Chapter 33 Reagan
THIRTY-THREE
REAGAN
Mack and I are having a girls’ night at my apartment before she flies back to California on Sunday.
She was subdued for most of Thanksgiving, especially after Trey showed up.
I could tell she had been crying when she came back in the house, but I didn’t want to upset her more by talking about it then.
After pizza and pedicures, we are getting ready to load up on bowls of ice cream before gorging ourselves while we binge-watch our shows. I miss this. I miss her.
I hope she ends up back near Carolina at some point.
Trey currently has a contract with LA, but he can be called up or traded at any time.
Hockey works differently from basketball.
The NHL will draft players and then allow them to continue playing in college, which is what Trey is doing.
Once the NBA takes you, college ball is over.
“Mack, can we talk about you and Trey? I know that you were upset on Thanksgiving. You know I’m here for you, no judgment.
” My best friend looks at me, and tears instantly well up in her eyes.
I grab her and hug her tight. She sobs. I hold her and cry too, hurting for my friend and all she is going through.
After a few minutes, she sits back and wipes her eyes. This beautiful, bold woman looks nothing like herself. What has happened to her?
“I haven’t wanted to put a damper on the holiday. Things with Trey haven’t been good for a while now. I told him before Thanksgiving that I wanted to take a break.” I give her a look of shock even though I already heard that.
“What’s going on?” I ask, hoping she will finally share with me.
“I know we have been drifting apart some. He is so popular and busy with hockey and endorsement deals. We haven’t had a lot of time together.
When he has free time, he wants to go out or go to parties, and that isn’t really my scene.
One night, I decided to show up and surprise him at a hockey house party.
I saw a girl all over him. Reagan, she was sitting on his lap!
He wasn’t doing anything, but he also wasn’t discouraging her.
Anyway…I was about to turn and leave when one of his teammates yelled at me.
Trey heard and, of course, shoved the girl off his lap and came after me. ”
“Okay, what happened after that?” I sit on pins and needles, waiting for her response.
“He tried to give me all sorts of excuses, but he constantly tells me that I’m never with him and blames me for not wanting to go out and party.
He always turns our fights around and makes me the villain.
I told him I wanted a break. He freaked out, and ever since, he has been calling, texting, and invading all my time and space.
He even accused me of cheating on him! Can you believe that?
” She is furious, and I don’t blame her.
“I don’t understand that…do you think he is accusing you because he has been cheating?” I cringe that I even need to ask, but this is Mack, and if Trey has hurt her, I’m going to make sure he pays the price for it. Well, I’ll get Jordan to do it for me.
“There are rumors, but I have no proof.” She is devastated. The only reason she went to California was because Trey begged her to. Things were the best they have ever been between them.
Mack looks like she has more to say, so I sit in silence until she decides to talk. “Look, Trey isn’t a bad guy. We have these fights, and then he makes it up to me. I love him, but I don’t know if that is enough anymore. I’m scared to let him go, but I’m also scared to stay.”
“Has he ever hurt you, physically?” My stomach sours at the thought.
“Trey hurt you?” Jordan yells as he flies into the living room like a man on fire. I didn’t realize he was home. I know he’s protective by nature, but not unhinged like this.
“Jordan, please don’t…” Mack says, but he jumps in and gets close to her.
“No, Mackenzie, you don’t…if he put his hands on you like that, I’m going to kill him!” Jordan is next-level angry. He is fiercely protective of everyone he loves.
“Stop!” Mack yells. “Trey has never physically hurt me, okay! You are acting crazy right now.” She is crying again. My brother is never good with crying females. He wants to be Mr. Fix-It-Right-Now.
Jordan’s face falls for a moment, but then turns to stone. “I’m sorry I overreacted. I just can’t handle the thought of either of you being hurt. Rea, I’m going to stay at Riggs’s place tonight, so lock up.” He grabs his stuff and slams the door behind him.
I point at where my brother just stormed out of the house. “Mackenzie, you need to explain what that was…right now.” I look at my friend for answers.
“Look, Jordan and I, well, it’s just a complicated friendship.
I may have vented to him a few times when I was upset about Trey.
And now he only sees the bad in him. Before I went out to see Trey on Thanksgiving, he confronted Jordan.
He accused him, well, us, of cheating together.
Jordan started in on Trey about how bad he treats me, and it just went on from there.
Trey now knows I confide in Jordan. I shouldn’t have, but in the moment, Jordan was there for me.
Trey thinks I’m cheating on him with Jordan.
He has always been jealous of him and how close our families are. ”
Things are clicking into place now. Trey knows Jordan; they were civil until high school, which coincidentally is when Trey started dating Mackenzie.
It wasn’t high school rivalry that ended their friendship; it was my best friend.
My brother and Mackenzie are often forced together by our parents.
It makes total sense that Trey reads into it and gets jealous.
It also explains why she doesn’t have him tag along.
It sounds like his jealousy is out of control. I’m worried about her.
“I’m so sorry, Mack. I don’t know how to help you, but I’m always here to listen. You are welcome here, no matter what and no matter when. Just answer this for me: are you happy? Truly happy?”
Wiping a stray tear off her face, Mack looks at the floor.
“I’m not happy right now, but I promised Trey we would talk when we get back to school.
He had to leave today for hockey. I don’t know what I’m going to do.
I still love him. I just can’t go on living this way, all the fighting and jealousy are ruining us. ”
“Mack, you do what is best for you. Do what feels right, and the rest will follow. I will support whatever you decide.” I mean what I tell her. I hope she gets what she wants and what she deserves.
Wiping away her final tears, she straightens her posture and smiles at me. “Enough of this depressing mess. Let’s eat ice cream and watch garbage television until we fall asleep.”
Mack stands and heads to the kitchen. I follow her in, and we make the biggest bowls of cookie-dough ice cream possible. A few hours later, a genuine smile is on my best friend’s face, and all I want is for it to stay like that.