girl making her angry. "No. Leave her alone," she says, helping Kenzie up, and standing in front of her. The other little girl joins, blocking Kenzie away from Kaitlyn and her friends. "I don't want you guys talking to her. She's a loser. Not even her daddy wants her, that's why he left." she says, making Kenzie tear up. She lower her head and looks around, embarrassed, hoping the rest of the kids have not noticed or are paying attention. "That's not true. My mommy said Kenzie's daddy is a hero. He's serving our country and he's going to come back one day soon." Kenzie's eyes go wide to this new revelation. How could Zoe know this? Not even she knew a thing about her dad. Perhaps her mom told Zoe's mom, I mean, they do work together after all.
"Yeah, right. Your mom is a liar. Kenzie has no daddy, he left before she was even born. My mommy said so herself." Kenzie is no longer paying attention to what they were saying. She focuses on two new things that warm her heart. One- she must find out if what Zoe said was true...Is her dad really a hero? And if so...when will he be back? Why hasn't he come back?
And two- she has a new admiration for the two girls that have now befriended her, Zoe and Mia. Besides her grandpa and mom, she never thought she had someone to rely on, until she met uncle, Logan. Then she had the privilege to meet his son...Nate, her new best friend, and his mom, Sophie.
"I guess I'm not that alone anymore after all," she says, as she comes back from her thoughts and involuntarily hugs both girls from behind making them startled.
She comes in front of them and looks at Kaitlyn with a bright smile on her face. "My daddy may not be here, Kaitlyn. But my mom always tells me that he loves me, even if I don't know him. I'm not afraid of you. My brother might not be here, but he's coming back tomorrow. At least my mommy wants me. I don't have to pretend I don't know her when I'm in public like you do. She's not ashamed of me, and you..." she says, daring to get closer. "You don't have a daddy either. Do you?" she says, making Kaitlyn's eyes widen in shock.
Kaitlyn's eyes gaze into her eyes with hatred and pain. They fill with tears knowing that she's right. All the kids get to freely call their mom, mom, in public, but if she dared to call her that in public, she knows she'll be grounded for a very.,very long time. She too had never met her dad. She had has asked her grandma so many times, but never gets an answer. What's worse, is how her mom doesn't even live with her. She has to stay with her grandma alone and help look after their sick grandpa.
"I... I hate you McKenzie Devoroux, I hope you and I had never been best friends. I hate you, I hate you." she says, grabbing McKenzie by her hair and pulling it harshly. The girls scream and try to help break them apart, but the more they try, the more Kaitlyn pulls her hair. "I hate you, McKenzie. I wish you were dead," she yells, making McKenzie cry, by her harmful words and the pain from having her hair pulled.
"Enough." a teacher breaks them apart. Zoe and Mia quickly engulf McKenzie in a hug and cry with her. Kaitlyn cries from anger, starting at her menacingly. Oh, if looks could kill...?
"Kaitlyn, to the office, now." Mr. Omar says in a low, threatening tone. She stomps away, and looks at McKenzie with pity. "Girls, take her to the infirmary. I'll go to the office and talk to the principal and call her mom."
Though the situation makes her heart feel broken, she's still somewhat happy. She has now made two new friends, and can't wait to see her mom and ask her about her dad.
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