The Summer List, page 9
"I'm sorry. Troy said she was hot?" I nod. "But she's so... so plain. Look at her. What is she even wearing? You would think for your first time going somewhere you would want to make a good impression."
I am looking at her. Sure, her cutoff shorts and t-shirt look is basic, but she is anything but plain. "Why the third degree?" I ask.
"Just curious," she says, then takes a sip of her drink. "You look curious too. You haven't stopped looking in her direction all night."
"Not curious. Nat asked me to look after her tonight." That's a lie, but if I had talked to Nat before coming, I'm sure she would have asked me to. That’s what I keep telling myself, at least.
"So Mack is like a sister to you?"
"Something like that," I say as Troy walks over to us.
"Liv," Troy says, acknowledging Olivia. She scrunches her nose up at him and lets out a huff of air from her nose like a raging bull. "Nate, can I talk to you for a sec?" Troy asks, pulling me up by my arm.
"Slow down. What's the emergency?" I ask.
Troy glances behind him towards Mackenzie as he drags me closer to the river's edge. "I don't know what she's talking about."
"I don't know what you are talking about," I say, yanking my arm back from him.
"Mack. She keeps asking me about books, movies, and all this stuff we talked about. Dude, what do I do?"
"What do you mean you don't know what she's talking about? You didn't read the texts?" He shakes his head no. My head drops. How could he not read the texts from Mackenzie? "Read them now. I'll distract her."
Mack stands up as I approach her with my hands in my pockets. "Hey, Troy will be right back," I say, pointing my thumb back towards the water where I left him.
"Okay," she says, drawing out the word.
"Sit." I motion towards the oversized log. Mackenzie crosses her arms and tilts her head. "Please," I add.
Reluctantly she takes a seat next to me. "So," Mackenzie says, staring at her feet.
"So," I repeat. "How's it going with Troy?"
"Great." She says through gritted teeth. "Just great."
"Hmph."
"Don't hmph me."
"Then don't lie to me. How is it really going?" She contemplates as she digs a rock out of the sand with a stick.
"It's nothing. I just realize how bad I am at this."
"At what exactly?"
"Talking to boys." She threw her stick into the fire. "Being social. Did you know this is the first party I have ever been to? Why did he bring me here if he didn’t plan on talking to me?”
“I don’t know.” I can’t think of anything else to say. If I start thinking about all the reasons Troy brought her here, I will lose my shit. I’m already starting to see red watching them together as it is.
“Well, aren’t you Mr. Helpful. Why don’t you keep Olivia company? I don’t need you looming over me.”
“I’m not looming.”
“Okay, then why are you here? You were the one who didn’t want to be seen in public with me. Remember? You can go. I’ll be fine. I’m used to being alone.”
“I’m not leaving you,” I say with authority. The flames from the fire responded to my declaration and danced across the green in her eyes. Mackenzie bit down on her bottom lip and gave me a slight nod.
Mackenzie doesn’t realize that I mean I’m not leaving you again ever. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever. I don’t think I did either until just now.
She turns back towards the fire, and I scan around to get a pulse on everyone. Connor and Sam are talking with a few of the other guys on the team who joined our group. Olivia is shooting daggers at my head.
“She’s scary,” Mack says, following my gaze.
“Olivia? She’s harmless.”
“Hmph. Okay.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, looking down at Mack. Even sitting, I’ve got a few inches on her.
“Olivia is a snake in the grass. She is far from harmless. I don’t know why you are going out with her.”
“I’m-“
I start to tell her I’m not, but she stops listening to me when Troy appears with a grin from ear to ear. It makes my stomach drop. I wanted him to keep walking, but he doesn’t. He stops right in front of us.
"Mackenzie, you want to go somewhere more private and talk about that book you mentioned?" He can't be serious. There is no way she is going to fall for this. A smile slowly appears on her face, and I’m suddenly filled with rage.
