Just Believe

Ever since I slapped John, I’ve avoided him like the plague; he’s knocked on the door countless times to try to talk to me. I make Lauren answer the door every time, and make her give him an excuse as to why I can’t come to the door and talk to him.

I was lying on my bed listening to music when Lauren knocked on my door. “John’s downstairs. He told me he’s not going to leave until you come down and talk to him,” she smiled before walking into my room and jumping on my bed.

“Tell him to leave Lauren.”

“No, he’s hot and he obviously likes you! I’m not going to let you ruin your chances with someone who looks like THAT!” Lauren was giving me a look like I was insane.

“He’s not that hot, and if you think he is why don’t you date him?”

“I think you need your eyes checked. He’s gorgeous! And, I uhh, I like Kennedy,” she mumbled the last part as her cheeks turned bright red.

“AWWW! Lauren has a crush!”

Lauren was about to say something when someone knocked on my door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Kennedy, John wanted me to tell you he’s about to kidnap you if you don’t come downstairs and talk to him.”

“Go talk to him McKenzie,” Lauren ordered, pulling me up from my bed and pushing me towards the door.

“Fine, but I can’t promise I won’t slap him.”

Opening the door I saw Kennedy standing there awkwardly, obviously uncomfortable. I smiled at him quickly before heading downstairs. I heard voices coming from the kitchen and as I walked closer, I made out Garrett and John’s voices.

“Dude why do you even care this much? If some girl slapped me after I tried asking them on a date, I’d just give up. She obviously doesn’t like you!”

“Gare, you obviously don’t get it. I just, I knew she was different when I first saw her! She’s gorgeous, she doesn’t know about the band, and that’s rare here in Tempe. There’s something about her that makes me want to get to know her. The more she hates me, the more I want to be her friend,” John’s answer caused me to stop walking and just stand in the hallway.

“You really like her don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Does everyone just invite themselves into my house?” I asked as I leaned against the fridge with my arms crossed over my chest.

“How long have you been there?” John asked panic obvious on his face.

“I just came downstairs, why?”

“Oh, no reason, I was just wondering. Will you go on a walk with me?” John asked sending me a smile. As much as I tried to hate him, that smile caused butterflies to swarm my stomach.

“Sure. Let me go grab my shoes,” I answered turning out of the kitchen to head up the stairs.

I slipped on my vans before skipping back downstairs only to see Kennedy and Lauren kissing in the living room.

“OHMYGOD! My eyes! They BURN!” I yelled causing John and Garrett to run into the room, and Kennedy and Lauren turned bright red.

“Get some Kennedy!” John yelled making Lauren flip us off before hiding her face behind her hands.

“Garrett you may want to go over to my house while Kenzi and I go on a walk,” John advised laughing as he looked back and forth between Lauren and Kennedy.

“You guys are going on a walk? Kenzi, don’t kill him out there!” Lauren yelled as we made our way towards the front door.

“Remember no glove no love! I don’t want a baby in the house already!” I yelled in the house before closing the door.

Garrett waved at John and me before heading next door to hang with Jared.

John and I walked for a few minutes in silence until we reached a little park that was in our neighborhood. I looked over at John and he just smiled at me. “I’ll race you to the swings!” I yelled, mostly just trying to break the awkward silence that had been hanging between us.

I took off running and I was half way to the swings when John grabbed me around the waist and picked me up. He tossed me over his shoulder and laughed as I started hitting his back.

“John! Put me down!” I yelled in between laughs.

He finally set me down at the swings and yet he still didn’t say anything. I sat on one of the swings and he stood behind me gently pushing me.

“John?”

“Yeah McKenzie?”

“Ew, please don’t call me that. Only my parents call me McKenzie. Call me Kenzi. Why did you want to go on a walk?” I was leaning back in the swing now staring up at the sky. The sun was just starting to set and the sky was a gorgeous mix of orange and pink.

“Alright, Kenzi. I just wanted to talk to you, but I’m having a hard time talking,” John answered. He stopped pushing me and made his way to the swing next to me.

“I’m sorry I’ve been such an ass to you. I really don’t know why I did it. I just, do you want to be friends?” John looked over at me and smiled slightly.

“I’m sorry I slapped you, but you can get really annoying. I mean who knocks on someone’s door three times a day, for a week straight just to talk to them?” I asked smiling at him.

“I didn’t want you mad at me.”

“Well I’d love to be your friend John. Just stop throwing parties that last forever, stop hitting me with Frisbees and stop acting like you’re the hottest thing on earth,” I smiled over at him before looking back at the sunset.

We sat like that until the stars came out, and I can’t remember a time when I was happier than I was at that moment.