Never Ready to Leave

Kenzie’s eyes glanced sideways at Mitchell while she finished the doodle she was making. He was watching the small crawl space, biting his lip. Kenzie presumed that he was wondering, worried, where Maya had gone and if she really meant those harsh words she muttered before she took off.

Kenzie sat up in the old bed and placed a hand on Mitchell’s shoulder, rubbing her thumb on his collarbone. He didn’t seem bothered by this action, and Kenzie mentally did a happy dance – she was glad he wasn’t tripping backwards out the window, like the last boy almost did when she touched him – and tilted her head slightly to the side before sighing and making Mitchell’s eyes meet hers.

“It’s okay, man, don’t worry about her,” Kenzie said, “she didn’t mean the things she said earlier. She’s just... she’s doing what Mellie does.” She’s distancing herself, Kenzie thought, in case she gets hurt.

Mitchell gave a small – obviously fake – smile, and then nodded his head, looking back towards the crawl space.

Kenzie sighed again, this time aggravated that he didn’t listen to her. But he seemed to really care, and that could be a good sign. For Kenzie was Cupid at heart. When she wanted to be. Which was like, never. “Do you want to go see if she’s okay for yourself?”

Mitchell looked at Kenzie and nodded vigorously. Kenzie rolled her eyes and got down on her knees, making her way through and Mitchell following after. When they finally got into the bathroom, Mitchell all but shoved Kenzie to the floor and left to find her. Kenzie rolled her eyes again, and then remembered Mellie telling her something along the lines of: “Kenzie, you roll your eyes so much, they’re going to roll out of your head eventually, and I’m going to laugh.”

Kenzie smiled a bit and left, too, walking straight into the living room where the music was still playing, this time, the beat of one of Mellie’s favourite songs filled the room. She spotted Mitchell standing in front of the couch, his hands in his pockets and his lip in his mouth again, looking sad, like someone had kicked a puppy in front of his face.

When she made her way around Maya’s bright coloured couch, Kenzie frowned at the sight before her. Maya was curled into a ball near the end of the couch, her face void of any emotions. Kenzie licked her lips and reached her hand out to touch Mitchell on the shoulder again, but before she could, Mitchell held up his hand and closed his eyes for a few, before shaking his head and brushing past Kenzie on his way out the door.

She watched the door latch shut before walking over and sitting down next to her friend, lifting her curled legs and placing them in her lap.

“Mell-”

“Don’t.”

Kenzie closed her mouth and just looked at Maya for a while, the way her eyes stared at something – nothing – from across the room and she hardly blinked. This usually meant she was thinking really hard about something, or really upset, or sometimes even both, and as well as Kenzie knew her, she couldn’t tell what it was.

Kenzie opened her mouth, regardless of Maya’s disapproval. “Mellie, you know what you did and how you’re acting is a little out of hand,” she started, her fingers playing with the edge of her friend’s blue ankle sock. “I know you’re only doing it to distance your relationship with Mitch, but seriously, I see something really good going on here, whether it’s the start of a wonderful relationship or the start of a wonderful friendship. Don’t you see it too?”

Kenzie got no answer in return.

“Mitchell really likes you, I can tell. Just, take it slow, don’t distance yourself like this again, and maybe, perhaps, something wonderful will blossom.”

Finally, Kenzie got a reply. But this reply was in the form of a snort. Not a scoff, mind you, a snort.

“Kenya, you’re so sappy sometimes, oh my God. You should go write for Hallmark.”

Kenzie took a deep breath, glared, and shook her head. “Just get up and have fun with me, okay? I’ll buy you some chocolate from the minimart.”

Maya seemed to glow with excitement at those words.

“But, you have to go apologize to Mitchell, and invite him along.”

Maya’s face fell, and she curled back up again. “No.”

“Mellie...” Kenzie’s stern mother voice could be scary at times.

Maya sighed this time, and stood from the couch. “Fine, I’ll be right back.”