How Do You Solve A Problem Like Kimberly?

It was that time of the month again. No, I’m not talking about my monthly “lady time”. I’m talking about the first 2 weeks of November where Mackenzie Perry packs her bags and leaves me in this crummy town. Every year, Mackenzie and her family travel to Canada where they visit Mack’s grandmother. Mackenzie had just reminded me of what is to happen tomorrow. She leaned over her basket of fries and mumbled.

“Things have took a turn for the worst,”

I’ve had never seen Mack act this way before. She never cared about anything and really nothing brought her down. However, when it came down to Mack’s grandma…

“Really?” I sighed picking at my chili cheese fries

Like every year before she leaves, Mack and I journey to Betty’s Diner during our lunch period to solemnly discuss the events of her trip. And like every year Mackenzie orders a basket of plain fries and a chocolate milkshake and I get chili cheese fries and a strawberry milkshake. There was no doubt in my mind that Mack loved her grandmother, and she always had fun on her trips to Canada, but that never stopped us from feeling gloomy. The blonde girl looked up at me, beneath her wall of supreme toughness was a child yearning with feelings and sadness.

Her clear blue eyes dimmed and she glanced down at the mountain of napkins we had made, “Yeah, the doctors said that she doesn’t have much time,“

“Mack,” I sighed, I knew what she was going to say.

I hated seeing her cry, especially when it comes to her grandmother’s stomach cancer; we knew it was going to get worse. I tossed my hair over my shoulder and sighed. Across the 50’s styled diner was a little old lady chattering to an adult couple. I stared at her, though she wasn’t doing anything special. I just needed a distraction before I had to turn and see my best friend in tears.

“Mack, don’t worry, everything is going to be fine,” I turned away from the plump waitress when she gave me the stink eye and turned to my sniffling friend.

“No,” she sighed gazing out the window, “not this time. She’s gotten to weak,”

I stared intently at Mackenzie. I didn’t know what to say. That her grandmother’s last stage of stomach cancer was going to disappear? That God was going to make a miracle happen? I didn’t want to lie to Mack. I knew she loved her grandmother too much. When it came to death… I don’t know what to say. I really don’t. When my mom’s cat died last year, at it’s funeral I said she was a heavy sleeper. It didn’t sound cute or comforting at all.

“Mack, just- just let her know that you love her,”

She smiled. It was genuine. Today was by far the most depressing farewell day we had in years and for her to smile was a miracle.

“Yeah,” she replied, “Yeah. I’ll let her know,”

She continued to stare out the window with a weak smile on her face. The midday light made her features broaden. Her high cheekbones were covered in freckles as the rest of her face. She had really short blonde hair that I told her reminds me of Mia Farrow’s in Rosemary’s Baby. She had radiant blue eyes, a very clear blue that reminded me of the crystal waters in Croatia.

“I hope she saves a spot for me in heaven,” she joked

I took a long swig of strawberry shake and decided to cheer her up by replying, “Oh, please Mack! Like you’ll ever go to heaven,”

And just like that, our unusual gloomy day brightened with laughter.



I pounded my head on Elizabeth’s leather headrest, over and over again. The first few times she look over at me incredulously and told me to knock it off, but I couldn’t resist so I continued thrusting my head into the headrest.

“Okay! Stop it!” she screamed smacking me on the arm

I threw her the bird and stuck out my tongue (just for kicks).

“Gosh, you can be so immature sometimes,” she rasped

She turned up the knob of the radio and began singing along to a song I’ve never heard of. I had already given my final farewell to Mack just before eighth period and it finally occurred to me that I’d be completely by myself for the next two weeks.

“Mother fucker-“I yelped

Elizabeth’s face whitened and she stomped hard on the brakes as we came to a screeching halt.

“What? What?” she asked shakily

“I’m- I’m gonna be alone!” I whispered

“What?! We almost died, because you’re gonna be alone??” she shouted, “I can’t believe you Kim, I thought we were gonna hit someone when you screamed! You scared the shit out of me,”

I whispered the same sentence once again and registered what Elizabeth had said.

“What did I tell you about calling me Kim?!” I shouted

“Oh, come on, Kimberly. It’s not that bad of a nickname,”

“No,” I interrupted, “No. I told you! No calling me Kim, Kimmy, Berly, or any other stupid shortenings of my name,”

“You are impossible,”

“No, I’m not! I simply embrace that fact that I like the full name that our mother gave us at birth, okay?”

“Yeah, whatever,” she rolled her eyes and in a matter of seconds we sped off.



My hair dripped with fruity water. It slid down my back and chest reaching the cloth that covered my body. A few droplets danced down my shoulder and plopped onto the silky sheets of my bed.

“Oh, Kimmy!” a muffled shout came from the other side of the door
I pushed aside the black laptop and sand bounded to the door.

“Dammit, Elizabeth! What did I tell you about calling me that?!”

On the other side of the door stood my sister and none other than her cheerleading friends, holding various boxes of candy and popcorn. It was quite obvious what they wanted to do. I narrowed my eyes at the cheery girls and slammed the door on their faces.

“I don’t do sleepovers,” I sang out ignoring the lull of profanities tossed my way

Way to ruin my fucking Friday night.