"Uh...sure," she says, wiping the bark from the stump off her shorts, then takes Troy's hand.
No. Not rage I realize. Jealousy.
They walk hand in hand through the crowd. Troy is leading her towards his car.
Son of a bitch.
As Mack passes the last bonfire, she looks over her shoulder at me. I shouldn't have let this situation go this far. If I go up there, who am I kidding? When I go up there, I'm going to punch him. No, I can't do that. He's my friend.
But if he's touching her… My brain and my body are not working together at this point. My brain is telling me to stay calm, but my body is pulsing and ready to snap.
I start walking back to the cars as fast as possible without drawing too much attention to myself. Olivia says something as I pass by, but it is all jumbled. I have one thing on my mind. I don't think Troy would do anything he shouldn't, but I've also never seen a girl tell him no before. If I know Mackenzie, she would be the one to test him.
The clearing is packed with cars. I start searching for Troy's mustang methodically, going row by row. My adrenaline is pumping. My heart is pounding in my chest. I take a sharp turn down another row and skid to a stop. I see them.
Once I see Mackenzie is okay, I take a moment to breathe. She is looking out the passenger window chewing on her fingernails. Troy is leaning against the driver's side window with his head against his hand.
Did something happen? They look like they just had a fight. I pick up my pace. I try to keep my composure, but I’m reeling at this point. I have the worst-case scenario playing through my head. Troy sees me coming and gets out of the car.
"What's up, bro?" This cocky motherfucker.
Troy walks closer with a smirk on his face that says he got exactly what he came out here for. I walk faster in his direction. Before I can formulate any words, my fist makes contact with Troy's face, and he hits the gravel hard. I shake out my hand while he tries to get to his feet again. Mackenzie rushes over to help him up.
"What the hell, Nate?" She asks.
"Yeah, what the hell was that for?" Troy asks, holding his jaw.
"I thought-" I point to the two of them as Mackenzie looks him over.
"Yeah, well, you thought wrong. I can't believe you," Mackenzie says sharply. "Troy, we should go get you some ice."
"I can manage on my own, but thanks," Troy says and starts to leave. "Nothing happened, bro. If you liked her, you should have just told me." He whispers to me before he passes by.
Mackenzie and I are left alone, awkwardly staring at each other. She is fuming. I don’t know what came over me. I have never hit anyone before except on the football field. Even then, it is rare since I’m the quarterback. Usually, I’m the one taking the hits.
"I can manage on my own too," Mackenzie finally says. "I don't need you coming around big brothering me, by the way! I can handle myself. What were you thinking?"
I can barely hear her over the throbbing in my hand. "Big brothering you?” I’m offended at the thought of her referencing me as her brother in any aspect.
“Yeah. You’ve been hovering around me all night, and now you just punched a guy. A guy who is supposed to be one of your friends.”
“Again, not hovering. I’m sorry, I thought he did something.” And it made me flip the fuck out. “You looked upset."
Mackenzie is looking down at her feet when she says, "I was upset."
I felt the fury fill me back up again. "I'm going to pummel him." I take off towards the path, but Mackenzie cuts me off. The touch of her hands on my chest stops me in my tracks. An instant calm.
"He didn't do anything." She snaps. Mack suddenly drops her hands, leaving me feeling bare. "I did."
"What did you do?" My voice cracks and is high-pitched. I didn't recognize it as my own.
"I told him he wasn't who I thought he was, and it wasn't going to work out." I let out a slight cough to keep myself from smiling.
"He didn't know Moby Dick was a book. He thought it was a nickname for a, you know," she says, raising her eyebrow.
That sounds like something Troy would think. It would also explain his excitement coming back to the fire. He thought she was flirting with him in those texts.
He was flirting with her in those texts.
"If you were the one who cut him off, then why are you so upset?"
