My need to protect Reagan’s friendship with Mackenzie overrides my selfish desire to make any kind of public claim on her. I would never want Rea to think Mack is her friend just to get closer to me—because that’s happened more times than I can count. I’m not being conceited—it’s the face I wear and the reputation that follows it.
The seconds are ticking by, loud in my head, and I scan the room, half-hoping Mack will come back from the bathroom so I don’t have to finish this conversation. No such luck. The window closes, and it’s time to face this—even though every instinct in me wants to dodge it.
Trey’s looking at me now, jaw tight, patience thinning by the second. He’s waiting for an answer, so I put on a nonchalant face and play it off. “Nah, man. It’s not like that with Mack. She’s just my sister’s best friend. That’s all.” I want to throw up as I say it. Truly, I feel sick inside denying the feelings I have for her.
Trey blows out a breath, like I just took the weight of the world off his shoulders. “Oh good. Cause I really like her, dude. I’m going to make my move and get the girl, soon.” I physically have to dig my fingernails into the palm of my hands to keep them fisted at my side so I stay in my seat and remain calm even though I’m screaming inside.
You did this to yourself, idiot.
Reagan comes over to the table and I realize I don’t see Mack anywhere. Before I can ask, Rea answers my thought. “Mack got our order to go. We want to get started on the movie before it gets too late.” Then she looks over at Spencer for a minute, smiling. “Be good to my best friend, okay? I’m giving you my approval.”
Crossing his heart, Trey locks eyes with my sister. “I promise, Rea Rea.” He just got the green light from Reagan.
I hate myself right now.
MACKENZIE
I bolt to the bathroom as fast as humanly possible. I couldn’t sit there with Trey and Jordan. It was too much, and my mind is a mess. Maybe Liv is right—Trey likes me. Do I like him? Yes. But Jordan looked angry. Was he jealous? No. That's crazy. We’re just friends.
I take a few deep breaths and wash my hands, noticing that they’re still trembling from anxiety. I step out, bracing for whatever awaits me, but I hear Trey say something that makes me pause out of sight.
“I want to ask you, though, if you have a thing for Kenz? I know she’s your sister’s best friend, so I wasn’t sure if you were just friends or if something was going on?”
It takes a few seconds, and I hold my breath waiting to hear what Jordan says. His response confirms what I feared—only it’s worse. I thought we were friends, but it turns out he sees me as nothing more than Reagan’s friend.
“Nah, man. It’s not like that with Mack. She’s just my sister’s best friend. That’s all.”
I was wrong about him. Like I told Liv, just a convenient person he could waste the summer with. I don’t understand why tears well in my eyes as I turn and walk to the counter. I place an order for mine and Reagan’s favorite ice cream—extra-large cookie dough shakes with extra cookie dough pieces. I send my best friend a text that I will be waiting outside for her.
It only takes a minute for Rea to walk out with her twin brother, whom I refuse to make eye contact with. The tears dry, replaced mostly by anger.
“My mom and dad are on the way to pick us up. They’re just a couple of minutes away.” Reagan tells me.
“Sounds perfect.” My voice is so quiet, I’m not sure if she hears me, but at that moment the Mills show up and we all climb in the back of their Range Rover. I make sure Reagan sits in the middle and I turn to face the window as Everett and Paige pepper us with questions about the game.
The car ride goes by quickly, and when we reach the Mills’ house, Rea and I head upstairs to change. I can’t deal with Jordan tonight, so I do the only thing I know how to do—I hide.
“Hey Rea, can we watch the movie here tonight? I’m so tired and don’t want to go downstairs.” My sweet, pleading tone must do the trick, because she agrees quickly.
“Yeah, me too, actually. I also want to talk to you about something that happened tonight.”
I tense, not sure what she’s going to say. “Yeah, what happened?”
Please don’t be what I think it is.
Her cheeks turn pink, and I see her eyes start to mist. “It’s about Drew. I saw him tonight with a bunch of girls and it just sucked, you know?” I release a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding.
I never want to see my best friend upset, but I am relieved in this moment because I’m more than happy to focus on her and Drew. “Aw, Rea, but you didn’t see what I saw.” Her eyes jump back to me, full of curiosity, and a few lingering tears.
“W-What did you see?” Her voice is shaky, almost like she is afraid of what I am about to tell her.
“He completely ignored them once you walked in. He tracked your every move. I think he really does like you.”
She shakes her head, “If he did, why wouldn’t he talk to me? You know that whole idea of if he wanted to, he would.”
“I’m not sure. Maybe he’s nervous. Honestly, I bet your brother warned him away from you.” She nods her head, a scowl on her face that morphs into a menacing grin.
“I don’t know anything about Drew. But I do know that Trey definitely likes you! He’s so dreamy…”