Mackenzie let out a big sigh. "Because I let myself think I had a chance. I let myself start to care. I won't make that mistake again. I should have known better. Guys like that..." She pauses to get her composure. "They don't go for girls like me." She looks defeated. It's killing me. "I just want to go home. Can you take me?"
"Sure," I say, and she starts heading toward my truck but I don’t move. I have to tell her the truth.
"It wasn't Troy," I say to her, and she whips back around to look at me.
"Excuse me?" She asks, but I know she heard me.
I take a breath before repeating myself. "It wasn't Troy texting you."
"What do you mean it wasn't Troy texting me?"
"Troy came over and asked for my help. He didn't know what to say to you." She drew her eyebrows together and put her hands on her hips. "I gave him a pointer or two, and before I knew it, I had taken over. You haven't been texting with Troy. You've been texting with me."
Mackenzie looks like she has just been punched in the gut relentlessly. I need her to say something. After what felt like an eternity, she finally speaks. "I’m going to be sick. Is this some kind of joke to you?"
"We never intended to hurt you. It just kind of happened."
"It just kind of happened.” She mumbles under her breath. “Eating a whole bag of chips just kind of happens. Staying up all night watching Netflix just kind of happens. Pretending to be someone else while you are talking to a girl just doesn’t happen, Nate!”
“Well, it did. Deal with it, Turner!”
“No.” Mackenzie strikes her finger inches from my face. I clench my arms tight to my side. I know I will want to take her in my arms and never let her go if I don't. “You don’t get to be mad here, Harris. I…I can’t believe you did this to me. Was it you every time?" Her voice is soft—almost a whisper.
"Pretty much. Except for the time I was at your house. Troy would come over and play video games, or he would leave his phone and pick it up later." Mackenzie didn't say anything and started walking towards the road. "Where are you going?"
"Home!"
"Come on, Turner! Don't be like this." I threw my hands up in defeat. She is halfway to the road. I sprint in the opposite direction to get my truck.
When I get to the main road, I turn on my brights. I drive a half-mile or so down the road, and I don't see Mack anywhere. I do a quick three-point turn and head in the opposite direction. I pass the entrance to the clearing and keep going. It didn't take long before I spotted Mackenzie's red hair glowing in my headlights.
"Go away, Nate. I can't stand to look at you,” she says as I approach her with the passenger window rolled down.
"Then get in the truck and don't look at me."
"No!"
"Fine. Have it your way, but you might want to turn around. Home is about twenty miles in the opposite direction."
11
mackenzie
I stare at the handle on the door for a few minutes, weighing my options. I really only have one. There is no way I will be able to find my way home. Let alone walk twenty miles. I cursed under my breath and climbed into the passenger seat.
I did my best to make it clear I didn’t want to be here with him. If I weren’t so embarrassed, I would have walked back to Troy and asked him for a ride. That would have set Nate off.
This whole night was a complete disaster. I should have known it was all too good to be true. It was all just a game to them. I expected this behavior from Troy. He has a reputation for playing girls. But Nate? I want to get home and forget this ever happened.
The truck is quiet except for the steady stream of the air conditioning. I have pasted myself to the passenger door. I want to be as far away from Nate as possible.
I’m completely gutted. I told Nate everything. I’m so stupid. I fell right into their trap. God. How could I be so dumb?
He knows too much. I will never be able to look at him again. And everything he told me, was it even true? Or was that part of his plan too?
Nate is leaning into his window and biting his nail to the stub. His other hand is gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are turning white. He shifts his eyes in my direction, and I dart mine the other way.
Let him suffer. I won’t give him the satisfaction of breaking the silence. He will have to grovel at my feet before I ever forgive him for this.
The twenty minutes in the car felt like hours, but we were finally pulling into our neighborhood.
"I'm sorry." The sound of his voice cuts me. I don't want to hear apologies right now.
I didn't say anything until we pulled into my driveway. "I just want to know why. Why did you do this to me?"
Nate ran his hands through this hair and let out a sigh. "I don't know. I’m sorry." He’s hiding something. I can tell because he won’t look at me directly.
"I know. You've said that already. Why don’t you try some new material? I know you have something to say. Spit it out already." I’m starting to fume. I’m resorting back to the only emotion I know well. Anger.
I stared him down for a few minutes in silence before he finally says, "I'll understand if you don't want to go fishing on Sunday."
Is that what this is about? Our deal? Did he want to make me mad enough to cut him off, and then he wouldn’t have to spend the next six weeks with me? Oh, hell no. "Nice try. Our deal still stands. Be ready at six in the morning Sunday," I say sharply and then hop out of the car.
Once inside, I pace the kitchen until I can breathe again. I don’t think I have ever been this furious in my life. Trust me when I say I’ve had an ample amount of opportunities to be pissed off.
I raid the pantry and the fridge and go back to my room. I throw the bounty of snacks onto my bed and change into some sweats. I’m about to settle in for a night of torture.
I unlock my phone and pull up my text messages. There is already one from Natalie, but I’m ignoring her for now. I don’t have the energy to tell her everything that went down tonight.
Right underneath Natalie’s name is Troy’s, aka Nate Harris. I open the text message and scroll to the very first message.
TROY: Hey. It's Troy. We said hi yesterday at Nate's.
TROY: He gave me your number. I hope you don't mind.
ME: Hi. I remember.
TROY: Cool.
ME: Cool. So, why did you want my number?
TROY: Because
ME: Good answer.
And then he ghosted me for twenty minutes. I guess this was when Troy decided to tag Nate in for help. Pricks. The both of them.
TROY: Because I couldn’t get you out of my mind.
ME: Better answer
TROY: Well, it’s true. I feel like an idiot
for not noticing you at school.
ME: Eh, no one really notices me at
school. It’s cool. I prefer that way.
TROY: Why?
ME: Because if no one notices me
then no one brings up my parents.
ME: It’s just easier to stay under the radar.
TROY: I will never be able to un-notice you again.
ME: I think I would be okay with that
There was a wave of bravado soaring through me with that text. I was flirting. Now all I feel is mortified—such an idiot. Nate texted me shortly after this text went through, reminding me to empty the garage. He knew I wasn’t doing it because he was texting me as ‘Troy.’
TROY: Humor me with a game?
ME: What kind of game?
TROY: 20 questions. Rapid-fire.
TROY: Don’t think. Just answer.
ME: Ok. You have to answer too.
TROY: K
TROY: Favorite color?
ME: Teal. Yours?
TROY: Green
TROY: Favorite food?
TROY: Burgers from Birdie’s
ME: Pizza Pasta
TROY: What’s that?
ME: Nate’s mom makes it.
It’s pasta smothered in cheese and pepperoni.
It’s soooo good.
TROY: Yum
TROY: Favorite type of music?
ME: Anything sad.
TROY: That’s depressing
ME: Life is depressing.
TROY: Rap
ME: Shocking
TROY: What does that mean?
ME: Nothing
TROY: Hmph
TROY: Favorite movie?
TROY: Come on Turner. You’re taking too long.
I should have known right here that this was Nate. He is the only person that calls me Turner. I can’t believe I let my guard down.
ME: I don’t know. I’m not much of a movie person.
TROY: Okay. I’ll let you pass this time.
TROY: Scarface is mine.
ME: Naturally
TROY: Next question
ME: Do I get to ask any of these questions?
TROY: Eventually
ME: Seems fair
TROY: I thought so
TROY: Favorite book?
ME: Count of Monte Cristo
TROY: Unexpected
ME: Because you know me so well?
TROY: No. I just expected something else.
ME: I like the classics
ME: Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, Jane Eyre
TROY: Moby Dick?
ME: You would question that one. Perve.
TROY: :)
TROY: Where the wild things are
ME: Autobiography?
TROY: Cute. No, it’s a classic too.
